Will (he/him) was born and raised in Newport, Washington, just north of Spokane. He graduated from Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington with a degree in Criminal Justice. He was a big fan of shows like C.S.I. and Law & Order: SVU and had envisioned a career as a Criminal Psychologist. However, his love of writing never diminished. He now lives in Seattle, Washington with his husband.
When he isn't writing, Will enjoys kayaking and hiking in the Puget Sound area. He also enjoys drinking Mai Tai's and pretending he is on a warm, sandy beach on a rainy, Seattle day.
Here’s a few fun facts about Will…
-His first jobs were working at McDonald’s and as an intern at his town’s local newspaper, The Newport Miner. This was where he found his love of writing.
-Will’s favorite hobbies include kayaking, drinking coffee, watching reruns of The Golden Girls, starting home projects and not finishing them, finding new songs and overplaying until he is sick of them, and eating.
-Don’t threaten him with a good time at a wax museum.
-When asked about retirement plans, Will is the first to talk about how he diversifies his future through his growing Lego and Funko collections.
-He once kissed a troll.
-He has an amazing husband who he tries to not annoy too much because he has grown quite fond of being around him.
-He is a proud member of the Chipotle Rewards Program and is close to earning a free side of guac.
Q&A with Will
Q: What was the hardest scene to write in Is There Still Room In Your Life For Me?
A: I would say the flashbacks were hard, in terms of continuity and ensuring everything was playing out in a linear way that made sense. But if you are asking what was the hardest emotionally, it would definitely be the last part of the book with the dreaded lunch (if you know, you know) and the very last chapter.
Q: What is your favorite movie? TV show?
A: Hands down, this would be The Goonies. I watched it so much as a kid, I actually ruined my VHS copy of it (twice). For TV shows, there are too many to think of. Although, the first one that came to mind was Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Q: What is your writing process?
A: I’m a planner, so before beginning a novel I like to have a plan. This begins with a rough outline, which tends to evolve and change as I begin the story. I have found that the most important thing to do is just write! Don’t expect the first draft to be “picture perfect”. The first draft for me is always “the skeleton”. The drafts that follow are the muscle and tissue that add onto the bones.
Q: What are your pronouns?
A: He/him
Q: Are you going to write any mystery or true crime in the future?
A: That’s a great question. I’m not so sure about the true crime genre, but I’ve always loved a good mystery. It just depends if I find a story that I’m really passionate about telling.
Q: If you could only have one food for the rest of your life, what would that be?
A: I guess that would be pizza.
Q: What if it were only Hawaiian pizza?
A: I guess I would not be long for this world.
Q: Are you Jake Ruiz?
A: Lol, no.