Hometown: Born in New York City but raised in Long Island

Book: Suburban Gangsters

Genre: True Crime/Nonfiction

1. Describe your book in 10 words or less.  As real as it gets.
2. What made you want to write Suburban Gangsters? I knew I had a great story to tell and really wanted to warn people about the dangers of using drugs or being a criminal.
3. How long did it take you to write your book?  It took about four years because I did it in spurts.
4. How do you choose the names of your characters?  It’s tough to say. A few of the last names I used from some of my favorite shows and others I just came up with.
5. What do you do when you have writer’s block? I step away and try to clear my mind and come back fresh. Sometimes it took longer than others.
6. What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?   It’s hard to really say which was my favorite but probably part 1 of the book. Each part really had a unique feel to it because the story takes place over a 25 year period.
7. If you were stuck on an island and had to have one person from each category with you, who would they be and why? 
   1. One character from your book: Definitely Christine because we are still in touch to this day (and I’m sure you could figure out the reason why)
   2. One fictional character: Adrian Monk
   3. One famous person: Eddie Van Halen. This was an easy choice because I play guitar and look at Eddie Van Halen as God! 
8. Besides writing, what are your other interests? Guitar. I also have a huge fascination with the Vietnam War and I can’t read enough about the topic. I believe I have already read over 200 books about it. I have trained in the martial arts and weights most of my adult life, so that’s another biggie for me. And college football.
9. Do you keep a journal? No, I don’t. It’s one of my many regrets because I probably could have gotten into much better detail in my book. Most of the book was written from memory so I know I missed out on some things.
10. How did you celebrate the publishing of Suburban Gangsters? I haven’t actually yet, but I’ll be doing it soon. It’s slightly overdue.
11. If your book was made into a movie, who would play the main characters? That’s a tough call. I would love to see Mark Wahlberg play my part but I know there is a lot of great up and coming actors out there so I guess I’d keep an open mind until I could see everyone trying out.
12. What did you enjoy most about working with Dorrance Publishing? I really think it was the professionalism and efficiency throughout the entire process. The staff was very hospitable and was just spot on with it in each step. I can’t thank them enough for helping me with this project.
    
13. Five favorite books of all time? We Were Soldiers Once…and Young by General Hal Moore and Joseph Galloway, SOG The Story of America’s Secret Commandos in Vietnam by John Plaster, Acid Dreams by Martin A. Lee, Flashbacks by Dr. Timothy Leary,  and Drugstore Cowboy by James Fogle.
    
14. One sentence of advice for other writers?  Have patience and believe in yourself even if others doubt you!

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Shiny New Idea Syndrome (noun):

A gift as much as a curse, shiny new idea syndrome is a common illness throughout the writing community. If you suffer from this affliction, you can count yourself lucky in some respects. There are great writers who sit awake at night praying for a good idea, whereas you’re sitting on your living room floor drowning in piles of papers filled with ideas.

Like a child with a new toy, your attention span can be fickle, making it hard to get anything done.

Why you shouldn’t start that new idea

There’s always going to be a new idea.

If you’re one of those creative souls who is like a living, breathing idea factory, there’s never going to be an end. It may feel right to pick up that new idea that you’re dying to work on, but you’ll lose steam as soon as the next one comes along and you’ll never follow through with any project unless you can find a cure for yourself.  

How to get clean

1. Have self control

Shiny New Idea Syndrome is a bit like an addiction. You’ll think of an idea and you’ll tell yourself- Well, maybe just one scene. While it’s fresh in my mind. The next thing you know, you’re up until 4:00 A.M. looking up knife wounds and conspiracy theories on google in a body fueled by Skittles and Red Bull.

You need to have some serious discipline to break this cycle. Make this your mantra: I have to finish this book before I start another. No exceptions. Not only will that help you stay on task, but the excitement you have for your next project will motivate you to finish your current one sooner.

2. Find one specific place to store new ideas.

Whether it’s an app on your phone or a notebook you carry everywhere, being organized will help you feel less overwhelmed. It’s easy to feel like you’re drowning in new ideas when they’re on so many different platforms. Keeping ideas organized will allow you to keep your head above water, knowing they’re right there when you need them.

It’s also helpful to break ideas into categories. Organize your ideas bythose most fleshed-out to those that need developed to ideas that are simply passing musings or lines. Use the smaller ideas as brainstorming tools  if you’re stuck on your current project.

3. Set goals & hold yourself accountable.

When it comes to combating this addiction, you need to set distinct goals stay on track. Give yourself two weeks per chapter. Put it in your calendar. Efficient scheduling forces you to remain focused on the project at hand instead of getting distracted.

Some people don’t have enough willpower to do this on their own. If that’s you, don’t feel bad. After all, most of us have already abandoned our New Year’s Resolutions, so we have no room to talk.

If that’s the case, it may be helpful to bring in a person to hold you accountable. Whether it’s a friend, a family member, or even an editor, knowing someone else is invested in your project will keep you on task. Just like an addiction, if you can’t get better on your own there’s always the intervention approach.

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