POP INFLUENCES

Inspiration can come from anywhere

Faith No More's A Small Victory

My favorite song from one of my favorite bands growing up; so it's fitting I named my first book after it. To this day, I still don't know the meaning of the lyrics, and I am perfectly fine about that.

The Shawshank Redemption

"Get busy living, or get busy dying."

Famous words everyone should live by.

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Patterson

The foundation of my writing career.

Billy Joel

A fantastic storyteller in music. His songs are mostly relatable to the everyday working man, however, I believe there is a Billy Joel song for everyone.

Final Fantasy

The video game series known for it's intricate stories, complex and lovable characters, and most importantly the incredible music. When I need a break from writing, I join my fantasy friends to restart a new breathtaking journey of inspiration.

WWE

Fake, fake, fake.

This is all that non-wrestling fans think about wrestling. For me and many others, we see talented athletes going the distance, men and women inspiring physical fitness, men and women telling an engrossing story, men and women exposing the absurd behaviors of mankind, and men and women giving back to the community. There really is something for everyone in sports entertainment.

Forrest Gump

If a simple man with a low IQ can effortlessly make history, use common sense in difficult situations, stay true to himself and to others, love himself no matter what people think about him, understands true love, then why can't I or any of us for that matter?

Hate List by Jennifer Brown

In the early stages of writing my first novel, colleagues would advise me not to publish a book dealing with the topic of school violence, warning it would be risky and could repel readers, ultimately ending my career before it could start. Hate List, a novel with school violence as the forerunner of its story, reminded me of the importance of having sensitive and controversial topics in literature, and how it should strengthen the mind of the reader instead of filling it with permanent dread.

Along Came a Spider by James Patterson

Page turners are essential for readers in this busy world in which we live. James Patterson taught me that. This book inspired me write in a way that would make people say, "What the hell was he thinking?" It taught me to deliver tension to each page. It helped mold me into the writer I am today.

Who Framed Roger Rabbit

Behind the magic and laughs lies an amazing story with diverse characters, a battle between good and evil, and a history lesson on how the idea of the freeway was originated.

I'm a strange and unusual guy, and I love strange and unusual things.