When and why did you begin writing?
[Smiles.] When I think about it, I began writing in the 7th grade, when my best friend (at the time) and I wrote, illustrated and made a book for a class project. Two Men and Two Planes it was called. As we were the artists of our class (by large), that helped me realize an avenue in which I could not only draw out my imagination but tell it as well.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I first came of age as a writer in college, having an “a-ha” moment during my introduction to the AP styles guidebook.

Why did you choose to write in your particular field or genre?
I didn’t choose to write in the science fiction genre per se. Rather, because I grew up on it since the Space Giants, and as imaginative as I am, I quite naturally write in the genre.

What are some day jobs you have held?
Up until November last year, I held a steady job in the Telecom industry for some 20+ years.

Do you work to an outline or plot sketch, or do you prefer to let a general idea guide your writing?
I generally like letting the idea guide me, but as I learned with a previous project, doing so can evolve the world of a story. As was the case, the result is the current published work, Skies Over Tomorrow: Constellation, which was meant for me as the author, to get a grasp on things. Now with that achieved, I have returned to the previous project with an outline\plot sketch for it.

Can you share with readers a little bit about your latest book?
Skies Over Tomorrow: Constellation is a sci-fi anthology, revised to be the e-book of the original work published in 2004, as part of a campaign to do justice to the title. The main body of six short stories varies from hard sci-fi to fantasy, from 3rd person to 1st.  As a matter of fact, Alien Femme—the second story in the book—is told in the 1st person voice of the main female character. Even more, the stories predate 2004, but amazingly some of the sub-themes remain relevant today. The main theme, of course, is the portrayal of Mars as the superpower of the future, to which four of the six stories showcase life under the rule of the Galactic Federation of Mars. I can guarantee that a reader will, at least, be entertained by this book; SOTC is a solid piece of work. It also includes illustrations of characters and tech.

What is your next project?
My next project is Dream Synthesis (working title)—the previous project—that I put on hold to get a grip on the world it is set in. It is the follow-up to the anthology.

What role does research play in your writing?        
For me, research plays an important but minimal role in my writing. I mean, the whole point of fiction—especially science fiction—is to suspend reality and hold a reader’s attention for a given period of time (i.e. to entertain). For me to achieve this, research can’t be too heavy or burdensome as to be all about the science or technology—unless warranted. So, research has to be balanced with creativity or an original thought as to suggest a presented idea or tech is possible or credible.

What is one thing you hate about being a writer?
[Laughs.] Feeling like a starving artist.

What is one great lesson you have learned as a writer?
[Smiles.] The one great lesson I have learned as a writer is that the pen is indeed mightier than the sword. It is a craft that commands respect, especially when read in everyday life. (That’s to make a distinction between an author and a writer.)

Tell us something unique about you.
I am an actually an artist who writes (BFA from GSU), and I am also a single dad.

How can you discover more about Kelly? 
Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page