A Little Bit About Me

There are two types of fiction writers: outliners and pantsers.

 

As the label suggests, outliners plan and storyboard each section of their books, the beginning, middle, and end, and create detailed outlines for each chapter before they begin writing. Pantsers, on the other hand, imagine and write their books at the same time, without fully knowing in advance how their story will unfold or end. 

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I'm a pantser, and began imagining and writing The Conditioning Tree in late January of 2025, with the intention of developing a provocative story that would inspire hope in people suffering from addiction of any kind, along with loved ones and friends impacted by substance use disorder. It took seven months of diligently writing every day to complete the draft manuscript, the first and easiest step to creating a novel. The hard part lies in the grueling editing and revision process that follows.

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Authors write about what they know, and so, with that in mind, I felt like I should disclose The Conditioning Tree includes a number of autobiographical elements and fictionalized depictions of actual events in my life, particularly in Henry's character. I've always been drawn to literary fiction because the genre is character driven and doesn't depend on tropes. I also have a love for history and historical fiction novels, which is how The Conditioning Tree ended up being a dual genre book.

 

Writing a book requires close collaboration with a talented and skilled editor, sometimes more than one. I’d like to thank Jo Michaels, my amazing editor, for taking a ragged, misfit collection of words, sentences, and paragraphs, and somehow transforming them into something magical. This book would’ve never seen the light of day without her.

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I’d also like to thank you, the reader, for your courage to pick up or download the book and read it. Addiction, mental health, and suicide are serious topics, but even in the depths of despair, I think it’s important to have a sense of humor.

 

Sometimes, laughter is the best therapy.

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