AR Clayton has an interesting sense of humor. We asked them what type of writing that they do – They checked Novels, short stories, poetry, blogger, and vlogger. They also checked other. We asked for more information and this was the response –

I also like to say “Come in….come in!” in a spooky voice when the wind blows open a door late at night. It’s something my grandmother did. If that isn’t the start of a good story, I don’t know what is.

We asked What or who got you started? We got this response…

I think I was gifted with a vivid imagination, which I am very grateful for. I love art. When people can express themselves freely through art–whether it’s by painting your house purple and your front yard hosting an armada of plastic pink flamingos, writing War and Peace, or sitting in your writing room late at night wondering what your protagonist will find around their dark hallway corner–I think it a beautiful and awe-inspiring thing. Storytelling is an old art, and there is something uniquely special about it.

AR shared about fun/ hobbies: Reading, writing, painting, gardening, playing the occasional video game; leaving walnuts out for the squirrels to bury in my neighbor’s yard.*

Going to hardware and garden stores and committing to too many home projects at once. Bicycling, feeding pollinators, eating the occasional taco. Making my husband nervous when I attempt to break the laws of physics. Gravity should be negotiable, after all this time.

*Our neighbors went looking for their cat one night and went into our backyard, despite our polite request to call/text us first (as this has occurred before). After hearing a worrying noise, I look out my window (around midnight we’ll say for the sake of atmosphere), and what do I see? A hooded figure with their head bowed, walking very quickly around the back of my house. Scared me to death; will most definitely use in my next novel. But my next battle strategy may be summarized in three concise words, if the walnuts prove not enough: “motion activated sprinklers.”

(See what I was saying about the sense of humor?)

Family? My husband the Saint; Ru the Labrador Retriever-mix rescue who insists on featuring in each of my novels, poems, short stories…etc. You will always find a dog in my work.

And lastly when asked about Writer’s block – I stack it with other alphabet blocks until words form, and soon you have an idea, a sentence, a paragraph, a story…You have to outsmart these things, you know? Get ahead of them and all. In seriousness, I don’t force writing–or at least I try not to. I ride on my indoor bicycle (a “trainer” as the cool kids say), go for a walk, clean, watch a movie, listen to a soundtrack–anything to give the mind a break and let my brain rest/run quietly in the background. It’s important to take care of ourselves.

Let’s all check out their book. The second book is currently being reviewed by a publishing agency–fingers, toes and elbows crossed according to AR Clayton. Let’s wish them luck!