This story is heart-wrenching and masterfully written. You've chosen to move from present to flash-backs which seems to me the perfect form for this story and told so directly and with so little emotion that it blasts out of the reader instead! Did you have a plan while you wrote this story?

Yes, I definitely had a plan, which like all my plans, failed miserably. But it's important to adjust your initial plans as obstacles come up, and more importantly, as better plans suggest themselves. This is how writing has always worked for me; at the onset I think I know the story I am telling, until the characters themselves begin taking over, choosing their own courses of action, and dictating their own fates; by the time I'm finished writing, the story is quite different from the original intent (and almost always better). For example, the original first line of this story was "They called each other douchebag..." and the story took place entirely in the past, ending with the tragic fire. But as the narrative unfolded, I realized Dagmar was giving Jimmy the advice that would one day save his life. So I kept writing.

There is this deep, yet unspoken relationship between the narrator, Jimmy, and his childhood friend, Dagmar. They share this alternate world that the narrator has created to help survive the pain of finding themselves somewhat helpless in an "adult" world. What was your inspiration for "The Ceruleans?"

Essentially this is a story about escape; in the past, Dagmar is seeking to escape an abusive relationship with her stepfather; in the present Jimmy quite literally wants to shed his own skin, to escape the prison of his deformed appearance; both situations invoke feelings of helplessness, and the Ceruleans provide the means to escape, temporarily at first (spoken word), then permanently (written word).

The inspiration for this entire story, along with the Ceruleans, began several years ago in conversations I had with a close family member, who is now deceased. Like Jimmy, this person was injured in a fire, which led to multiple health problems. And like Jimmy, this young man was extraordinarily creative. Every holiday or family get-together, he would tell me stories about a planet he imagined that was ruled by mutant insects (Prez Mantis, Major Roach, and Sergeant Ant). So, I guess in real life, I am Dagmar, encouraging him to write those stories down; of course, in real life things don't always turn out the way you'd hoped; that is instead the role of fiction.

As an aside, I really do like the word "cerulean." There is a music to it, I think, those four syllables strung together in succession (sah-ROOL-ee-an). It makes me feel calm.

And I love the starfish motif that comes back again and again! It's very much a symbol to me as a reader. Outstanding!!
Do you have a writing schedule and if so, any tricks that seem to work for you best?

No, and no. I'm definitely not an example for young writers to follow (or anyone for that matter). In the past I've tried writing 1,000 words per day (or more); I've tried writing at the same times every day (mostly mornings); but now, having an additional full-time job and three children, I am schedule-challenged and trick-free. So when I do make time to write (whether it's ten minutes or several hours), I write passionately, furiously. The only rule I consistently follow: write each piece as if it's the last thing you'll ever write. Somehow that works for me and my lack of process/routine.

Do you write short stories exclusively or have you attempted writing a novel and/or poetry?

I've written one novel, two screenplays, a memoir (based on three cross-country journeys), two television scripts, one collection of short stories, and numerous other short pieces. So far, only a few of these things have made it to publication or production; and trust me that's a good thing! Every time I write a new piece, I learn something; and so when I look back on prior works, I see their enormous, gaping flaws. Currently, I'm working on a collection of short fiction that overlaps to tell a larger, more complex story; if that works out, I'll let you know!

Wow, okay, you just blew me away on that answer!!! You’re a multi-media Cerulean!!!!
Who would you say are the biggest influences on your writing career?