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 When and where were you born?
 I was born in Magnolia, Arkansas on February 1, 1954. I didn't live there very long, though. We moved to Louisiana when I was really young. Then we moved to Texas, Virginia and back to Texas. I graduated from High School in Kingsville, Texas (The home of the famous King Ranch).
What were your parents like?
Both my Mom and Dad were from rural Arkansas. They met as students in college. My Mom grew up on a farm—the only girl with four brothers. My Dad grew up in pretty much abject poverty after his Dad abandoned the family during the depression. He had a brother and two sisters. My folks are no-nonsense kind of people. Dad grew up without money, so he was very careful of spending it. My folks considered travel a luxury, so we didn't see much of the world as kids. They were conservative, Southern Baptists, and Republicans.
Did you want to be a writer as a kid?
No. I wanted to be a professional baseball player. My hero was Mickey Mantle. My first writings were tributes to baseball. I started writing poetry and short stories pretty young. I wrote for the school newspaper in High School and had stories published in the High School literary magazine which I also edited.
Growing up what did you like to do?
When I wasn't playing or thinking about baseball, I was riding bikes, hanging out with my buddies, reading. When we lived in Houston, we used to catch crawdaddies in my front yard after a hard rain. I was really lonely after we moved to Virginia. I used to drill imaginary soldiers on the playground. The other kids thought I was pretty weird. In High School, I discovered girls. I had my first serious girlfriend, Jane. Her Mom didn't like me much—she was sort of the model for my character, Lucy Brackett. I played golf and hung with my buddies mostly.
When did you begin writing in earnest?
My most important literary achievement prior to writing Night of the Dance was poetry I wrote to my wife, Paulette, during college which convinced her to keep going out with me. After we got married, I kept writing, but I never finished anything. I never thought it was good enough. The Night of the Dance really came into being as a short story I wrote over a Thanksgiving vacation. I began developing it when I enrolled in a crime fiction writing course at Rice University. Since then, I have pretty much written every day. I have two more novels in the works.
What inspired you to write Night of the Dance?
I'm a big fan of Larry McMurtry, Cormac McCarthy, Elmore Leonard and James Elroy. I hoped I could write something that compared to their work. As a father of two sons, I guess I was also trying to deal with the fear of losing a child.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
Besides writing and reading, I work out regularly, run, work in the yard and hang out with Paulette.
Tell me about Paulette? Where did you meet?
Paulette is the love of my life and my best friend. My day is not complete unless I talk to her. She is beautiful and wonderful in every way. We have been married almost 30 years and I still think I am the luckiest man alive. We met at The University of Texas in Austin on a blind date. A fraternity brother of mine had his girlfriend arrange a date for me with one of her friends. The girl she originally picked couldn't make it—there was an issue with a malfunctioning nose job. Paulette was the substitute. I knew Paulette was the girl for me right away. She wasn't so sure about me. I seriously wooed her. When she found out I had a 4.0 grade point average, she figured I wasn't a complete dork and decided I might have potential. I pretty much rushed her to the altar as soon as I could.
You have a long history of achievement—youngest editor of your High School literary magazine, graduated number three in your class from High School, graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Texas, number 1 in your law school graduating class, youngest lawyer to make partner in your law firm, etc, where did that drive come from?
My folks were a pretty motivating force. They didn't tolerate slackers. I think I have always been motivated to excel at whatever I do. Feeling like an outsider for a lot of my life, always being the new kid might have had something to do with it. I also have a lot of energy.
Your novel is set in Washington County. Where is that exactly?
Washington County is north of Houston around Brenham, Texas—the place where they make Bluebell Ice Cream. It is kind of a laid back place where nothing much happens except an occasional Tornado.
Where did the idea for Night of the Dance come from?
It sort of grew by itself. I had a few character in mind, the central tragedy, and so forth. Then I would put these characters in various circumstances, with challenges to face, and see how they reacted. Sometimes they surprised me.
What are your next two novels about?
One is about my 9/11 experience. One is another crime story featuring my characters Jeremiah Spur and Clyde Thomas.
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