About Me
I’m a New Englander. Born and raised in a small town in southern Connecticut. And though work and life have led me elsewhere, I remain a New Englander at heart.
I attended Connecticut College from 1991-1995 and graduated with dual bachelor’s degrees in anthropology and environmental science…and dreams of digging up ancient artifacts in the deserts of the southwestern US. Unfortunately, I married a military officer. That meant a lot of moving about, and the few jobs that are available in the anthropology/archaeology arena want you to stay put for years on end. So, take two: back to school, this time to the University of Rhode Island, where I completed an MBA program in 1999. Not exactly the most exciting field of study but boy did it open doors for me. And today? Today I'm gainfully (and happily) employed by the US Coast Guard developing and maintaining IT systems that support all facets of their operations. So, where am I now? West Virginia! I can honestly say that I never thought I’d be living in West Virginia (much less working in the IT industry) but here I am, and loving it. No matter what you’ve seen or heard, West Virginia is a beautiful place to live. And so, here we are: me, the husband, and two cats that basically run the show. |
Side Gig Affiliations
Bad Movie Reviews
Staff/Slush Adventurer
|
About My Writing
I write sci-fi and fantasy mostly, though I've dabbled in 'weird'/light horror and a few other things. Why sci-fi and fantasy? Because there are no limits. Well, sci-fi needs to have a scientific basis, but hey, it's the future, so who's to say what's realistic and what's not? And with fantasy...well, with fantasy there's infinite creativity. Even the laws of physics don’t necessarily apply, and as a writer that provides the freedom to make just about anything possible. Or at least plausible...
I love ancient history, but I love myths and fairy tales and folklore more, because these imagined tails always have a core truth. And because it's the myths of Man that preserve the tenor and shape of cultures past. It's these ancient, iconic tales that influence my own work in any genre. After all, they’ve survived for hundreds and thousands of years, so they’ve got to be good. Oh yeah, and animals. Just about everything I write has an animal of some sort that is central to the story.
I love ancient history, but I love myths and fairy tales and folklore more, because these imagined tails always have a core truth. And because it's the myths of Man that preserve the tenor and shape of cultures past. It's these ancient, iconic tales that influence my own work in any genre. After all, they’ve survived for hundreds and thousands of years, so they’ve got to be good. Oh yeah, and animals. Just about everything I write has an animal of some sort that is central to the story.
Why I Write
Because I like the challenge of it. And the creativity. Because after months and years of writing things I had to write, I decided it was time to write something I wanted to write.
That’s what motivates me to write. And what keeps me writing? The sheer pleasure of it. I love the feeling you get when a phrase or a sentence or a paragraph comes together just right. That sense of fulfillment, harmony, achievement and accomplishment. That and the hope that someone (or maybe several someones) will enjoy what I write as much as I do.
That’s what motivates me to write. And what keeps me writing? The sheer pleasure of it. I love the feeling you get when a phrase or a sentence or a paragraph comes together just right. That sense of fulfillment, harmony, achievement and accomplishment. That and the hope that someone (or maybe several someones) will enjoy what I write as much as I do.
What I Like in the Writing of Others
First off, let me admit that I’m picky. I’ll spend an hour or two in the library or the bookstore, picking up one book after another, reading the dust jacket and a randomly selected passage of text, and often not find a single one that I feel is worth my time. What I do buy I keep, and will likely re-read a dozen times or more.
So, I’m picky, but what do I look for? What draws me into a story and keeps me turning pages? Well, a truly good, original and engaging plotline, to begin with. And I like stories that are character driven. I like protagonists that are scarred and flawed either physically or emotionally. Characters that are noble and decent at heart, but often walk the line between good and evil, right and wrong. Protagonists should be complex, maybe a bit twisted, certainly not overly pure, or overly powerful. That's just boring. Think Batman versus Superman. I’ll take Batman every time.
I like beautiful writing. That can mean long, complex sentences or short, punchy prose that's simple and straightforward, painting a scene in just a few terse lines. I like mystery, stories that slowly unfold with plenty of breadcrumbs along the way that lead the reader to the big reveal. I like learning new words. I like to visualize, to see what the author is describing and make it my own. That’s why I’m skeptical about books made into movies: nine times out of ten they're doomed to failure because they can't possibly live up to the vision and expectations in my own head.
So, I’m picky, but what do I look for? What draws me into a story and keeps me turning pages? Well, a truly good, original and engaging plotline, to begin with. And I like stories that are character driven. I like protagonists that are scarred and flawed either physically or emotionally. Characters that are noble and decent at heart, but often walk the line between good and evil, right and wrong. Protagonists should be complex, maybe a bit twisted, certainly not overly pure, or overly powerful. That's just boring. Think Batman versus Superman. I’ll take Batman every time.
I like beautiful writing. That can mean long, complex sentences or short, punchy prose that's simple and straightforward, painting a scene in just a few terse lines. I like mystery, stories that slowly unfold with plenty of breadcrumbs along the way that lead the reader to the big reveal. I like learning new words. I like to visualize, to see what the author is describing and make it my own. That’s why I’m skeptical about books made into movies: nine times out of ten they're doomed to failure because they can't possibly live up to the vision and expectations in my own head.