Hi! So, okay, a little about me.
As a child, I was always told I had a good imagination. Whether acting out precarious situations for my action figures and Matchbox cars to survive or just talking to myself about fictional goings-on loud enough for my parents to overhear. At the time, I didn’t know enough to point out that every child has a good imagination. People tend to forget that, their own having been dimmed for any number of reasons. I was fortunate enough to grow up in a safe and peaceful environment, and I never had the inclination, or anyone telling me, to be “more mature.” Not that you need to be immature to tell stories. But I think it helps not having voices, yours or anyone else’s, in your head calling it a waste to sit around daydreaming and making things up all the time.
That said, no matter how many ideas I came up with, well into adulthood I was really only writing in my head. “Why?” you might ask. Oh, no biggie. Just stunningly low confidence, combined with a debilitating ignorance of what writing actually is. When my first, early attempts at a novel didn’t exceed half a dozen pages before I would read back through them and decide they just weren’t good enough, it never occurred to me that even the greats don’t just fire up the computer and churn out their next bestseller in one sitting.
If only someone had told me.
Maybe I should’ve asked.
Instead, I worked in manufacturing. Everything from making signs, components for medical equipment, handles for airplane seats, and bearings for submarines to planning, scheduling, and/or supervising the making of those same bearings before graduating to complete ships for the United States Navy. (That last part makes me sound pretty important, but I assure you my mark on the shipbuilding industry was so small the people doing the actual work have never missed me.) And all the while I kept daydreaming when I could, plotting and otherwise developing stories I wasn’t sure I would ever write.
Sure, I’d produced some shorter stories over the years, but the first big one finally popped out about two thirds of the way through this aforementioned career after the company I was working for took a massive hit in the Great Recession and gave me what they termed a “permanent layoff” in 2009. Basically, “We don’t want to fire you, but…” I got a severance package that would last me a couple months. In the meantime, I aggressively searched for other work. And I started what would soon(ish) become I Chose Vengeance.
I say “popped out” mainly because the sudden drive to finally do it sort of took me by surprise. But I’d been living with the story since the winter of 2006/7, so although I don’t remember how long it took, I produced a draft with relative ease, especially considering it was my first. And since the new economy meant that virtually nobody was hiring, I certainly had the time. I ended up locking down another job—one that involved uprooting my family and moving an hour and a half away, but whatever—and all-in-all it was about two years before I published.
After that, I did what all self-published writers who also happen to be ignorant do: sat back and waited for the money and accolades to come rolling in.
When they didn’t? Well… I stuck to the club charter, and did what we do next: got down on myself and supposed it was never meant to be.
Heaven forbid we realize we have some agency. Sure, there’s a lot of luck involved, but luck, like inspiration, tends to find you when you’re working.
After several years (and for reasons detailed in the corresponding Acknowledgments), I finally got to work on the first sequel, first revisiting I Chose Vengeance to refamiliarize myself with the world and where I’d left off—adding about thirty percent in the process, having realized with fresh eyes just how much was missing—and soon enough I had Bullet & Blade.
I’ve been writing steadily ever since.
Not that I subsist on it, though that’s always the goal, whether it be from novels (my first love), scripts (which I also love, though it’s been a while), freelance, or some combination thereof. Even, as Will Ferrell’s character Mitch in Old School said, “something really cool that I don’t even know about.”
But I’m constantly working on something, including my latest novel, which I’m currently pursuing publishing traditionally. After all these years in self-publishing, I’ve found it might be nice, at least on certain projects, to not have to do everything myself. Especially when there’s so much to this business that could be done so much better by so many people who aren’t me. I’ll be thrilled to help where I can (including marketing and promotion, which is a must for authors these days no matter how you publish) but no matter what they or anyone else says, writing will always be the best part.
Anyway, thanks for visiting. Stay as long as you like. If you’re willing and wondering how best to support me, it’s really—really, really—simple (TL;DR, just read the bold):
- Buy my books. Far and away the best, and most meaningful to me. Never in my creative or professional life—both of which, as an author, now coincide—have I or will I have ever worked harder on or cared more about anything. These are my creative babies, and I want for them to thrive nearly as much as I do my actual children. Not least of all because otherwise it’s like I’m still just talking to myself.
- Leave a review (PLEASE!). Just a rating helps, but reviews are even better. Readers want to know what other readers think. When’s the last time you bought a book—in person, or even just added it to your cart, wish list, or TBR—without hearing something good about it first? I couldn’t tell you mine. And as it happens, across industries, in fact, people tend not to leave reviews unless a) you ask, or b) they really hate you.
- Gift copies to others. As a reader, you not only know what great gifts books can be, but you probably know other readers, too. You also know how much more likely they are to read something when it comes personally recommended. Rather than leaving it up to them to follow through and buy it, it would greatly benefit me—and be all the more appreciated by us both—if you just went ahead and got them their own copy. Two (or more!) sales to one reader means fewer readers I have to convince just to give me the time of day. Every author’s dream! (Especially if they also leave a review.)
- Spread the word. You can’t buy everyone you know a copy, and, unless you’re fabulously wealthy, I’d feel pretty bad if you tried. But since you already know how powerful personal recommendations are, if you like it, don’t be quiet about it. Tell your family, friends, coworkers, neighbors. The cashier at the checkout. The person behind you at the checkout. Seriously, though, you don’t need to dive outside your comfort zone for little ol’ me. But if the subject of books happens to come up in any way, shape, or form, mention my name, my titles, or even just my website, if not all of the above. Put me in the hat at book club if you’re in one. And definitely share whatever you’re willing on social media. I’d give you a like and comment on a post of just my cover, even without a caption. Especially if you tag me.
- Speaking of social media… Follow mine! You’d be surprised what all those numbers—the follows and likes and shares—can do for us creative types trying to make a living on our art. I’m always trying to get better at putting myself out there, posting and sharing about me and my work, connecting with people, and really engaging with fans. Unfortunately, when it comes to comfort zones, I have one too. And as an introvert, it tends not to extend beyond the reach of my arms.
- Last, and definitely least: $. I thought about not even putting this option out there, but I know that some fans really enjoy supporting creators they like with straight cash. It may sound crazy to say that this is the least of the ways you can support me, but it really does pale in comparison to developing a following and having people who love and want to share my work. But… if, by chance, it’s what you want… I mean, I’m not going to say no. Leave a donation. Subscribe to my Substack. I may even eventually have a Patreon. The thing is, I don’t really have any concrete plans for special content anywhere, but then I also know that fans who support their favorite authors this way don’t tend to think of it as a transactional relationship. So, this is just for anyone who wants to provide straight monetary support, which, of course, is greatly appreciated. (Though I’d still rather you buy books for your friends.)