I started around ten or eleven. My first story was a 'Tarzan' tale --- fan fiction' long before I ever heard of the word. I fiddled around with several stories all during my teaching career, (SHARD & EVER ONWARD), but it wasn't until I retired several years ago that I tackled writing full time. E-books allow you to be so much more 'creative' than the tap-tap-tap typewriter!!!

I always have two or three books on the go on various subjects or 'times'. Right now I'm working on a fantasy from my 'Oma-Var' series and another in my 'Cleansing' series. I also do daily proof-reading/ editing. Regardless of the `time or place`, the action will keep coming!

I grew up in a small village east of Toronto, called Highland Creek. Back then it was like living the life of Huckleberry Finn without the riverboats. Tree forts in the woods, hunting with my hound dog and summers spent canoeing in northern Ontario. I guess that's why most of my stories deal with 'outdoors & action'.

I charge very little for my books because I want them to be read, not just sit unsold and unread on some 'electronic shelf'. That is why I give away several of my books, especially the first one in a 'series'. EVER ONWARD, the first book in the 'After The Cleansing' series, is a good example. That book and the first in my 'Robin Hood' series have always been FREE to download. https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/55864

First off, I make my own covers. It's fun!!! The trouble is you need a really BIG picture for a cover, so that limits things. I try to find a 'face' or something, usually a weapon or a piece of amour helmet, that 'fits' the story I'm working on. Then I play around with fonts, shadows and colour. Often times a picture will give me an idea for the story itself.

Two things come to mind right away.
1) Creating new and interesting characters, especially 'bad guys' and 'strong women'.
2) Writing something that every now and then actually gives me a lump in my throat. It doesn't happen very often, but when it does it makes all the rest worth it.

Wait a moment, I just thought of another one! Its a fairly new experience but it is a great one! Having someone else actually say they liked either one of the above or that they simply 'liked' my work.

Well, I usually work on two or three at the same time. A few weeks to a month on one, then move to another one for a 'mental break' or change. I spread it out between a number of areas. I write about: fantasy (Oma-Var series), Science Fiction (New Worlds series), apocalyptic stories (my AC or 'After the Cleansing' series and other 'end of the world' stories) ,historical fiction (Across The Water series) and all kinds of 'adventures'. In all kinds of 'time periods'.
Two other 'areas' that I enjoy dabbling in are 'Alternate History' and 'rewriting The Classics' in novel form. I've done several of my favorite Shakespeare plays ,classical poems and Norse sagas. (I'm very proud of both 'The Highwayman' and 'Brighteyes'.)

Smashwords had allowed me and thousands of people like me to achieve a large part of our dream to finally become a published writer. I thank them for that and hope to continue working with them for years to come! Thanks!!!

Probably another fantasy with a strong female as the main character. It will be set in Oma-Var, but in a country or 'kingdom' that I have not 'visited' before. Also, I want to do another 'modern' adventure with the modern cowboy character Wayland Crow that I created in 'GOD'S CLEANSING', the story about Somali pirates attacking a cruise ship. Wayland is such a 'throwback' to what men should be like but seldom are. Both he and his girlfriend Wynona are a blast to write about. I've also got another 'New Worlds' sci-fi tale started ('Elfland') and another Shakespeare re-write --- a novel told by LADY Macbeth called 'Something Wicked This Way Comes'. As I mentioned earlier, I like to jump around rather than grind away at one book for months and months at a time.

Like all readers, I have many, but my top three are Stephan King, Bernard Cornwell and S.M. Sterling.
Next on the 'hit parade' would be Wilbur Smith, Conn Iggulden and Steven Hunter. All great 'character creators' and story tellers. Oh ya, Shakespeare's tragedies! (His poems and comedies I can do without, but I do love those tragedies!)

Sunshine, the people I love, walking my little Beagle through wet fields and the need to get back to the story I'm working on.

My wife would say 'goofing around'. I'm a 'living historian' (that translates as a guy who re-enacts historic battles of the American Revolution and other historical time periods). That takes up 6 or 7 weekends a year. Sailing is another pastime I enjoy, as well as boat building, canoeing, hiking and of course, my granddaughter Zoe and walking my little hound Bria.

My method is that I have no 'real' method.
I get an idea, often times from a picture.
I think of a 'situation' or 'problem' and just start writing.
No detailed plot plan, no pre-organization of chapters. I seldom if ever know what is around the bend and have no clear 'path' to follow. I just let it flow and see where the tale takes me. Often I'm surprised myself by the dark places I end up in and especially the 'people' I meet!
(Some of them are very nasty and swear a lot!!!)
When the 'rough' is all finished I then cut & past and 'clean up the mess'.
Physically I write an hour or two first thing in the morning, walk the dog, do 'chores around the house', I TRY to fit in some writing in the afternoon, do another dog walk and/or 'chores', TV for an hour or two after supper then usually an hour or two writing before bed. Being retired helps --- unless my wife has 'other' things planned for me! (g)

Both my wife, Maggie and my son, Jason, have been very supportive. My wife especially has put up with me 'going away' for hours at a time even though I'm physically just in the next room. She has always encouraged me to follow my dreams --- the problem is that I have so many of them! She is a very special lady who has been with me since we were both little more than children. Lately she seems to get a kick of introducing me as 'her husband the writer'. I tend to look around to see who she's talking about.

My son is a little more straightforward. He just loves all the action parts and gets a kick out of recognizing places, people and even some things that we have done together when they turn up (slightly changed) in one of my books. Both of them have been a great influence on my work. Lately I've been 'helped out' by my granddaughter Zoe with some of the 'Grumpy Grandpa' series.

The answer to that has changed over the years. I've always been a 'reader' --- not the best of students, but I loved to read --- still do! Now its more historical stuff and edgy si-fi or fantasy, anything about sailing and nothing much at all set in the 20th or 21st century!

My desk is an old, battered wooden fold-down 'mini-desk' that belonged to my grandfather. I have had it and used it ever since I can remember. I did my homework at it as a teenager, wrote my first book at it during the 1980's (in longhand, and then with an old fashioned typewriter). My son used it when he was growing up and since he married and moved away I am back at gramp's old dest in my son's old room writing this on my laptop.
'JUNE 13 - 63' is still carved in the top. I did it all those years ago with a new penknife. I have no idea what the date means --- perhaps the last day of school before summer?
Hey, I mentioned earlier that I kind of led a 'Huckleberry Finn' type life as a child.
Oh, gotta go now, Tom n' Huck are knockin' at the window. Gunna meet Injun Joe down by the graveyard!