I am currently researching and developing the story of a young gay male who is murdered by a "heterosexual" police officer who began an illicit affair with him and murdered him to silence him and protect himself from exposure and ridicule.

I enjoy the classics, Le Carre', J. R. R. Tolkien, Robert Ludlum, Ken Follet...

Writing and more writing, and the necessity of self-promotion to get the work noticed.

I have numerous pets - dogs, cats and occasional stray animals who frequent my house for food. It absorbs my days with walks, feedings, and the like. I enjoy socializing with friends and researching my next project

I find them on Smashwords, and Amazon mostly. I have discovered new writers that I am learning from when I sift around for new books to while away the hours with.

My first novel was titled "Non-existence Plus" and I finished it when I was in my teens, but I had written short stories, plays, poetry and fiction for years before that. I just guess I always wanted to write.

I have to find something I am interested in, something that engages me, then I look for my voice, my distinctive view of the subject matter and I begin researching it or playing it out on paper. I only find my speed if the work is interesting to me in a personal way, and trust that my voice is appreciated somewhere out in the void by others with like-minds.

I remember the first real significant book was The Lord of the Rings by Tolkien...it was astounding to me and I was amazed that the vision was so closely matched by others, it spoke volumes of how a writer can convey a picture that seems equivocal to each reader.

The "atmosphere" of the work must be captured by the design, I am not a graphic artist but I can see that dark works require dark covers,(that less is often more than enough), and it must show something that entices a person with like-minds to pick up the book for further review. Of course sexy books deserve sexy covers and it must speak to the target audience you are trying to reach.

The Lord of the Rings Series, because Tolkien was able to breathe great value in a literary work that far extended it's genre.
The Shining by Stephen King, because it was the first book that truly terrified me.
Naked Lunch by William S. Burroughs because this was the first time someone who was so unconventional was brought to my attention as a writer.
Free Fall & Lord of the Flies by William Golding, because the voice of abstract darkness was never better utilized than Golding succeeded in.
Smiley's People by John Le Carre, I always enjoy a protagonist who is less than perfect, dubiously, and quietly superior to those around him, humble but always under appreciated.

Spy, True Crime, Horror

Amazon Kindle

Oklahoma, I was a tow sack boy from the sticks, who dreamed of bigger things.

As soon as I could form words on paper.

Of course the rejection by agents always helps, but even I recognize how selective my target readers would be in the grand scheme of things.