Doug Dandridge

Doug Dandridge was born in Venice Florida in 1957, just a month before the launch of Sputnik. Doug read his first science fiction novel, Robert Heinlein's Citizen of the Galaxy, at the age of six, and then went on to devour every piece of fantastic literature he could get his hands on. H.G. Wells, Jules Verne, Robert Lewis Stevenson, Bram Stoker and Mary Shelly were soon followed by more Heinlein, Asimov, van Vogt, Leinster and others. These were followed by Robert E. Howard, Burroughs, Moorecock and many more. Doug was also fascinated with history and science, and devoured as many books in those genres as he could. Doug's military experience included Marine Corps JROTC, active duty US Army, and a stint in the Florida National Guard. He was an avid student of martial arts and spent many an weekend in the woods with the Explorer Scouts. In the Army he was an expert with every weapon he put his hands on. Doug studied Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Geology, and graduated from Florida State University with a BS in Psychology. He studied Clinical Psychology at the University of Alabama, with special interest in Neuropsychology and Child Psychology, earning a Masters and completing all the course work needed for a PhD. Several years ago Doug attempted nursing school, taking courses in Anatomy and Nutrition prior to dropping out of the program due to health concerns. Doug has worked in Psychiatric Hospitals, Mental Health Centers, a Prison, a Juvenile Residential Facility, and most recently for the Florida Department of Children and Families. He has been writing on and off for the last fifteen years, producing Near and Far Future Science Fiction, Urban and High Fantasy, Horror, and Alternate History. Doug writes intelligent science fiction and fantasy, with characters who are strong and smart, only defeated due to the greater strength of their opponents. Says Doug, I will never end a story with they all died. I believe people want good stories where the characters they cheer for triumph, maybe not winning the way they want, but winning nonetheless. They want stories of hope. I do not like writing that is so fresh and cliche free that they are incomprehensible, and I will not write such stories.

Website: http://dougdandridge.net
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Blog: http://dougdandridge.com