Look and Listen

Biography

I was born in the Western Pennsylvania town of Latrobe, and remember both the tedium of church and the enormous steam engines and long trains of the Pennsylvania Railroad. As an adolescent Iwas fascinated bythe fundamental issues: God Freedom, and Immortality. This led to a major in philosophy and a career teaching philosophy that lasted several years in several colleges, Later I became a medical writer and filmmaker, all the while clandestinely crafting fiction. I lived in New York, but don't live there now and sorely regret it.

Inspiration

I never thought of writing until I readPynchon's Gravity's Rainbow. At the time I wasn't getting much sleep and this persistent wakefulness seemed to potentiate my inspiration. However I have yet to write a Pynchonesque novel. I greatly enjoy T C Boyle (I'm afraid to tackle his middle name). particularly East is East and The Road to Wellville. Except as a cultural phenomenon, I have no interest in religion and I think the sure way to ruin a novel is to make it philosophical. I cannot stand novels in which the author is predominantly preoccupied with the sorry state of his/her existence.