Look and Listen

Biography

I grew up and still live in a relatively affluent town in RI. I had several best friends who died tragically all at a young age - not at the same time but each with it's own tragic set of circumstances. I constantly reference these young men in my stories, I guess as a way to keep them alive. I would most likely be dead too if not for just moving in (30 years ago) with a beautiful young woman who later became my wife. If I hadn't stayed home from an annual road trip to the Mardi Gras, I would have been in a horrific car accident with my friends. One friend was put into a coma courtesy of an idiot McExecutive. His company denied he was there until the FBI tracked down his car and found my best friend's hair underneath. I don't eat big Macs as a result. I grew up hating sports as i stunk at all of them. I was usually the last guy picked when teams were formed. Usually the lone girl got picked first. I think as a result of this and from growing up in the 60's and 70's I was moved to "experiment" with many different substances. These experiments also provide fodder for my writings. During this time frame I had a most bizarre out of body experience and found myself in the presence of a powerful being. At the time I felt this was God, but I think now it may have been some sort of sprit or guardian angel or who knows? In any case, I was shown something akin to a freestanding, pehaps holographic slideshow of my life and of my past lives. I have had dreams of these past lives and of dying at several different points in history, for years, both before and after this event. I also received some sort of "download" of knowledge or information about our very souls, the sprits which inhabit our mortal shells, and the universe in general. As a result of this experience I have very stong spritual beliefs but I am NOT religious. I am NOT one of those guys who will come and tell you all about the Lord and so on, but if asked I may tell you what happens after you die, or why it feels so good to hug someone. I love to read. My favorite authors are Stephen King and Dean Koontz. I have loved to create fiction since I was in grade 7. Some of my shorts have been published in a "Fanzine" called Lovecraftian Ramblings. I am told that these have been made part of the H.P. Lovecraft collection at Brown University in Providence, RI. I hope to self publish a book of shorts soon as a springboard to getting my novels published.

Inspiration

I had a totally crazy childhood, and if I had lived that childhood now and done the same things now, I would be under observation in a federal prison. As an example, we used to go to my friend's house and load all of his father's guns, including several high-powered hunting rifles, handguns, shotguns etc, into hs car and go to a local make-out spot and just fire away. Nowadays we would all be on the front cover of Time Magazine for that! I have taken great inspiration from Stephen King and the way he incorporates his home state into his writings. I hope to someday do the same with my writings as I tend to write about people and places I know, or things I have done. My first Novel, for instance takes place, mostly in my home town.