Look and Listen

Biography

A graphic designer at the University of Oklahoma, I’ve been writing most of my life, producing my first novel when I was twelve years old. I’m the author of Heart of the Tengeri, (2008), Murder on the Waterfront (2004) and Jubilee, a Novel (2003) as well as numerous articles and short stories published in print and around the web. I’m also assistant editor of Sooner Lawyer magazine. I attended the University of Oklahoma for more than a decade, never seriously pursuing a degree, but taking every writing course offered in the Journalism and English departments. During that time I was published in the OU English Department literary magazine Windmill.

I’m an omnivorous reader and believe in being a life-long learner, giving myself crash courses in anything interesting.

My main hobby is belly dance - yes, I’m not kidding - and I even run the local belly dance club. I also crochet, blog (I know, that’s also writing, but it’s different, really), do Sudoku, give talks on evolution to any club or group of 1 or more who will listen and can make a hellishly good bowl of chili.

Inspiration

I don't know why I write. It's not an addiction. An addiction is doing something pleasurable over and over compulsively. Writing isn't a pleasure. It's a necessity like eating. You can go for a while without doing it but after a while the hunger gets to be too much.

My favorite authors are Terry Pratchett, Richard Dawkins, Agatha Christie, PG Wodehouse, JK Rowling, Robert Parker, JRR Tolkein, Christopher Hitchens . . . ok I'm all over the place. I like a lot of different kinds of things. And although I seldom read his books, I've learned an awful lot about writing from Stephen King