I live in  Tennessee. I have been a teacher, a newspaper reporter, and I write. From 15, I started with unbearably bad screenplays and teleplays to stories to novel length manuscripts. I fell in love when I was 21. My life suddenly had a theme. From someone so frightened and unsure, the boy who was the most polite, somehow I find myself bucking the system.

I came from a solitary childhood and have lived an interior life. Classified, I suppose, I write brooding stories. Having read thousands of books, seen  zilions of movies and TV shows, heroes I wear on my sleeve. In person, I'm  funny and loyal and put up with things to keep a friendship going, my God, you would not believe. I am that kid in the back of the classroom maybe you notice from time to time, always to himself, quiet, has face, form, always a book with him. Does his work. OK. Except in Math. You wonder idly what's with him? He goes to church. Does not curse or drink or smoke. And with maybe an errant smile in his direction, you forget him. Or maybe you were or are a person like that. And you wonder if there is another like you.

So you write all the time. And there is happiness in what you write and love and poetry, and sadness and nightmares and strength and muscular opinions, ideas, feelings you never would have guessed; it's Autumn in you from childhood on. And one day you fell in love. And suddenly your life has a theme. I am  in part and my own way me, and in shattered mirror pieces, you maybe.

In "life" I am easily forgotten. In my work, I strive mightily to be remembered. My work is who I am. My major influences are Rod Serling, Ray Bradbury, Jim Thompson, John Updike  Fredric Brown, Robert Bloch,  Joyce  Carol Oates, George C. Scott especially as Neil Brock in East Side/West Side.  David Janssen as the running man is never far away. Neither is Eric Fleming. i was lucky enough to correspond with Ray Bradbury for over 20 years and be friends with Thomas Burnett Swann, Ben Bradford, B. Royal Hayes, and always Joel.