Biography
My Story:
I’ve been writing since the mid 90’s but seriously trying to sell since 2002. That year was a turning point for me. It was the year I attended the Oregon Coast Professional Fiction Writers Masterclass taught by professional freelance writers, Dean Wesley Smith and Kristine Kathryn Rusch. It was the hardest, most intense two weeks of my adult life, but it was also the most rewarding.
My first sale was to a Star Trek anthology series for new writers edited by Dean. I can tell you your first sale is almost as big a thrill as the birth of your first child and subsequent sales are almost as sweet. I sold three stories to those anthologies. They were all fun to write and I was paid nice money for a short story. I don’t write proprietary worlds fiction anymore (known in the industry as work-for-hire) and probably won’t in the future. (I never say never because if the right money came along for something I really love I might say yes). In a future blog look for an article about work for hire versus original fiction. Both are good and both have positives and negatives. Nuff said, for now.
After those sales I continued writing but hit a dry spell in sales until September 2008. While on a Hawaiian cruise I checked my e-mail via the web (first time I ever did that). I read a message from an e-publisher telling me they wanted to make an offer for a book I’d submitted months previous. I almost hit the ceiling and whooped for joy, but had to keep my celebration to myself. I was sitting in the ships library which is supposed to be a quiet room.
I have since made other sales but the beginnings of a professional writing career are when it’s all fresh and exciting. Now I have to consider other parts of the business; contracts, taxes, copyright, foreign markets, other subsidary rights, etc. In this business at every phase of success you trade up for new problems. For me this is exciting because I’m a life long learner, I love learning. Learning makes life fulfilling.
So enjoy my scribblings and feel free to drop me comments or ask questions. I’d be happy to talk to anyone out there.
Cheers!