My mom tells me that when I was a little kid, I announced, “When I grow up, I wanna be an author and an illustrator.” Though quite a few years passed with me trying to otherwise “find myself,” I eventually discovered I was right.
My first career choice was to be Rambo, but even as an Army Ranger I found myself using down time to draw and write rather than just sit around being hardcore; I just couldn’t help myself. (I found all Rangers to be particularly interesting people, and not merely the homogenized heroes I once had imagined.)
I then studied art and design, and found myself teaching those skills for over a decade. I enjoyed the teaching, but was most engaged when I was actually creating: painting, designing, writing.
Started a design business next, and discovered that even then I just didn’t have enough time to design. Plus the business tanked, so…
I moved into software design, which allowed me to solve complicated problems, write, make images, and generally create cool stuff.
Then a miracle happened: a serious bike crash put me out of commission. For weeks, all I could do was sit with my hands in my lap—perfect for finally throwing together the beginnings of a story I had dreamed of for years. Even after healing up, I couldn't stop, and books happened.
If you’d like to know when the next one is ready, contact me or stay in touch through social media.
