It was a dark and stormy night…

No. It was Maui, on a perfectly normal Sunday morning. My iPad was open on the table, the word processing application just waiting for me to write something. For six years I’ve wanted to share my story about circumnavigating Vancouver Island in Canada. Mostly because it was unique, and I lived to tell it. On that Sunday morning my first book, Counter Clockwise was conceived. Ten months later, for the first time, I held, in my hand, a real live printed book with my name on the cover. What a great feeling.

I’ve been very fortunate in my life. My background began as a manufacturing engineer, progressing to management in the world of manufacturing for 13 years. From there, a business partnership, ending in true corporate burnout after five years. I switched horses, moved from California to Oregon, turned a derelict Victorian house into a bed and breakfast, and consequently fell into a teaching job at the local community college, teaching Electronic Engineering and Computer Aided Design, and a slew of other courses for five years. Switching horses again, I turned my hobby of making musical instruments into a full-time business, from which I’ve been trying to retire from for five years. What’s next?

Even before I finished Counter Clockwise, I started my second book, reflecting my work in an industrial complex of a large corporation, immersed every day in the intense high-pressure world of 24/7 manufacturing, where work was scary sometimes, exhilarating, depressing, fun, and definitely character building. I invite you, the reader, to step through the front door and see what really goes on behind those closed doors on the other side of the lobby.

As I was writing the book, titled Wire Wrap, I was surprised at how much of my personality showed up. Yes, I can be judgmental, intolerant of ignorance, irreverent, and a maverick, and somehow it just spills out onto the pages. I get to write about factory workers, secretaries, engineers, technicians and managers, connecting them all in scenes that draw you into their lives. It’s about the main character growing, becoming assertive, as he champions the underdog, even to the point of sometimes bending the law. But, several times I’ve asked myself who the hell wants to read a book about people in manufacturing?

There were so many truly wonderful characters working at this company that it was pretty easy to invite them into my book, put a little makeup on them, and have new conversations with them. Being the main character, as well as the narrator is one of the benefits of authoring a book.

Out of Wire Wrap a wonderful character was born. Christine Sixkiller. She is the main character in my book 'Whale Dancer', written after Wire Wrap, which depicts her at age sixteen, learning to pilot her father's fishing boat.

A new book, now published, titled 'Sixkiller, C.' again features her as the main character, Now 32 years old, wiser, but filled with self doubt, this story sets her on a journey that will test her strength, her place in the Haida First Nations community and determine her future.

For several years I wanted to create a story about an airline flight in which everything went wrong. The result was the creation of 'Leaving 10,000', a hopefully frightening story that will grip you until the very end. My dream is that this story will someday appear in the form of a movie.

Another new book just released is titled 'Sheridan, M.' Having taught at community colleges, I was dismayed at the dropout rate so I decided to write a story about a young woman who succeeded in spite of major obstacles. I only hope that this book may inspire at least one student never to give up.

Also in the works are four new stories. One is about all of the crazy things my brothers and I did as kids. It's a series of true confessions that anyone older than sixty might recognize from their own childhood. I think the police are still looking for us.

The second is a space flight adventure in which the spacecraft, with three astronauts on board fails to reach orbit after running out of fuel. Will they survive, or die? Only the Shadow knows at this time.

The third is a different take on contact with aliens. An Air traffic controller in mentally contacted by an alien freighter craft that is so badly damaged is needs to land on earth for repairs. What follows is the relationship between the freighter pilot and the controller and the actions that accept the alien as friendly. Protection from government interference and forces that threaten the pilot must be a top priority.

The fourth book is a story of two brothers setting out on a marine voyage, honoring the adventurous spirit of their deceased parents.

So, there you have it… Lead me with encouragement, follow me by reading my work, or just get the hell out of the way.