Writing

I’ve been writing most of my life, starting with a novella my sophmore year of high school–a work that, given my young age and total lack of training and experience, might well rank as one of the most horrid pieces of fiction ever written (with the possible exception of this).

I write short fiction in most genres and non-fiction (humor, political, and rants at technology) as the mood strikes. I’ve submitted close to a hundred pieces and sold over a dozen in both regional and national markets, sometimes for actual money. I’ve also been a brides-maid a few times (no, not literally): a finalist in some contests and a couple of Honorable Mentions at Writers of the Future.

Recently, I finished my first novel, Miner Misfortunes, a mystery story set in the future. Although it explores serious themes–technology vs. ecology, the role of religion in science, labor vs. management, and gender roles in an isolated environment–it’s written in a humorous, first-person style rather like Scalzi’s John Perry books or Jim Butcher’s Dresden series. I’m just beginning my search for an agent. In the meantime, I’ve started sketching out my next novel.

Here are a few of my sales:

I’m proud to say I recently appeared in the New York Times Bestseller, It All Changed in an Instant, alongside Dave Barry, Amy Tan, and Leonard Nimoy. Between us, we’ve won a Pulitzer Prize, received several Emmy nominations, and sold millions of books. While this wasn’t my wordiest effort, at least the editor didn’t have to cut much.

The Wittenburg Door Magazine, (“The World’s Pretty Much Only Religious Satire Magazine”) published my humorous story, “The Second-Oldest Profession,” about the true origin of the Bible.

My article, “But That’s Why You Fly,” appeared in the Smithsonian Institute magazine Air & Space/Smithsonian. The article chronicles my experience as a mission controller for the first space shuttle mission, STS-1, and discusses that flight’s perils and parallels to Columbia‘s final flight.

My Op-Ed article, “The True Cost of Exploring Space,” appeared in the Tacoma News Tribune, and again in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

My mystery story, “Just Passin’ Through” appeared in the mystery anthology, Who Died in Here? by Penury Press, a story about a young boy who discovers a dead body in the family’s outhouse. The book is also available from Amazon and was distributed to bookstores by Adventure Pubications, Baker & Taylor and Ingrams. So feel free to order a couple dozen copies and/or call every bookstore in your state asking for it! This was my second mystery sale. The other was to Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine a few years ago.

I am including on this page–absolutely free and at no obligation!–a few samples. Check the sidebar for links.