Hi. I’m Joe, the author. I write science fiction and fantasy. And I dabble anywhere my brain takes me.
This blog is about my journey as an author, an aspiring novelist, and a business person (self-publishing). I hope some of this can help other writers succeed as authors.
My Journey as a Writer
When I was seven years old, I knew I wanted to be a writer. Only, I knew I didn’t want to put out stuff that wasn’t worth reading. I wrote a lot, even as a kid…and I have the old, bad stuff to prove it. As I grew, I kept writing.
I worked at my college newspaper, wrote a column on computer topics, and have hosted a few blogs. In the early 1990s, I connected with a publisher at Random House and they published a couple computer trade books I wrote. But I was still too shy to submit fiction. And I was too self-critical to finish a novel. There was always something wrong with something and I’d restart, restart, restart, pause.
Then, a few years back, I decided to try to write a novel for my wife’s 50th birthday, which was only about 5 weeks away. She was working out of town at the time, and I was able to devote mornings and weekends to the effort. I also took four days off of work. But in a matter of 3 1/2 weeks, I had a 70,000-word novel. Granted, it wasn’t polished, but it had all the things: theme, characters, plot, setting, and conflict. And of course, she loved the fact that I’d written a story FOR HER! She has both copies…and a few digital copies were shared with her friends who were featured in the story. BTW, my genre of choice is Fantasy-SciFi. She likes spy stories. So, I wasn’t even in my genre!
For me, completing that first book was a watershed moment. I finally knew I could do it, if I tried and focused. And, I was beginning to understand what I needed to successfully complete a novel.
It turns out that the process for me is a combination between pantsing and plotting, with a healthy dose of deadlines and milestones sprinkled in. As well, I need dedicated, concentrated seat time.
Then There’s Technology
So, while I wasn’t pursuing novel-writing as a profession, I was supporting learning technology for big places: IBM, FedEx, Aetna, Anthem, Boeing, University of Arkansas, and more. I have usually found myself in the innovation space for learning technology–kind of a mad scientist with good intentions and a steady paycheck. It’s a really interesting space that lets me explore ideas that are out on the edge.
I’m interested in all kinds of automation, data analysis, and AI. You’ll see it sprinkled into my stories, and you may see some blog posts on technology related to writing.
About Me Now
I live and write from Kingston, WA, across the Puget Sound from Seattle.
My wife and I rent a house from our cat, Jasmine, who exercises dominion over all who enter.
I focus on writing Science Fiction and Fantasy that delights readers and challenges them to consider the nature and future of humanity. I sometimes write other things. And I drink a lot of coffee.
Join Me!
I hope you’ll join me by adding your e-mail address the banner below. I won’t spam you, but I’ll let you know when there are opportunities for Advance Reader Copies, when new books come out, and when amazing life things happen. Just the good stuff.