BIOGRAPHY
This is me. I love to write.
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Except for a brief time at the age of seven (when I wanted to be an archaeologist with a leather jacket and a fedora), I have ALWAYS wanted to be a writer. Of course the road to becoming an author was far from straight. Like any good story, there were more than a few twists and turns along the way.
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South Jersey
I was born and raised in Bridgeton, New Jersey -- a small town in rural Cumberland County. I held summer jobs as a lifeguard and camp counselor. I spent most of my free time either playing tennis for my high school or roller hockey in the school parking lot with my friends. I graduated from BHS in 1998.
William and Mary and Wake Forest
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I left South Jersey for historic Williamsburg, Virginia and the College of William and Mary. I have fond memories of playing Madden Football way too late into the night, and not-so-fond memories of writing last-minute papers way too early in the morning. I earned my Bachelor of Arts degree in English with a minor in religion in 2002.
That same year I started the Master of Arts in Education program at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. I earned my master's degree and teaching certificate in 13 months, and spent my next two years teaching English and coaching tennis at Ledford High School in Davidson County, North Carolina. |
Dreams Aren't Silly
In 2005, I returned to South Jersey, and accepted a position teaching English at my alma mater, Bridgeton High School. For a long time after that, I didn't write . . . at all. There was no time for writing. I was married. I had a child on the way. Then, two years later, I had a second child on the way. I was a father of two and a husband and a homeowner -- and suddenly there was very little room in my life for that silly dream of writing. And I wasn't very happy.
Everyone could see it (except me) and everyone told me the same thing -- you need to write. This was especially true of my wife, Vanessa. I lost track of how many times she told me to write, but I had too many excuses. I said things like, "I don't have time." Or, "I don't have enough quiet space." Or, "I don't have any ideas worth writing about." Then, two years ago, a funny thing happened. I just started writing. It wasn't the ideal situation, but that didn't matter. It was a start. After three months, that start became a habit. Then, after a year, that habit was a book. Another year later, and it turned into a second draft. Now my first novel, ANOM: Awakening, is six months away from publication.
Everyone could see it (except me) and everyone told me the same thing -- you need to write. This was especially true of my wife, Vanessa. I lost track of how many times she told me to write, but I had too many excuses. I said things like, "I don't have time." Or, "I don't have enough quiet space." Or, "I don't have any ideas worth writing about." Then, two years ago, a funny thing happened. I just started writing. It wasn't the ideal situation, but that didn't matter. It was a start. After three months, that start became a habit. Then, after a year, that habit was a book. Another year later, and it turned into a second draft. Now my first novel, ANOM: Awakening, is six months away from publication.
What Next?
So what comes next?
I am still happily (and proudly) married to my beautiful & intelligent wife, Vanessa. She's the love of my life, my best friend, and my number 1 choice to join my zombie survival team. I have a brilliant son, Aidan, who teaches me something new about compassion and life every day. My daughter, Fiona, is a natural-born leader. She will probably either grow up to be a pop-diva princess or the future president of the world.
And I'm a writer . . . who cares about what comes next?
I am still happily (and proudly) married to my beautiful & intelligent wife, Vanessa. She's the love of my life, my best friend, and my number 1 choice to join my zombie survival team. I have a brilliant son, Aidan, who teaches me something new about compassion and life every day. My daughter, Fiona, is a natural-born leader. She will probably either grow up to be a pop-diva princess or the future president of the world.
And I'm a writer . . . who cares about what comes next?
