[Forward]

This past weekend, my eighth release with Amber Quill Press came out. It's an Amber Allure title, called "Hair!" That's my third man-love novella and I'm amazed and excited to find that they are selling extremely well. Hetero erotic romance releases (with the Amber Heat division) include my recent best-seller, entitled "Spectrum." It's a short sci-fi novel I plan on writing a sequel to. This urban-based mystery-romance includes love between humans and certain alien species who live and work among us. I had a lot of fun with that whole concept!

I suppose my creative writing began in grade school, along with everybody else. I couldn’t let go of story-telling, however, even through college, and I’ve kept a journal my whole life. Recording interesting or traumatic events has always provided me with a cathartic release, and I’d venture to say it has kept me sane in the face of confusion and despair. To this day, I can’t begin a day of professional writing without making a journal entry to clear my palate, so to speak.

In college, I received a B. A. degree in French Literature, with a minor in Spanish. Well, it helped to study some of the best writers on the planet, I suppose, but that could have proved intimidating, too, had I decided to become a writer, right away. Instead, I capitalized on my performing skills by moving to NYC to take up professional theatre. I’d studied dance my whole life, and now I took that very seriously, along with acting and singing. Within two years, I was on European tours and cruise ships, making a living in musicals and seeing the world. This also introduced me to the playwright, however, as I was using plays and scripts during my work as an actor. I performed in videos, commercials and films, and I became extremely focused on dialogue. Then I started reading old mystery novels, including those by Dash Hammett and Ray Chandler, and while I heard their distinct voices in the narrative, I became tuned into the characters’ voices, too. I worked with dialogue when I took up writing theatrical plays and screenplays, while working as an actor.

A film director who read my first full-length screenplay became a fan, but he also suggested I write prose before embarking on a Hollywood career. He felt that establishing myself as a published writer before crossing over to the film world would serve me to greater advantage, in the building of a career. I agree with him now, of course, but during the times I was practically banging my head against the wall to get a break, I wasn’t so sure! Getting published took time, effort and patience, which I was short on, way-back-when. Oh, believe me, I’ve developed an eye for the big picture, now. But, many years ago, it was an act of faith to keep going and believe I’d ever get my stories out there.

Tomorrow I’d like to share more on how I finally received recognition in the far-reaching field of professional writing. In doing so, I’ve learned there are as many paths to success as there are individuals pursuing their dreams.