The Early Years
Writing stories seemed to come second nature to me as a child, and I have plenty of embarrassing early works that no one has ever seen. Taking it more seriously as I grew older, I studied the craft in both Queens College and NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, where I was particularly concerned with script writing (studying in its prestigious Dramatic Writing Program).
Editing the Works of Others
I almost pursued the life of a different type of editor, interning for Reading Rainbow (my name may be found in the credits of one of their seasons) and working more than full-time hours at a post-production company.
A career change landed me in publishing, where I became an editor in roughly five months' time. I spent two decades in that field, before leaving the industry and New York itself for a change of pace. It was then that I finally got published.
With over a decade's worth of experience as an editor for publishing companies, there has often been the opportunity to offer original writing, whether it be in the form of rewrites, marketing copy, or--on occasion--entirely new text. In fact, there is even one children's book that I have entirely ghost-written, working from a translation. And I was a contributing writer for one children's book series, supplying text and researching content to be included.
A career change landed me in publishing, where I became an editor in roughly five months' time. I spent two decades in that field, before leaving the industry and New York itself for a change of pace. It was then that I finally got published.
With over a decade's worth of experience as an editor for publishing companies, there has often been the opportunity to offer original writing, whether it be in the form of rewrites, marketing copy, or--on occasion--entirely new text. In fact, there is even one children's book that I have entirely ghost-written, working from a translation. And I was a contributing writer for one children's book series, supplying text and researching content to be included.
Professional Blog Writing
Taking a break from editing, I also held a position as a digital content writer, crafting blogs for companies' web pages. Some were assigned; others were ideas that I pitched.
Marketing/Advertising
Currently, I have returned to the marketing/advertising field, but even before that I was providing copy for an all-new (still-yet-to-be-built) education/leisure/entertainment center to use for their print marketing and website.
Acting Career?
For over a decade and a half, I graced the stages of New York theaters (alas, not Broadway), and even made an appearance in a documentary. Financial concerns kept me from pursuing this on a more professional level (should've started earlier!), and I hope I don't have to wait till I retire before I can return to the vocation that I love just as much as writing.
Favorites
My favorites are quite eclectic and often not what one would consider traditional, although some have developed cult followings in their time. Not sure if this serves any purpose, other than to give you an idea of what types of things I am interested in--and inspired by. Let us start with books.
Favorite Novel: Transman of Gor (The Chronicles of Counter-Earth Volume One) by John Norman. Over the years, GOR grew to be quite controversial, but in its infancy it was a modern-day version of "John Carter of Mars," and its volumes each depicted a different part of the alien world on which it took place and presented a culture that was fleshed out so thoroughly you felt like you were actually there.
Runners-Up: Bram Stoker's Dracula takes the "Most Stylish" award, and if you've never read it you wouldn't understand why; it is told entirely through written excerpts of news clippings, journal entries, and the like (a modern-day equivalent of the found-footage genre in film). Dan Brown's Angels and Demons wins "Most Cleverest" for its crafty plot development and interesting side notes.
Favorite Series: This would still have to go to John Norman's GOR (The Chronicles of Counter-Earth) saga. I would still like to list additional favorites of mine, including Ian Fleming's James Bond adventures (especially Casino Royale, Live and Let Die, and Thunderball), just about anything by Edgar Rice Burroughs (but particularly the John Carter of Mars and Carson Napier of Venus series), Carrie Vaughn's Kitty Norville series of werewolf tales, and the Orion series by Ben Bova.
Favorite Authors: Richard Matheson would perhaps take this title for me. Matheson is perhaps underrated, his Twilight Zone episodes far surpassing those of showrunner Rod Serling, and he also has the uncanny ability to do adaptations (even of his own work) that occasionally outshine the source material.
Let us now step away from the literary domain to address my favorites in other realms.
Favorite TV Series: Trying to list one would be impossible for me, so I will list several for each category (in no particular order). For sitcoms it's How I Met Your Mother, the British Coupling, Three's Company, Soap (the series, not the genre), Hidden Hills, Moonlighting, The Honeymooners, and The Odd Couple. For science fiction, it's Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Doctor Who, Star Trek, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the animated Flash Gordon, and Alien Nation. I am probably forgetting some that I will end up kicking myself over later, but I'll just have to add them as I think of them. I am not a big fan of dramas, especially ones that take place in a hospital, police station, crime investigation lab, or fire station--and reality shows turn me off completely--so I think I'll stop there, leaving you with the rather honest appraisal that all I watch on TV are sitcoms and science fiction shows. It may not be entirely true, but it's close enough.
Favorite TV Miniseries: Ray Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles, although it might as well be called Richard Matheson's The Martian Chronicles because this was one of those adaptations of his that I mentioned earlier.
Favorite Movie: Unlike with TV shows, I actually do have one that has topped my list for a long time (doubt it will ever be knocked off its perch), and that is the very first Conan the Barbarian. Go ahead, laugh. But since I am a huge fan of so many movies, I would like to also mention the following: Under the Rainbow (favorite comedy), Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (favorite science fiction), John Carpenter's The Thing (favorite horror), Outland, Tremors, Predator, Starship Troopers, Basic Instinct, Excalibur, and Raiders of the Lost Ark. And my favorite holiday film is It's a Wonderful Life (black-and-white when you want to experience the gravity of the story; colorized version for a more festive showing), with Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol being my favorite of the animated holiday shows.
Favorite Actors: It was Michael York who first impressed me as an actor (and made me want to act myself!), and later Kevin Bacon struck me as an underrated master of his craft. I am of course a big fan of Harrison Ford and Arnold Schwarzenegger films, with so many of theirs falling on my most-watched lists!
Favorite Director: Richard Donner. I don't think this man is given nearly enough credit for what he can accomplish. Not an "auteur" director who is so full of himself that he has to put his personal stamp on a film, Donner instead changes HIS style according to what is perfect and appropriate for the film. You can't help but be blown away when you consider that this man excelled in such different genres, delivering above and beyond in horror (The Omen), family films (Superman The Movie), R-rated action/adventure (Lethal Weapon), fantasy (Ladyhawke), and comedy (Scrooged). Plus, he even directed episodes of Get Smart and Gilligan's Island!
Favorite Film Score: Conan the Barbarian by Basil Poledouris. I can listen to it over and over again, forever!
Runners-Up: Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and Superman the Movie, both by John Williams.
Favorite Film Soundtrack Composer: John Williams. He's done so many great ones that I have to give this to him over Poledouris, even though Poledouris composed my top favorite score.
Favorite Music: I am not as fanatic about music as I am about movies, books, and TV, but I do have my favorites. As a child it was KISS; when I was in high school and college it was RATT; and in later years it was Avril Lavigne. Sure there have been others (Brian Adams, Laura Branigan, Kelly Clarkson), but I think the ones I mentioned first are a better depiction of where my head is at musically. (I'm actually still stuck in the eighties!)
Favorite Superhero: Marvel's Moon Knight, created by Doug Moench. Wouldn't you know it my favorite superhero would spring from the pages of a werewolf series (Werewolf by Night)! In fact, according to his initial origin story, he gained his enhanced abilities from the encounter.
Favorite Novel: Transman of Gor (The Chronicles of Counter-Earth Volume One) by John Norman. Over the years, GOR grew to be quite controversial, but in its infancy it was a modern-day version of "John Carter of Mars," and its volumes each depicted a different part of the alien world on which it took place and presented a culture that was fleshed out so thoroughly you felt like you were actually there.
Runners-Up: Bram Stoker's Dracula takes the "Most Stylish" award, and if you've never read it you wouldn't understand why; it is told entirely through written excerpts of news clippings, journal entries, and the like (a modern-day equivalent of the found-footage genre in film). Dan Brown's Angels and Demons wins "Most Cleverest" for its crafty plot development and interesting side notes.
Favorite Series: This would still have to go to John Norman's GOR (The Chronicles of Counter-Earth) saga. I would still like to list additional favorites of mine, including Ian Fleming's James Bond adventures (especially Casino Royale, Live and Let Die, and Thunderball), just about anything by Edgar Rice Burroughs (but particularly the John Carter of Mars and Carson Napier of Venus series), Carrie Vaughn's Kitty Norville series of werewolf tales, and the Orion series by Ben Bova.
Favorite Authors: Richard Matheson would perhaps take this title for me. Matheson is perhaps underrated, his Twilight Zone episodes far surpassing those of showrunner Rod Serling, and he also has the uncanny ability to do adaptations (even of his own work) that occasionally outshine the source material.
Let us now step away from the literary domain to address my favorites in other realms.
Favorite TV Series: Trying to list one would be impossible for me, so I will list several for each category (in no particular order). For sitcoms it's How I Met Your Mother, the British Coupling, Three's Company, Soap (the series, not the genre), Hidden Hills, Moonlighting, The Honeymooners, and The Odd Couple. For science fiction, it's Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Doctor Who, Star Trek, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the animated Flash Gordon, and Alien Nation. I am probably forgetting some that I will end up kicking myself over later, but I'll just have to add them as I think of them. I am not a big fan of dramas, especially ones that take place in a hospital, police station, crime investigation lab, or fire station--and reality shows turn me off completely--so I think I'll stop there, leaving you with the rather honest appraisal that all I watch on TV are sitcoms and science fiction shows. It may not be entirely true, but it's close enough.
Favorite TV Miniseries: Ray Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles, although it might as well be called Richard Matheson's The Martian Chronicles because this was one of those adaptations of his that I mentioned earlier.
Favorite Movie: Unlike with TV shows, I actually do have one that has topped my list for a long time (doubt it will ever be knocked off its perch), and that is the very first Conan the Barbarian. Go ahead, laugh. But since I am a huge fan of so many movies, I would like to also mention the following: Under the Rainbow (favorite comedy), Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (favorite science fiction), John Carpenter's The Thing (favorite horror), Outland, Tremors, Predator, Starship Troopers, Basic Instinct, Excalibur, and Raiders of the Lost Ark. And my favorite holiday film is It's a Wonderful Life (black-and-white when you want to experience the gravity of the story; colorized version for a more festive showing), with Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol being my favorite of the animated holiday shows.
Favorite Actors: It was Michael York who first impressed me as an actor (and made me want to act myself!), and later Kevin Bacon struck me as an underrated master of his craft. I am of course a big fan of Harrison Ford and Arnold Schwarzenegger films, with so many of theirs falling on my most-watched lists!
Favorite Director: Richard Donner. I don't think this man is given nearly enough credit for what he can accomplish. Not an "auteur" director who is so full of himself that he has to put his personal stamp on a film, Donner instead changes HIS style according to what is perfect and appropriate for the film. You can't help but be blown away when you consider that this man excelled in such different genres, delivering above and beyond in horror (The Omen), family films (Superman The Movie), R-rated action/adventure (Lethal Weapon), fantasy (Ladyhawke), and comedy (Scrooged). Plus, he even directed episodes of Get Smart and Gilligan's Island!
Favorite Film Score: Conan the Barbarian by Basil Poledouris. I can listen to it over and over again, forever!
Runners-Up: Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and Superman the Movie, both by John Williams.
Favorite Film Soundtrack Composer: John Williams. He's done so many great ones that I have to give this to him over Poledouris, even though Poledouris composed my top favorite score.
Favorite Music: I am not as fanatic about music as I am about movies, books, and TV, but I do have my favorites. As a child it was KISS; when I was in high school and college it was RATT; and in later years it was Avril Lavigne. Sure there have been others (Brian Adams, Laura Branigan, Kelly Clarkson), but I think the ones I mentioned first are a better depiction of where my head is at musically. (I'm actually still stuck in the eighties!)
Favorite Superhero: Marvel's Moon Knight, created by Doug Moench. Wouldn't you know it my favorite superhero would spring from the pages of a werewolf series (Werewolf by Night)! In fact, according to his initial origin story, he gained his enhanced abilities from the encounter.