I've been writing speculative fiction on and off since grade school. My short stories are usually reminiscent of Twilight Zone or Outer Limits tales. My novels are usually cross-genre pieces mixing traditional fantasy, science fiction and horror elements in unique combinations. See the table at the bottom for a list of novels, screenplays and short stories and their loglines.

I started my first novel, originally titled "The Death of Silver Haze" but now titled  "Quick Silver" (the link is to the entire novel in PDF format, which may take some time to download), an action-adventure fantasy thriller, toward the end of high school. I soon learned that having my protagonist detonate a nuclear device in Dallas, TX wouldn't necessarily endear him to the reader. ;-) I returned to the novel over the years, changed it completely, and eventually developed it into a publishable work.

In mid-2004 I decided to try turning Silver into a screenplay, currently titled Quick Silver (an older version is also available with reviews at Trigger Street under the title "The Death of Silver Haze"--free site membership required). I soon learned that screenwriting is nothing like novel writing. However, with help from online screenplay instruction (such as Scriptwriting Secrets, Charles Deemer and Screenwriting.info), books (such as "The Screenwriter's Bible" by David Trottier and "Save the Cat" by Blake Snyder), and screenplay peer reviewing sites (Screenwriter's Utopia, Trigger Street and Zoetrope), I've learned a great deal how to create a tight, fast-reading, effective script. The Death of Silver Haze received high placing on all three peer review sites, winning Screenplay of the Month at both Screenwriter's Utopia and Trigger Street.

I then sent the screenplay to Barb Doyon, professional scriptwriter and screenplay reviewer. She suggested a number of small but significant changes, helping transform the screenplay into a marketable work.

I've also entered the script in several screenplay competitions, where it received an Honorable Mention (4th place) at The Writers Place May-Oct 2005 Screenplay Contest and International Horror Sci-Fi Screenplay Competition, and made the semifinals in the American Screenwriting Competition and PAGE International Screenwriting Awards contests.

In the last quarter of 2005, Stargazer Filmworks commissioned me to write "Lucifer's Angels" as the core of a three-script film project about the uneasy dynamics between vampires, humans and the forces of Heaven, where good and evil have switched roles. With the help of the other writers (Miriam Paschal and Michele White), I weaved the three films together into two films called "Rapture of the Fallen Verse 1: Genesis" and "Rapture of the Fallen Verse 2: Resurrection." Producer Steve Jacobs was pleased with the results and planned to begin filming in 2007, but a lack of funding has forced the project on hold for now.

Stargazer Filmworks also commissioned me to turn "Skin Deep" (a short story, mentioned below) into a screenplay for a short film as part of a film series. They're also planning to film my short horror story, "Morning," about a man buried alive.

In 2006, right after writing Lucifer's Angels, I wrote "Gracie's Ghost," a low-budget horror story for teenage audiences that explores what a poltergeist might resort to if a person refused to be scared from its home.

Also in 2006 and throughout 2007 I wrote my half of a collaborative work called "The Christmas Contract" with Miriam Paschal. The story was inspired by the idea of having a hitman disguised as a mall Santa.

In the first half of 2007 I wrote "Justin Time" (although I think "The Future Needs a Justin" is a better play on words), a relatively low-budget time travel thriller about a man whose future self contacts him in an attempt to change history and avoid a bleak future...but finds the changes don't always go as anticipated.

In the first half of 2008 I wrote "Displacer," a high-budget alien invasion story that explores the intricacies of time travel. It's based on my second novel, "Soulburner" (the link is to an excerpt), which still needs work. When I return to working on the novel, I'll modify it to match the much more effective screenplay version.

In 2009 I started collaborating with fellow screenwriter and Trigger Street member Jay Travis, helping each other out on our screenplays. He helped me substantially improve the characterization in my latest revision of Justin Time and to trim down my latest version of Quick Silver.

I've also done some work on Silver Gladiator, the sequel to Quick Silver. And years ago I wrote a short story inspired by my military experience called The Photograph.

My writing strengths include coming up with unique story ideas, and writing effective action sequences, plotting and pacing. My characterization usually still takes a few tries to get right.

I've had only two publications to date: "S.H.A.D.O.W. Over Scotland," a role-playing game adventure module published by Iron Crown Enterprises in 1986; and "Skin Deep," a mildly disturbing short story published by Aberrations magazine which I also turned into a screenplay at the request of Stargazer Filmworks. My Silver novel has been represented by two literary agencies: Farwestern Literary Agency and Susan Herner Rights Agency. Acceptance for publication is still pending....

However, anyone interested in buying a publish-on-demand paperback version of Silver can do so at Lulu.com (surprisingly, the price is no more than most other trade paperbacks).