Growing up, I dreamed of having many careers. I wanted to be a WWI Flying Ace, Captain of the Enterprise, jockey of a Triple Crown winning horse. But without a time machine, a breakthrough in physics, or a stricter diet, those dreams were not likely to come true. Still, I had hope. The one thing I had no intention of becoming was a writer.
It was my love for bubble gum that altered those plans. I was in fourth grade and had been sent to the principal’s office because I was chewing gum in school. A quick lie that I was writing a play involving a girl who loved gum prevented him from calling my mother. But also resulted in a mandate to put on the play for my class.
So I had to write one.
That was the gateway drug. After the play, it was an illustrated book about a young butterfly that got lost during migration. Then a long series of science fiction short stories because I was a geek and loved sci-fi (and teachers gave me extra credit for writing – yes I was that student). There was a screenplay about young children at a horrible boarding school (there were no wizards at the school, just an evil headmaster). I even got a degree in Creative Writing.
After college, I succumbed to the lure of an office and a steady paycheck – I stopped writing fiction to make my living as a corporate executive.
But now, after several years of writing non-fiction, working at Internet gaming companies, and running two different businesses, I’ve finally returned to my drug of choice: writing fiction. This time I can be the WWI Flying Ace, captain a starship, or ride a thoroughbred horse to victory at Pimlico. Anything is possible.