All About Me
I grew up in the wilds of rural Oklahoma, where the biggest thrill was watching grass grow—seriously, it was like watching paint dry, but with more chlorophyll. As a kid, I fell head over heels for reading, using books as my personal teleportation device to escape the less-than-thrilling reality of my childhood. I am an equal-opportunity reader, diving into any book that drags me into the characters' lives and takes me with them. By the ripe old age of thirteen, I had read almost every book in the Kingfisher library, leaving the shelves practically empty. I guess the library fines are more than the national debt by now. So, please, don't tell the Kingfisher Library where I can be found.
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My resume reads like a game of career bingo. At first glance, or second, or third, it paints a picture of a man constantly moving from job to job. Let me break it down for you:
I've been a farm/ranch hand, short order cooked, waited tables, pumped gas at a full-service station, clerked at a convenience store, wired things as an electrician, plumbed pipes as a plumber, hammered away in construction, operated a crane, bulldozer and backhoe, fought fires as a Fireman and saved lives as an EMT. Let me hesitate while I catch my breath and allow you a chance to absorb the first thirteen jobs listed.
I spent 22 years in Oil & Gas operations climbing from roughneck to the big boss overseeing operations in fourteen states, bounced troublemakers out of the largest Gentlemen's club in Oklahoma, hauled freight in an 18-wheeler, and even dabbled in Information Technology for 29 years. I snagged my BSB; MIS from Oklahoma City University in 1993, graduating magna cum laude, because, why not?
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I sprinkle my vast life experiences into my writing to give it that extra dash of believability. I either knew I would one day be a writer and, since someone once told me write what you know, decided to have a vast array of work experience. Or, I became a writer because when I heard that good writers write what they know, I had one of those lightbulb moments that said, "you know a little bit of everything. You, my friend, thanks to not being able to hold a job for more than twenty-two years (my Oil and Gas experience), have the foundation of a great writer. I will let you decide which is the case that lead me to become a writer of books and short stories.
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These days, I am kicking back in Enid, Oklahoma living the retired life with my wife Michelle and our dog Koda, who runs the show.