about me

Writing is one of those disciplines that is both art and craft.

The best of it – the art of writing - can send the witness soaring to new heights of insight and awareness – expose the frailty of the nature that is human – reveal a glimpse of the soul that is eternal – envelope the spirit in the emotion that is love – and always - teach us to laugh at the enemy that is ourselves. This art turns ordinary language into poetry and prose. Holds the mirror of truth up to bear witness on a life, any life, and a time, any time, which comes under its purview. There is a permanency in this writing art that reverberates across time and space as a universal language spoken and understood by all who cross its path as a record of the humanity that has come before and always, always leaving behind more than it takes away.

The rest of it – the craft of writing – is a diversion, informing and entertaining only to fall short – ultimately lacking the resonance of song – intimacy of voice – spectrum of truth that elevates beyond the mundane. This craft is ephemeral, evaporating in the mind as soon as it digests – leaving behind only a light residue of essence – like a faded memory – transitory dream – mountain echo – almost here but... It is this craft of writing that most of us practice. We toil in its field daily in the hopes of nurturing something grand out of the dirt of existence – find that spark that will ignite the mind of humanity and maybe – just maybe – evolve this condition we call life even a half step forward.

There is no secret I can reveal, no tip I can whisper that will take you - your individual writing – to that level of art – other than the one you already know. You must put aside the ego - the trivial nuisances - the internecine battles within ourselves and put pen to paper and write, write, write. Only then can you polish your craft to mirror like brilliance – hone your quill to razor sharp effectiveness – and possibly take your work into the realm of art.

It is a privilege and an honor to be called a writer. This is one of the true treasures of what it means to be human. To write as an art - to be included in that pantheon – counted among those – the greats that have come before holding that torch of creative illumination for the rest to humbly follow – that path – their footsteps – those words – my God, the words

favourite books

I'd rather do favorite wordsmiths instead of favorite books - so here goes: Ray Chandler, Ernie Hemingway, Neal Stephenson, Van Morrison, Chrissie Hynde, Bruce Springsteen, Rickie Lee Jones, Hunter Thompson, Kurt Vonnegut Jr., Amanda Davis, Jimmy Joyce


I can't tell one from another
did I find you or you find me
and there was a time
before we were born
if someone asks
this is where I'll be

- talking heads

my websites