I write short stories of a certain type. Fundamentally I am a beach bum, I rate high in cynicism, sarcasm, and insubordination. Those are my strong points.

I am no writer, but have a strong interest in short stories (think Ring Lardner, Hemingway, Steinbeck, Welty) and would like to develop my skills in that area. I don't think I have a novel in me. My work is primarily fiction and seldom has much about me. However, places, events, and details often have a basis in fact and experience.

I am older, married, and love my dog. I struggle with work / life balance. I am a profound introvert and struggle in social situations where I have little in common with others. Catch me on my subjects, and I can talk all night.

I am a fan and student of history. Right now I am studying medieval English / European history. My Ren Name is, "Runs with Swords." I love to cook and to eat paring it with a good English Northern Brown Ale. Other beers are also good. Art and Architecture are a passion. I build art furniture and participate in most artistic activities. I survived cancer and am now cancer free. I continue to recover.

The scars don't show.

I write short fiction typically in the 1200 word range. Big on dialogue, low on description.

Interests
Books, Music, Futball (soccer), swordsmanship, beer making, movies (mostly foreign), mathematics, and guitar

Travel - I have been to 37 countries and hope to go to more. What photographs I take are when traveling.

Favorite Books
East of Eden, A Confederacy of Dunces, To Kill a Mockingbird, Slaughterhouse 5, Mila 18, Water Method Man, Curtain of Green, The Great Gatsby, The Divine Comedy, The High Window, The Continental Op, Winesburg Ohio, Tales From the City, Mask of Apollo, it goes on and on...

Favorite Authors
Hemingway, Welty, Steinbeck, Vonnegut, Lardner, Shakespeare, Wilder, Lee, Uris, Chandler, Fitzgerald, Faukner, Saki, Hammett, Anderson, and many more than it is relevant to list...

Favorite Movies
To Have and Have Not, Spy Game, Maltese Falcon, Shaun of the Dead, Blazing Saddles, Top Secret, Das Boot, Charade, Hanna, Grosse Point Blank, Inside Man, Rock n Rolla, Sherlock Holmes, Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Thin Man, Tender Mercies, the Great Santini, Rocky Horror Picture Show, Star Wars, Absolute Power, The Thomas Crown Affair, Ronin, My Dinner with Andre, Sleuth, The Fifth Element, The General, the Great Dictator, Ninochaka, Lullaby for Sinai, the Bourne Identity, The Seven Samarai, Ran, Rare Exports, etc...

Favorite TV Shows
Not many.

Z- The Beginning of Everything, Homicide - Life on the Street, Jeopardy, Science shows...

I a not a fan of sitcoms or serials

Favorite Music
The Clash, North Atlantic Oscillation, The Decemberists, Riverside, the Rolling Stones, Tom Waits, Social Distortion, Jesus and Mary Chain, Strokes, Blackfield, Opeth, Gillian Welch, Replacements, The Cure, the Alarm, Del Lords, Scruffy the Cat, Elvis Costello, Gaslight Anthem, Jethro Tull, any good orchestra playing Beethoven, Pink Floyd, Benny Goodman, Nina Simone, Katatonia, Opeth, Waren Zevon, We are Augustines, The National, Richard Thompson, Hank Williams Sr., Edith Piaf, Duke Ellington, Muddy Waters, Leadbelly, Howlin Wolf, Tonic, The Joy Formidable, Poxy Boggards, Pete Townsend, Squeeze, XTC, Dukes of Stratosphere, The Dream Syndicate, etc...