I never know what to say about myself in biographies like this. I would far rather meet someone in person and let them get to know me over a drink and an impassioned discussion about Star Wars, Star Trek, Steampunk, the rise and fall of the Roman Empire…

I’ve had people tell me, “I wish I was half as passionate about one thing as you are about everything.”

I admit, I am opinionated about a great many things, and there is little I like more when spending time with someone than getting into a detailed conversation. I learn so much from the discussions I have, and then what I research after the discussions inspires me to write more and change how I present different characters in my projects. In short, my interactions with the world frame my approach to my characters and my stories in a major way.

When I am not writing 38,000 words in the span of two weeks, I enjoy watching and discussing movies and TV shows with my friends. I keep myself in some semblance of health by playing VR games and let off steam by running military campaigns in conquest-style video games.

I read voraciously, too. I always have an audiobook for the drive to my engineering job, and a second paper book for those afternoons when I want to read outside with my dog or inside on the couch with the cats curled up on the blanket beside me.

My summertime hobby centers around grilling and smoking meats and vegetables. This lets me get outside and give the dog time to run around while I enjoy the smell of cooking food. I can read, listen to music or a podcast, and make a decently healthy meal all at the same time. My enjoyment of smoking meats has led to a lot of disappointment, however, whenever I see a sign saying, “Smoke Shop”.

They never mean barbecue supplies.

Mostly, I spend my free time thinking about writing and telling stories. I love fiction so much, its how I make sense of the world around me.

The only thing I love more than the written word is my wife. If you drink with me, I will — without much assistance at all — inevitably tell you and the rest of the establishment how wonderful my wife is. And she is. You should meet her sometime.