Born and raised in central Pennsylvania, I found the fragrant, lush surroundings of the rolling hills and valleys a source of inspiration and awe. An adventure awaited around every corner with endless possiblities of discovery that were limited only to the imagination and to the time I was willing to invest in them. Living in the rural setting of Pennsylvania had few disadvantages with one exception, television reception was limited to a handful of channels that the rickety old antenna perched high at the roof had the strength to find. Winter was exceptionally exciting since Chiller Theatre from Pittsburgh was readily available on Friday nights to fill my mind and entertain my thoughts with the next great horror film of the week. Well, they weren't always that great; in fact sometimes they were really quite horrible, but there was nothing better than that bowl of parmesan cheese popcorn my mother had made and watching some grade b horror flick with my dad. One such night was the inspiration behind The Wolves of Dullahan. Afraid to sleep and quite certain the monsters from the movie were now living on our property; my father invented a story about creatures that kept me safe from the werewolves and vampires I was certain had moved into our cornfield.
This is where my love of horror began, and remained, continuing on into middle age. Nothing makes my heart beat faster, my pulse quicken, or my anticipation border on insanity than a fabulously produced work of horror be it a film, a fantastically written book that takes me to another place, or a great black and white classic; my love of horror has never waned. I continue to love not only film but also reading. I find the classic horror novelists from days past are the ones who call to me the most deeply, and they are the authors whose prose I can read over and over again despite the fact I am well acquanited with each story. Bram Stoker, Mary Shelley. Washington Irving. Nathaniel Hawthorne. Algernon Blackwood. Edgar Allan Poe.....Who does not love the Tell Tale Heart? I have found a few modern favorites in the writings of Herbert and Saberhagen that continue to tickle my fancy and fill me with dread. My books are a blend of dark romance, horror, and a bit of paranormal suspense mixed with historical figures who have caught my fascination.
I began writing Origins in March of 2009 after taking a long hard look at whether or not I had accomplished what I wanted to do in life. Everyone has a bucket list. I was no different. The dreams of youth and the quests I had so hoped to fulfill had not yet been conquered. It began as a stictly personal project, writing only to see if it was possible for me to produce the sleeping manuscript which had long plagued my dreams. After a year of writing, adjusting, and working to get a twenty something idea out of my head, I had saved on my laptop the fruit of my labor. Sometimes fate intervenes and makes you decide to go forward. I found myself unemployed, like millions of other Americans, and though the manuscript was not complete, I decided to submit it. I submitted my manuscript to one single publisher and from start to finish, Origins was published within 34 days of my initial inquiry. Sadly, not being savvy to the world of publishing, and having few resources at my fingertips, I found the publisher of my dreams was anything other than a fairy tale. I purchased the rights to my book back from the publisher and began the arduous task of seeking an agent while Origins, along with several other titles, went to lulu.com in the interim.
