My earliest recollection of writing is from around 1974-1975.  I was a fan of the "Tarzan" comics published by DC and Marvel during those years.  I remember sitting 

                           in my tree house in the backyard and writing a story in which I was

                           Tarzan.  After that I don't recall writing--or wanting to write--as a way

                           of expressing myself.  My dream was to be an artist (preferably drawing

                           comics for Marvel and DC).  I created my own "Avengers"-style comic

                           with my friends and I as the heroes (naturally!)  I knew I wanted to

                           pursue some sort of career in the art field so my attentions were

                           directed there.

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        In 1979 and 1980 I discovered "Dungeons & Dragons."  By this time

my appetite for fantasy had moved from Tarzan to Conan the Barbarian,

Tolkien's "The Hobbit" (still one of my favorite books of all time) and "The

Lord of the Rings," and anything else I could get my hands on.  Little did I

know that my introduction to D&D would lead me to where I am today.

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        Some friends and I created a gaming organization on our college campus and after a while there were different people running games and different playing games nearly

every night of the week (fantasy games, superhero games, science fiction games, and

                              more).  However, as the 1980s progressed I found myself becoming

                              burned out with D&D.  I looked around for another game and genre

                              to explore, and came across "Call of Cthulhu."  Having been a fan

                              of horror movies and horror fiction all my life, I knew I had found

                              my new game!

                                      I began reading everything by H.P. Lovecraft (and his colleagues)

                              that I could get my hands on, and began running a "Call of Cthulhu"

                              game campaign.  As the 1980s transitioned into the 1990s, I began writing my own game scenarios for my friends to play through.

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        That was my launching point.  Around that time "The Unspeakable Oath," a CoC fanzine appeared.  I submitted scenarios and articles to it, and though I didn't get paid a penny it was great experience. By the mid-1990s I had my first (paid!) work in print with several others in the pipeline.  Being influenced by Lovecraft and others, I tried my hand at short stories that aped his work.  Two got picked up for publication in anthologies (shown below).

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        It wasn't until 2010-2011 that I began to think seriously about trying to write a book. Dove Christian Publishing picked up my manuscript Carrying On the Mission of Jesus and the 12-week devotional was published in 2013. I followed that up in 2016 with Bullied! Confronting and Overcoming Six Major Obstacles to Church Effectiveness., released by eLectio Publishing.

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        Around that same time I began writing DVD and Blu ray reviews for "Screem" magazine.  I average two reviews per issue (you can find them here).  I also wrote a

couple of book reviews for "Video Watchdog" before it unfortunately ceased publication.

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        Knowing that I could write non-fiction, I wondered if I could also write fiction?  Toward the end of 2015, I began to research for my first novel.  I bought and read books that would help me develop my fictional world, and I started jotting down anything that came to mind that might be factored into the story.  Much of 2016 was taken up with research, character creation, world-building, and plot development.  It took about a year to finally get to a third draft and a place where I was confident in shopping it around.

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        The Witchfinder is the first in a trilogy (The Deiparian Saga), set in a post-apocalyptic world that has returned to a medieval level of sophistication, technology and understanding.  The story follows Malachi Thorne, Witchfinder Imperator of the Church of the Deiparous, as he zealously seeks to enforce the Church's laws.  But an escaped heretic sets him and his men on an epic journey that shakes their beliefs to their very core, and threatens to reshape the realm of Deiparia (formerly the United States) into something much worse.

        The Crimson Fathers is the second installment in the Deiparian Saga.

        In a post-apocalyptic world where tyranny and medieval torture reign supreme and witch burnings are an everyday occurrence, a top Witchfinder must confront the very Church he serves when he learns of its dark past and twisted plans for the future. With the Fifth Order in complete control of the Church of the Deiparous, Malachi Thorne and his friends must find “the Flame,” a powerful weapon which may be the only chance they have of halting the evil of the Crimson Fathers. As they navigate the Tex’ahn lands and work with the resistance, Thorne discovers a devastating secret that may destroy them all and everything they have worked for. Filled with swift action, unusual creatures, dungeon crawls, and an engaging cast of characters, The Crimson Fathers is a must-read for fans of epic fantasy and post-apocalyptic fiction.

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        With a Blighted Touch is my horror novel that will be released on October 24, 2023.

        I am also preparing a suspense/horror novel titled Only Angels Have Blue Eyes.

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        I currently live outside Chattanooga, Tennessee, with my wife, Felicia, and two dogs.  We have two grown sons, Brett and Matthew.