FAQ

I have great stories to tell. When I was only ten years old, I discovered I loved telling stories. It was then that I wrote a screenplay that I also directed, produced and acted in. While at that young age I can’t say I knew I’d be a writer, it was obvious to me I had a creative instinct that needed to be satisfied.

Not so much. I loved learning for sure. But the rigors of formal schooling didn’t appeal much growing up. I preferred the sports activities and socialization school offered in my earlier years. Later, in college and law school, my perspective matured as I better appreciated the effort demanded if one was to be successful at anything of lasting value.

My debut novel, Innocence Unmasked, will be published soon. My second book, ChangeME BOOTCAMP, is a nonfiction motivational book that should also be released this year. And I’m currently working on several other novels.

My debut novel, Innocence Unmasked, is my first book. The book is
a gripping coming-of-age tale that follows a small-town group of high school friends who embark on an unplanned, overnight road-trip to see the ocean to mark their last days before graduation. They tell no one they’re going, wrongly expecting to return before any of their parents unleash the police to track them down. What begins as a carefree adventure quickly transforms into a dark, uncharted journey of love, loss, mystery and murder, exposing the harsh truth that life in the real world is grievously unpredictable and rarely as kind as they so mistakenly imagined it to be.

The story unfolds both through the eyes of the naively unsuspecting kids, whose perception of reality gets shaken to the bone when their journey brings them face to face with the unthinkable, as well as those of their fretful parents, all of whom suffer the unimaginable plight of their missing children in their own, curiously different ways.

The novel explores the delicate tensions between youth and parental expectations and through moments of joy, apprehension and self-discovery, captures the intensity and complexity of growing up, both as kids as well as parents.

Ideas and inspiration are everywhere. Sometimes ideas just pop into my head. Other times, I might be doing an activity, having a conversation, watching a movie, or whatever, that will spur a thought in me. I travel a lot and often the real world will provide a moment, a location or place, a personality, an image I can include in my writing. I am always putting notes in my phone about things to include in my books. I’ve set foot on all seven continents and over 80 countries, both to broaden my perspective about life and to better appreciate this fascinating world in which we live. Those travels, along with everyday experiences, surely provide lots of food for actionable thought.

It’s simple…

• Write with relentless perseverance, never give up.
• Write without the shackles of following strict rules, especially first drafts.
• Be fearless as you create. Don’t be distracted by the naysayers.
• Believe in yourself, even if others don’t.

Not really, because for me, fortunately, writing is an end to itself. I’ve never written to become rich or famous.

The novel for sure. You have to create everything. The motivational book on the other hand was much easier. There’s a problem, and you offer a solution. I loved writing both books.

I’d probably want something that would challenge my way of thinking and looking at life and the world, something I could spend time pondering. And for obvious reasons, I’d want one I couldn’t read too quickly. I’d likely want a few good mystery novels but some historical non-fiction books as well.

Coldwater, a wonderful small town in Ohio.

I’m in my fourth career, so I’ve been fortunate to have several. I’m a top-rated lawyer; an entrepreneur who founded and built a national company from scratch; I own a patent for one of my inventions; and now I’m an author with both fiction and nonfiction books soon to be published. I’m also a world adventurer, always exploring what’s on the other side of the mountain, and perhaps most notable of all, I’m a tremendously lucky husband, father and grandfather.

I really like writing mysteries that are gripping on their face but also carry a meaningful subtext message about the intricacies of life, that hopefully cause the readers to ponder their own lives.

Inspiration is everywhere. You know it when you -- see it, hear it, feel it, or possibly even taste it. It surrounds you. You just must have the awareness to recognize and appreciate it. I often get lots of great ideas while driving, exercising and when listening to music.

Each one in their own and different way.

Everyday life. It’s a story that touches all of us, resonates with anyone. Everybody comes of age somehow, at some time in their lives. We all transition from the carefree exuberance of childhood into the big people’s world of being an adult. For some, it’s thoughtlessly easy. For others, it’s traumatic, both for themselves and their families. It’s an idea that has been with me for years.

The inspiration came from a thought I had one day while exercising. We all have monsters and demons inside that we need to slay. We all dream how our lives might be different, better in some way, if we made the changes we know we need to make but somehow can’t. Some people can change their lives on their own, but many, probably most, need a guiding hand.

I never had a career plan for any of my writing, or even to become an author. I just continue like I’ve always done, following my passion for exploring the new and different and I arrived at where I am today. And therein likely lies the answer. I’ve always loved creating and telling stories. I have lots of ideas in my head for books, some of which are at various stages of work. While most of what I write are novels, not all I write fits perfectly into a single genre or format. Thus, I find myself writing a variety of things. I’ve always liked that writing for me has been an adventure, often not knowing the ending until I get there.

Being able to type “THE END” after drafting my first book.

I’ve always been driven to explore the new and different, and professionally to help people, so I suspect it’s just a natural extension of who I am.”

I’d been interested in business even while I was practicing law. I was always drawn to stories about visionaries, the founders and start-up entrepreneurs. So, consistent with my drive to explore the new and different, along with my long-harbored desire to try my hand at business, I took a leap of faith and founded a company in an industry I knew nothing about. I wanted the challenge. I started a medical, drug/alcohol and DNA direct-to-consumer lab testing company. Fortunately, with relentless perseverance and drive, I built the company from scratch into a nationally recognized enterprise with franchises in several states.

I was bitten by the wanderlust bug as early as I can remember. For me, travel checks all my boxes, providing rewards on nearly every level. It offers the new and different in so many ways by introducing me to unfamiliar sights and experiences, intriguing histories, diverse cultures, customs, foods and ways of life, varied world-view philosophies and thinking, and so much more, all of which assure incredible personal growth.

I have never been content to just gaze at the mountain. I’ve always needed to go explore what’s on the other side.

My focus has always been on endless personal growth, helping people, and an eternal quest to inspire others to aspire. By making my life’s journey more about how to give rather than how to take, along with relentless commitment of time and energy, the guidance of mentors along the way, and of course support from family, success was sure to happen.