Birthplace:                            Cheektowaga, New York

Raised:                                  Syracuse, New York (1964-1981); Go Orange!

Childhood Memories:             Born with a club foot and was in a cast within

                                              days (not really a memory, but important to

                                              note). That was one small cast. Multiple surgeries

                                              later, nobody knew the situation ever existed.

                                              Being cross-eyed wasn’t a blessing, either, or

                                              having colic, but the vision was corrected to 20-10

                                              by the early teens. I’m still not sure about the

                                              colic. I guess those early physical setbacks set the

                                              stage for over-achievement later in life. That, and

                                              having to deal with fourteen feet of snow eight

                                              months out of the year.

                                              A four-sport athlete growing up (basketball,

                                              baseball, football, and eating), I showed no signs

                                              of the aforementioned early challenges. 

                                              Every day was wondrous as long as there was a

                                              ballgame to play in or a movie to see. I adored my

                                              grandparents, and camping with them at Selkirk

                                              State Park was always a highlight of the summer.

Boyhood Idol:                        Pistol Pete Maravich, the greatest basketball player

                                              who ever lived and a wonderful human being; the

                                              primary reason for any success I ever experienced

                                              in my life as he taught me about discipline,

                                              dedication, and determination. I miss him dearly.

Spouse:                                Kathleen, my inspiration and the love of my life.

                                             One man shouldn’t be so lucky

Children:                               Alyssa, the most special kid on the planet. Daddy’s

                                             little girl, although she’s not so little any more. Man,

                                             does she play a mean violin

Pets:                                    Maggie, world’s greatest dog, and Guiness, the

                                             perfect foil

Source of Writing                 An overactive and creative imagination, a love for

Inspiration:                          reading, and a passion that reappeared in 2002

                                             (read “My Story”, if you’re interested what that’s

                                             all about)

Favorite Authors:                Stephen King (the master), Jodi Picoult (pure

                                             poetry), Jack Kerley (my inspiration – he made it!),

                                             Dan Simmons (epic), David Baldacci (complexity)

Favorite Books:                    “It” and “Cell” (Stephen King), “Loose Balls” (Terry

                                             Pluto), “Along Came a Spider” (James Patterson),

                                             “Velocity” (Dean Koontz), “The Hundredth Man”

                                             (Jack Kerley), “Born Standing Up” (Steve Martin),

                                             “The Tenth Circle” and “Vanishing Acts” (Jodi Picoult)

Favorite Movies:                  Rocky, The Godfather, Halloween, Gangs of New

                                             York, Field of Dreams, Hoosiers, Jerry Maguire,

                                             Wall Street, Saw, Rudy, The Matrix, Jaws, Say

                                             Anything, Ghostbusters, Breakfast Club, Ferris

                                             Bueller’s Day Off, Animal House, Star Wars,

                                             Raiders of the Lost Ark, Alien, Aliens, Pulp Fiction,

                                             American History X, Silence of the Lambs, The

                                             Deer Hunter, Caddyshack, Forrest Gump, The

                                             Natural, Pans Labrynth, and too many others to

                                             mention…

Favorite Music:                    Van Halen (by far the greatest band ever – with

                                             DLR or Sammy), AC/DC, Boston, Journey. Period.

                                             OK, there might be more, but if I were stranded on

                                             an island …

Hobbies:                               Building businesses, shopping, movies, traveling,

                                             reading

Day Job:                              Leader of the Sales and Marketing organization for

                                            a Kansas City firm