The symptoms began to manifest themselves early. It usually happened in the middle of a book or movie. Things would be rolling along fine and then suddenly I’d drift off and start carrying the narrative in a new direction. “If I’d written this, here’s how it would have gone…”

Of course there were the other classic symptoms: daydreams, moodiness, bipolar swings, The Black Stallion, Stephen King, Jim Beam, Johnny Cash, Marlborough Reds, The Outlaw Josey Wales, Mark Twain, Herman Hesse, North by Northwest, Ernest Hemingway, Unforgiven, English degree, Nick Adams, Danton, inability to focus, Toni Morrison, nicotine patches, Jim Harrison, The Godfather (Part II), La Strada, social anxiety disorder, Legends of the Fall, MFA program, Reservoir Dogs, Lolita, marriage and a kid, a farm in Missouri, the need to pay rent, The Woman Lit by Fireflies, Where the Sea Used to Be, an accidental career, Henry Miller, Nicholl Fellowships (semifinalist), Double Indemnity, relocation to Oregon, screenplay option, indie film production and so on and so on.

During the course of these events I’ve completed a pair of novels, with one in shape to make the agency rounds.  I published a number of articles and short stories. I’m at work on an online graphic novel with artist Santiago Uceda. I’ve written a few screenplays that have finished strong in contests, one of which is currently in development. I’ve also started making films, with our first project debuting at the Da Vinci Film Festival. And somehow along the way I learned I was pretty handy at this whole Web design and development thing, so instead of working the midnight shift at Kinko’s for poverty wages and to make free copies of my screenplays (I did actually work at Kinko’s), I have an actual career where I get to do something useful.

I live with a patient wife and rambunctious daughter in Oregon, where we take advantage of our close proximity to the natural world as often as we can.

If you’re interested in finding out more about my writing projects, contact me at dave[at]301media[dot]com.