Since starting to write What
Didn't Kill Me Made Me Stronger in early 2006, my interest in all types of writing has increased. Remembering
some of the intense moments for the non-fiction book about my diabetic complications was, at times, emotionally draining.
It helped to write fiction humor to balance things out.
My favorite author
is Carl Hiaasen, who writes raucous stories set in his native Florida. My writing style is similar to his and my stories take place in Northwest
Arkansas, a place I have lived on and off my entire life.
In my opinion, this is the most exciting time to live in Northwest Arkansas. An economic boom which started in the late
1980s has drawn new residents from all over the nation and abroad, making the area more diverse than it has ever been.
The Wal-Mart corporate headquarters, along with those of Tyson and J.B. Hunt have fueled much of the growth.
The excellent quality of life hasn’t hurt, either.
I see many parallels to Florida when I lived there
in the Eighties. The same benefits and problems of a boom town are here. It is fascinating to see how the various,
living characters interact here. Having moved away and back several times, I can understand how many of them feel.
Decades from now, when Northwest
Arkansas has become whatever it is turning into, there will be an interest in this time
in history. The writers and artists of today have the opportunity to define this place. I hope to leave a fun,
light-hearted fictional account of what it was like here as the place transformed itself into a significant metropolitan area.
The kind of humor I write has been called quirky, snarky, and often irreverent. Like most writers, I’ve
always been drawn to the more eccentric, offbeat, unique people. Working such a wide variety of jobs over the years
has given me a wealth of experiences to draw upon.
Fans
of my non-fiction work may not necessarily like my fiction. That's fine. Who says I can’t be inspirational
and funny too?
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