Many years ago I attended a book reading in New York City where John Gardner and another author were presenting their latest novels. There was a brief Q&A when the reading ended. One of the questions asked, one that you hear very often was, "where do you get the inspiration for your stories?" A woman in the audience added, "do either of you have a muse?"
I sat in the back of a crowded Barnes & Noble on Broadway and 82nd Street in Manhattan and listened incredulously to these successful authors. Neither had a muse. They didn't believe such creatures existed. I knew better.
When the muse speaks, I write. When the muse whispers, a story rarely finds its ending and remains incomplete and wanting. When the muse is strident, the imagery is overpowering and I record what unfolds, never knowing how the tale will end until the last paragraph reveals itself to me. I do not choose what I see, the plot or narratives that lead me on. I accept the gift given, without question or judgment.
Besides the wonderful reviews, I am most proud of Operation Outreach/The Armed Forces Collection, where Tales of Our TimeŽ gifts a mini-volume of 5 short stories to veterans and
those currently serving in our military.
When not writing, I am a management consultant specializing in corporate planning and reorganization. I have taught at the New School University, been quoted in The New York Times, in business journals and interviewed on New York TV News Channel 1, and lecture extensively on leadership skills development for entrepreneurs.
I have given testimony as an expert on best practices for the U.S. Senate and appeared as an expert witness on best practices in hearings before The New York State Commission on Corruption in Boxing.
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