Writing

I began to write while I was in the Navy to help keep my inner angry little demons down and give myself a much needed creative outlet. I got really serious about it in early 2002 when I started taking classes at The New School in NYC, and joined up with the Altered Fluid writing group. I don’t write as much as I used to; got burned out by the submission process, and I changed careers to one that I love, so that I don’t need that “escape” that writing gave me every day.

I was very fortunate to be invited to contribute to The New York Times’ “Disunion” series during the Civil War sesquicentennial. “Disunion” covered the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War. My focus was specifically on the naval aspects of the conflict.

Pook Turtles, Armorclads and the Civil War on the Rivers Most of the ironclad action during the Civil War happened on the western rivers.	Civil War Submarines Beyond the famous CSS Hunley, dozens of submarines were built during the Civil War.	Raiding the Keokuk The loss of the unusual USS Keokuk, and the South’s scavenging of the wreck.
Ironclad Fever Everyone knows the story of Monitor and Virginia’s battle, but what came after?		Rise of the “Infernal Machines” The development and use of torpedoes and mines during the Civil War.