A number of business acquaintances I’ve know over the years have asked me what influenced me to write. Not many people know that I was an artist when I was very young—right brain influence. In high school, I took advanced art classes and selected architecture as a major when I entered college. Along the way, however, I changed my major and graduated with a BA degree in Theater Arts. It didn’t take me long to discover that what they say about wanting to be an actor—not many make it no matter how good they are—was true. Darn it, I could have been a star!

I went back to college and decided to get a degree in accounting—major switch to a left brain influence. The reason for my choice was that my father was a CPA, and when I was young I enjoyed helping him reconcile bank accounts by sequencing the checks. After graduating, I selected Price Waterhouse (PW) to start my business career. I became a CPA but didn’t really enjoy being an auditor, so I made a choice to go into the consulting side of PW. After seven years, I left and formed a consulting firm with another PW employee. Our business specialized in information systems when the concept of data warehousing was in its infancy.

Years passed, and one day in 1991, I decided to write a children’s book—minor switch back to the right. I enjoyed every moment of writing it, more than I could have imagined. However, I continued with consulting until late in 2001, when I decided I had had enough of consulting. I started writing my first novel. That was when I made a complete return to my right brain influence.

I thoroughly enjoyed consulting and learned a great deal about running businesses and what goes on behind closed doors of boardrooms. I must admit, however, when I use boardroom scenes in my novels, I usually apply a great deal of artistic license to enhance the plot.

I have never looked back because I enjoy writing more than I can describe. I guess it takes someone who is possessed with the same passion that I have to create a story to truly understand the insatiable need to write.