I've been a musician and songwriter for many years. In Nashville, my home for over 13 years, songwriting was in the air. I've written hundreds of songs, produced dozens of professional demos, coached many songwriters through critique sessions in my home, and taught guitar techniques to songwriters.
I decided to move back to my home state of Arizona to pursue another path as a different kind of writer. My first book is a memoir of my musical experiences over a lifetime of being a musician and songwriter. A second book is a guide for musicians on how to travel safely with a guitar. But my goal was to pursue a lifelong dream of writing a novel.
I have realized that goal with the publication of "Cactizonians' Treasure," a unique and distinctly Arizona-oriented novel set in southern Arizona and northern Mexico. As it turned out, the pandemic gave me the perfect opportunity to focus on writing it and going through the process of finding a publisher.
But, when the writing was done, I felt like there was something more. My songwriter's genes asserted themselves, and I wrote and recorded a five-song collection of songs as companion pieces for the novel. They are designed to add additional color and perspective to the main character's experiences in the story.
I sometimes perform the songs in conjunction with readings from the book at personal appearances. Contact me through my website if you are interested in such a program.
Several more novels are in the works. Perhaps they, too, will result in scratching my songwriter itch.
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