I was born in Elgin, Illinois in 1963 and lived in Cary for more than twenty-two years before taking my first job out of college. Most of my childhood was consumed with sports, school, and creating games. I was successful in football, basketball, and baseball. But it was baseball that I pursued most seriously. My childhood dream, like so many young boys, was to become a professional baseball player.

For financial reasons, I passed up opportunities to play at the Division II or III level. Instead I tried to make it as a walk-on at the Division I level. It was there that this particular dream came to an end. Although discouraged, I drew on my experiences from playing sports and applied them to other aspects of my life.

After graduating from Bradley University with a double major in Computer Science and Mathematics, I worked at a utility company as a Programmer/Analyst for two-and-a-half years. I then moved to St. Louis to work for McDonnell-Douglas (now Boeing); conducting Artificial Intelligence research. While in St. Louis, I acquired an M.B.A. in Finance with the intention of fulfilling another dream—owning a business. When I returned to the Chicago area in 1992, I accepted a position at Argonne National Laboratory while co-founding Odyssey Creations, Inc. with my brother, Timm. In August 1998, Timm and I co-founded Perikles Publishing, Inc., the literature arm of our endeavor. Due to some unforeseen circumstances, Odyssey Creations was dissolved after ten years of existence; however, during the summer of 2002, Perikles absorbed the company’s business functions. Less than two years later, in March of 2004, Timm and I mutually decided to go our separate ways with me maintaining full control of the company.

From inspirations in my life and personal experiences, I began writing my story of the Dropas in the spring of 1994. During the story’s progression, I realized I had found a new passion in life—writing. Again, teaming with my brother, I had Timm transform my concepts into the artwork for the covers of the books.

The Dropas: Breaking Through The Walls was released in the fall of 1999. The second book in the series, The Dropas: Transcendental Journey was released in November 2002 along with the instrumental music CD for Book I (same title). Soon after that, I designed and published the Teacher’s Guide (specifically for novel studies and/or literature circles) for the first book in March of 2003. Book III will be released later this year (2005) or early next year.

Immediately after the release of the first book, I began conducting Meet-the-Author programs/workshops that I developed for area schools. Each program was unique in presentation, ranging from selected readings to information about realizing one’s dreams and taking advantage of the opportunities encountered in life. Being directly involved with the students sparked a realization that I wanted to be with students on a daily basis. In the spring of 2002, I returned to school once again to attain a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education. I still offer author programs, but only when time permits (typically in evenings or during the summer).

Aside from teaching fifth grade, I am actively promoting my stories of the Dropas, the music that accompanies Book I, and the Teacher’s Guide for Book I. Very soon, I will begin the next phase of the Dropas’ evolution.