A native of Wisconsin and Connecticut, DT deserted aspirations of being a biologist to live the corporate dream and raise a family. After six homes, a ten-year stint in Singapore and Taiwan, and an imagination that never slept, his muse refused to be hobbled as a mere dream. Now a full-time writer, DT writes science fiction, dystopian fiction, alternate-world fantasy, and blogs on Searching for Light in the Darkness.
Social Media Chairman for GLVWG, Dan created and maintains this WordPress blog page, and revamped the group’s Facebook Page.
Sandra Almonte had an opportunity to speak with Dan about what he writes, his blog site, and his on-going struggles as a hard-core pantser extraordinaire when he writes.
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Sandra: You write science fiction and alternate-world fantasy. What drew you to these genres?
Dan: I was the middle child of seven and more at home with a book and my chemistry set in the basement when growing up. Robert Heinlein’s “Tunnel in the Sky” was my introduction to sci-fi when I was eight. I cut my fantasy teeth with the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, all before I reached puberty. As for alternate-world fantasy, my first taste likely came from the Stephen King/Peter Straub collaboration “The Talisman” (though I give Dean Koontz’s “Lightning” high marks for solidifying the genre for me).
I dropped sci-fi/fantasy for many years after I started raising a family and labored in the real world. I credit my older daughter for reintroducing me to it and haven’t looked back since.
Sandra: Is there a strategy you use for your blog page? Do you blog everyday? Are there days you write two (or more) blogs and post them in the future?
Dan: I started my blogging chops with a wonderful group of romance writers in 2008 and came up with the name “Blame it on the Muse” (which is no longer running). These ladies played a large role in fine tuning the craft for me. I tended more toward humor as the ‘lone Y chromosome in a sea of double-x’s, but wasn’t really into the social media thing. It was my agent, Victoria Lea of Aponte Literary, who insisted I must establish a presence, and well, let’s just say I was dragged kicking and screaming into the social media arena. Who’d a thunk I’d end up as the social media guy for GLVWG?
Maintaining a brand and presence requires a degree of discipline and consistency, which I suck at. I prefer writing stories. I set up ‘Searching for Light in the Darkness’ as a subtle riff on characters who end up in their darkest moment and must find a ‘light’ to overcome it. Lucky me, I received permission from photographic artist, Lori Nix, to use her diorama of a tree stretching to a hole in the roof of a deserted library as my cover graphic. Started with bi-monthly posts, meandered on the subject matter (I had this thing about not wanting to be yet another writer talking about writing), dates slipped, and ended up doing a monthly post. Some will say it’s not enough, but I will kick up posting frequency when I finally publish one of the half-dozen books I’ve written.
Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Group 