Getting my books out there to people and getting them to read my books is harder than writing them. Since the Facebook Community Boost seminar early this summer I’ve been putting some effort toward expanding my base. One thing that I’ve been told is that people now-a-days want to get to know the author better. So I am going to write about myself today. Now most of you probably already know me well enough. I appreciate all the support that I’ve gotten from you all, but I’m asking a favor today. I’m asking if you can share me with people who might not know me as well. I want everyone to read my books, and I need some help.
Let’s get right to it, I’m from Iowa. I was born at Mary Greeley Hospital on June 2, 1950. I grew up just outside of Shipley, Iowa and attended Shipley school through 6th grade, then I went to school in Nevada, the town, not the state. I lived in Council Bluffs after I graduated from high school while I attended school there for a few years, I did a hitch in the Navy, lived in Jacksonville, Florida for a few years, and then came back to Iowa. That’s it in a nutshell.
I believe that education is next. I graduated from Nevada High School in 1968. I went to trade school at Iowa Western Community College and got an Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic certification. When I was in the Navy I took correspondence courses through the University of Rhode Island. Then I went to Florida Junior College and graduated with an AA in journalism. I went on to Iowa State University and graduated in 1981 with a BA in English. I might add that in there somewhere I graduated from the Des Moines Police academy. I’ve done a lot of graduating it seems.
Now, a list of jobs I’ve held down, hopefully in order: farm boy, construction worker, ranch hand, airplane mechanic, sailor, campus security officer, auto parts salesman, welder, college student, construction worker again, police officer, airplane mechanic again, probation officer, aquatics center supervisor/lifeguard/lifeguard instructor, and detective novel writer. That’s all of the jobs that I can remember right now.
Next is hobbies. Well, I would have to put writing detective novels at the top of this list. I know that I put it in the list of jobs, but really it is more of a hobby that has gotten out of hand. Ukulele player. Yes, I am a ukulele player and a passable singer. I tell people who ask me about my music that I’m not great as a ukulele player and singer, but I’m good enough. I have a few other hobbies that keep me busy. I like to ride my bicycle and I get out once in a while metal detecting. I used to do some hunting and fishing, but not so much anymore. But most of all I like to write.
So that is about it for me. This is actually a little longer than I wanted it to be. I guess there is more to me than I thought. But the bloggers these days say that if an author wants to get their books out there they have to let people get to know them, so this is who I am.
G&B Detective Agency 