Two Worlds. One Storyteller.

I publish books on two very different topics — entrepreneurial small business and science fiction. (No, business advice is not science fiction!) They come from two different parts of my life, so let me share both stories with you.

— THE BUSINESS ADVISOR

Thirty Years of Real Business.

For over 30 years, I've advised owners of small businesses that are grappling with the challenges of successful growth — marketing, profitability, managing their growth, and finding and keeping good employees. During that time, I've dealt with every problem you can name — with my clients, and also in my own businesses.

Upgrading your management style to keep up with the challenges of your growing business is no easy task. I've published over twenty workbooks for small business owners to help them tackle this challenge head-on.

My philosophy is simple: grow to the size you want, with the profit and revenue you need — without the business running your life.

That is, "Grow your business without driving yourself crazy©."

While earning my MBA at UCLA, I focused on small business management because I prefer working with people running smaller operations rather than with corporate giants. I write in down-to-earth language understood by entrepreneurs. When I work with business owners one-on-one, or in one of my small groups, I scribble notes and diagrams on the whiteboard. I can tell immediately if eyes glaze over, so I keep it simple and relevant.

The notes from these sessions are the basis for my workbooks. They've all been tested on hard-headed business owners like you.

— THE STORYTELLER

A Galaxy in My Mind.

I have a galaxy in my mind. It is full of worlds and alien peoples, and they are constantly pestering me with their stories.

My trilogy has a strong female heroine — a sassy singer who befriends aliens and must choose between her singing career and gallivanting off into space.

This is not hard sci-fi, but I keep my impossibilities plausible — like how they jump between stars. I write for readers who want humor, heart, and characters who feel real.

My biggest sci-fi influences have been Ursula Le Guin and David Brin, because they are masters at drawing many loosely connected stories out of a consistent universe. And Brin is a master of creating aliens — both sympathetic and nasty.

— LIFE AT HOME

Life Beyond the Pages.

My wife B.J. is also a writer, and she works with me in my consulting company. Good thing we get along well! She's writing about a romance between the ghost of a French woman and a 19th century English barrister. But she'll have to tell her own story.

We live in Marin County, north of San Francisco, in a house surrounded by trees and vegetable gardens. We have two daughters and three grandkids.

Life is good.