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A Brief Biography… I was born in 1946, at the end of the second world war.I grew up in a country borough on Lake Hopatcong, the largest lake in New Jersey. Until the mid-1950’s it was basically a summer vacation Mecca for the rich, who owned mansions on or overlooking the lake, and others who rented bungalows. Otherwise, we townies had the place to ourselves.My elementary years were spent going to school and playing with friends. There were always lots of things to do. When it was warm, we caught frogs in the pond and crayfish in a stream that ran from the pond through the glen and finally to the lake. When I got older we fished in the lake for sunfish, perch, rock-bass and a variety of “game” fish in the lake using worms, lures or live bait.I also spent a lot of time wandering through the woods alone and with my friends. The area had been settled in the 1700s. There were many old paths and dirt roads that ran for miles. Some had old, dilapidated wooden homes along side which we thoroughly investigated, at our own risk. We spent the summer swimming at the town’s beach. When I was old enough, Dad bought a power-boat and later a sailboat. Now, I could visit friends all around the lake without bothering my parents. And, when he could, Dad and I went sailing. Once we got competent, we entered the weekly sailing races at the Yacht Club. Once, we even won!During the winter my friends and I went sleigh riding, built snow-men and skated on the pond, or lake when we got older. When I became “old enough”, I learned archery, riflery and skeet shooting.Toward the end of eighth grade, my parents decided that the local high-schools were not good enough. So I went to a private school. John Sabastian, who later became a popular performer, was a junior at that time. He often played guitar and sang in the auditorium. I watched him and was hooked. Playing the guitar and singing would become a lifelong passion.I begged my parents for a guitar. But, I had to pass a test. They bought me a ukulele. And, I passed. My first guitar was an inexpensive Harmony. Near the end of my senior year, as I had been admitted to New York University, I was able to persuade them that I was ready for the real thing. My graduation gift was a Martin guitar. The real thing! The first year my grades were weak. My advisor suggested that I take a year off and then go to summer school. If I passed, I would pick another major and return. I moved to a cheap apartment beside Thompson Square Park, also known as “needle” park. The neighborhood was plagued by drugs and prostitutes. It was very “real”. That year I worked as a Page at the New York Stock Exchange and an administrative assistant in the executive offices of Robert Hall.The next summer I moved back to the NYU dormitory and went to summer school, where the rest of my life began. I met a young women whom I would later marry. Four years later, 1969, we graduated together from NYU’s School of Education. Ruth continued her education at Columbia University’s School of Library Service. Upon graduation, she would become a Librarian at The New York University Library. In 1971 we were married. But, I still did not have a clue as to what I wanted to do with myself. Ruth suggested that I follow her lead. I did. Things started to fall into place. Upon graduating from Columbia University’s School of Library Service, I was soon offered a Librarian’s position in central New Jersey high school. The timing could not have been better; Ruth had become pregnant with Benjamin. In 1975, Felicia was born. Shortly after, for budgetary reasons, I was laid off. Within six months I landed a job as a Front-End Manager in a supermarket in the Lakeland area. We moved to a small home near Lake Hopatcong. Over time I was promoted to Assistant Manager and held that position for several years. I now had greater confidence and wanted a job that I could really enjoy. At the same time, as an experienced reader of children’s stories, I started to write them for my own children. They loved them and so did their friends. These were trying times. The country was in the middle of a gasoline shortage and general economic “malaise”. Store sales fell off and I was let go. Eventually I secured a position as a as a salesman for a temp-to-permanent employment agency. There, I learned about telemarketing, cold-calling, and account management. Eventually, a larger personnel firm bought the agency and we were all fired. But, this time, it was a blessing in disguise. While researching job possibilities, I read about owning your own business, including franchises. Ruth and I discussed the possibilities and decided that, since being an employee did not work, we would go into business for ourselves. We purchased a Printing franchise. We built it into a local power-house. Our clients ranged from individuals working out of their homes to international conglomerates. We started with one employee and grew to twelve. We tripled our space. We became among the top 10% in dollar volume in an International Franchise system. We were now in our late fifties. Our business was threatened by changing technology and the economic downturn. We sold our business, our house and moved to small New Jersey city where our daughter and granddaughter live. Our son lives nearby. My wife found a job in New York City. I have retired to pursue my hobbies; music and writing. In my spare time I sing folk, blues and children’s songs while playing the guitar, which my wife and family enjoy. But my focus is on writing and publishing children’s stories. To this end, besides sending them to publishers, I have begun reading them to elementary school classes and children library groups to test their appeal. So far, the response has been excellent!Hopefully, in the not too distant future, I will become a published author.

A Brief Biography… I was born in 1946, at the end of the second world war.I grew up in a country borough on Lake Hopatcong, the largest lake in New Jersey. Until the mid-1950’s it was basically a summer vacation Mecca for the rich, who owned mansions on or overlooking the lake, and others who rented bungalows. Otherwise, we townies had the place to ourselves.My elementary years were spent goi... More