No, that’s not me. But this picture grabbed me when I saw it as a kid in The Family of Man. It’s been my model for the kind of writer I want to be. There’s magic in storytelling if you get it right.

I live in New England, not that far from where I grew up. I’m 40 years with the same amazing woman. We have a daughter, son-in-law, and two grandkids who live a few hours away. So we’re lucky. I like to hike and travel, and I love to cook.

I watch a lot of TV. It’s a holdover from my time in the entertainment business. As a creative exec in L.A., I worked on nearly forty movies for TV and miniseries. I had a hand in their sale, development and production. Yes, I met a few of the greats — Elizabeth Taylor, Jerry Lewis. And I worked with talented (and not-so-talented) writers and directors. Sometimes we won Emmys. Sometimes we hit ratings. Sometimes both.

Hollywood’s where I learned how to grab audiences and keep them wanting more. It’s stayed with me.

I read for at least an hour every night before bed. Right now lots of detective stories, as my newest book is a crime novel. Like my favorites, James Crumley, Michael Connelly, Ross Thomas, I go for strong characters and a vital sense of place. A cockeyed view of the world and a driving plot. A sense of humor, too.

During the day, that’s what I work on. Fiction with a strong story at its center. Like that guy in the picture, you can find me arms up, mid-tale. Making you wonder what happens next.

This is me.