My first literary efforts were undertaken while I was still a child. I recall typing short stories on my father’s Smith-Corona electric typewriter, which I would then “sell” to any nearby relative for five or ten cents. Several years later I began work on my first novel, Treasure Mountain. I count it among my many blessings that the Treasure Mountain manuscript is long since lost as I would no doubt be horrified to actually have anyone read it! I think perhaps my long-suffering and ever-supportive grandmother, Clara “Bonnie” Witham, may have been the only person to read the Treasure Mountain manuscript.
Despite my long interest in writing, and some strong encouragement from college writing professors, my writing career developed almost accidentally as a result of my computer career. My first professional writing project came about while I was working as a computer programmer for a “dot com” start-up during 1999-2000. I was tasked with co-authoring the user manual for the software program we were developing. The manual ended up being more than 200 pages long when it was finished, and I discovered that I enjoyed technical writing more than computer programming. Following the dot com bust, I went on to pursue a career in web design where I found myself writing content for nearly every site I designed. Once again, I enjoyed the writing more than the technical work.
I finally started writing for fun (and very little profit) in 2006 when I discovered simple web publishing thanks to WordPress. Soon afterward I compiled my best clips and applied for a writing job with The Eagle Newspaper. The rest, as they say, is history.
I have written articles and e-books on a variety of topics, as well as writing several books. My writing experience includes news reporting, technical writing, web content, and e-books. Areas of interest include religion, travel, the outdoors, and community news. I also write press releases on occasion (usually when my sister twists my arm).
I worked as a staff writer for the Lewistown News-Argus during 2010. Unfortunately, complications in my wife’s ongoing battle with Stage IV ovarian cancer prevented me from moving to Lewistown and being able to continue with the News-Argus.
In November, 2011 I joined the staff of the Big Horn County News in Hardin, MT as a writer/photographer. Big Horn County is one of Montana’s largest counties at slightly more than 5,000 square miles. Big Horn County also includes the Crow (Apsaalooke) Reservation, a 2.3 million acre reservation that is home to nearly 8,000 Crow. Big Horn County News has been covering the news around Hardin and Big Horn County since 1907.
You can read what others have to say about my writing on my writing credits page.
