Long before I was a writer, I was a reader. The first time I read any science fiction was in the 3rd grade. Rummaging around in the attic I discovered a box of old books containing a number of the original Tom Swift books that belonged to my dad. I started reading volume one and ended up devouring the entire set. From that moment on I was hooked on science fiction and fantasy. It let the reader dream of marvelous things that could be but were yet to come.
As a kid I made up stories, often on the spot, and told them to my siblings and any neighborhood kid who’d sit still long enough to listen. I polished up one story so well that I got requests for it. My sisters called it “the fleshy ball story.” Someday I’ll put that one down on paper.
Eventually it became clear that a career as a storyteller was a few centuries out of date and for me there was something special about holding a book in your hands. Once written down a tale is preserved. So I started writing short stories. Much like my storytelling days, these were only shared with friends and family until I discovered that there were magazines that would actually pay to publish my tales. I began submitting to magazines of all sorts and, like most novice writers, I got rejections enough to wallpaper every room in a large house. It was discouraging. The only thing that kept me going, other than a stubborn nature that hates to give up, was that rare rejection that included a personal, encouraging note from an editor.
And then I sold one. I thought I was on my way to the career I’d always dreamed of. It turned out to be a short-lived success as more rejections soon followed. Eventually I sold a few more short stories but reality dictated that the short story market was limited and paid too little to quit my day job. Another daydream bubble burst.
Finally I turned to novels, which wasn’t really much of a stretch since my short stories had a habit of growing into novels anyway. In fact, one short story that saw print early on has now grown into a four book fantasy collection that refuses to find an ending. But that’s another story. Today I continue to write regularly and hope to have a new book ready every year going forward until I can’t find anything more to write about.
In addition to writing, I’ve continued to pursue my martial arts journey. Generally last to get a growth spurt, I was often pushed around. Martial arts seemed a way to stop that and I began learning judo in high school, quickly switched to karate, and have continued down that path ever since. The patience, perseverance, and self-discipline I’ve learned through the rigors of karate training have helped me stick to my writing in spite of setbacks.
I was born in Athens, Ohio where my parents were enrolled at Ohio University. Before I was old enough to remember, we moved first to North Carolina, and then to northeast Ohio. I spent one season crewing on a Great Lakes iron ore boat, earning money for college which solidified my love of the Great Lakes and shipping and sailing. The memories spawned their own set of stories. After graduation from Kent State University with a Bachelor of Science in chemistry, I served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army Chemical Corps where I had the unusual experience of working with live nerve agents and getting trained in what they do. Following military service, I went back to private industry. Now I just write and train at the dojo.
Still writing remains my passion. I hope you’ll find something here that intrigues you and convinces you to try one of my books. Feel free to contact me at contact@jdrewbrumbaugh.com.