Jeff Sheets
Here, I should probably tell you a little about myself. I hope it gets a chuckle from those that know me well.
I grew up wandering the shores, woods, and marshes of western Lake Erie, close to the history of my ancestors of the French-Canadian portion of my family line. I learned from my grandfather how to trap muskrats in the marshes behind his home, just as his father and grandfather had done. He also taught me about the past, when Michigan was just a frontier, and I learned an appreciation of history and nature.
Curiosity was always both a strength and a weakness for me. The discovery of the inner workings of some system was great, as long as it didn't turn out to be the neighbor's lawnmower I was dismantling, or some new construction on private property that I was exploring. It was probably a good thing that my playground was bounded by water on one side, and a freeway on the other.
I had the most comprehensive chemistry set of any other kid in the neighborhood and my experiments and forays must have caused my parents more than a few gray hairs. I built contraptions that may never have worked and tried more than a dozen ways to identify and contact alien beings from other planets.
Then I discovered rock music and the technology and culture that goes along with it. As a teen, I needed to participate in every way possible. This brought me an interest in all things technological and philosophical. I learned the guitar, then the electric bass.
By the time I graduated high school, I had been in a few rock bands, was an assistant in the school electronics class, had a full time job repairing stereo equipment, and was generally on my own, in a manner of speaking. I decided to forego college, mostly because I couldn't see a way to afford it on my own. During this time, I love to write stories, even had stories in my head that were never written down, but never believed that anyone could make a living out of writing.
A period in the military and some travel to the United Kingdom ruined me for ever staying home. There are things to learn, places to go, and people to meet. As a result, I ended up in Tucson, Arizona where I learned an appreciation for danger of the adventurous sort. Rock climbing, spelunking, and exploring the mountains around Tucson were my favorite pastimes. I joined a hard rock band as bassist and we played around, wrote songs, and recorded an album.
When I was ready to move again, I considered Utah, Alaska, even Greece, but at the suggestion of a good friend I decided on San Diego, California. I married her after 5 years and we now have two really great children.
I had always wanted to learn the computer and this became my new hobby. Bonnie had just finished school for computer graphic design and so I started building and learning to program computers.
Time for a change that would make a big difference, so I decided to enroll at National University Business College. This eventually turned into a degree in Business Marketing, then another in Technology Business Management.
I got word through a client that a local technology company needed a technician who could write. I applied for the position but was passed over due to inexperience. Regardless, I realized that it was possible to write for a living. Time for a little persistence. A year later I called the same company again and the position was open. I applied and was hired to write manuals! Then the task became to learn to do it well.
Eventually, it all came together. The technology, the philosophy, the schooling, and the invention. I learned all the computer tools necessary to put the writing and the graphic design together. Best of all, after more than seven years of writing for a living, I find that I call myself a writer and it feels good. Now my goal is to write for fun and entertainment. My stories are the product of that desire.
-Jeff