Memuat
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author
Mark Tate
Who am I?
I don’t want to bore you to tears so I wrote a short biography, it is harder than I thought! It is let’s say the Nuts and Bolts of how I came to write.
At a very early age I grew the st...lihat lebih banyakWho am I?
I don’t want to bore you to tears so I wrote a short biography, it is harder than I thought! It is let’s say the Nuts and Bolts of how I came to write.
At a very early age I grew the strongest desire to become a cop, a police man when I grew up.
Growing up I was hooked on watching Clint Eastwood movies, Dirty Harry, The Gauntlet, Coogan’s Bluff, His westerns! He was my idle.
Chips came along as well as other favorites like Magnum P.I., Moonlighting, Miami Vice, Simon and Simon. I have always been a huge comics fan so I read Daredevil, Spiderman, Batman. I somehow mixed the two up. I could be a cop and a super hero when I was older! I was so excited about my future.
I would daydream during the morning and afternoon, I would dream longer at night. I would one day put on that super suit. I’d have a bullet proof vest, a badge and a pistol on my side! I’d be the Police! I would be honored and respectable, the whole nine yards!
My mother divorced my father when I was six years old to my best recollection. My Mom remarried and we left my birth place, Florida behind. We traveled for five days to Cody Wyoming, From there we settled down in a small town in Montana. Some of the best years of my adolescence!
My family migrated to Michigan (my parent’s home state) for a year and then came back to the Sunshine State!
At age 17, after high school graduation I signed up In the Army, I was too young to be a civilian cop (not old enough to possess or buy bullets or a gun!). I became a military police officer.
At age 23, after completing the police academy, and having worked for the county sheriff’s office as a reserve deputy for two years, I was hired full time. I worked in patrol and in 2001 I transferred to the detective division. I stayed for 8 years until I was promoted to Sergeant! All my dreams came true.
1997. Age 23. I was hired full time as a deputy, I married my wife, the love of my life, and my wife and I celebrated the birth of our son! A busy but wonderful year!
So my main ambition at the time was to pour my heart and soul into be a great husband, father, cop.
I had written lyrics to many songs when I was younger. I sing them for hours to my fans in my room (my coo-coo-self)!
I had even made my own record covers and sleeves!
I have always been a huge Stephen King fan! I read his books early on, along with Christopher Pike, S.E. Hinton, RL Stine. I read Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew. I was fascinated with Agatha Christie as well. Who didn’t love those choose your own adventure books?!
I wrote some short stories must of which I threw away. I didn’t think they were good enough!
It wasn’t until 1991 that I wrote a short story that sent chills down my spine. I had created a character, Ryan Roper, and I couldn’t get him out of my mind!
Oh Rats! My first completed short story! I wrote and still to this day write for fun!
Oh Rats! got placed into a gigantic plastic box along with my other writings, my songs, my album artworks. The box got shuffled around from closet to closet. Lost, but not forgotten.
Many years, many moons later, just before I would enter into the world of a forty year old man, I cleaned the closet. I bought writing notebooks, pens, pencils, flashcards and a brand new computer.
I got a two year degree. I graduated Barry University with a bachelor degree.
I emptied my writing box. I found Oh Rats! I sat down and wrote more parts. Oh Rats! became a novella.
I wrote more stories and in 2014 I finished my first short story collection, “The Shapes of my Soul.” I wrote an introduction I called, “My Wisdom,” to give readers an idea where the stories came from (my mind).
Next I set out on my first novel, The Wisdom Tree. I wrote over half of it. Stopped. This first draft of The Wisdom Tree belonged somewhere else. I wrote a prequel and called it “The Wisdom Tree.” The original draft will be a continuation in an upcoming novel, “As the Town Slept.”
After I felt satisfied with The Shapes and wisdom Tree I turned them over to my Mom, Author Mary Vickers. I needed an honest answer and turns out an editor!!! She liked my stuff and that is all that counts to me, even if mo one else were to ever read it. But I thought, If I liked it, Mom liked it, someone else might too.
She did a wonderful job editing and providing wisdom and encouragement. I owe her a lot! She is an excellent writer, editor, and most of all the Best Mom in the World!
I went to town re-writing and got a chance to relive my stories.
I then sat down and wrote a list of all the Things I could write about next. I found out that the sky is the limit!
I watch a movie a day, I read every free moment that I have. My family and I are taking more trips to other places outside of our normal Florida life! Life is good.
My career as a cop is coming to an end, only a hand full of years left until retirement! 25 years on the force, a college degree, a beautiful wife and son (hint: grandson on the way!), and a Family I am blessed to have! God is looking over me and my family!
The very first thing I wanted to be was a disc-jockey. Then the dream of being the police, a detective, a sergeant. Next I wanted to get a bachelor degree. I have accomplished all of the aforementioned. Now I will write until my fingers go numb! I will write and I hope you will READ!
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