Education

Bachelor’s Degree (Philosophy, Journalism minor)

San Francisco State University, 1967

Master’s Degree (History of Religions/Buddhism)

Claremont Graduate University, 1970

Master’s Degree (Communications/Journalism)

California State University, Fullerton, 2002

 Experience

Instructor. Communications and Media Studies. Santa Ana College. 2004-present

Manager of Rizzoli International Bookstore (Costa Mesa, CA), 1988-1991

Assistant to vice president of marketing, Avon Books (New York), 1980-1982

Sales representative. Avon Books (Southern California), 1978-1979

Previous bookselling positions at Los Angeles County Museum of Art Bookstore, Martindale’s Books (Santa Monica), Hunter’s Books (Beverly Hills)

 Editorial

Senior Editor. Publishers Weekly, 1982-1988 (New York office). Bookselling & Marketing Editor.

Senior Editor. Drug Store News (also wrote for sister publication For the Pharmacist ). West Coast bureau of Lebhar Friedman, Inc., New York), 1991-1998

Associate Editor. School Music Dealer, Windplayer, Inc. (Los Angeles), 1999-2004.

 Publications

 Vagabond Prophet: A Novel of Nostradamus and His Time. New York. Avon Books, 1983; Revised edition Nostradamus, Vagabond Prophet: A Novel of His Life and Time (Forked Road Press, 2011)

Adventures Abroad: Exploring the Travel/Retirement Option. Co-author with Jane Parker. Gateway Books (San Francisco/subsequently acquired by Globe Pequot), 1991.

Freelance articles and columns include: Publishers Weekly (January 10, 2011); American Bungalow (Winter 2008); H Magazine: Homes and Lifestyles of Southern California(Anaheim Hills, Calif.) articles in all semi-monthly issues 2004-2006; Los Angeles Times Travel (May 2, 1999); “Great Reads for the Restless” online travel-lit review column for msnbc.com, 1999-2000). Other: Skin Diver (2000), Successful Retirement (1993), Los Angeles Times Book Review (1990), Details (!988), Physician’s Travel & Meetings (1988).Freelance book cover and catalog copy for Penguin Books, Avon Books

 Media

Television interview with co-author for Adventures on “Today Show” (1997), forVagabond on KTTV Los Angeles (1982), as author of New West magazine article on automotive topic (1978); as spokesperson for Publishers Weekly on “Regis Philbin” (1988) and CNN (est. 1987).

Radio phone interviews include: KIEV Los Angeles (George Putnam); WOR New York (Joan Hamburg Show), and WAMC Albany (The Best of Times); KUNS Denver; WGRD Grand Rapids; WHN N.Y., NY; WCKY Cincinnati; WGBS Miami; WBSM New Bedford; WLNY Lansing, IL; WFKY Frankfort, KY; WELI New Haven.

 Awards and Honors

2002   Outstanding Thesis, 2002, School of Communications,

California State University, Fullerton (Published thesis: Boosting the Boom, Taming the Backlash: How the Los Angeles Times Influenced  Westward Migration in the 1920s)

1987   Cahners Editorial Medal of Excellence: Best News Reporting (of 50 magazines by Cahners Publishing, a division of Reed Elsevier)

Affiliations

Authors Guild

PEN West

National Book Critics Circle

Biographers International

Southern California Independent Booksellers Association

Northern California Independent Booksellers Association

 

Participation in Residential & Institutes

1987   Fellowship, Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, Sweet Briar, VA (July)