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. 2004-2016

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), for Vagabond 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

California Writers Club

 

Participation in Residential & Institutes

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