After gaining more than six years of feature writing and editing experience for a mid-sized Hearst Newspaper, I moved on to teach Language Arts to teenagers. But the passion for writing never really leaves you, so I've resurrected my writing career as a freelancer and novelist.

My interests vary and my background is a hard-to-classify cornucopia of experiences - from teaching school and covering religious reporting to touring in a metal band and hunting wild boar with rock stars. As a result, I write on a wide range of topics.

I'm the father of a brilliant two-year-old and the lucky husband of a perfect wife. I'm an obsessed Texas High School Football fan, an avid reader, a regular viewer of several TV shows ("The Office," "LOST," "Survivor," "Mr. Show," "News Radio," etc.), and manage to fit in regular strength training and video game marathons.

My passion is ...

My passion is my language. I love words - in fiction, in non-fiction, in music, in clever conversation.

I know too much about ...

I know too much about music, entertainment and pop culture. My wife would probably like to shut that part of my brain down.

My parents always told me ...

My parents always told me to do what I love, regardless of money. They told me that if I had a passion for something, the money would take care of itself. They were right.

My childhood ambition ...

My childhood ambition was to be a tiger. When I realized that my early ambition was not feasible, I looked toward acting and music.

My favorite memory ...

My favorite memory is the birth of my son. Coming in at a close second is the time my buddy got stuck in the restraints on a roller coaster in Las Vegas.

Why I write ...

I write because I have to write. If I didn't, my brain would wrestle itself into a knot and eventually implode.

What I am reading/watching/listening to ...

I'm reading "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" by Jonathan Safran Foer and "The Pleasure of My Company" by Steve Martin. I'm watching a lot of football - high school, college and pro. I'm listening to Tom Waits, Morphine and Type O Negative.

My first job ...

My first job was at Sonic in my hometown. I was 15 and not exactly motivated by the prospect of even a short-term job flipping burgers and cleaning fry grease. After a month, I went to the beach instead of work. I was fired. It was a decision that I've never regretted, as a day at the beach is both more enjoyable and beneficial than any day scrubbing a grill.

My best moment ...

My best moment is impossible to nail down. There are thousands of moments - some that lasted hours and others just seconds - that have made my life so fulfilling. Any time my two-year-old wraps his arms around me and tells me he loves me is my best moment, and one that I'll take with me beyond the grave.

My inspiration ...

My inspiration comes from some hidden place in my brain - somewhere between the part that tells my fingers where each letter is on the keyboard and the part that occasionally tells me to charge my cell phone at night.

Entertainment > Music Genres, Trends & Scenes Unforgettable country music hits

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In an interview during the peak of his meteoric success, Garth Brooks commented on hearing what would become his most memorable hit for the first time - as an audience member in Nashville's Bluebird Cafe. The singer was the song's writer - Tony Arata - and the result was a spellbound Brooks, who was stunned by the sparse audience's disinterest.

When the song was over, he wondered, "Did ANYONE ELSE just hear that?" It changed his career and his life, and has become a song near and dear to the hearts of many music lovers of genres from old country to nu metal.

That ability to grab som...

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