Bio
Jim satisfies his deep-seated love of language and history by writing thoroughly-researched fiction filled with evocative prose inspired by his extraordinary ancestors.
Jim combined a fascination with computers and his love of language to become a technical communicator. He was author, teacher, trainer, technical writer, blogger, and explainer of all things complex in software development, for a series of billion-dollar semiconductor companies. In the mid 90s he wrote the book on programming the Macintosh computer. His favorite feedback: “How did I ever not know this?”
Before that he was a stenographer, listening to hundreds of real human stories in the crucible of the courtroom. He started in a sawmill, working as a logger and forester. Now that he tells stories, he’s gone back to his roots killing trees, but with a keyboard instead of a chain saw.
Jim’s Blog: The Facts of Fiction
A flânerie across dozens of research topics, and the process of writing historical fiction.
Novels (unpublished)
Laveaux
The life of the Voudou Queen of antebellum New Orleans: 1811-1860
◊ Laveaux: Dancer – the origin story, 1811-1823
◊ Laveaux: Mother – in progress, 1826-1860
Generations
Surviving the Wars of Religion at the dawn of the Enlightenment: 1572-1659
◊ Beginnings – Robert and Marguerite in Paris and the Charente
◊ Challenges – Mathias and Gabrielle in La Rochelle
◊ Siege – Catherine and François in the horrific siege of La Rochelle
◊ Passages – Étienne emigrates to Canada
Technical Books
(All deliciously obsolete)
◊ Programming Starter Kit for Macintosh (1995, Hayden Books, a Macmillan imprint)
◊ Object-Oriented Programming Starter Kit (unpublished, Macmillan closed the imprint)
◊ Mastering CodeWarrior for Windows 95/NT (1997, Sybex)
◊ Software Engineering for Embedded Systems Chapter 9 (2013, Elsevier)
Privately published
(by clients and employers)
◊ Intermediate Macintosh Application Programming (Apple)
◊ Object-Oriented Analysis and Design (Apple)
◊ C Software Library for Solar System Calculations (Nebula)
◊ The PowerPlant Book – A Macintosh Application Framework (Metrowerks)
Blog Posts
- The Facts of Fiction
- Lay This Body Down
- Sometimes It’s Hairy
- Writer’s Block – Not
- We’re on Fire
- Flexible Facts
- Algorithms
- Steamboats
- The Writers’ Critique
- Oppression
- Who Is Noemi’s Lover?
- Daily Oppression
- The Juba Dance
- A Break
- Backup!
- Proper Forms of Address
- Punkah Fans
- Latrobe’s Tower
- Mosquitoes
- Escaping Slavery
- Joseph Savary
- Pruning
- Twelve Years a Slave and Synchronicity
- A Slave Pen by Any Name…
- Quills and Counjaille
- Languages
- Tell Me!
- Pirates
- Tweaks
- Following
- They Come To Life
- My Protagonist
- The End(ing)
- Savages
- Serendipity
- Michié Bainjo
- Directions
- River Topography
- Pew Pew
- The Human Heart
- Battle of New Orleans
- Jazz in the Family
- The Plot Thickens
- I KNOW NOTHING!
- Saint Maroon
- Gambling
- Networks
- Research Accuracy
- Slavery Part 3
- She’s a Witch!
