Where were you born?
Covina, Calif., on June 14.

Flag Day.
Yes. When I was little, I used to think all those flags were flying because of my birthday. Sometimes I still wonder.

Who are your favorite writers?
Edna St. Vincent Millay, Stephen King, Vladimir Nabokov, Truman Capote.

What are you reading right now?
A Source Book in Indian Philosophy, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan & Charles A. Moore; The Art of Possibility, Rosamund & Benjamin Zander; The Nanny Diaries, Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus; Coercion: Why We Listen to What “They” Say, Douglas Rushkoff.

You must have a few all-time favorite books (because none of the above could possibly make that list).
The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck; Carrie, Stephen King; Hotel New Hampshire, John Irving; Lolita, Vladimir Nabokov; Wasted, Marya Hornbacher; Hunger, Knut Hamsun

That guitar player from Metallica wrote a book?
Knut Hamsun, not Kirk Hammett.

What’s the last useful book you finished?
Alva & Irva: The Twins Who Saved a City, Edward Casey.

If you weren’t a writer, what do you think you’d you be doing?
Managing a notoriously famous rock band and trying to keep it from self-destructing.

What’s the most important quality in people?
Follow-through.

What makes you happy?
The eight days of decent weather we have here in Raton each year.

Does northeast New Mexico have four seasons?
No, just two: Fourth of July and winter.

Do you have any hobbies?
Playing guitar, writing songs, running up and down the road, trying to stay warm.

Okay – what’s your ultimate secret fantasy (which won’t be a secret after this)?
Go back in time to some time in the seventies, hop in my midnight-blue 1968 Camaro, sling back my LONG blond hair, throw on a Bay City Rollers 8-track, cruise down Westward Beach Road in Malibu, Calif., where I would be living, notice Marcia Brady standing on the corner, pick her up, grab some food at In-N-Out, and drive until it’s today again and the food’s all gone and the car has fallen to pieces and the 8-track tape is eaten and Marcia’s MY AGE and I can’t afford Malibu anymore.

Who are your most-admired men?
Vince Lombardi, Michael Jordan, Robert Tucker, Dr. Gene Scott.
Women?
Marya Hornbacher, Oprah Winfrey, Nadia Comaneci, Dakota Fanning.

What would you say is your best personal trait?
Faithfulness.

What’s the hardest thing about writing?
Words.

Did you go to high school with anybody people reading this might know?
Vince Neil (Wharton), Motley Crue.

Who would you have rather gone to high school with?
Robin Williams.

What’s your favorite big city?
Los Angeles
Smaller city?
Bow, New Hampshire
Tourist trap?
Camden, Maine

Can you do any impressions?
Howard Cosell; Randy “Macho Man” Savage; General Burkhalter from Hogan’s Heroes; Popeye; Zig Ziglar; hybrid of Edith Bunker and John F. Kennedy.

You can’t do Popeye!
Not as good as Robin Williams, but I can do him!

What’s your biggest challenge?
Manipulating time.

What do you give thanks for every day?
Spell-check.

What music are you listening to these days?
Shonen Knife, Runaways, Carpenters, Motley Crue, Beach Boys, Bay City Rollers, Lita Ford.

What are your two favorite quotes?
1. “There really is no such thing as a ‘great’ person. There are only ‘ordinary’ people who have decided to do ‘great’ things.” Robert Anthony

2. “Some people go to India to find the mystery of life. I’m still trying to figure out how to start my car.” Rodney Dangerfield

If you had to narrow it down, what’s the best advice you could give to anybody?
Your outside life is the mirror of what’s in your mind. Choose well what you think about.

And all that leads us to this (I think): Why do you write?
Because I have way too much to say for anybody to actually listen to me talk all of it. You’ll notice how bloated this profile got after about 25 revisions.