I currently live and work on a remote cattle ranch in the canyon land wilderness of Northern New Mexico— a job I have had since year 2001. You may find my writing projects at my web site http://davidmichaelrice.com

Where are you from?

I am from Planet Autismtah, where neurotypical people are welcome to visit as long as it is understood that when they are invited over for dinner, they will be the main entrée. Before moving off-planet, I lived in some of the Southern California beach cities.

Why do you write? 

I have an ego the size of a typical gas giant, such as Jupiter: I crave attention, ergo I write. A few people in online writers’ forums have asked me why I write, and when I have told them, some have said “Well, at least you’re honest about it.”  But, why else would anyone write? I also have some difficulty communicating with everyone who is not my brother, and I find that I do the best job of communicating using the written word.

What do you write about? 

I have enjoyed / suffered from a few adventures that would make a sane person blanch as white as Taylor Swift; along the way, I have grown wise in some aspects regarding how to be a human here on the killing floor called “Earth.” I also write humor, and I am currently writing a humorous Cozy murder mystery.

Do you have a specific writing style?

My writing style is “sarcastic:” a type of stand-up comedian approach that teaches a lesson while keeping the reader engaged and entertained.

What are obstacles that come in the way of writing? 

Real life keeps me busy, as I am a ranch hand on a cattle ranch in Northern New Mexico. A day of work under the harsh summer sun leaves me with little enthusiasm to write, but I manage to soldier on.

What’s the most memorable thing asked/said by a reader about your work?

The writer Douglas Preston read my memoir twice, which I still find amazing, and he wrote of the memoir: “It’s a cynical, outrageous, politically incorrect, foul-mouthed and absolutely hilarious modern-day Walden.” This, of course, increased the girth of my already obese ego.

How long have you been writing?

I had my first professional sale in year 1985, for the handsome sum of $87.50 to American Astrology Magazine. I was perfectly fine whoring myself out to write that which I knew damn well just ain’t true. I am a slut.

When did you first realize you wanted to become a writer?

Around age ten I discovered Louis La’mour books, and they were so amazing that I wanted to be him; later I wanted to write like him; later still I wanted to write like no one else. This seems like the proper progression for a writer. (By age sixteen years, I had read the encyclopedia set that my grandfather had given to me and my brother.)

What is your work schedule like when you are writing?

I first eat a hearty breakfast of milk chocolate and potato chips, as this is the most important meal of the day (when I can afford such extravagant, yet proletarian, fare). I then go back to bed and let the newly ingested minerals and vitamins permeate via my caffeine stream while what little blood I have gets out of the way: this is because I only write when I have a day free from other labors. After the dog drags me out of bed, I review what I had written a week earlier, tell myself that it is excellent, and put half of it in the digital trash bin because it is crap. I then bleed words out of the keyboard and onto the hard drive that does not hold the porn. Often, I will get off of my ass and pace the cabin floor while I verbally abuse myself with loving advice such as “Who the fuck said you could write? Moron! That paragraph reads like a penguin stoned on meth and peyote dictated it to a wanton tart in some honky-tonk dive bar while “servicing” Latter-Day Saint elders at five bucks a go.” And so on. I then sit down, calm down, take another hit of chocolate, and write until my eyes hurt.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

Gosh: I was born this way.

How long does it take to write a book?

Generally, it takes me about nine months to write the first draft, the developmental edit, the second draft, and then shelve the manuscript for a few months. The MS then either ripens into a glorious pizza dough, or rots into something my dog might find in the forest and eat.

Do you have suggestions on how to become a better writer?

Persevere.

What challenges do you come across when writing/creating your story?

Like most people who wish to write, my greatest challenge is finding free time to write.

What do you think makes a good story?

A writer needs to know how to start a novel with a hook that forces readers to keep reading. Each scene must place the reader into it via the five senses: show what the environment looks like, smells like, sounds like, tastes like, and smells like. Each chapter must end with a sentence or two that compels the reader to turn the page. If a word, phrase, sentence, paragraph, or chapter is not necessary to move the story forward, delete it. I write as if I am sitting at a camp fire and telling stories to my friends: no gimmicks, no attempts at flowery prose—- just the raw story.

What does your family think of your writing? 

My brother is my greatest fan.

Do you see writing as a career?

What? A writing career? Hell, no! I want a singing career, like John Denver’s.

Do you have anything specific you’d like to tell the readers?

I treat readers as adults, and that means I write for intelligent readers. Often I have read books where the writer seems to have uneducated, dim-witted, juvenile readers at the target audience: this is greatly insulting to their readers.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I was suddenly a writer when I saw the positive reviews come flooding in. Woo hoo!