About me

About Me

I grew up raised by grandparents, free to roam in a 100 year old, decrepit mansion that slowly kept crumbling to pieces and had to be demolished by the time I was thirteen. But until that happened, I lived at an equal distance of four blocks from the Caribbean littoral and a movie house. I visited both daily, spending hundreds of hours in each every year. I snorkeled in the afternoons after school (and on days of flat seas I invariably skipped the last class), and went for movies in the early evening. In an attempt to keep me away from the sea, my grandfather taught me to read when I was five and opened his vast library to me, which added another source of wonderment to my life. I loved stories in all forms and did not hesitate to change them to suit my notions. Whenever I came across a book that felt almost perfect, I wrote revisions which I placed inside the pertinent chapter, and when it came to movies, I would draw a linear diagram of the film scenes, and scribble my changes next to the one in question. Thus, in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, instead of Injun Joe dying in the Cardiff cave, I had Tom find Joe so famished and delirious that Tom was able to tie up his hands. Tom and Huck would then march the feared fugitive into town (after feeding him some salted catfish for plausibility’s sake), and cover themselves in glory once again. Of course, the book ended with Tom returning from a visit to Becky to hear the town’s bells tolling. Injun Joe had escaped, not before swearing to exact revenge on Tom and Huck. Leave it to a child to think he can rewrite Mark Twain, but that youthful passion led me to the conviction that Story is a living, ever evolving thing that can function in many ways, so long as certain fundamentals are observed. That belief has served me well ever since.

As I grew up, I continued to consume stories at the vertiginous pace that only adolescence allows, and I started writing my own. By the time I was eighteen, I had written hundreds of short stories, two books and four film scripts. I also got more involved with my other love, becoming an underwater photographer, a scuba and free diving instructor, dive store owner, and an avid explorer. With my time at sea came a passion for boats, and I have been a boat builder, yacht broker and boat yard manager. I also found time to become a restaurant and wine store owner, a certified personal trainer, and a black belt in Judo. Of course, I also made time to get bachelor’ degrees in marketing and business. Amid all that, or because of it, came my start as a writer. One of my diving students commented on how engaging the textbook for my course was, and could I put him in touch with the writer, as he needed an expert to write manuals for his company’s products. I told him I’d written the manual myself, and that I’d be delighted to help him. I still write their manuals twenty some years later. That first gig led to another technical writing job, and then another, and then a biography, and a book, and I have not stopped receiving assignments ever since. I even got the much sought after chance to work on films, and again, it materialized rather unexpectedly. Given my expertise in underwater cinematography, a producer at a studio sent me a script and asked if certain underwater scenes could be filmed as described. In my reply, I carefully explained the logistics as to why not, but then took the calculated risk of suggesting changes to the scenes so they became filmable without compromising the story. My gamble paid off, and rather than telling me to mind my business, said producer was impressed enough that he continued to hire me as a consultant, eventually offering me a position as a Special Projects Adviser. In that capacity, not only did I work on underwater and other extreme projects, but I also evaluated hundreds of scripts. Even after I left that job, I have continued to consult as a free lancer for that studio on frequent projects. Interestingly, while working there, I became friends with the head of one of the marketing agencies that works for the studio, and he has also employed me as consultant many a time during the years. Once we get a start, new and interesting options can, and often will, materialize before us.

Nowadays, in addition to my writing work, I still run an underwater imaging team, a small video and post production studio, a boutique marketing agency, do seminars about deep diving around the world, and write two other blogs. Sounds like the unlikeliest of backgrounds for a writer, a jack of all physical trades and extreme endeavors? Perhaps. But I will point out that had I not been deeply involved in those other pursuits I would have never gotten the chance to become a paid writer. Also, I am certain that my life experiences have contributed more to my formation as a writer than any of my literary pursuits. I have met amazing people, seen incredible places, and lived through unforgettable experiences, a few of them life threatening defining. I have emerged from it all with a stronger sense of humanity, and thus a better grasp for story, character and plot. I believe writers should go out there and see, meet and live, for only then can they write stories that are genuine. We write best about that which we know, including the plight of characters whose ordeals we have experienced ourselves. I also believe it our duty as professionals to help aspiring writers on their journey. Story telling is not a commodity but a necessity, and mankind will continue to laugh, cry, and learn from stories long after today’s writers are gone. We must share with, nurture, and care for, the storytellers of the future. This blog is an attempt at that.

If there is a story inside you, let it out!

Contact me at: rudi@ideasinblue.com