About Cal

I was the kid who pulled a wagon to the library—twice a week—to check out the maximum number of books allowed.

When I finished the children’s section, a kind librarian decided it was “safe” to let me into the mysterious middle shelves: science fiction.

That’s where I discovered writers like Robert Heinlein.

At eleven years old, I was hooked.

I started writing immediately. No training. No permission. Just curiosity and stubbornness.

By high school, I was writing fan fiction under a pseudonym—long before that term existed. Star Trek and The Man From U.N.C.L.E. were my inspirations. Seeing classmates quietly read my stories was my first lesson in the power of connecting with readers.

I loved writing—but I didn’t believe it could ever pay the bills.

So I chose a practical path: education, graduate degrees, and eventually a corporate career. Writing would be “on the side,” someday.

Like many people, I learned that adult life often offers a choice: money without time, or time without money.

After early retirement due to medical issues, I finally had the chance to focus on writing.

With no budget for agents, editors, or publishers, I learned how to publish on my own. When Amazon approved my first novel, I rushed to look it up online just to be sure it was real.

It was.

That moment changed everything.

But finding readers was harder.

I tried ads. Social media. Courses. Trends. Systems.

Most of them failed.

Eventually, I discovered what worked: building direct relationships with readers through email and reader communities.

That system became the foundation of my career.

Today, I’m a working indie author with multiple mystery novels and additional books under other pen names. I publish The Indie Author Newsletter and created The Reader’s List System to help other writers avoid the mistakes I made.

I don’t teach theory.

I teach what I use.

Because there is nothing better than seeing someone connect with your stories—just like I did back in high school.

Some dreams take longer than expected.

But they’re still worth chasing.

If you’re building your own writing career, I’m glad you’re here.