About
I’ve been a poet and songwriter all my life. I’m not a career novelist. I’m a writer, and writing is what I do. I’ve developed a unique genre combining a mix of metaphysical, adventure, and romantic elements with mystery, suspense, and drama. My desire is to entertain, enlighten, and inspire.
Born and raised in Texas, I played sports, made good grades, and chased girls. I graduated from the University of Texas in Austin with a B.S. in Education and earned my ‘cosmic cowboy’ badge at the Armadillo World Headquarters. I grew up in the Presbyterian church and was born-again as an evangelical Christian and earned a Master of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. I taught school for one year and then “turned on, tuned in, and dropped out.” I hitchhiked to the West Coast. I fought forest fires in the fall of 1980 when I arrived in Oregon. Then, I bought a motorcycle and took a trip around Washington and British Columbia. Back in Oregon I worked with a crew of hippies planting trees and fell in love with the lush landscape and the counterculture. I settled in Eugene and was co-owner at Solstice Bakery Co-Op for many years. I am a singer/songwriter and had my own rock & roll band for a while.
Some of my recordings can be found at youtube.com/@dmitchcat.
I’m now retired and an outdoor enthusiast. I have defended our national forests as an Earth First protester. I am a peace activist and veteran of the ‘No Nukes’ campaign. I advocate for a conscious diet. My background in religious studies informs my writing. Thomas Merton, John Shelby Spong, and Marcus Borg are major influences. Through my characters, I share the questions, doubts, trials, and tribulations most spiritual seekers encounter on their own pilgrimage. Answers are suggested but not dictated. Guaranteed to make you think.
These narratives are loosely based on my life. Of course, I exaggerate a bit. At least, I know what I’m talking about. I’m a redneck turned intellectual, and fundamentalist turned liberal. I’ve hunted, fished, and once rode a bull for about three seconds. I played football on a scholarship in college but quit the team when a pep rally turned into an anti-Viet Nam war protest. I’ve been on a vision quest where I fasted and prayed in the wilderness for a week.
These stories aren’t generated by Artificial Intelligence, ain’t no way! I think of my books as 40,000-word poems. I craft each sentence with care and take pleasure in the way the words roll off the tongue. My humor is dry, but I find pleasure in descriptive language and witty repartee.
I love good ol’ country/western music and baroque classical. I’m pretty much a loner but love a good party. I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to live a live of contemplation and adventure. Wendell Berry and Barbara Kingsolver are among my favorite writers. In these trying times, an escape to alternative reality can be a healing retreat where we refresh and reinvigorate our dreams. I extol ‘conscious evolution’ and create stories with the intention of fostering a peaceful future through bold imagination. My hope is that readers will relate to my aspirations and come away encouraged with a warm feeling in their heart.