About Me

I always wanted to be a science fiction writer when I grew up. In 1980, I realized I was never going to grow up, so I decided to be a science fiction writer anyway.

I started sending off stories, mostly to George Scithers at Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine. After about a year, he finally (after four revisions) bought my story "The Munij Deserters." That encouraged me to start writing a novel. Staroamer's Fate was the result, and was published by Warner/Questar Books in 1984. 

I grew up in a small town, Southold, on eastern Long Island.  It's claim to fame is that it's the oldest English settlement in New York State, and the township in the US with the most lighthouses (4 -- Fisher's Island, Orient Point, Bug Light, and Horton's Point).  My father (and grandfather) owned Rothman's Department Store (my brother Ron is running it with my father now).

After I graduated from Southold High School in 1970, I went to Union College in Schenectady, New York, and settled here after graduation.  In my years of floundering for work, I was the manager of an OTB parlor, a TV technician and host of a sports call-in show, assistant manager of a Spencer Gifts, an ad salesman for a local radio station (with the unenviable record of never selling an ad), an Information and Referral Specialist, newsletter staff, assistant at a Volunteer Center, technical writer, computer graphic artist, freelance editor, desktop publisher, and, finally, an I&TS specialist.  In the midst of all this, I picked up an M.A. Luckily, no one has reported it lost, so I got to keep it.

Currently, I work at Siena College in their I&TS department. I was their webmaster for a time, but at the moment I run their Blackboard Courseware system, as well as handle virus warnings, user services, and Official Spokesman.

I met and married Susan Noe Rothman in 1982. She is a published poet, with over 300 pieces in print, including some in Aboriginal SF and Takes of the Unanticipated.  We have a daughter, Lisa, who was born four days after Staroamer's Fate sold, making that entire week just a tad exciting.

I've been very involved in the Albacon science fiction convention over the years (though some years, in name only) and will be con chair in 2005. Susan and I served several years as the Secretary/Treasurer of the Science Fiction Poetry Association (I was Secretary on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; she was on Tuesday, Thursday, and Wednesday; on Sunday, we rested). I've also been active with the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, the business agent for the SFWA Bulletin for several years, and elected SFWA Treasurer for three terms.

Random number -- or is it? 1990

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