Ordinary Seaman (deck hand) on merchant ships age 19-21.
Special Forces (Green Beret) Sgt. in Vietnam, 1969-1970, 2 Bronze Stars.
Police Officer, Portland, OR. Police Bureau, 1972-1976.
NEA Grant for Fiction Writing, 1976 #1.
MFA in Fiction Writing, University of Montana, 1978.
Police Officer, Oakland California Police Dept. 1983-1984, resigned after 15 months to write Sympathy for the Devil, 1st novel.
Assistant Professor of English at UTEP, El Paso. Creative writing instructor, UCLA.
Screenwriter, New Line Cinema for four years, working with Director John Milius.
NEA Grant For Fiction Writing, 1990 #2.
Assistant Professor of English at BSU, Boise, ID, seven years.
Night Dogs, 2nd novel, a NY Times Notable Book of the Year. Winner, French .38 Special Award for best novel of the year.
Currently in Santa Fe, NM finishing Green Sun, 3rd book of the Hanson trilogy.
Note: Only person in history to be awarded 2 NEA Grants + Two Bronze Stars.