Steve Croy

I was born in rural Southeast Missouri in the middle of the last century. As I turned 18, Uncle Sam had a job for me, and I got to travel a bit. When my daughter learned I had been in the Army, she asked, “Which one? North or South?” After a stint in the Army (the uniforms were green, in case you were wondering), I began a writing career--of a sort: computer programs, primarily developing applications for IBM mid-range computer platforms.

Between the Army and work, I had the opportunity to travel. I spent time in Germany, England, Mexico, Chile, and Argentina before settling down. My wife and I lived in Palm Beach County for twenty years, where a walk on the beach could turn up sea shells, shark teeth, bits of coral, and odd bits of flotsam. Now, we live in Tennessee, where we enjoy the changing seasons!

I am retired, so I write books instead of programs. Having spent years myopically peering into the future, I occasionally get the urge to escape to the past. I have always been an avid reader. I devoured the works of Robert E. Howard (the creator of Conan the Barbarian). I shuddered at Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. Sandra Brown, Michael Connelly, Issac Asimov, Anne Rice, Leo Tolstoy, and others caught my interest. I particularly loved Louis L’Amour’s novels and how he was able to bring the past to life with his storytelling. His stories are what inspired me to start writing fiction. I enjoy creating a work of fiction and look forward to writing more novels.

Every writer puts something of themselves in their work; it’s unavoidable. How much or how little depends on the intent. I confess I did insert myself into one of my novels. One of the characters in the novel, Night of the Beast is meant to be me. (A younger me!) I had fun writing the story, even though it approaches being a horror story and decided I had to be a part of the fun. Of course, my character is peripheral to the story—not the hero. As my favorite philosopher, Will Rogers, remarked, “We can’t all be heroes because somebody has to sit on the curb and clap as they go by.”

I have written thirteen Westerns, six Sci-Fi novels, two thrillers, and one comedy/satire. Here’s hoping you find something of interest in my scribbles.

Happy Reading,

Steve