Since 1985, most of my published work has been about direct marketing, reflecting the shift in my career which occurred at that time. I've also given dozens of speeches on technical aspects of this field, which I am putting in the archive along with with my earlier pieces and a sampling of my best advertising copy.

When asked which I prefer, fiction or non-fiction, I often reply, "What's the difference?" History is being re-invented all the time. Even the most objective journalism is colored by the reporter's perspective. And writing creatively is a challenge whether the subject matter is pure fantasy or so-called reality. I've always tried to incorporate the key elements of fiction -- plot, characterization, and drama -- in my non-fiction. I also believe short stories and novels should inform as well as entertain. When it comes to prose, I'm happy in either genre.

But poetry is another matter altogether. I cannot write verse at all; I can only be a conduit for the words, which seem to come from a source deep inside me. Creating poetry is a painful, like giving birth or wrestling with one's own conscience. Unlike prose, in which the writing process itself is satisfying, only the result gives pleasure in poetry.