Some call me... Tim!

Sorry, couldn't pass it up, I hear it enough on a regular basis!

I work as an "engineer" for a group that designs enclosures for commercial fishing fleets (think Deadliest Catch) and super-yachts (find a copy of Show Boats on the newstand.). Outside of work I like to read and play around with writing. I dally in game design (tabletop and role-playing mostly) but am by no means a professional.

I have begun posting my own original fiction at FFn's sister site fictionpress.com under the same pen name. If you're interested, have a look and tell me what you think, please.

http://www.fictionpress.info/u/776651/

You can see all the work I've done for Eureka here, and that is my principal fandom.

Other fandoms I am a "part" of include: Battlestar Galactica 2009, Burn Notice, White Collar, Covert Affairs, and Leverage. I have a voracious appetite for documentaries and learning shows, and who doesn't love the Mythbusters?

On the written word side I am a huge fan of the Dresden Files and Jim Butcher's particular sardonic wit, not to mention similar geek appreciations. If anyone's into some really darned good science fiction, and by that I mean "real" hard sci fi in the vein of Asimov and Clarke, you can't steer far wrong with Jack McDevitt. the man has a serious talent for world-building that keeps me captivated. I'm ZeroGain over on the Goodreads group if you're interested in any other books I find worth recommending.

I recently discovered Raymond Chandler (I know, horrid to miss that!) and Patrick Rothfuss (thanks Sydnew!)

In writing here, actually while researching for a piece, I've rediscovered a love of certain jazz musicians and R&B artists that I've missed out on in my more recent appreciation of hard rock. You can find some of my commentary in my first piece on the site "Breakfast", but since you're here no reason to force you to go elsewhere:

Jazz: I'm a huge fan of saxophones. I was a band kid in school, and participated in concert, marching, and jazz with my focus on woodwinds (mostly clarinet and sax). Back in the early 90s I was a fan of Candy Dulfer, and while she didn't strike it huge she did make her mark. Most everyone has heard 'Lily was Here' - YouTube has a great live performance of her with David Stewart (formerly of Eurythmics). After her, pretty much any god saxophone is up my alley, but it's the soulful, sensual, rich stuff that I really dig. Also I've just discovered Mindy Abair, and she's pretty good too.

Funk is nice too, of course, even though I pick on Grant for liking it in one of my stories.

Rock: I haven't worked anything into the fics I write yet, but I can tell you that Lizzy Hale from Halestorm is this generation's Joan Jett. Powerful, raw, but also focused and with a real feel toward more classic rock 80's rock while avoiding that whole hair band thing. After them I still have a thing for the 90's group Concrete Blonde and recently my Jo/Zane shipper piece "No Regrets" features themes from three of their songs.

It may be sacrilege to some to include mariachi in rock, but Chingon (Filmmaker Robert Rodriguez's band) has a really, really good sound; Bajo Sexto for one is pretty damn good.

Pop: Not a whole lot, but very occasionally there's a piece that grabs me. Usually it's because it has a story to it, or a picks a serious emotional vibe. C. Aguilera's "Hurt", Gaga's "Bad Romance", stuff like that.