Scott Rhoades Pimps His Bio

I’m Scott Rhoades, and this is my third year in PitchWars. I've never been picked, but I received great feedback the other times, and hope the new story gets some positive attention as well. 

So, what should I tell you about myself? How far back should I go?

In the beginning, there was darkness…

I was born in Oakland, California, on a dark and stormy night.

Not exactly a dark and stormy night, per se. A mid-morning in July. A Wednesday. But sometimes in a story you gotta tweak the truth to make it better. I spent much of my life in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, especially in Newark. Until one day a former employer exiled me to Utah. That’s where I live now. I’ve also lived in Austria and worked a summer in Germany. That’s why I speak German and Weanarisch.

Tramps like us, baby we were born to write

I guess I’ve wanted to write since I could read. I was first published when I was eight:

Notice the details that support my thesis, the rhythm of the varied sentence lengths, the twist at the end. Genius.

My eighth grade English teacher, Mrs. Borchert, liked my writing so much she gave me a comp book and extra credit for everything I wrote. No trouble passing that class! I wish I knew where she is now so I could thank her.

I wrote for my high school paper and was editor-in-chief. I was entertainment editor for my college paper one year. I’ve also been published in college literary magazines. My poem “Buying Baseball Cards” was displayed in the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame Library. It was even, I’m told, used in a presentation given by the Hall of Fame librarian at the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art. A few years ago, I published an article in The Writer magazine.

A novel proposition

Although I’ve always written, I didn’t start my first novel for realsies until 2001. I now have four in various states of completion. My first novel (tween fantasy) is “finished,” whatever that means, and shelved. I’m actively seeking an agent for my second (MG), which was my other #PitchWars entry. I’m This time I'm pitching my third, a YA historical fantasy. I'm also working on my fourth (NA urban fantasy). I have other ideas struggling to get out. I think I’ll have to start one of them soon before my head explodes.

Going pro

Because writing hasn’t earned me enough dinero to support me and my family, I work as a writer. A tech writer, that is.

Over the years, I’ve written and edited for a number of companies, including my own, and edited several books for Waite Group Press. I started way back when for Atari, where I became one of the first people to ever use a hand-held computer when I helped document the Atari Portfolio.

Much of my work was documenting the Atari Lynx and its games. I was even the hand model for a diagram on the back of the first version:

Yes. That’s a line drawing of my hand. I guess that makes me a part of pop culture. In fact, my son was googling my name once and found me mentioned in a trivia question. Now being part of a trivia question is on his bucket list.

And that brings us to now…

I currently work for Adobe in Lehi, Utah, although I spend most of my time working from myhome office.

In addition to this new blog, I’m a contributor and co-admin of the Utah Children’s Writers Blog, and my son and I share our cross-generational views about classic albums on Our Generations: Father & Son Record Reviews. I also lend my writing experience to one of the two nonprofits I work with, SOAP International.

Favorite Things Interview

Favorite Movie: The Third Man.
Favorite Shakespeare Character: Bottom.
Favorite Musician: Brian Wilson.
Favorite superhero: Super Grover.

Really?: I have a t-shirt. Made it myself.
Favorite Video Game of All Time: Atari Adventure.
How About Something More Modern: Zork.
Not Exactly Current, Dude: Best I can do. Let’s move on.
Favorite Book: Beowulf.
Favorite Book, Really: The Lord of the Rings.
No, Really: The Grapes of Wrath.
C’mon, I Mean It: Independent People. Huck Finn. Harriet the Spy.
Seriously?: I’m supposed to choose just one?
That’s Kind of What Favorite Means: I’m Sorry, Dave. I’m afraid I can’t do that.
Who’s Dave?: Sorry. Check out my Goodreads page to see what I read.
A Link?: Best I can do.
Be That Way: I will.
Grrr: Whatev.