Member Joequirk

My library features not just books I love, but authors that inspire me as a writer.

Some of my favorites:

Khaled Hosseini, Erika Mailman, Ransom Stephens, David Foster Wallace, Tamim Ansary, Lierre Keith, Shana Mahaffey, Diane Ackerman, Kemble Scott, Sylvia Plath's pre-Ariel stuff-- too many influences to name. I can't name the science writers, because there are about a hundred.

Yes, I am both Joe Quirks.

People say the Joe Quirk who writes the science humor can't be the same Joe Quirk who writes the action/adventure fiction. How many Joe Quirks do you think there are? Both guys are me.

Fiction readers. Science readers. Please. I declare a truce between you. Stop accusing the other readers of confusing the two Joe Quirks. They are both me.

This is what happens when authors don't stick to their category. The professionals advised me: "You might want to change your name so you don't confuse and upset your readers." If I did that, I'd have to change my name every book. My marine mammal book is cute and kid-friendly. Yet my first novel drops the F-bomb so many times, I calculate that if I took out every curse word, the book would be 2/3 as long. I don't want to offend the readers of my curse book if they accidentally pick up my cute book. But I can't change my name every book.

It's time I came out of the closet. I am not only Joe Quirk, I am also the other Joe Quirk.