Na’shaya tal-kam readers
Hi. I’m J.C. Bruce, journalist and author of a series of books recounting the misadventures of Alexander Strange whose weird news column is published by Tropic Press.
The four books chronicling Strange’s adventures are now available for sale online. They are, in sequence, THE STRANGE FILES, FLORIDA MAN, GET STRANGE, and STRANGE CURRENTS.They are available as hardcovers, trade paperbacks and eBooks at all major online book retailers.
I first encountered Strange when we worked together at the Phoenix Daily Sun, which, sadly, like so many newspapers these days, has seen its shelf life expire. Alexander now lives in Naples, Florida aboard his fishing trawler, the Miss Demeanor. I live in a house.
Before I began occupying my time deciphering the notes Strange has kept of his various assignments, I was the journalist-in-residence at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, and, earlier in my newspaper career, I served as an editor, managing editor, or reporter at, among other places, the Naples Daily News, the Dayton Daily News, the Austin American-Statesman, the Longview News-Journal, the Miami Herald, the Palm Beach Post, the St. Petersburg Times (now the Tampa Bay Times) and the Tampa Times (now deceased).
Once, I even served as the press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a congressman who ended up getting indicted and sent to prison.
This job hopping has allowed me to experience varied swaths of our great country, sometimes without flashing blue lights in the rear view mirror. (Next to the law of gravity, my favorite statute is the one about limitations.)
I nailed down a Master of Arts degree from Antioch University Midwest somewhere along this journey, and a bachelor’s degree from St. Edward’s University. I also did undergraduate work at the University of South Florida.
A perpetual joiner, I’m a member of or have been a member of various professional organizations including the Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, Sisters in Crime, the American Society of News Editors, the Society of Professional Journalists, and the Société pour L’étude des Nouvelles E’tranges et des Phénomènes Paranormaux. (I just made that last one up.)
I’m a former director of the Dayton Literary Peace Prize and a former director (and lecturer) for the Antioch Writers’ Workshop. I’ve served as a juror for the Pulitzer Prizes and the National Journalism Awards, and am a member of American MENSA, which I like to mention so you’ll think I’m smart.
And last week I scored a word worth 134 points in Word Chums.
And, oh yeah, I’m a huge Star Trek fan.
