Resume

• 2000

  Austin American-Statesman

  Dallas Morning News

  Austin

  Texas Area

  Producer/director of documentary films

  Filmmaker

  Nickel Pickle Films

  I am the author of the novel-in-stories EVACUATION PLAN which won the North Texas Book Award and was a finalist for the Violet Crown Book Award. It was a No. 1 bestseller at Austin's Bookpeople. \n\nThe novel follows a screenwriter into a residential hospice in search of a script idea. Along the way we get the stories of the dying

  their families and the people who live and work in this place of last days. \n\nThe Austin American-Statesman called it: \"Tales alternately gentle

  dramatic

  surrealistic

  that collectively affirm the beauty of being alive

  even as they acknowledge that all of us face the necessity of making our own 'evacuation plan.' \"

  EVACUATION PLAN

  Conceived of and wrote the ON LOCATION column about the Texas film industry.\n\nPreviously worked at the Austin American-Statesman as a copy editor for news

  feature

  entertainment and neighborhood sections. \n\nAlso served as assistant features editor for the XL weekly entertainment tabloid.

  Austin American-Statesman

  Film industry columnist

  Wrote a twice-monthly column FILM NEWS about the Texas film industry.

  The Austin Chronicle

  Creative writing instructor

  Taught graduate workshops in the MLA program in both creative writing and creative nonfiction. Previously also taught undergraduate and New College courses in: journalism

  creative writing

  composition

  desktop publishing. Formerly adviser to the university newspaper and named adviser of the year by the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association.

  St. Edward's University

  Film industry columnist

  Wrote the monthly SHOT IN TEXAS column about the Texas film industry.

  Dallas Morning News

  Photography Award

  Honorable mention

  Georgetown Art Center

  Art Hop

  North Texas Book Award

  Named best book of fiction.

  North Texas Book Festival

  Photography Award

  First prize

  themed competition

  120Art Gallery

  Second place

  IMAGINE annual competition at Texas State University-Round Rock\n\nThird place

  photography competition

  Round Rock Arts

  Violet Crown Book Award finalist

  Finalist for best book of the year award

  Writers League of Texas

• 1991

  Pause/Play

  The air outside Texas Oncology in South Austin smells of burnt electricity. The scent lingers as Andrew Shapter is summoned to radiation. White confetti covers the floor outside the room Shapter visits five days a week. It signals that someone - not Shapter - has completed treatment.

  My cover story in The Austin Chronicle

  Rondo and Bob teaser trailer

  A documentary in process on Bob Burns and Rondo Hatton.

  Rondo and Bob teaser trailer

  Video Production

  Fiction

  Editorial

  Journalism

  Blogging

  Screenwriting

  Creative Non-fiction

  Editing

  Copy Editing

  Newspapers

  Teaching

  Books

  Literature

  Creative Writing

  Film

  Feature Articles

  Non-fiction

  Proofreading

  Storytelling

  Photography

  Evacuation Plan

  Evacuation Plan

  O'Connell

  Joe

  O'Connell

  Austin Community College

  Nickel Pickle Films

  St. Edward's University

  MFA

  Creative Writing

• 1988

  Temple Daily Telegram

  EVACUATION PLAN

  The Austin Chronicle

  Head of Belton Bureau covering county and state politics

  including a hotly contested race for an open U.S. House seat.\n\nPreviously served as city hall reporter.\n\nReceived award for investigative journalism.

  Temple Daily Telegram

  Austin Community College

  Austin

  Texas Area

  Associate professor

  English/creative writing\n\nDirector of the Balcones Fiction Prize

  a $1

  500 award given annually to the best book of fiction

  Associate professor of English/Creative Writing and Balcones Fiction Prize director