I am an English as Second Language Iowa grad and full-time writer. My first language is Polish. Over the years I have made a good part of my income selling short fiction, in various manifestations and permutations. I have also written technical reports, advertising copy, commentary, novels, and for the last seven years investigative reports for the Massachusetts Trial Court. Being a writer -- it's a hard-knock but profoundly interesting and productive life. If you don't want to, you don't have to take orders from "nobody." I am one happy guy.