About "Aelf"

I am Gene Alvin, often known as Aelf!

I was born in the French Quarter in New Orleans and grew up moving from state to state. My folks traveled a lot. I’m a cross between a computer geek and a professional cook. I worked at the Waterfront Hilton in Huntington Beach, California before being morphed into a geek by an out of work Leprechaun. I then worked as a purchasing agent, then a computer technician, then owned my own small computer sales and repair shop and finally retired. I have always loved Science Fiction and fantasy and started writing when I was much, much younger. I wrote a poem entitled “Frogs and Things” that was published in a local L.A. newspaper. Life, however, stepped in and I had to do such mundane things as make a living, pay bills, eat, and get married.

Regrettably writing was put on hold. Now, however, I’ve retired to the lush green rolling hills and forests of South Central Tennessee. I’m writing full time, attending various writing classes and giving writing, and my Leprechaun like muse, all the attention they so richly deserve.

Gene Alvin: Hmm, let's see, why do I write? I guess that, when I think about it, writing is a lot like being an adventurer on steroids. I get to not only create worlds, towns, cities and whole countries, but I also get to create people. One of the best payoffs I find in writing is my characters. I start with a vague idea of who they are, feebly attempt to give them an identity and put clothes on them, then make them do what I want. Somewhere along the path to creating them, when I get really lucky, they take on a life of their own. To me, that's when the joy of writing really starts. They take the lead and I just follow along to see where their footsteps lead.