Ïîñåùàë íà÷àëüíóþ øêîëó Ìýðè Äæåéí Äîíàõüþ è Marist High School â Áàéîííå. Ñ äåòñòâà óâëåêàëñÿ ÷òåíèåì è ïèñàë, ïðîäàâàë ñòðàøíûå èñòîðèè coñåäñêèì äåòÿì.  ñòàðøèõ êëàññàõ ñòàë ïîêëîííèêîì è êîëëåêöèîíåðîì êîìèêñîâ, à òàêæå íà÷àë ïèñàòü äëÿ ëþáèòåëüñêèõ ôýíñêèõ æóðíàëîâ.
 Ñåâåðî-Çàïàäíîì Óíèâåðñèòåòå (Northwest University) â Ýâàíñòîíå, øòàò Èëëèíîéñ, ïîëó÷èë ñïåïåíè áàêàëàâðà (1970) è ìàãèñòðà (1971) ïî ñïåöèàëüíîñòè «Æóðíàëèñòèêà».  òî æå âðåìÿ íàïèñàë è îïóáëèêîâàë â ôåâðàëüñêîì íîìåðå æóðíàëà «Galaxy» çà 1971 ãîä ñâîé ïåðâûé ðàññêàç — «Ãåðîé» («The Hero»).
 1972—1974 ãîäàõ ïðîõîäèë ïî ïðèíöèïèàëüíûì ñîîáðàæåíèÿì àëüòåðíàòèâíóþ âîåííóþ ñëóæáó ïðè Cook County Legal Assistance Foundation.
 1973—1976 ãîäàõ ïðîâîäèë øàõìàòíûå òóðíèðû äëÿ Continental Chess Association.
 1976—1978 ãîäàõ ïðåïîäàâàë æóðíàëèñòèêó â Clarke College, ã. Äþáóê, øòàò Àéîâà.
 âîñüìèäåñÿòûõ ãîäàõ ïåðååõàë â Ãîëëèâóä, ãäå äîëãîå âðåìÿ ðàáîòàë êàê ñöåíàðèñò (ê ïðèìåðó, â ñåðèàëå The Beauty and The Beast), ðåäàêòîð (ñåðèàë The Twilight Zone), ïðîäþñåð (ñåðèàë Doorways).