5 Fast Facts

Favorite places

  • Udaipur, India
  • Maya Bay in the Phi Phi Islands, Thailand
  • Fez, Morocco
  • The Khan El Khalilli in Cairo, Egypt
  • Sydney, Australia

Things I like to do when I’m not writing
  • Reading
  • Playing the saxophone1
  • Scuba diving
  • Drawing
  • Watching old movies
 
Favorite bands/musicians
  • Cab Calloway
  • The Skatalites
  • Ska-J
  • My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult
  • The Ramones
 
Favorite authors
  • P.G. Wodehouse
  • Donald Westlake/Richard Stark
  • Megan Abbott
  • Paul Theroux
  • David Goodis
 
Tips for writers
  • Write more
  • Read more
  • Don’t judge too quickly
  • Allow yourself to fail
  • Listen to your critics (just don't believe everything they say)
 
1 Okay, trying to play the saxophone
 

An occasional scuba diver and incurable novice saxophone player, Charles works as a Senior Copywriter and Producer for Dixon Schwabl, a marketing, advertising and public relations firm, and frequently teaches creative writing workshops around the county. He is the host of The Smart Set on Jazz 90.1fm and jazz901.org (Saturdays from 5-6pm, EST). He and his wife, Rose, a high school English teacher, live in Rochester, NY.