Science Fiction feels like Home
When Dana turned in her first fifth grade creative writing assignment, the teacher gave her an A and said, "You like science fiction?" She didn't know the term, but science fiction was deep in her core, and it was starting to leak out.
In college, while earning her Mass Communications degree with a minor in English, Dana was assigned coverage of a local Star Trek convention. During the interview, she joined the convention committee. Discovering science fiction fandom changed her life, and she became actively involved in organizing and chairing science fiction conventions throughout the late 1970s - 1980s.
Dana always knew she wanted to be a writer, and her decades-long journalism career focused on film, art, music and humor. She has written hundreds of published articles and nearly a dozen non-fiction books. Dana’s collectibles books have explored UFOs & Aliens, Film & TV Monsters, Dinosaurs, Japanese Movie Monsters and more.
Today, when she’s not writing, reading or watching science fiction, Dana owns and operates a number of large festivals in Colorado, including the Unicorn Festival, Cat Fest Colorado, the Denver Dog Fair and four chocolate festivals. She has won a whopping sixteen Westword Best of Denver awards.
Dana lives in Denver with the ghosts of several cats and her collections of local art, Godzilla memorabilia, sock monkeys, toy dinosaurs and children's books.
In college, while earning her Mass Communications degree with a minor in English, Dana was assigned coverage of a local Star Trek convention. During the interview, she joined the convention committee. Discovering science fiction fandom changed her life, and she became actively involved in organizing and chairing science fiction conventions throughout the late 1970s - 1980s.
Dana always knew she wanted to be a writer, and her decades-long journalism career focused on film, art, music and humor. She has written hundreds of published articles and nearly a dozen non-fiction books. Dana’s collectibles books have explored UFOs & Aliens, Film & TV Monsters, Dinosaurs, Japanese Movie Monsters and more.
Today, when she’s not writing, reading or watching science fiction, Dana owns and operates a number of large festivals in Colorado, including the Unicorn Festival, Cat Fest Colorado, the Denver Dog Fair and four chocolate festivals. She has won a whopping sixteen Westword Best of Denver awards.
Dana lives in Denver with the ghosts of several cats and her collections of local art, Godzilla memorabilia, sock monkeys, toy dinosaurs and children's books.
Songs about Aliens, Robots, Mutants and Love
Dana began writing songs on the piano at an early age. Often crafted from her science fiction poetry, Dana's musical compositions tend to be narrative, catchy and full of whimsy and emotion. Her musical influences include David Bowie, Hawkwind, the Beatles, and Electric Light Orchestra.
In 2018, she released her rock opera, The Android's New Soul as a double album on vinyl. The rock opera, which she began writing in 1974, was finally staged fifty years later, in 2024.
Dana's Grey Area songs were originally written and recorded for an early incarnation of her Grey Area vision - an animated TV musical sci-fi romcom called Love in Deep Space. The songs are now offered in companion audio files to accompany the books, and more are in the works.
In 2018, she released her rock opera, The Android's New Soul as a double album on vinyl. The rock opera, which she began writing in 1974, was finally staged fifty years later, in 2024.
Dana's Grey Area songs were originally written and recorded for an early incarnation of her Grey Area vision - an animated TV musical sci-fi romcom called Love in Deep Space. The songs are now offered in companion audio files to accompany the books, and more are in the works.
Dana's desk was patterned after Mr. Spacely's desk in The Jetsons, and built by Matt Graff.
Strange but True Biographical Notes:
- Andy Warhol once offered her a ride home.
- She founded the Denver County Fair and wound up on Jimmy Kimmel for launching the world's first County Fair Pot Pavilion with blue ribbons for Best Pot Brownie, Best Tie-Dye, Best Grateful Dead Karaoke and more.
- Her second husband was an actual rocket scientist.
- Three psychologists diagnosed her with an addiction to romantic love. It's a real thing!
- Her first celebrity crush was Alvin the Chipmunk.
- She conducted one of the last interviews with Philip K. Dick.
- The rhythm guitarist for the New York Dolls told her she was a good kisser.
- She wrote a dream analysis column for a gay magazine.
- She once dated a guy who picked her up in an ice cream truck and wrecked it during the date.
- Her mother still dislikes William Shatner because he stood her up for an interview.
- She had dogs named Laika and Godzookie.
- Lou Reed tried to fix her tape recorder but his hands were too shaky.
- She went Bigfoot hunting in Tennessee and everyone saw it but her.
Creative Influences
Gene Roddenberry
David Bowie
David Lynch
Gail Carriger
Walt Disney
Ancient Aliens
PT Barnum
Connie Willis
Futurama
Hawkwind
The Jetsons
James Gunn
Philip K. Dick
David Bowie
David Lynch
Gail Carriger
Walt Disney
Ancient Aliens
PT Barnum
Connie Willis
Futurama
Hawkwind
The Jetsons
James Gunn
Philip K. Dick
Memberships:
Speculative Fiction Writers Association
Romance Writers of the Rockies
Central Colorado Writers
Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers
Denver Area Science Fiction Association
Speculative Fiction Writers Association
Romance Writers of the Rockies
Central Colorado Writers
Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers
Denver Area Science Fiction Association
