Brief Author Bio:

Allow me to introduce myself. My name is David Nelson-Gal. Friends call me Dave. Colleagues call me DNG.

Writing has been a romanticized, side activity for me since I was in the 6th grade. I dreamed of being a writer, submitting stories and poems to contests and student publications. I was editor of both my high-school and college yearbooks and imagined a career in radio news or print journalism. Though I went in a different direction, I would often take writing workshops while vacationing on Martha's Vineyard; I not only liked the stories and essays I would create but also the stimulating camaraderie of my fellow participants.

When I am in moments of denial, I’ll say my wife has a "Josephine Complex." Sadly, I am a more typical example of a "height challenged" male with ambition. It has given me an obsessive, competitive streak which has pushed me to play hard and work ridiculously.

This past year, I reached a point of burnout with my career and life. I wanted to make a change and circumstances have conspired to grant me that wish. With time, I've slowed down and found myself filled with creative energy to cook, to photograph and to write. I still love to play nearly anything but less for the competition and more for the physical challenge and escape, getting outdoors when the air is still, most of the city is in bed and birds can be heard over traffic.