DOSTER, Stephen M. 1959-

PERSONAL: Born February 3, 1959, in Kingston-upon-Thames, England; son of George Parrish (in U.S. Navy) and Marjorie (Terry-Smith) Doster; married, 1995; wife's name, Anne (a private tutor). Education: University of Georgia, B.B.A., 1983.

ADDRESSES: Home—Nashville, TN. Agent—c/o Author Mail, John F. Blair, 1406 Plaza Dr., Winston-Salem, NC 27103. E-mail—sdoster@msn.com.

CAREER: Writer.

WRITINGS:

Lord Baltimore (novel), John F. Blair (Winston-Salem, NC), 2002.

SIDELIGHTS: Stephen M. Doster's novel Lord Baltimore focuses on a dilettantish teen name Ensworth Harding who is suddenly confronted by reality when his father leaves him in rural Georgia with only a backpack and an envelope he must deliver to far-distant Savannah. Dubbed a "fantastical coming-ofage yarn" by Booklist contributor Margaret Flanagan, Lord Baltimore was praised by critics for its intriguing protagonists and imaginative storyline. Comparing the novel to fiction by Mark Twain and James Howard Kunstler, Thomas L. Kilpatrick commented of Doster's saga in Library Journal that the "Wonderful" story would "appeal to youth as well as adults for its fantasy, adventure, and basic truths."

As Doster told CA: "Things don't always turn out the way we plan in real life. Writing lets me create worlds, populate them with people, place these folks in (hopefully) interesting situations, and orchestrate events. That's why I write. The fact that I don't have the 'gift of gab' and convey my thoughts better on paper has absolutely nothing to do with it. Influences include [Miguel de] Cervantes, P. G. Wodehouse, and most any long-dead author whose books are still in print. I like to research a topic and generate notes before writing. When I have the germ of a plot, I write chunks of dialogue or descriptions that can be pieced together later. I do this because I'm not patient enough to wait until I get to those places in the story before tackling them. Then I try to come up with an opening. It can be months before the opening is finished, even though ten chapters may have been written. I try to get the story completely down without worrying about spelling or grammar. It's about halfway through a plot that I begin to see how it will all come together, regardless of what I had previously planned. When it's finally put down in one semi-cohesive unit, he editing—the real work—begins."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

periodicals

Booklist, May 15, 2002, Margaret Flanagan, review of Lord Baltimore, p. 1574.

Library Journal, April 15, 2002, Thomas L. Kilpatrick, review of Lord Baltimore, p. 124.