Frozen Assets shines a spotlight inside the world of figure skating, exposing the intricacies involved in making it in the sport and depicting the personalities who rule it. From judging shenanigans to Scott Hamilton, Michelle Kwan and much more. Told with comments from top skaters, Frozen Assets offers a -page behind-the-scenes look at the most beloved and fascinating winter sport.
I was born in Holden, Massachusetts in 1965 and grew up nearby in Spencer. My passion for science came from watching the Apollo missions to the Moon and being introduced to science fiction from the acclaimed TV series' UFO and Space: 1999. I knew my passion was locked in discovering the mysteries of the universe when I found myself entering science fairs (somewhere in my house is a picture of me placing in one of those contests).
Since those early days, I have worked in a variety of positions in the sports, publishing, and entertainment industries.
In 1993, I founded International Figure Skating magazine and built it into the world's largest magazine for the sport and with it Ashton International Media into a $4 million enterprise. In 2002, I authored my first book Frozen Assets: The New Order of Figure Skating.
From 1994 - 2007 I was often selected by television and media outlets to analyze the sport of figure skating. My most notable work came during the 2002 Winter Olympics which eventually landed me as one of the judge's on FOX's Skating with Celebrities in 2006.
After losing Ashton International Media in a hostile takeover (maybe I'll write a book about that experience someday), I founded Scene, a contemporary newsmagazine for the gay community that was distributed in nine countries.
It was during Scene that my long passion and interest in science fiction began to develop into ideas for a story.
Leaving Scene in 2006 while Skating with Celebrities was airing, I wrote the feature-length screenplay, First World. My take on what the astronauts discovered on the Moon during the Apollo missions has been nominated for screenplay awards at the California Independent Film Festival, The Movie Deal and Fantastic Planet Film Festival.
In 2007 I condensed the story and produced a 25 min. short film version that has screened at 20 sci-fi conventions in the United States, Australia, Japan, Great Britain, Ireland and India and was released on DVD by IndieFlix and Hulu in 2009. You can watch the trailer for First World on my profile.
In 2008 I had the funding for the feature nearly complete when the global economic crisis took those producers out of the market. It was suggested to me at one point to write the story of First World as a series of ebooks while I continue my efforts to secure funding for feature. With my background in publishing and desire to tell this story, First World: Covenant was born.
