Vince Dowdle Jr.
Earpacker Press
215-941-8052
Philadelphia, PA
2-line Bio:
Vince Dowdle Jr. is the author of two books, each at the opposite end of the literary spectrum. A photo trivia history of Philadelphia and its neighborhoods, The Philadelphia Sampler of Photographs Past and Present (out of print but available if you look) and a comic fantasy, Big Change Gonna Come (www.EarpackerPress.com)
Short Bio:
Vince Dowdle Jr. is the author of two books. He lives – as he almost always has – in Philadelphia where, during the day, he ekes out a fairly decent living saving children’s lives. How’s that? He works fulltime for himself providing and installing child safe swimming pool fences. Don’t hesitate to ask me about that.
Medium Bio #1:
Vince Dowdle Jr. has been writing since he learned how to write. Fortunately all of the early stuff has been shredded, burned, or eaten. In 1982 he co-authored The Philadelphia Sampler of Photographs Past and Present. He maintains a blog (sporadically… very sporadically) www.vladdio.com in which he duels (literarily) with internet scammers. His most current success is a comic fantasy, Big Change Gonna Come, www.VinceDowdleJr.com. He’s available for speaking engagements though he’s never done that before (so you’ve been warned), and he’s available for lunch and dinner most days. Breakfast information is available upon request.
Medium Bio #2:
Vince Dowdle is free-lance comic fantasy writer who lives in Philadelphia and, during the day, works independently as a swimming pool enclosure safety consultant, salesman, and installer. Having installed thousands (literally thousands) of safety pool fences and covers, he credits himself with the knowledge that he’s probably prevented hundreds of childhood drownings and other pool accidents. He is a member of the Main Line Writers Group and his most recent novel is titled Big Change Gonna Come. He also co-created and co-authored a photo history compilation titled The Philadelphia Sampler of Photographs Past and Present.
Long Bio:
Vince Dowdle’s love for the written word began in utero, (I’m assuming this isn’t too early to be included in an author’s biography?) but having poor command (and that young age, I’d have to say it was actually NO command) of the language, the true tale of Vince’s journey as an author didn’t start until he mastered the ubiquitous Elmer’s Glue-All bottle (circa 1964) – sometime around the second grade. (Kindergarten attire and first grade pants and shirts unfortunately proved magnets for errant paste – and much of it there was. Had those glue bottles contained sulfuric acid or fire ants, or napalm, he might never have survived.) For as much as Vince loved telling tales and writing tales, a very close second to that love was his preoccupation with creating an actual book. He was determined that cover design, illustration, layout would follow the writing. But where was the talent he needed to create a real book? Sure, imagination and drive birthed countless stories (some of them good), but how fair was it, on a cosmic scale, that he lacked the necessary skill to produce a true product – an actual book.
It should be said right here that Vince did have (and still does have) opposing thumbs. But the talent required to capitalize on the prehensibility (probably not a real word) of his hands, ended with the ability to fold paper only. Artistically, Vince is a basket-case. (Even the relative complexity of stick figures eludes him.)
Then he went to school….
This is the point where I could add what would be called FUN FACTS! if the facts weren’t about jobs that involved a lot of sweating. Vince took jobs twisting and baking pretzels, scrubbing floors at his old grade school, stocking shelves at the old Sears catalogue center, working at the old (and now gone) noisy and oily Budd Company (a stamping factory for GM auto body parts), sorting packages and loading trucks at UPS, working in a salt mine (this one is not true) and then enlisting in the US Coast Guard. His service in the Coast Guard is a constant source of pride to him (and this is no joke.)
Upon leaving the Coast Guard after a four year period (and yes, it was with an honorable discharge) a mysterious inner drive took hold and demanded that Vince create The Philadelphia Sampler of Photographs Past and Present. Part love of his home town and its history, part pre-occupation with old and dusty photographs, part obsession with useless trivia (isn’t that being redundant?) he struggled, in those days before home computers, to realize a dream. And then that dream became a reality. The Philadelphia Sampler was a monumental success (locally… but sold not one copy in the Balkan states) and Vince – even today – continues to receive fan mail because of it (even if he has to send it to himself).
Years passed during which time the writing bug never ceased bothering him (he originally thought it was cooties), and he delved into project after project, hoping to satisfy the urge to write. Short stories followed (trashed), then poems (you can still find some of them in men’s room stalls), then submissions to MAD magazine (rejected… I lost count), then many, many letters to the editor (and a few printed! Must have been a slow news day), then a blog (www.vladdio.com) (check it out), and then finally an accidental novel, Big Change Gonna Come.
And that is my – uh, I mean – his long biography.
He’s won no awards (except for that First Prize trophy for singing Jingle Bells at a Cub Scout Jamboree… but he doesn’t like to talk about that) and he heads no committees, clubs, or groups (does anybody need a leader? He might be available. Is there a stipend?).
He works alone for himself (and he’s a harsh task-master) selling and installing swimming pool enclosures, about which – like his service in the Coast Guard – he takes great pride, as he’s sure he is responsible for the prevention of countless childhood pool accidents (again – no joke).
Vince invites you to contact him through his website (www.VinceDowdleJr.com) and buy his book (www.Amazon.com) . He’s sure you’ll love it because – guess what – he loves it.
5 Fun Facts
1.I make the best gluten-free pecan pie in the universe
I make the best gluten-free pecan pie in the universe2.I know every word to Jesus Christ Superstar
I know every word to Jesus Christ Superstar3.Took 4 years of Latin and 2 years of ancient Greek
Took 4 years of Latin and 2 years of ancient Greek4.I’m color deficient. Trouble with different shades of greens, reds, black.
I’m color deficient. Trouble with different shades of greens, reds, black.5.I have a U-shaped kidney
I have a U-shaped kidney6.In spite of trying I have not yet been excommunicated
In spite of trying I have not yet been excommunicated7.I despise camping. This is why we are no longer cave men
I despise camping. This is why we are no longer cave men8.I am an adept cabinetmaker and woodworker
I am an adept cabinetmaker and woodworker9.My great-grandfather served in the Civil War and was taken prisoner and spent time in both Andersonville Prison and Libby Prison, two of the most notorious prisons of the Civil War
My great-grandfather served in the Civil War and was taken prisoner and spent time in both Andersonville Prison and Libby Prison, two of the most notorious prisons of the Civil War
