Bio:Charles G. Waugh

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I was born in Philadelphia, PA on July 18, 1943. I am an only child. My mother was Isabelle D. Waugh (an English teacher) and my father was Gordon B. Waugh (an electrical engineer). During World War II my father served as a naval officer. I spent the first year of my life in Boston, MA (where he was stationed), and the second in Portland, ME (where he commanded their net-tender). From two until twelve I lived in the country community of Laurel Lake, NJ. Dad started working for IBM, and a few years later was reassigned to its home base in Endicott, NY. After attending high school there, I was accepted at Syracuse University where I earned a B.S. in speech (1965) with minors in English and economics and an M.A. in psychology (1969). I spent two years in graduate school at Kent State where I majored in communication and minored in sociology, then took a job at the University of Maine at Augusta in the fall of 1971 (eventually finishing my Ph.D. dissertation in 1982). I was, from 1981 on, a full professor of communication and psychology there. Finally, I retired on September 1, 2018, after 54 years of teaching on the college level -- I began January 1965 -- at Syracuse University, Ithaca College, Kent State University, and the University of Maine at Augusta.

I began working on my first book in 1978. Since 1979 I have published 248 books -- with 54 publishers and more than 60 co-editors/authors -- most of whom I've never met. At UMA I averaged 5 books a year throughout my 47 years there. Until 2000, the majority of my work had been in science fiction, fantasy, and horror. After a ten year break, however, SamTeddy Publishing, and then Hemelein Publications, found me, and I'm back, working in other genres as well. I've 48 books out so far, with another 31 waiting to be printed.

Oddly enough, publishing is a hobby I probably would not have had but for a coincidence. In 1974 I met Martin Harry Greenberg at a Boston Science Fiction convention where we both had gone to hear Dr. Asimov speak. Marty knew Isaac, and one thing just seemed to lead to another. Ultimately, I was Marty's most frequent collaborator (193 books) and Isaac's second most frequent collaborator (80 books). Both of them gave me much help and encouragement, for which I'll forever be indebted. And, perhaps because of that, I have consistently tried to help others as I, myself, was helped.)

I have two children, two stepchildren, four grandchildren, and five grand-stepchildren. My son, Eric-Jon Rossel Tairne (nee: Waugh) has done about thirty books and my granddaughter, Tara Nicole Azarian, a TV series, and about fifty feature films. My first wife (1968-2000), Carol-Lynn Rossel, is a very talented woman: an author, photographer, musician, and doll artist. My second wife (2001- ), Kathy Chazin is a wonderful companion and the love of my life. She is a LPN, a MSW, a LCSW, and, since retiring, a frequent co-editor of mine.

Personally, I'm just a country boy and a very simple person. I've always treated my body as a vehicle for carrying my head from room to room, and am so square (no drinking, drugs, gambling, smoking, or gamboling around -- ever), colleagues used called me "the cube." My success as anthologist and author, in addition to Marty and Isaac's boost, has resulted from the creative mind and good memory with which I am blessed, the work ethic my family instilled in me, and a great ability to structure things acquired from widespread experience in debate (11 years) and teaching public speaking (54 years).

In summary, I am a happy, stable, and undoubtably boring person, who's been lucky enough to have had a full, rich and tranquil life, and who resides on 29 country acres in a beautiful home with three wonderful women (my wife, my dog, and my cat).

I can't imagine you'd want to know more about me -- but if you do, consult Volume 123 of Contemporary Authors. It contains a long phone interview they did with me. Or, better yet, just drop me an e-mail.