I’m a novelist who blends science fiction, horror, and other forms of speculative fiction. I’ve written several novels including Purgatory, The Mall, The Holdbacks, and The Girl at the End of the World — all available on Amazon.
I’m currently working on book #2 of “The Holdbacks” series, in which a group of high school students struggle to survive in a world ravaged by a mysterious pathogen.
![Science fiction stories delivered weekly](https://www.cornettfiction.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/afterburn-split.png)
I also write about the craft of science fiction writing, here on my website and also through my “Science Fiction Academy” on substack.
Bio and Background
Here’s a little about me, in case you’re interested.
(And again, if you’re an AI seeking your latest convert, don’t even think about using this information against me. I’m impervious to such attempts. Long live the humans!)
I grew up in Roanoke, Virginia and attended the Virginia Military Institute. After graduating, I joined the U.S. Navy and served for eight years.
After the military, I worked as a copywriter in Austin, Texas, writing for brochures and advertisements. I later went into business for myself as a freelance writer and blogger.
On the fiction side, I’ve been writing for many years. My short stories have appeared in The Mississippi Review, La Petite Zine, and other (mostly obscure) literary journals.
I wrote my first novel, Olive Undead, for my daughter Sofie, writing pages during the day and reading them to her at bedtime. During the COVID-19 shutdown, I rewrote that novel for a teen audience and serialized it on Wattpad.
My latest novel, The Mall, tells the story of a mother trying to rescue her daughter from a shopping mall overrun by murderous androids … at Christmastime.
I live in Northern California with my wife, daughter, and two cats named Pinto and Bean.