Gregg Voss
Writer of Words
Gregg Voss
Writer of Words
Who I am
Writer of Words
To quote Led Zeppelin, I’m just a simple guy, living from day to day.
I read a lot, write a lot, and tell stories. Tip of the cap to Stephen King for counseling me on that through his book On Writing.
I work several day jobs, including as VP of Media Relations for hands down the best virtual marketing and PR agency in the country, TSN Communications. I’m also a high school sports stringer in my off time, for a couple of newspapers in the Chicago area, where I live with my wife and daughter.
The rest of the time, I write fiction. A lot of it.
To me, the whole point of life is to ask, What if …? That’s where the basis for my stories are born. I’m compelled to explore what’s possible, whether it’s fiction with a supernatural bent, or social justice issues.
It’s what I do.
Day Jobs
TSN Communications
I’m Vice President of Media Relations for TSN Communications, a virtual marketing and public relations agency based in Oak Hill, Va.
Daily Herald
I’m a freelance high school sports reporter for the Daily Herald, the Chicago suburbs’ premier daily newspaper. I primarily cover schools in DuPage County.
The Doings
I ‘m also a freelance prep sports reporter for Pioneer Press, which publishes The Doings of La Grange and The Doings of Hinsdale, among other community newspapers in Chicago’s southwest suburbs.
Fiction
The One
According to the road sign Abigail Johnson had just passed on her evening walk into town, the population of Egg Harbor, Wisconsin, was 201.
The Crash
The jetliner, a bone-white Airbus A320 with a fat, blue-brand logo, hobbled over the neighborhood, wings waggling under the lemon sun. There was smoke, a lot of it, coming from the right-wing engine, and the dark contrail was an evil pencil mark crossing the cloudless mountain sky.
The Bunker
The explosion wasn’t like all the others that night. It was a bulbous rift in the atmosphere that at once made Anna’s mouth drop and reflexively cover her ears with her hands.
Al
The trees. That’s what I remember most. The trees, sailing by under the languid, dripping light of the street lamps. I couldn’t see them well, but they were there nonetheless. I smelled their browning, crackling leaves just beginning their descent to the street, even in those frenzied moments.
Afterglow
Lauren had never once set foot in the church’s conference room, let alone sat in one of the black captain’s chairs that lined each side of the slender, bowed table. She recalled once, as a fourth grader, running past the room with Tommy and some other kids and being shooed away by a smiling, frowning Pastor Marty, who said he was “doing deals for the Lord, praise God,” before lightly closing the door on himself and the rest of the deacons.
Coming Soon
My first short story collection, The Valley of American Shadow. Watch this space for updates as this project comes together in 2019.
About My Blog
We all need an outlet. Someplace to muse, chat, vent, whatever. Some people go to bars. Some use social media. Some people sit in the mall and watch people go by.
I write.
In his seminal book On Writing, Stephen King says you have to read a lot, write a lot and, for fiction writers, tell a story. I read everything, from the cereal box to novels to newspapers and magazines. The latter are the places I get most of my fiction ideas, by the way.
The idea is to gain a deeper understanding of the world around us, because it truly is a beautiful place full of wonderful people.
That’s why I write.
Therefore, this is the place where you’ll find out what I’m thinking about at any given time.
Because if nothing else, I’m a keen observer of the human condition.
Insight Into Development of The Valley of American Shadow
The development of The Valley of American Shadow was as much strategic thinking as it was writing.
Thoughts on the Children of D-Day
It’s 3:25 a.m., and thanks to a new Twitter friend, I’m thinking about the children of guys who didn’t survive D-Day
Thoughts About the Illinois State Lacrosse Tournament
I had a really good time at the Illinois state lacrosse tournament over the weekend – and I’m melancholy it’s over.
Contact me!
I’d love to hear from you! Send me a note about what’s on your mind and I will get back to.
~Gregg