I'm an American Jewish male of mostly-Polish descent, born in 1960, married with two children. I was born in Michigan but now live in Rhode Island. I work as a Professor of Legal Studies; my other occupations or part-time jobs have included lawyer, actor, IT project manager. My hobbies include pottery, science fiction and amateur astronomy (don't even *begin* to mention the Astronomy OWL in OoP to my face).
I first heard of HP in 2000 when Terri Gross interviewed Jo on the radio; I've been hooked pretty much ever since.
I love to write, but haven't written any fiction for more than 20 years -- until I got the idea of doing some HP FF, and here I am.
My fiction is also posted on Phoenix Song (same pen name there as here), and on SIYE (except for stories that wouldn't be appopriate there). I have a satire of shipping in general and H/G shipping in particular posted there -- the story is called "A Slow Boat to Shipper's Hell", published under the name "kschneyer".
I will also try to post all of my stuff on my livejournal page, where I am known as "Rhetoretician."
Bragging: So far I've had:
- A "Featured Story" here (Counting to Five Thousand),which also won Runner Up for Dark/Angsty Fiction in the Silver Quills for 2007;
- A winner of the Dumbledore Silver Trinket Award for one-shots on SIYE (Minding the Baby);
- A First Prize for Fiction in the Phoenix Rising Challenge (for The Torch, a story that also won Judges' Choice for HP Specific stories in the Quill-to-Parchment competition); and
- Another featured story on SIYE (While You Tell Yourself the Truth).
The lovely banner above was created for me by Hansolohpfrk.
Returning Were As Tedious by Rhetor
Rated: 6th-7th Years [Reviews - 4]
Summary: “I am in blood / Stepp’d in so far, that, should I wade no more, / Returning were as tedious as go o’er.” (Macbeth, III.iv.160-162) The education, life and times of Severus Snape, with particular attention to the unhappy confusion of his affections and his relations with the Dark Arts. Approximately 20-24 eventual chapters, including Prologue and Epilogue. NOTE: The "AU Warning" is here only because I have disregarded certain elements of the Black Family Tree, which MNFF regards as canon (but I don't).
Savoring Patience by Rhetor
Rated: 3rd-5th Years [Reviews - 35]
Summary: Harry and Ginny realize they have time.
Minding the Baby by Rhetor
Rated: 3rd-5th Years [Reviews - 45]
Summary: Andromeda is left alone with Teddy, or so she thinks.
The Only Way Out by Rhetor
Rated: 6th-7th Years [Reviews - 7]
Summary: Gideon and Fabian are out of options, but not out of choices.
Report on the Excavations of Sites HH-87 and HH-88 by Rhetor
Rated: 3rd-5th Years [Reviews - 12]
Summary: Archeologists excavating the ruins of Hogwarts find more than they expected.
Counting to Five Thousand by Rhetor
Rated: 3rd-5th Years [Reviews - 54]
Summary: 
One decision leads to an army of consequences, and a lifetime is not too long to spend amending them.
The 312th Edition by Rhetor
Rated: 3rd-5th Years [Reviews - 13]
Summary: History, sadly, is not really written by the winners; it's written by the historians. Someday we will all be (at best) footnotes in someone's history book. How much of our passion and devotion will filter through to the distant reader of that book?
On the Headmaster's Wall by Rhetor
Rated: 3rd-5th Years [Reviews - 16]
Summary: Centuries pass; memories fade. No one remembers the sacrifices made to win the war. Only the portraits on the Headmaster’s wall, and one portrait in particular, is able to tell the story.
