"So, I'm Geno, in the real world it's Dave; stage names, I guess, are something else strippers and writers have in common".
Geno is, and please pardon my third person here, it’s a writer thing, an author, editor, and writing coach. He completed the MFA program in creative writing at SNHU in 2025 and spent much of his life working as….
Well fuck, I just can’t with that bullshit.
So, I’m Geno, in the real world it’s Dave; stage names, I guess, are something else strippers and writers have in common. I write upmarket or book club fiction. If you were to hold a knife to my throat, I’d tell you that the most common theme you’ll find throughout my writing is the circle the bowl gravity, which holds both the rural and urban poor in their place.
Then, I’d take your knife and stick you in the kidney.
I come from the hilljack edge of Appalachia, married into a family of gangsters from some of the toughest streets in Chicago, and have floated in and out of those seemingly opposing ends of the spectrum for the last twenty years. And the back and forth of it taught me that the most difficult place to navigate is the middle ground, where the rules aren’t so hard and fast.
My life has been spent chasing things I found interesting. Except for a bit at the end of my first, or maybe it was my second marriage, I’ve never really paid all that much attention to the money of things. For the most part, I’ve done what I’ve wanted. Including, but not limited to, working as a boxing coach, doing biohazard and crime-scene cleanup, and painting miniatures for collectors and gamers.
At the moment, I’m drafting my second novel while waiting for responses to a couple of full requests for my first. On Substack, I publish my creative non-fiction and short stories, along with a new series called “Old Dog, New Tricks,” where I take on new hobbies or skills. I’m currently learning to build and paint 1/35-scale, hyper-realistic architectural facades using foam board, plastic card, and junk I find on the ground while filling up my car.
Finally, and I know this is a little off topic, here are some of those other things strippers and writers have in common.
Unless you’re one of the rare few who make it to the big time, you’ll never be rolling in cash, and even if you do, you still may need a side hustle or two. Also, while these careers may significantly expand your dating pool, they sure do put a damper on the long-term relationship options. I mean, no one wants to answer the question “Where’d y’all meet?” with “Perverts’ row at the Hip Hugger.” And no one wants to starve with you.
