"OM" om@our_blessed_lady_mary_of_the_holy_NASA_researc h_facility.org wrote
in message news
I kept hoping PAD would call in during the
call-in portion of the show so he could laugh at his current
predicament.

I've written a couple of moderately successful books, and a string of
articles. I'm a writer.

PAD is in a category by himself, approaching Asimov in capacity. When PAd
says he's a writer, a light shines from above and a chorus chimes. The dude
types 120 words per minute.

I saw him at a convention, where he was going to read a chapter from what
turned out to be "Imzadi". He'd written it the night before. The next day,
he was going to read the next chapter (and did), which he wrote after
partying until well into the morning. The chapters printed were almost word
for word what he'd read.

He was heavier then, and had a pony tail. As he pointed out, he doesn't
exactly look like professional secretary material, but at 120 words per
minute, he'll never lack for a job.

Saw him at DragonCon 2001. He's a bit lighter and lost the ponytail. He's
every bit the professional he was. Unlike certain investigator wannabes
around here, he does his homework and cites his sources.