Gary's Bio

Born in Miami, Florida, the only child of Layton and Virginia Mae Ruse, Gary Alan Ruse has been a professional science fiction and mystery writer since 1972, and a professional illustrator and graphic artist since 1969. Educated in the Miami area, Gary earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in the field of Commercial Art/Graphic Design at the University of Miami at Coral Gables, Florida in 1968, minoring in Mass Communications. He studied television production and scriptwriting as part of his minor. While at the U. of M., Gary worked in student publications, doing writing, photography and artwork for the student magazine and newspaper, and served as Graphics Editor for the magazine during his senior year. Gary also was employed in the graphics department of the U.M. television studio, producing materials used in televised classes.
Just before graduation from college, Gary was hired by Morrow Junior Books in New York to illustrate several of a series of children's educational books written by Dr. Herbert S. Zim and James R. Skelly, and had just completed the second book when he was called to military service. Gary served in the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers in the Republic of Vietnam 1969-1970, as a Public Information Specialist (reporter, photographer, and editor of the Group level newspaper, editing and polishing materials from the Battalion level offices).
Gary began writing fiction intensively after he returned home from Vietnam, and sold his first story to Analog Science Fiction Magazine in 1972. Numerous other short stories and five novels followed. The first two novels, HOUNDSTOOTH and A GAME OF TITANS, were large-scale techno-thrillers (ten years before Tom Clancy started doing them). THE GODS OF CERUS MAJOR was science fiction adventure. MORLAC: THE QUEST OF THE GREEN MAGICIAN was an epic fantasy novel, and DEATH HUNT ON A DYING PLANET was a science fiction adventure.
After working as a freelance writer and illustrator for awhile, Gary also worked at a large art supply store in Miami for about fifteen years, starting in the framing department. Then he was put in charge of the book department, created special store displays, and eventually became manager of the Graphic Services department, presiding over a color copy center, stat camera, graphics supplies and a small staff. Gary finally left the art store to once again pursue a full time writing career.

Gary has been working for Miami's Community Newspapers since 2001 as a writer/photographer and contributing editor and has had more than 900 news and feature stories published in their editions.

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