Jim Baen's Universe

Authors | R. J. Ortega

R. J. Ortega was born in Burlingame California, 1958. Married 1986. Two children, Zachariah and Angelique, both grown. County employee (subpoena clerk, D.A.'s office) since 1990.

Having desired to be a writer for all of his adult life, R.J. Ortega is pleased that he has finally gotten off his duff and done something about it. His wife, Riley, who puts up with him, concurs.

A lifetime of fascination with Science Fiction began when he read his first comic book at age four; so you can blame The Martian Manhunter for everything. Childhood ambition was to grow up to join either the Legion of Super-Heroes or the Green Lantern Corps. This remains unchanged, although International Rescue is beginning to look like a strong fall-back option. At age eight he was introduced to the original network run of Star Trek by his older sister Janet, who still hasn't forgiven herself for the consequences.

The Ortegas are participants in several Northern California Renaissance Faires, (affiliated with St. Simon's guild), and are also Committee members for Consonance, an annual gathering of Filksingers held in Silicon Valley. They can usually be found manning the hospitality suite, which allows them to let the convention come to them.

Current projects include further adventures aboard the Delta Princess, along with other, unrelated short stories. Also on his slate is a fantasy novel that will seek to address the mystery of the lost island of California.

Extreme Reservations Full Story From: The innkeeper’s wife flipped the gold coin to her husband; it glinted prettily in the light of a single bare bulb.