He soon started writing short stories, although his career did not take off until 1982, when, through Harlan Ellison's help, his short story "The River Styx Runs Upstream" was published and awarded first prize in a Twilight Zone Magazine story competition.
Ubrzo je počeo da piše kratke priče, iako se nije probio sve do 1982, kada je, uz pomoć Harlana Elisona, njegova kratka priča Reka Stiks teče uzvodno objavljena i nagrađena prvom nagradom na spisalačkom takmičenju magazina Twilight Zone.