127 ratings | 36 reviews | avg rating:4.72

Jerry's Bookshelves

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Jen Knox

1,208 books | 2,737 friends

Maria

529 books | 2,913 friends

Amber Lehman

207 books | 4,429 friends

Wealhtheow

2,694 books | 427 friends

282 books | 109 friends

Kerry Nietz

87 books | 30 friends

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Jennifer Chase

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Jerry Travis

Goodreads author profile

url

http://www.goodreads.com/jerrytravis

born

January 01, 1953 in Olympia, The United States

gender

male

website

http://home.cmaaccess.com/~jerrytravis/safety_f...

genre

Science Fiction & Fantasy, Literature & Fiction, Science

influences

Albert Einstein, Isaac Asimov, A.E. van Vogt, Ray Bradbury, Authur C....more

member since

May 2009

About this author

edit data

Mr. Travis has a long professional career (30 years) in computing technology. Starting out in what was once called Data Processing (DP), then Information Management (IM) and now Information Technology (IT), he has written a tremendous amount of technical documentation to support his evolving IT roles (programmer, technical support specialist, designer, engineer, and consultant). In addition, he occasionally conducts classroom training in the IT field. This experience has given him the ability to write quickly while coordinating very complex material, and make it interesting at the same time.

Much of his early career was spent working for the State of Washington as a civil servant. In 1997 he moved his family to the San Francisco bay area, wh...more Mr. Travis has a long professional career (30 years) in computing technology. Starting out in what was once called Data Processing (DP), then Information Management (IM) and now Information Technology (IT), he has written a tremendous amount of technical documentation to support his evolving IT roles (programmer, technical support specialist, designer, engineer, and consultant). In addition, he occasionally conducts classroom training in the IT field. This experience has given him the ability to write quickly while coordinating very complex material, and make it interesting at the same time.

Much of his early career was spent working for the State of Washington as a civil servant. In 1997 he moved his family to the San Francisco bay area, where he could work as a consultant. Two of his first three years there were spent consulting for Automatic Data Processing Inc. (ADP). Since then he has traveled all over the United States, working for various US government agencies and their closely related corporations.

He’s worked at the following Federal and related organizations (in alphabetical order); The Aerospace Corporation, Bechtel Nevada, Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Department of Justice - Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Department of Justice - Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Fluor Hanford, HRL Laboratories, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Social Security Administration (SSA), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Uranium Disposition Services (UDS), and the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).

This experience has given him keen and even stark insights into government and politics, which he likes to pass on to his readers. Though still fascinated by computers, most of his other interests are geared towards science itself. They include (also in alphabetical order) astronomy, chemistry, cosmology, mathematics, physics, and psychology. He also has life long interests in the humanities including history, metaphysics, philosophy and religion. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from The Evergreen State College.

In writing fiction, he draws on all his interests and personal experience to convey the story. He strives for realism and does not like to “invent” things, just to make the story line go in a desired direction. Where he lacks knowledge, he does research. And where he lacks experience, he recruits help from those who have it. He likes to write about non-trivial subjects by addressing critical scientific, social and technological issues that directly impact the future of our civilization, and humanity itself.

For recreation, he likes to ride his motorcycle in the deserts of the Southwest. He collects old personal computers and handheld calculators, enjoys reading scientific texts and science fiction stories.
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2 posts
Jerry Travis's Blog

Inside the Department of Homeland Security

Here is one of the many experiences I've had working inside our government. I thought I should add (and maybe this is obvious), that this experience sticks in my mind so forcefully because if FEMA had implemented our computer system when her sister agencies were, and when we had encouraged them to do so, the entire response to the hurricane Kartina may have been totally different. Instead of dr... read more »

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Published on December 25, 2009 09:29 • 110 views

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combine editions
Books by Jerry Travis

Average rating: 4.21 · 24 ratings · 14 reviews · 9 distinct works

	The Safety Factor - The Use of Power (Volume 1) 4.06 avg rating — 16 ratings — 3 editions	My rating:
	The Safety Factor: The Cost of War (Volume 2) by Jerry Travis (Goodreads Author) (Author), Maria Savva (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Sheila Pfeiffer (Goodreads Author) (Editor) 4.50 avg rating — 8 ratings — published 2009 — 2 editions	My rating:
	Dust of Autumn 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	My rating:
	Prairie View 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	My rating:
	Life in the Arbor 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — published 2001 — 3 editions	My rating:
	Match Play 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	My rating:
	A Baker's Dozen Plus Two 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — 2 editions	My rating:
	It's a Doggy-Dog World 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — published 2008	My rating:
	The Black Widow 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — published 2008	My rating:

More books by Jerry Travis…

Upcoming Events

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Jerry's Writing

The Safety Factor (Science Fiction & Fantasy)

1 chapters — updated Feb 15, 2010 11:49am

Description: This is the first few chapters of my first book, "The Safety Factor - The Use of Power". It is the first in a series of four books.

The Cost of War (Science Fiction & Fantasy)

4 chapters — updated Feb 15, 2010 11:30am

Description: Here are a few chapters (9-12) from the second book of the Safety Factor series. This portion reads more like a detective/spy novel than science fiction, though there definitely is that element.

Beyond Perfection (Science Fiction & Fantasy)

7 chapters — updated Jan 05, 2010 01:32pm

Description: Here's a short story, which is a slightly edited excerpt from my third book: "The Safety Factor: Beyond Perfection".

Jerry is Currently Reading

Jerry Travis is currently reading:

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

by Robert Louis Stevenson

bookshelves: currently-reading

My rating:

May 30, 2010 09:24pm

Jerry Travis is currently reading:

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass

by Lewis Carroll

bookshelves: currently-reading, fiction

My rating:

Nov 26, 2009 09:15pm

Jerry Travis is currently reading:

Anti-Gravity and the World Grid

by David Hatcher Childress

bookshelves: outside-the-box, currently-reading

My rating:

Jerry Travis said: "There is a very interesting article in this book on page 211 called: "Acoustic Levitation of Stones". It's not the first time I've heard of the concept, but it's certainly the most detailed one and includes several diagrams. Here's an excerpt of the...more "

Feb 13, 2010 11:29am · see review

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Jerry's Recent Updates

Jerry Travis just shipped a book to Cheryl in CC NV in Goodreads Bookswap! The Safety Factor - The Use of Power by Jerry Travis (Editor)
Jun 12, 2011 08:02am
Jerry Travis gave to: Fusion by Maria Savva (Goodreads Author)	My rating:
This is Maria Savva’s third short story collection (the first two being Pieces of a Rainbow and Love and Loyalty(and Other Tales)). I’ve read all three and was trying to come up with comparisons between them, and finally couldn’t conclude which one i...more
Jan 30, 2011 09:55pm · see review
Jerry Travis made a comment on Tracey's review of The Safety Factor Book III - Beyond Perfection "Hi Tracey. Thanks for adding The Safety Factor: Beyond Perfection to your reading list. I hope you enjoy it! "
Jul 15, 2010 06:41pm · see review
Jerry Travis made a comment on Bert Edens's review of The Safety Factor - The Use of Power (Volume 1) "Hi Bert. Thanks for adding The Safety Factor to your reading list. I hope you enjoy it, when you get to it. That's quite a reading list you've got! "
Jul 15, 2010 06:38pm · see review
Jerry Travis gave to: Second Chances by Maria Savva (Goodreads Author)	My rating:
Second Chances is a story about the strength of love and its weaknesses, all the things that can undermine and destroy it, such as: economic pressures, entitlement, dishonesty, misunderstanding, deception, selfishness, needs (physical, mental and spi...more
Jul 15, 2010 05:11pm · see review
Jerry Travis gave to: Love and Loyalty (and Other Tales) by Maria Savva (Goodreads Author) recommended for: everyone	My rating:
What a wonderful collection of new short stories from Maria Savva! For those who’ve read and enjoyed her first collection, Pieces of a Rainbow, you won’t be disappointed. And for those who haven’t, I’d recommend reading both. Here you’ll find fascina...more
Jul 15, 2010 04:54pm · see review
Jerry Travis gave to: Rabbit: Chasing Beth Rider by Ellen C. Maze (Goodreads Author) recommended for: everyone read in July, 2010	My rating:
This is no ordinary “vampire” story. The world of Ellen Maze’s Rakum is well thought out and has a real-life feel to it. In this book you don’t have to take the world of vampires “on faith”, as some oddity of nature that just happens to exist for no...more
Jul 13, 2010 01:18am · see review
Jerry Travis liked Ellen Maze's review of The Safety Factor - The Use of Power: " In a story that begins in the 18th Century and ends up in 2080, THE SAFETY FACTOR has it all. Abused by her drunkard father, young Maria stows away on a cargo ship headed anywhere but there. Hiding below decks, she considers her actions and the li... " Read more of this review »
Jul 12, 2010 11:05pm · see review
Jerry Travis said "yes" to attending the event: 3 COPIES TO GIVEAWAY date: July 07, 2010 07:23AM location: Goodreads Giveaway!, Online Goodreads, Montgomery, AL, The United States description: In case you didn't know, I am giving away 3 signed copies of RABBIT: CHASING BETH RIDER, what is being called a curiously spiritual vampire tale. It might flip your lid! Click the RABBIT book cover to enter the drawing. Good luck!
Jul 12, 2010 11:03pm
Jerry Travis marked as to-read: A Star Curiously Singing by Kerry Nietz (Goodreads Author)	My rating:
Jul 01, 2010 09:01pm

More of Jerry's books…

Quotes Jerry Likes

“If freedom is a requisite for human happiness, then all that’s necessary is to provide the illusion of freedom.”
― B.F. Skinner

2 people liked it

“A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.”
― George Bernard Shaw

tags: art , life

3,334 people liked it

“If you once forfeit the confidence of your fellow citizens, you can never regain their respect and esteem. It is true that you may fool all of the people some of the time; you can even fool some of the people all of the time; but you can't fool all of the people all of the time. -Speech at Clinton, Illinois, September 8, 1854.”
― Abraham Lincoln

tags: inspirational

253 people liked it