Meet Daryl Mallett

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Daryl Mallett a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Daryl, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?

I am fascinated by everything: history, culture, language, geography, science, religion, anthropology, sociology, you name it. So I have always had the desire to find things out, whether it be in genealogy or history, cooking or sports. Because of that, I’m never bored. There is always something to do, to read, to learn. I also work on multiple projects at once, so there’s never time to have writer’s block. If I get stuck on one project, I try not to force it, let it rest and move to a different project.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

Daryl F. Mallett is first and foremost a Christian and dad to five beautiful children. For work, he most recently served as program development coordinator and grant writer for a nonprofit organization which distributes free medical supplies and equipment to those in need. Prior to this, he served as a copy editor for the U.S. Army; grant writer in city government and nonprofits; policies & procedures writer at a food manufacturer; and a technical writer at a metal manufacturer, water purification equipment manufacturer and a laser manufacturing company in Tucson for nearly a decade. In his copious amounts of spare time, he is a writer, editor, publisher, producer, director, screenwriter, actor and lay preacher.

Mallett received a dual Interdisciplinary Humanities and Social Sciences Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree from the University of California, Riverside in 1991, specializing in English, Journalism, Creative Writing, Public Speaking, Theatre Arts, Comparative Literatures and Languages (Speculative Fiction) under the direction of the late Pilgrim Award-winning author and scholar Dr. George E. Slusser (1939-2014). He also studied with scholars and authors like Susan Straight, Stephanie Hammer, Gary Kern, Pulitzer Prize nominee Maurya Simon, actor/director Richard Russo, Babylon 5 set designer John Iacovelli.and the late Eliud Martinez (1935-2020), Stephen Minot (1927-2010), Harry Lawton (1927-2005), Louis Pedrotti (1924-2010), Carlton Bovell (1924-2019), Theda Shapiro (1943-2010). Maulana “Ron” Karenga, creator of Kwanzaa, was also his mentor for Ethnic Studies. Ever the overachiever, Mallett hopes to eventually get his MBA, MFA, MLIS and PhD degrees.

He has had the usual roster of odd jobs required by any artist, including ten years at The Borgo Press, where he started out as a stock boy in 1989 and ended as a series and senior outside editor in 1999 when the venerable company was sold. Mallett also served as assistant to the curator (Pilgrim Award winning scholar Dr. George E. Slusser) of The J. Lloyd Eaton Collection of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Literature—the largest cataloged collection of such materials in institutional hands in the world, located at the University of California, Riverside’s Tómas Rivera Library in the Special Collections Dept.; editor and contributing writer of SFRA Newsletter and SFRA Review; associate editor of Environmental Times and Central American Times, two international newspapers; advertising sales representative for Southwest Diver; contributing writer for Overstreet’s FAN; technical writer for a CD-ROM company, a digital video compression studio, and a water purification equipment manufacturer; procedures analyst for a police department; an ISO9000 certification writer for a food manufacturer; director of writing & business development at an advertising/marketing agency; an auto glass delivery guy; a cardboard box cutter; a lingerie packer; a data entry worker; a call center grunt; line chef at Rusty Pelican; a busboy and waiter for Shakey’s Pizza; an employee of McDonald’s; a water polo player and swimmer; a janitor for a church…and a Kelly girl.

Entrepreneurially, in 1998, he founded and became Chief Evangelical Officer of Blue Fire Technologies Inc., an information technology, hardware and software company focusing on mobile computing technology, which is seeking venture capital funding. Mallett was also a co-founder of AZSNAP—Arizona’s Scottsdale Network at the Airpark, which was sold to the Scottsdale Chamber of Commerce. Other positions Mallett has held include Director of Writing & Business Development at Parker Madison Marketing Studio Inc., as well as serving as a consultant to small, start-up companies such as Keep It SIMple Entertainment, a manufacturer of virtual reality simulators (formerly VP, Corporate Communications); Y-Not Entertainment (formerly Producer and Marketing and Advertising Dir.); The Obsidian Marketing Group (co-founder and formerly Chief Operating Officer); M&V Publishing; Lake Mary Systems; and Tower Communications, among others.

In the writing world, some of his duties have included being a writer at an integrated marketing firm in Tucson; marketing director for a tool manufacturer and a bookkeeping/accounting firm in Tucson; writing/editing books for publishers in California, Louisiana, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania and South Carolina. He served as Senior Outside Research Associate at The International Research Center in Phoenix (http://www.researchedge.com), working on business and competitive intelligence, corporate strategy, management consulting and technical writing, mainly in the telecommunications, Internet and e-Commerce markets, as well as providing the initial layout on the Arizona Telecommunications & Information Council (ATIC) Monthly Events Calendar for 10 years.

Prior to this, he was series editor of SFRA Press’ STUDIES IN SCIENCE FICTION, FANTASY & HORROR; associate editor for Gryphon Publications, Other Worlds and Hardboiled; contributing writer for Water Conditioning & Purification and M&V Magazine, among others; assistant editor at Xenos Books; founder and owner of Angel Enterprises, and publisher and editor of Jacob’s Ladder Books; freelance reporter for four newspapers in Pinal County (Copper Basin News, Pinal Nugget, San Manuel Miner, Superior Sun) and two in Pima and Santa Cruz counties (Green Valley News & Sun, Sahuarita Sun); a technical writing lead for an e-commerce company in California; a data management administrator for and writer/editor for a prime defense contractor; editor at Valley Publishing of three regional newspapers in Mesa/Gilbert; editor at World Publishing of four community newspapers and associate editor/reporter on an as-needed basis for 26 other newspapers and three magazines in Arizona and Nevada. In January 2004, he co-founded Prismic Publishing, a newspaper publishing company that launched its first product in July of that year and went on to publish nine monthly newspapers.

Published works include a poetry anthology Full Frontal Poetry (w/Chaelyn L. Hakim and Frances McConnel, 1991); Reginald’s Science Fiction and Fantasy Awards: A Comprehensive Guide to the Awards and Their Winners (w/Robert Reginald) 2nd Ed. (1991), 3rd Ed. (1993), 4th Ed. (2009); The State and Province Vital Records Guide (w/Michael and Mary Burgess, 1993); The Work of Jack Vance: An Annotated Bibliography and Guide (w/Jerry Hewett, 1994); The Work of Elizabeth Chater: An Annotated Bibliography and Guide (w/Annette Y. Mallett, 1994); Imaginative Futures: Proceedings of the 1993 Science Fiction Research Association Conference (ed. w/Milton T. Wolf, 1995); Pilgrims and Pioneers: The History and Speeches of the Science Fiction Research Association Award Winners (ed. w/Pilgrim Award-winner Hal W. Hall, 2001), Falcon Field (2009) and Haunted Tucson (2023). He also served as Associate Editor on Pilgrim Award winner Robert Reginald’s massive Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature, 1975-1991 (1992) and Editorial Assistant on Mark Goldstein’s Arizona Telecommunications and Information Council Multitenant Building Telecommunications Access Study (2000). His first comic book, Hero-Lore #1, was released at the International Comic Convention in San Diego in 1999.

His work has appeared in magazines and newspapers as diverse as Alta Mesa Times, Anticipatia, Books at UCR, Buzz, The Clearwater Chronicle, ConNotations, Environmental Times, Gilbert Lifestyle, The Grapevine, Hieroglyphs, International Ground Water, ISFA Newsletter, The Islands Current, M&V Magazine, The Newspaper of Cooper Commons, Northeast Mesa Lifestyle, Overstreet’s FAN, Perry Rhodan Magazine, The Pet Gazette, Red Mountain Times, Riverside Review, Senior Lifestyle, SFRA Newsletter, SFRA Review, SoCal Cinema News, Springfield Sunrise, Sun Lakes 2 Update, Superstition Springs Community News, Thirteen, Trails & Paths, Val Vista Lakes Community News, Ventana View, Water Conditioning & Purification, Water Technology, and more, as well as in volumes for The Borgo Press, Greenwood Press, Gryphon Publications, Jai Press, M&V Publications, St. James Press and Salem Press. He has been published in the United States, Canada, the Czech Republic, France, Ireland, Romania and Switzerland. Of his hundreds of publications, the two which have garnered him the most recognition are “Tongue-Tied: Bubo’s Tale” in Star Wars: Tales from Jabba’s Palace (ed. by Kevin J. Anderson, Bantam Books, 1996) and the storyline from the two-part Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “Birthright” (w/Barbra Wallace, Arthur Loy Holcomb and George Brozak). This makes him one of only a handful of writers in the world to have worked on both Star Trek and Star Wars.

Books forthcoming include: Arizona’s Copper Corridor (w/Linda Scott) (Arcadia Publishing, 2025) and Tales from Whitechapel (Battlefield Press, 2025). Books in process include: Reginald’s Science Fiction and Fantasy Awards: A Comprehensive Guide to the Awards and Their Winners, 4th Edition, with Robert Reginald (Borgo Press/Wildside Books), The State & Province Vital Records Guide, 2nd Edition, with Michael Burgess & Mary Burgess (Borgo Press/Wildside Books) and a science fiction trilogy The Sun Stood Still, They Fought from Heaven and The Stars in Their Courses (Battlefield Press).

He is currently in various stages of completion on other numerous projects, including: Covenant Marriage: A Defense Against Divorce in Arizona, Arkansas and Lousiana; development of a series called Faith in Foxholes: Stories of Faith by Christian Soldiers; The Copper Basin, with Lyn Scott, a photographic history book of the mining towns and ghost towns along Arizona Route 177; The History of Tiger, Arizona, a history of this once-thriving mining town, with Farlow C. Davis and Kim K. Howell; The Centurions, an encyclopedia of companies over 100 years old; The Praetorians, an accompanying book of essays by business leaders on business longevity; an as-yet untitled history of the Empire Air Training Scheme during World War II; Hand of the Romanovs, a mystery/suspense novel; an as-yet-untitled nonfiction work on the history of needlemaking; Lava, a fantasy novel (w/Max Espinoza) based on his comic book w/Ruben Gerard; Like the Awesome Gleam of Crystal, a novel based on the 1954 novel Alien Life, by E. C. Tubb; Among the Vanguard: An Annotated Bibliography and Guide to the Works of A. E. van Vogt, which will feature an introduction by George Clayton Johnson and remembrances by other writers; George Fox: Friend for Christ, a narrative story of the life of the Quaker evangelist; a trilogy of science fiction novels; a trilogy of fantasy novels; and Priceless: An Annotated Filmography and Guide to the Works of Vincent Price.

In the film and television world, he is the founder and producer at Dustbunny Productions, partner and producer at Caribou Moving Pictures LLC and a producer at Paddlefoot Productions. In 2019, he founded the Arizona Film Market & Expo.

As an actor, TV and film appearances Daryl has appeared in Carmady’s People: The Case of the Reluctant Major (1987); “Star Trek: The Next Generation” (1987-1994); Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death (1989); Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991); “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” (1993-1999); Illusion (2005); and National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets (2007) all in categories for which there is no Oscar Award. He was assistant to the producer for The Message (2005); associate producer for Illusion (2005); producer for the international award-winning Retrocausality (2019) and 2nd unit director and associate producer for Murder 101 (2023).

He has also worked on or appeared in the film Sphere, as well as in Disneyland’s Main Street Electrical Parade and Disneyland’s Bear Country Hoedown, and stage productions of Mame, Waiting in the Wings, Gilbert and Sullivan’s operetta Pirates of Penzance, Ghost Sonata, The Apple Tree, The Birthday Party, the Christmas program at The Crystal Cathedral, and numerous Shakespearean plays, among others, and won critical acclaim in Southern California with a Drama-Logue Award for his performance as “Christmas Future” in Dickens’ A Christmas Carol stage play (1987) and an Ebenezer Award for his performance as “Christmas Future” in A Christmas Carol ballet (1987). He most recently danced, with his daughter Maia, in Ballet Rincon’s “The Nutcracker” for three years as Herr Stahlbaum (2019-21).

Current film and television projects in development include: producer for three short films (Operation: Tatum, Redemption and Borg Queen Supremacy: A Star Trek Fan Production); feature-length films (Unfailing Faith, Kid: The Benny Paret Story; Lien on Me and Santuario); and several television series (“Falcon Field”, “Cooking with Cotton” and “The Adventures of Nevada Brown”).

Mallett’s greatest joys in life are serving God; spending time with his two wonderful sons, Jacob and Christian; and three beautiful daughters, Brooke, Paige and Maia; good food with good friends, reading, traveling and working on books and movies.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Communication, adaptability and stick-to-it-ability. I know that last one isn’t a real word, but one of my mentors, the late Elizabeth Chater, said it was key and I listened. Communication is key. Don’t be afraid to share your thoughts, observations and experiences. Other people often have the piece of the puzzle you’re missing or can steer you in a different direction before you hit the rocks. Adaptability is important. Be willing and able to roll with whatever changes come your way., because everything takes twice or more as long as you expected and three times or more what you were willing to invest. Stick-to-it-ability is keeping your nose to the grindstone. You can be as brilliant as ever or as inspired as ever, but if you don’t roll up your sleeves and put in the hard work, it won’t matter.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

While oftentimes art is a solitary pursuit, there are scads of places where collaboration is key. Filmmaking is such a place. We are always looking for reliable cast and crewmembers.

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