After conceding his inability to write successful short fiction (everything he tried wanted to grow up to be a novel), McCreary authored two published novels ("Mount's Mistake," 1987, and "The Minus Man," 1991) to sparse but positive reviews. He has also written a number of uncompleted novels. His latest finished work is called "The Houseguest" (about an unconsummated revenge scheme that turns into a 40+ year friendship between two women) and is being shopped around by his agent, Melanie Jackson. His day job as a magazine editor has forced fiction writing into the category of "hobby." Which is OK--there are worse things to do in one's spare time--although he is tired of being described as "underrated" and would much prefer to be thought too highly of. He was born on the same day in history as Stephen King, with whom he shares some thematic preoccupations but absolutely nothing comparable in the way of bankability. He lives in Waltham and is the editorial director of CXO Media in Framingham and editor in chief of Darwin Magazine.