Florida is a great place to grow up, especially if you have an appreciation for tropical weather, string bikinis and warm Gulf of Mexico waters. That has been my life and I've had the pleasure of writing about it for the last 20 years, both as a newspaper reporter and now an author of nonfiction books.I was raised outside Tampa, in the Clearwater area. Then I had the great honor of being accepted into the University of Florida's School of Journalism and Communications. While there, I suffered along with my classmates through a spree of murders by a serial killer that terrorized the campus. After graduation, I began a long career as a courts and crime reporter with several newspapers in Florida, Missouri and Illinois. I then took a job with the Panama City, FL., News Herald and worked in the Florida Panhandle for the next 12 years. Panama City has turned out to be the richest area for news I've ever encountered and my first two (and next two) nonfiction books are from events in that area.The Panhandle also allows me to pursue my hobbies: kayaking, fishing, paddleboarding, golf, mojitos, cigars and the Florida Gators. Go Gators!