A graduate of Guilford College and The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, I began my career in secondary education as a guidance counselor and A. P. English teacher. After seven years in this field, I transitioned to the high-tech world of large computer system support at AT&T. A quarter century later, I retired from AT&T as a Senior Systems Manager. While pursuing my love of writing, I divide my time between Central Florida and The Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. I am a member of ASU's "Institute for Senior Scholars" and the "High Country Writers" group in Boone, NC. I grew up in St. Cloud, Florida -- the "Veterans of Foreign Wars" town referenced in Lords of Circumstance. Much of my childhood was spent on the front-porch steps of local "cracker homes" where retired veterans of World War II and the Korean War had settled. Fortunately, some of those veterans shared their stories. Others could not speak of their military experience. I heard every word they said - or didn't. They taught me about service and sacrifice, imparting a deep respect for those who protect our country. Most importantly, they instilled in me the timeless reminder that "freedom is not free" and that perpetual vigilance is the price of maintaining it. Even as a child, I understood that these were lessons that I would take to the grave.