When did you first start writing?
I've always liked to write. People who can communicate their thoughts on paper or on a monitor soon get noticed and tend to be assigned tasks that require them to do a lot of it and I was no exception. My first novel was a mess, although the concept and the story are still one of my favorites. It took me about 5 years to complete with several versions of it ending up in the round file. After that I learned to take things a bit easier.
Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?
I grew up in Central Michigan in a beautiful little town that had thousands of stately old elm trees. However, it was the times rather than the location that influenced me the most. I left there when I was barely 17 and joined the Navy. The elm trees all died, most of my family moved away from that area and I seldom go back. The Navy thing lasted 20 years and I lived in a lot of different places. After the Navy I went to college in Utah on the GI Bill and shortly after graduation I went to work for the CIA. After that, I spent the vast majority of my time on the road. After retiring, I worked as a private consultant for the communications industry. All in all, I've lived in, worked in or visited over 70 different countries.
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