I was a poor farm kid who worked his way through college and decided I needed to see the world. I was blessed to get that opportunity (via the USAF), of course there were people who wanted to kill me during my travels, but that's for another time. Most important to me was that I saw completely different cultures and perspectives in my career and in my travels. 

 

I have a lifetime of unique experiences to inspire my creative and sometimes twisted imagination. I know life is mostly gray, but right and wrong do still exist. I believe most people still want and believe in justice.  That's often a central theme in my writing. 

 

I have a warped and wicked sense of humor. I've always believed life is an emotional rollercoaster, with lots of ups and downs. I've learned that when you're up, laughter makes life richer and fuller. When you're down, sometimes a sense of humor is the only thing that gets you through it.  My favorite writers are the ones that may make you feel like crying; but they also can make laugh out loud a few pages later. My primary goal when writing, whether you are scared or laughing, is to make it feel real.

 

I was a USAF Officer and flew E-3 Airborne Warning And Control System (AWACs) operational missions all over the world for over 10 years.  I was Exceptionally Qualified and flew 58 combat and combat support missions and was awarded two Air Medals.  After 9/11, I joined the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and became the Assistant Federal Security Director (AFSD) for the State of Montana, and then Southeast Alaska.

 

I regularly worked closely with the FBI and many other state, federal, and local law enforcement agencies and I weave those experiences into my stories. I am a World Taekwondo Federation internationally certified Black Belt Instructor and an expert instructor in self-defense.  I taught Behavioral Threat Detection for DHS.  I developed and taught Sexual Assault Awareness and Street Defense courses for over 25 years to a wide range of audiences, including: crisis centers, rape victims, stalking victims, the military, Universities, university law enforcement officers, women’s groups, high schools, and the general public. I developed and taught a course specifically designed for rape victims to help them recover control of their lives. Hopefully, in my writing the scary stuff in Deadly Frost, I conveyed the strength and courage I observed from many of these women.