Look and Listen

Biography

Although born in Michigan, I grew up on and around Air Force bases across the US and around the world since Dad was an Air Force navigator and electronic warfare officer. As a result, I developed an early interest in the military and aviation. I started school on the Pacific Island of Guam during the Korean War and finished high school at a US Army school in France during the Vietnam War, shortly before Charles DeGaulle ordered all American military personnel out of his country. I swear it wasn’t my fault.

I earned a BS degree in Electrical Engineering at Michigan State University and have completed graduate work in business administration and astronomy. My military career includes 13 years on Air Force active duty plus time in the Michigan Air National Guard and Air Force Reserves. I have accumulated 3,800 military and civilian flying hours in 14 different aircraft (ranging from an old taildragging Aerona Champ to supersonic jets).

My civilian career spans telecommunications at Michigan Bell Telephone and Aeroquip Corporation and defense aerospace experience on the B-2 bomber program at Northrop Corporation and the F-16, F/A-22, and F-35 programs at Lockheed Martin.

My articles have been published in American, Australian, and British magazines for more than 15 years. I’ve had two stints as a columnist – once for 18 months for the now-defunct US Aviator magazine (this failure wasn’t my fault, either) and, for the past year, for Cessna Flyer magazine. My first book, “Cessna Warbirds: A Detailed and Personal History of Cessna’s Involvement in the Armed Forces,” came out in 1996 and still sells well.

In 2003, my wife, daughter, and I established Slipdown Mountain Publications just west of Fort Worth, Texas, but moved our home and business to Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula in October 2004. Our catalog currently includes nine books, including my historical novel “Devil in the North Woods,” my short story collection “Pilots and Normal People,” and Volume 1 of our new Cessna Warbirds Series.

I’ve been married to the same wonderful, understanding woman for 38 years and have two daughters and two grandchildren. Horses, cats, dogs, and assorted wildlife populate our remote Michigan farm.

Inspiration

I can't remember not writing or, for that matter, reading. Since learning to read, I've always had a book or two close at hand. Throughout my military and civilian careers, I have found others turning to me for writing and editing assistance. I began seriously writing in 1985 and have boxes full of unpublished manuscripts (some of which, for the benefit of the reading public, should never again see the light of day).

For most of my life, I've read fiction, primarily adventures, mysteries, thrillers. However, over the past two decades I've migrated to nonfiction...this time mostly history. This combination of interests brought me to my current writing passion -- history. I have two more military history projects in work. My inspirations in the genre include Bob Dorr and Walt Boyne, both of whom have become close electronic friends and mentors.