I grew up on a ranch in southern Idaho. It is here that I developed a love of the land and animals, unspoiled places that when I'm there I sometimes think; "This country probably looked this way a 150 years ago." I'm so grateful that places like this still exist in our modern times. My desire to write started at a very young age - about nine, as I recall. And too, my interest in western history began around this time. I was a voracious reader of the various western history magazines. I felt a connection of sorts to the characters in these magazines as my great grandmother single handedly captured several bank robbers who came to my grandparent's ranch wanting food and water. Writing, however, was something that I did in my spare time until about two years ago when I retired from a career as a wildlife biologist and wildland firefighter. Now, I spend a good deal of my time writing. I enjoy writing as it seems to come easy and it gives me satisfaction. When I'm not writing, my wife, our dog Bella, and I are usually hiking in the mountains of Montana or Idaho and fishing. I've read books by most of the prominent western authors but the writers who have influenced me most are probably; Hemingway, Ivan Doig and Thomas Savage.