I was born in the high country of Boone, North Carolina. The mountains were a beautiful place to spend my younger years, but I didn't know that then. Bristol Tennessee/Virginia has been home for most of my adult life. It is in the mountains I love and great tor outdoor activities. In school, I read sea tales in the time of sail and pirates until I discovered sci-fi. Writers like Asimov, Heinlein and Clarke went to the top of my reading list. I took the trail into mechanical engineering. My reading went to Crichton, Cussler, and Clancy and then drifted into things like archaeology, geology and history.