George O. Bancroft

The modest neighborhood in Oakland, California buzzed with excitement that summer of 1955. Why was the FBI asking questions about 16 year old George Bancroft? They had all been warned not to discuss the interview with anyone else, but the neighbors couldn’t help wondering out loud what the boy had done. It must be something big for the feds to be involved, right? Not really. As it happened I had taken a civil service exam that June and had passed high enough to qualify for a pipefitter apprenticeship at the Naval Air Station in Alameda. The job required that I be able to go anywhere on the base, and for that I needed a “Top Secret” security clearance. Therefore, the FBI did a background check.

In May of the following year I joined the California National Guard. With my security clearance, I could easily qualify for duty in Army Intelligence - G2. But I had other ideas, I loved mechanics and wanted to work on big trucks so opted for the motor pool. But what if I had gone into G2? What kind of military life would I have had. That question has come back to haunt me down the years, so I started spinning the “what ifs” and came up with Owen Stanley in Hangman’s Awakening.

I joined the world of computers and high tech electronics in 1962 and have been deep in it ever since. For the last 20+ years I worked I was a senior technical writer and have written technical papers for computer products, cable and satellite TV equipment and IBM’s cellphone ASIC chip development.

But now I am retired and have made the transition from the mundane world of documenting what is exactly, to the challenging world of what might be - with no limits. The trilogy: Saving Armont contains; 5th Millennium, Ancient Cities, and The One were my first steps in this new world of lies and deceit where nothing is true or real. That, of course, is what fiction is - made up stories - sometimes called lies. I've found its far more fun than the boring truth about what circuit does what when building a cellphone or any of the other truths found in the 11,000+ pages of technical documentation I've written.

This is the new hobby I have been looking for since he gave up TaeKwonDo in 1998. After a hard kick to the ribs, I found I just didn’t heal like I did thirty years ago. It was time to admit there were things I couldn’t do - like spar with 20 and 30 years olds - three times a week. So now I do it in his mind - much better for the ole bod.

I live in North San Diego County with my wife of 53 years and we enjoy visits from their three grown children and two grandchildren.

To learn about me and my books go to my website at: http://georgeobancroft.wixsite.com/bookbygobancroft