My family and I moved from Oroville, California, to Pace, Florida, in 2001. I am a retired military veteran, having served 5 years in the Army and 17 years in the Navy. I have a treasure trove of experiences to reference, starting with my turbulent childhood to my military career and beyond. When I lived in Oroville, California, I prospected for gold in the south-fork of the Feather River, explored old abandoned gold mines, and hiked through the Desert State Park in southern California. I have three books published, “Monk’s Journey,” “Reach,” and a book of poetry and short stories “Reflections with Emotion.” I have written two more manuscripts, “The Cove and A Brother’s Goodbye” (Commercial Fiction), “The Cave and The Jack Spade Gold” (Commercial Fiction). I consider myself fully qualified to write on these subjects. My books are more than imagination-filled works of Fiction. Many of my life’s experiences inspired them.