Born and raised in Reno, Nevada, I joined the USMC in 1965. I survived two tours in Viet Nam, and retired in 1985. I'm currently living in Carson City, Nevada with my wife and daughter. How did I get started writing? As a construction inspector, you have a lot of time on your hands sitting around watching other people work and getting paid for it. My present paying occupation is as a NICET Certified Geotechnicial Engineering Construction Inspector/ICBOStructural Masonry Inspector. Fancy title, huh. I earned an Associate of Science Degree in Design Drafting from Consumnes River College, Scaramento, Calif. Well, back to the story. There is also a lot of time that is spent reading, not necessarily the specifications for the job either. About 4 years ago I was observing a large fill placement of soils that couldn't be tested and during the course of the day I began to write down notes on what I thought would be a story. One thing led to another and those notes became chapter one, (Printed on 8 1/2 X 14 legal pads.) while sitting in the cab of my truck. I have always been a great science fiction fan. So I just let my imagination wander and little by little a story seems to piece it's self together. That was the case with "The Return" my first book. In it the question arose about the Big Bang. Did it occur naturally or was it caused?