I was born in Mobile, Alabama and raised in a tiny country town forty-five miles north of there known as McIntosh, Alabama.      In the thirty-seven years (1963-2000) I lived in or around McIntosh I don't believe the population ever got over 250. I think it's a lot less than that today.      I grew up in a time when everybody knew everybody and helped one another when they could or was needed. The people in "Tosh" have a different outlook on life than the rest of the world. It's laid-back, quiet and peaceful. It is the place where I was taught to fear God, stand up for my country, work hard to protect and raise my family, bring honor to my family name, be a valuable member of my community and take care of the gifts of nature God gave us. America's gone through a lot of changes since 1963, but then again, so have I. My writing reflects my "Christian, Small Town, Blue Collar, Southern Gentleman Storyteller on a global stage" style. My influences are John Steinbeck, Louis L'Amour, Garrison Keillor, Truman Capote, Harper Lee and Kathryn Tucker Windham (whom I consider to be a friend).