David Holly lives on the side of a snow-capped mountain in Oregon under tall trees with a tempestuous river rushing by. He has held various positions in life ranging from hotel manager to college professor. At one time he owned a nursery where he propagated house plants, and at another time he owned a book shop. His personal tastes run to literature, mystery, science fiction, strong coffee with chicory, and large quantities of red wine. As with this novel, most of his fiction is set upon his native soil.