I am currently living in my home state of Ohio, but have spent considerable time in the western states, including having owned a North Dakota cattle ranch, which was a major inspiration for my first novel, Ranch Park. I have also traveled extensively in Montana; so of course I had to set a novel in Big Sky Country. Many authors are in love with their hometowns and write about the places they call home; however I find it much more fun to write about places where I have had great vacations. It makes writing a kind of virtual vacation for me. I like rural and outdoors settings best, so you’ll find Will Nickerson doing his sleuthing in the company of small town folk, farmers and modern day cowboys. In addition to writing, I am a small businessman myself, like my fictional character Will Nickerson. I plan to get back into cattle ranching with the eventual goal of opening an agritourism operation, as well as writing more novels. I enjoy a wide variety of activities, including hiking, cycling, horseback riding, sailing, skiing, swimming, photography, reading, gourmet cooking, gardening, foreign language studies and travel. I have traveled extensively in the US and Canada and have visited Australia, New Zealand and six European countries. Mystery Under Montana Skies is the sixth volume in the Will Nickerson Mysteries series, following Ranch Park, It’s A Place For Trees, Viking It Is, Let’s Make It Merry Christmas and What’s Up In Wyoming. I also have a ghost story, Mrs. Treaster’s Bed & Breakfast, which is not a part of the series, but I have an idea for a sequel to it, so it could be the starting point for a new series in a different genre.