B L VoorheesB.L. Voorhees has lived a uniquely interesting and colorful life. From being in the first graduating class at the University of California Irvine and a member of both its crew and national championship swim team, to becoming a lifeguard in nearby Lagna Beach, after which he became a member of the Air Force Para Rescue Team, perhaps the military's most elite Special Forces unit. He returned to rowing after leaving the military, winning the legendary Catalina to Long Beach World Long Distance Dory Championship, but his hopes for the Olympics were dashed when President Jimmy Carter canceled America's participation that year. Mr. Voorhees went on to complete graduate school, earning an MFA in Professional Writing from the University of Southern California, at the same time traveling the world as an aide to senior members of the Saudi Royal Family. He has studied with many renowned mystics and thinkers, including Alan Watts, Carlos Castaneda, Robert Bly, and Andrew Weil, along with physicist and body expert Moshe Feldenkries and Arica Institute founder Oscar Ichazo. He was also accepted into the Institute For The Study Of Human Knowledge founded by the renowned Sufi, Idries Shah. Mr. Voorhees teaches part time as an adjunct professor of mid-eastern history and religious studies at the University of New Mexico in Taos. He is also a world-class tournament poker player, if you dare to meet him on the green felt. His new book, The Hollow Fortress, is the first in a series of mystical stories that draw from his Special Forces background, as well as his insights into the nature of the human soul. Read More Read Less