Billy R WadeB. R. WADE, JR., though relatively new to fiction writing, has been all too happy to add it to his list of life accomplishments. Born in Roanoke, Virginia, he spent his teen years and much of his adult life in the Tampa Bay area of Florida. While in ampa, Bill worked in retail management before switching to a career as a computer systems analyst for the local school system. He changed careers again, after nearly twenty years of working with mainframe computers, and started a manufacturing company. Shortly after the turn of the century, he made his self-proclaimed escape to the mountains of West Virginia, where he still owns and operates a hobby kit manufacturing business. After enlisting in the U.S. Navy Reserve in 1969, he was called to active duty, and graduated top of his class from both basic training at Naval Training Center (NTC) Orlando, Florida, and Yeoman "A" School at NTC Bainbridge, Maryland. Soon after, he was assigned to the Naval Investigative Service Office in Norfolk, Virginia for nearly two years. Bill left active service as a Petty Officer Third Class, then spent three more years as a weekend reservist at his local Navy Reserve Center, assisting with the clerical demands of the center and a Seabee unit. And despite his busy work schedule, Bill obtained degrees in Business Management and Computer Science. He also took his business training a step further and studied marketing at the University of South Florida. Happily, all of Bill's business, educational, and military pursuits have provided him with plenty of inspiration and writing material. He has started the next adventure for his Fair Winds NIS novel protagonist, Marcus Colt. Bill attributes his new love of fiction writing to surviving brain surgery a few years ago. As he phrases it, some connections in his brain have found "new and definitely different pathways." Read More Read Less