Thomas J LarsonThomas J. Larson is a wildlife ecologist and author of popular fiction. Larson worked 37 years with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Wildlife Refuge System. The Refuge System sent him to 20 states and China, feeding his appetite for travl. During his time with the Refuge System he worked on a wetland management district, served as project leader on two national wildlife refuges, and was the chief of the Division of Conservation Planning for an eight state area in the Midwest. Prior to this career, he joined the Peace Corps and found himself in West Africa working on a joint Peace Corps/United Nations national park development project. The two years spent living in Africa and studying the wildlife made a profound impression on him that influences his writing today. Inheriting his father's love of the outdoors, plants, and animals, Larson attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in wildlife ecology. The natural world has always intrigued Thomas. His fascination began on a small farm in southwestern Wisconsin where, at the age of four, he could scan the countryside as he sat perched on the back of a large draft horse, his father walking behind, guiding a cultivator to weed the young crops. The love of nature propelled him into his conservation career and is reflected in his writing. He now lives in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota where he, his wife, and twin daughters have ample opportunity to pursue their interests in hiking, canoeing, kayaking, and other outdoor activities. Read More Read Less