Born in 1938, I spent my first twelve years on Salt Spring Island, then a year in Victoria, three in Langford and one in Castlegar, B.C. For anyone counting, that got me through high school since I started a year early. A year at Victoria College and four at UBC resulted in a Bachelor of Applied Science degree majoring in mathematics, physics and electronics.
This prepared me well for a job in eastern Canada or the United States. The Avro Arrow cancellation two years earlier decimated the Canadian aviation and electronics industry, which led me to look south. I spent thirty-five years with The Boeing Company in a variety of engineering and management jobs rising to Chief Engineer, Avionics and Flight Systems.
Engineering and creative writing may seem strange bedfellows because of the stereotypical view of an engineer as an analytical machine that borders on nerdism.
In fact, creative engineers are the backbone that drives technological advances. I’m on the far end of the spectrum, loving to create new things and happy to let someone else take on the drudgery of details.
Along the way, I discovered that software development can be as creative as it is regimented. After retiring from Boeing, my focus turned first to financial advisor software development (to selfishly improve the protection of my retirement nest-egg).
For years I buried an urge to write a major piece of fiction, due mainly to the pressures of earning an honest living. It was finally allowed to emerge late in 2008 and since has provided hours of fun and significant satisfaction.
