Curtis D. Ruud, his mother's only son, lived for years on the windy plains of South Dakota, where he was born at a very early age; but when he learned that there were places in the world that got above zero--even in the summer--he moved to Florida, the land of fruits and nuts. He lives not too far from Mouse Town with his wife and son, enjoys eclectic writing and reading, collects first editions of ratiocinative novels, tries to lower his golf handicap to double digits, and works quite hard at being a reconstructed (but most sincere) Norgephile.