William Kelly has worked in the field of information science for twenty years. He is a veteran of the United States Navy and has served as a volunteer firefighter for twenty-eight years. He graduated from college three times, with degrees in the arts and sciences and legal studies. He researched parts of this, his second novel, in locations similar to those that are described within the story. He studied at the Hurricane Island Outward Bound School and also at the United States Space Camp. He practices Okinawan Karate and is an enthusiastic outdoorsman, sailor and amateur astronomer.