George L. Vickery About the Author (briefly) George L. Vickery has been writing all his life. An award-winning essayist, poet, journalist and editor, he served as chief writer of the PsyWar Division in the U.S. Army. He wrote and directed a play, Paper Is Cheaper than Blood, which was staged in five European countries and adapted a short story he wrote, The Day There Was No News, which aired on radio and television. He owned a public relations firm in Miami and held corporate executive positions before launching a national real estate development company based in Atlanta. Currently, George and his wife Kitty live on a salt marsh creek near Georgetown, S.C., with two cats, Inky and Booboo. This is his first novel. About the Author (wordily) In the publishing trade, the paragraph above is what is called “marketing copy” and is limited in word count. If you want to know more, read on. Born in Atlanta during the Great Depression, George was brought up in Miami, Florida. He won a county-wide essay contest at the age of thirteen. He was editor-in-chief of his high school newspaper and also the University of Miami Hurricane, the only large-school paper in the country that year to win All-American status. He was tapped for academic and honor societies and was named as “outstanding senior” in 1953—a co-title he held with Jerry Herman, who headed for Broadway and “Hello Dolly” fame. After a brief stint as editor of the South Miami Tribune, George was drafted into the U.S. Army where he served as chief writer of the Psychological Warfare Division in both the United States and Europe. The early days of television served as his first career opportunity. After ten years, most of it as promotion manager of WTVJ-CBS in Miami, he opened his own PR and Advertising firm in Miami, George Vickery Associates, with clients including National Airlines, Storer Broadcasting, Wometco Enterprises, Renault Autos and Rit Dye. He then entered the corporate world as communications director of Fuqua Industries in Atlanta. After two years on the road counseling the marketing directors of the 20 companies in the conglomerate, Fuqua sent him to head sales and marketing at Inverrary, a thousand-acre resort development in Fort Lauderdale. From his TV days, he renewed his friendship with Jackie Gleason, using him as the national face of the community, including the Jackie Gleason Inverrary Classic, the richest golf tournament of its time. When the project sold out he took over marketing and sales for Arvida Corporation, including Boca West’s five golf courses and the Boca Raton Hotel and Resort. In 1979, George launched Equity Realty, Inc., a national real estate development corporation based in Atlanta. ERI operated in five states and created $100 million in sales. He continued to free-lance his writing and photography throughout his business career. In 1984, he published a book of poetry titled The Book You Give to Someone You Love. After retiring, his love of the outdoors earned him a Coast Guard Captain’s license and later a seat on the governing board of the S.C. Department of Natural Resources. When not writing or traveling with Kitty, George plays golf and takes his little john boat to fish in the salt water creeks of the South Carolina lowcountry.