Dick TotinoRichard Totino was raised on an apple farm in the town of Marlboro in the mid-Hudson Valley of New York. His small-town roots and values have guided him throughout his entire life. Although he has traveled extensively, he still considers himself to b a small-town boy with small-town values. After his enlistment in the U.S. Army, he returned to college to complete his graduate degrees at the ripe old age of 34. His work in international sales and marketing provided him with an insight into many cultures and customs beyond our borders, and his extensive travel in the U.S. taught him that people everywhere are as open and friendly as you give them the opportunity to be. He likes to tell people, "I have slept in 49 states," which leads his wife to describe him as George Washington, who seems to have slept everywhere. Together with his wife Sharon, Dick now resides in North Carolina, where they soak up the sunshine and sea breezes. Their combined family includes eight children and five grandchildren, providing them with plenty to do and all the related challenges that go with keeping up with a large family. An avid hunter and outdoorsman, his personal experiences enhance in his writing. He refers to fall as "scrapbooking season," because that's when he leaves Sharon at home to occupy herself with her crafts while he escapes to the wilderness of North Carolina and the Adirondack Mountains of New York. He has been active in the Knights of Columbus, the Elks, Disabled American Veterans, the American Legion and as a crew boss with Lower Adirondack Search and Rescue (LASAR), participating in numerous search and rescue efforts throughout the region. Read More Read Less