Allen Kurtz is the oldest child in a family of six. Born into a small Midwestern town filled with Democrats and union members, he was raised in a cloistered suburb of a small market big city, surrounded by fields of corn, soybeans, and horseradish. Kurtz is a self-proclaimed expert on most things he has an interest in, primarily history, politics, and music. He has been a registered Democrat, Republican and Libertarian; currently a stubborn vocal Independent and votes accordingly. "Grandpa’s Money" is his first serious attempt at writing something thoughtful and purposeful since college. A former business owner, Kurtz is also former junior high American History teacher, a Business Education senior high teacher, and a community college instructor where he learned to master everything but math and science. He is retired from both his teaching and business career, living with his wife and their rescue animals in a small desert town of the Southwest. He refuses to learn to golf.