Randall Jarmon did not start out to be a novelist. One summer he ran out of things to do at a rustic lakeside cabin in New York's Adirondack State Park. He began his first book just to keep busy. One of these days, he might rewrite that book.

            He has a so-so engineering degree, a pretty good MBA, and a PhD well worth the effort. Spend that much time in classrooms, and one can hope to write well about technology and commerce. He also learned enough about bureaucracy to be wary of it.

            His accounts of ordnance, tactics, and martial arts should be sound. Dr. Jarmon has had his humble share of military experience, and knows the tactical world fairly well for a committed civilian. He's still not too bad a marksman, even in West Texas wind.

            Dr. Jarmon, his wife, and their golden retriever live in Texas – someplace on the rim of Palo Duro Canyon, which starts near Amarillo and tries unsuccessfully to reach Austin.

            Randall Jarmon has another book on the way. His Web site, and his blog, are at www.randalljarmon.com.