The first book Mark read, other than "See Spot Run", was "Rocketship Galileo" in the 2nd grade. He was restricted from the library in the 3rd grade because it was such a wondrous place, he forgot to do his "real" homework. Things haven't changed much since.

Mark has been an Air Force officer fuzzing radars, a bouncer, a technology consultant, geek in a cube in a couple .com's, folk singer, and recently retired faculty in MIS. He has published papers and conference proceedings on Computer Security, Hacking Motivations, Geographical Information Systems, and Grizzly Bear Habitat. Academically, Mark has a BS in Computer Science from MSU, MBA from UND, MS in CS from WSU, and a PhD at the U of I focusing on Cyber Security. Mark has promised his wife he will enter a 12-step program to kick his education habit.

When he was younger, Mark competed as an IPF power lifter and was a technical rock climber. Mark's hobbies include Civil War Reenacting, Reading, Folk Guitar, and cooking gourmet food for his wife of 40 years and 3 grown offspring. Mark is also known as a gamer and author. His fifth novel, “This Fine and Pyrrhic Beauty” now out on Amazon.