I was born in Pawtucket, R.I. on March 17,1948. When I was nine my family moved to South County where I made an amazing transformation - from city-slicker to country bumpkin! At about this time I decided that the word 'Quahog' was actually pretty funny. But I kept it to myself. 

I attended Chariho High School in Wood River Junction - the coldest place on earth. On February 25th 1962 they recorded a low temperature of 987 degrees below 0 !!! During my high school years I drew weird pictures of my classmates and teachers while trying to ignore algebra. They put them in the class of '66 yearbook. Even the ones of the principal and superintendent ! A career is born making fun of people.

Then the U.S. Navy got me. They made me live in California, Florida and Washington D.C. The people I met in those places thought I talked funny and they thought I was from Boston, of all places. When they said that I had to slap them around a little. I made sure they learned about R.I. ! 

When I got out of the Navy I married Laura Partelo of Ashaway, R.I. Laura was just starting graduate school so I had to get a job. Remember, this is true stuff. So I got a job as a private detective for Pinkertons' International Detective Agency. My first assignment was as an undercover investigator in a sanitary napkin factory  I caught the crooks. It was kind of fun being a private eye but I thought I should go to college and maybe get a degree in art. 

I took a basic art course during my first semester at U.R.I. I got a 'c' I changed my major to anthropology. Armed with my anthropology degree I started my field work among the colorful yet odd group of people known as "Rhode Islanders". I wore a suit, carried a briefcase and daily went off to the city to my 'job' which was really cultural anthropology fieldwork. For six years I put my Pinkerton experience and my anthropology training to use.

In 1980 I was ready to report on my findings. 'Beware of the Quahog' was my first book. It went through eleven printings. I was on to something!  Then came 12 more books most with the word 'Quahog' in the title.  Barnes and Noble says I sell more books in R.I. than Stephen King. There are no Stephen King books with 'Quahog' in the title. 

Today, I am still married to Laura. We have two sons, Nate and Mike. Yeah, I got a 'c' in my only college art course. But in 1991 R.I. College gave me a Doctor of Fine Arts Degree - Honorary. 

I still think 'Quahog' is a pretty funny word. Only now, I'm not keeping it to myself.