Bill Forstchen was born in 1950 and grew up in Millburn, NJ and Hightstown, NJ. Educated by Benedictine monks, he is grateful today for being expelled from the monastic school and sent to a co-ed public institute. In the late 1970s he moved to Maine where he taught Middle and Secondary school for ten years while publishing his first novels, the Ice Prophet trilogy, Into the Sea of Stars, and The Gamester Wars.
In 1989, Bill won an Andrew's Fellowship to Purdue University where he pursued his Ph.D. in History with a specialization in the American Civil War. While at Purdue he met Sharon Vassar, a fellow graduate student studying Russian, and they were married in 1992. The following year their daughter Meghan arrived.
His doctoral dissertation, The 28th USCTs, Indiana's African-Americans go to War, 1863-1865 became the foundation for his award winning novel, We Look Like Men of War.
In 1993, Bill became an assistant professor of history at Montreat College, Montreat, NC, just outside of Asheville. He is now an associate professor.
Starting in 1998, he became involved in archaeological research, first in Russia, and for the last three years in Mongolia, pursuing his interest in the history of the empire of Chinggis Khan. His travels have taken him across Mongolia where he truly enjoys the local cuisine of roasted marmot and aureg, which is fermented horse milk.
His other interests include metal detecting (and if any fan has a good Civil War site, on private property, please extend an inivte!), travel, historical research, and live action role playing games. This author has been recommended by 30 other readers. | |
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