About the author

Barbara J. Gilbert

Barbara J. Gilbert was born a military brat at Ft Jackson SC. Her early years were spent between there, and Ft Hood TX, Bonner Montana, and Kennewick WA.<br>​<br>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Along the way, she moved from being a wild child in the streets to being adopted, making her the oldest of three siblings. In Washington she got handed a fourth sibling, a little brother, who she cared for till her graduation from Kennewick High School and entry into the USAF.<br>​<br>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Her USAF career started as an Administrator, then Information Manager, to Aerospace Systems Warning Operator (tracking missiles and other threats)<br>​<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; After a medical retirement, she worked for the RadioShack, moved to an IT position at a Marketing company supplying condiments to the US Commissary Service Worldwide, and finally opening up a computer consulting, sales, and service company with her husband. As a spare-time project while running an IT department and family consulting firm she had two boys.<br>​<br>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;While still running the family business she was offered a teaching position at a charter high school.&nbsp; Changing career tracks yet again, she became a teacher of English, Computer Apps, Computer Repair, Consumer Math, Principles of Business, Physics, and Earth Science.&nbsp; In the public-school system, she taught Computer Apps, Business, E-commerce, and Web Design.<br>​<br>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Moving back to her spiritual home in Montana, she again taught Earth Science and Computer Applications (MAC).<br>​<br>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;A second medical disability ended her teaching career and moved her back into a full-time&nbsp;domestic engineering position.<br>​<br>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Her hobbies in (prize winning) photography, painting, Ham Radio, SCUBA Diving, and a host of other interests keep her busy on good days, and she manages to get by on the bad ones.<br>​<br>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Writing got started with a NaNoWriMo challenge to her sons and seems to have led her to yet another success.<br>​<br>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;An amazing person, she just keeps adding to her list of accomplishments.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; – Ted C Hall (AKA The Ex)