Ben Towe grew up in southwestern Virginia. He graduated from Mt. Airy, NC, High School in 1968, Davidson College in 1972, and the University of Virginia School of Medicine in 1976. He served in the United States Army as a medical officer from 1976 to 1981 and has been in private practice in Augusta, Georgia, since 1981. He has been married to Libby Dawson since 1973, and has three daughters, Heather, Mandi, and Sheri. Ben enjoys fantasy novels and lists among his heroes JRR Tolkien, Carl Sagan, Gene Roddenberry, Peter Jackson, and Ray Bradbury. Ben thanks his Uncle Jay Towe for his encouragement, love of reading, and kindred spirit. Ben also thanks the intrepid Dungeons and Dragons party from the early ‘80’s: Roy, John, Sherry, Lib, Janet, Don, and all the “hirelings”.