Chuck Nelson grew up on a cattle ranch in rural Siskiyou County, California. He received a BA in public administration with a specialization in police administration and had a thirty-four-year career in law enforcement. The author of five books, including his memoir, Life at the End of a Dirt Road, and Wearing the Blue, became a widower in 2022. He has one daughter and two grandchildren. His longstanding hobby is fine art photography, which is available online at www.chucknelsonphotography.com and in galleries.