Russell A. Vassallo was born in Newark, New Jersey, on April 24, 1934.  Beseiged by asthma, bronchial pneumonia and mastoiditis, he spent his winters alone and bedridden where his favorite pastime was reading the classics. Russ attended Seton Hall University where he majored in political science and literature.  His penchant for words helped to earm him part of his college tuition by writing short stories for other students.  He entered Seton Hall University School of Law in September, 1958, and graduated three years later.  Due to financial circumstances at home, Russ did not apply for admission to the New Jersey Bar for ten years.  In the interim, he worked for two major insurance companies as an investigator and started his own investigation and subpeona business.  Although he was highlyes regarded in both businesses, Russ decided to take the Bar exam and passed on the first try. Russ's first marriage ended in the 1970s and in 1983 he met his present wife, Virginia, who encouraged him to battle back against depression by writing short stories.  To his surprise, he discovered that growing older and maturing had given him more insight and depth for his writing. Never one to sit still, Russ is always out and about on the farm, whether it is clearing trails in the woods for horseback riding, cutting logs for firewood or maintaining the property.  He spearheaded the local project to bring county water down his road, a road that had been forgotten in many water projects. When he is home, he can usually be found in his study writing, often with a cat sunning himself on the printer. Russ and Virginia now live on their farm in rural Kentucky with six horses, two dogs and five cats, all of whom provide Russ with countless animal stories. Russ is the father of four children, two step-children and thirteen grandchildren.

Virginia Gillespie Vassallo was born in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, on April 11, 1951.  She graduated cum laude from The Kimberley School in June, 1969, and spent her freshman year of college at Jackson College, Tufts University.  After marriage she attended Susquehanna University, and, two children later, she graduated from Montclair State University in 1979 with a BA in history. As a single mother looking for a better job with more income, Virginia entered the Seton Hall University School of Law in 1982 where she obtained her JD and was admitted to the New Jersey Bar in 1986. Virginia's roots hail back to the founding of our country.  Her Quaker relatives arrived in Pennsylvania with William Penn, and some of them ultimately owned most of the colony of Delaware.  Another relative is believed to have captained a supply ship for Jamestown colony.  Eleazer Robinson and Henry Clayton fought in the Revolutionary War.  The artist, Benjamin West, is probably the most well-known of her ancestors.  And, of course, there is her grandfather, Guy T. Viskniskki, who founded The Stars and Stripes newspaper during World War I. Of English, Irish, Scottish, Polish and German ancestry, Virginia never intended writing a book of any kind.  But in her search for the grandfather she never knew, she uncovered his personal memoirs and historical data which compelled her to write her grandfather's story, a process that lasted almost ten years. Virginia's interest in history is evidenced by her membership in the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Kentucky Historical Society and POINT.  She is also a member of the Kentucky Mountain Horse Association and the European-Pacific Stars and Stripes Association. Virginia has two children, four step-children and thirteen grandchildren.