Cast of Characters
The Author:
I'm Frank Walter, and here's the short version: We grew up in the Philadelphia area, my siblings and I, children of divorced parents. I went to Catholic school through twelfth grade, emerging as a band geek and theatre kid. I studied secondary education at Penn State, didn't have the money to finish, and joined the Navy ROTC for the scholarship. I turned a five-year obligation into a 25-year career and retired after serving as a destroyer captain and carrier reactor officer. I live in Virginia with my wife Penelope and children Lilly and Indy (names changed for their privacy). My day job working energy projects in a Fortune 500 company pays the bills.
I've been writing for over 30 years but only in my own notebooks. I figured it’s about time to send the choice bits into the world (I will spare you the rest, letting it crumble to dust from yellowing pages).
You’ll see some overlap between my (very brief) biography and the “cast of characters” on this site. That’s intentional. Each one has a unique perspective, and at one time or another had the dominant voice in my mind. They tell stories rooted in my personal history but with fictional elements, mostly to protect others and make things more interesting. I've learned over the years to give full voice to my different selves – especially the embarrassing, angry, disillusioned, and shadowy selves – to keep me firmly (if just barely) on this side of bonkers. These voices are: