Alan E Taylor was born in Barrow in Furness, son of a soldier and riveter in the Vickers Naval shipyard. His mother later remarried.The authors' hobbies through his life were sport, reading, fly fishing, martial arts and orienteering. His biggest pastimes were backpacking, rock climbing, mountaineering and fell walking. His influential authors were Alistair MacLean, Ernest Hemingway, and more.Through his love of martial arts he has always been interested in Qigong(Chi Kung) and has increasingly become interested in Shaolin Warrior Qigong and Chan(Zen) Buddhism. Today he practices meditation and Zen Buddhism.