G.L. (Jerry) O'Connor is an educator (over 30 years in the junior high classroom), a humorous speaker (over 30 years on the banquet circuit), a raconteur ( life-long story teller of tall tales, soft lies and good jokes) and an entrepreneur (makes and markets the world's greatest Mustard). He is an over-the-hill North Dakota native descended from ter- ritorial pioneers. He grew up in a loud and wonderful family of twelve children where he learned to shout, defend himself and, now and then, ask permission. Jerry and his wife of forty-plus years have raised three of their own. He earned his Bachelor's degree from the University of North Dakota (he's a Fighting Sioux) and his Master's Degree from Texas A&M (Yep, he's an Aggie, too.). If you add up all the years, he has spent over half his life in the classroom. Now that he's retired, Jerry has more time to spend writing. He has completed his first full-length novel (a western), a shorter nov- elette (also a western) and a novelette for young readers (a mystical fantasy adventure). He has also written articles and poems, most of which have not been published...yet.