Stuart Woods' career hasn’t been limited to writing. In 1960, he moved from Georgia to New York City to become a writer, but ended up working in advertising instead. He also enlisted in the Air National Guard, where he spent 10 months in Germany during the Berlin Wall crisis. It wasn’t until Woods moved to Ireland that he began to write a novel, although that was interrupted 100 pages in when he discovered a passion for sailing. After competing in the Observer Singlehanded Transatlantic Race and the Fastnet Race in the 70s, he returned to Georgia and resumed writing once more. Woods is now the author of 33 novels. His most recent book, Bel-Air Dead, is out this month. Photo credit: Harry Benson