Archie West grew up on a small, family farm in rural Kansas. He served two years as an enlisted soldier with the US Army in Vietnam. After leaving the Army, he married his high school sweetheart and eventually earned a math degree from the University of Missouri. Archie spent a 30 year career working in the defense industry where the majority of the programs he labored on were ultimately canceled by the government. He took up writing in an attempt to overcome the frustrations of government contract work. Over the years Archie provided some marginal assistance to his wife while she successfully raised their three children. Archie and his wife now live in California where they care for a few rescue animals and two old cars.