Herb Stokes grew up in the town of Glen Cove on the Long Island Sound in New York. He spent his boyhood climbing trees, fishing ponds, and exploring the waterways of the North Shore in his small boat. Upon early retirement from Swissair Airlines, he and his artist wife, Marianne, relocated to the Intracoastal Waterway in North Carolina. They did the boat and beach scene for a few years, but after a summer visit to Portland, decided the Pacific Northwest would be their home. Soon after, Herb enrolled in the Creative Writing program for seniors at Clark College under the guidance of teacher and friend, Debbie Guyol. With her help over thirteen years (and amid a few too many lawyer jokes), Herb developed his writing style -- a balanced commentary on the humor and poignancy of life. Herb is a regular reader at the Ghost Town Open Mic poetry series in Vancouver, WA.