Jim McConkey

At age twelve, Jim McConkey dreamed of being a writer like his father. So he did farm work, washed dishes, pumped gas, drove a school bus, delivered papers, drafted business letters, and got a BA in journalism. After doing irrigation in the Peace Corps in India, he furthered his dream by becoming a carpenter. His article on window repair in The Old House Journal brought legions of jobs fixing windows. He worked for Disabled Sports USA, as a copy photographer, and in a print shop, writing and getting rejected as time allowed. With publication of his magnum opus, To the Far Side of Planet Earth, about his Peace Corps exploits in India, the dilettante was redeemed at age 67.