Billy O'Connor

Billy O'Connor was born in County Cork, Ireland and grew up on the Bronx streets. After Vietnam, Billy was a Teamster, a pub and restaurant owner, and before becoming a N.Y.C firefighter for 23 years, an illegal bookie. He sailed dove and traveled the world burdened by his addiction to drugs and alcohol.

After the tragedy of 9/11 and the loss of 343 of his brother firefighters, he sobered up and attended the University of Florida. At the age of 62 he earned his journalism degree and began to write. He has written two highly praised weekly columns, two screenplays and numerous political pieces. He also finished in the final eight, two straight years, in Arizona's funniest comic contest out of nearly 800 contestants. If anyone personifies that life truly begins at 60, it is Billy O'Connor. He followed Confessions of a Bronx Bookie with his much-anticipated second novel, Da Mick. His writing is street raw, bare bones and gripping.