Milan Williams

Milan Williams was born in Michigan, fourth in a family of nine children. He was raised in the northwest section of Detroit, an area filled with stay-at-home mothers, Ford employees and Police Officers. After high school he went directly into the world of work learning a variety of skills and landed at WDRQ-FM radio where he met his wife, Chris. They were blessed with two daughters and in his mid-thirties, after two years of cajoling and the promise 'it would only be for a year', he convinced his wife to sell everything, buy a boat and sail the Caribbean. The girls were eight and ten when they went to sea.

For the next two decades, using Florida as a base, he and Chris visited hundreds of islands in the tropics, usually living aboard. The athletic girls became skilled yachtsmen, sailing the thirty nine foot sailboat throughout the Caribbean. They also became Division One college volleyball players. His oldest earned a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Virginia Tech and a Master's from the University of Michigan in Naval Architecture. The youngest, a people person, attended Western Carolina U and the University of Georgia and holds several degrees specializing in Psychology.

Milan worked numerous jobs in between sailing trips, with the belief that he could do anything if it meant financing the next adventure. Chris, a Medical Lab Technologist, did the same at a variety of hospitals. Work was always about saving enough to make the next trek.

Grandchildren changed everything, there are now five, and a house was finally purchased in Florida. After two years of keeping the boat and the house the decision was finally made to sell the boat and become land based once again.

In 2009 Milan began competitive shooting through an organization called the International Defensive Pistol Association. IDPA match directors create scenarios to test skills at defensive shooting while timing participants. However, much like golf, you really only compete against your own skill level. With six divisions and five classifications per division there is a competitive slot for nearly all shooters. In addition to honing skills, participating reinforces safe gun handling practices.

Since joining IDPA Milan has become a Safety Officer, Chief Safety Officer, stage designer, Match Director and even ran two Florida State Championship matches. In addition he shoots skeet, trap, USPSA competitions, Two Gun (rifle and pistol) and Three Gun (rifle, shotgun and pistol) under the auspices of various national organizations.

Milan began writing a variety of articles (Sail, Cruising World, Latitudes and Attitudes) and stories before launching into a book. While sailing he met author Donald Hamilton, who published a book each year, and was inspired to continue his efforts which culminated in "Barrier of Thorns". Three other novels have followed.