Will Maas

Born in Washington, Iowa on February 13, 1947, this writer's boyhood heroes were Mark Twain and Abraham Lincoln. Not surprisingly, these fellows were featured in two of his 11 books: "Down the Mississippi, Down to New Orleans," and "In Lincoln's Footsteps."

From 1965-1968, Will Maas served three tours of combat duty in Vietnam, mostly with the U.S. Army Pathfinders who were called "Blackhats." Two of his books tell the story of these "First In-Last Out" paratroopers, in their own words.

A movie reviewer in 2002 called Maas the "star" of a documentary film, "Presumed Guilty," which played on PBS and local affiliates and at film festivals across the nation and received critical kudos. The behind-the-scenes story of the filming of Maas's high profile San Francisco "Pink Tarantula Murder Case" is told in a chapter titled "Movie Star." It is found in Maas's last book, "In Lincoln's Footsteps."

Maas lives with his wife Rosario in Concord, California. He is working to finish book number 12, slated for publication later in 2026.