William Hillyard

Prior to embarking on this project, William Hillyard worked as a day laborer, a handyman, and in a guitar factory. He ran an environmental consulting firm, a restaurant, huge call centers, and hired, trained, and mentored hundreds of employees. He also made and lost a fortune in real estate, casting him into the downward spiral that sparked his Wonder Valley odyssey. An avid traveler, Hillyard has visited more than forty countries on five continents. He's crossed the equator by plane, boat, bus, and on foot; battled forty-foot seas in a thirty-five-foot sailboat; been chased by a wild orangutan in a Sumatran jungle; stared into the black pupil of a rebel Kalashnikov in the rainforest of Guatemala. William Hillyard received an M.F.A. in Creative Nonfiction and Screenwriting from UC Riverside where he was mentored by L.A. Times Book Critic and notable author David Ulin. His work has appeared in magazines and anthologies including the Denver Voice and Best American Nonrequired Reading. He currently live between Wonder Valley and Orange County, California. Visit him at www.williamhillyard.com