Bill Thompson is a best-selling author, public speaker, and native North Carolinian who writes about the South and, in particular, North Carolina. He has written nine books, including the best-selling short story collection, Sweet Tea, Fried Chicken and Lazy Dogs. Bill's column, "Front Porch Stories," was a regular feature in Our State magazine for almost a decade. Additionally, he wrote a column that ran in over thirty newspapers across the Carolinas, and his work has been featured in Garden and Gun and Oxford American magazines. He received a BA in English from Campbell University and an MA in journalism from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In the course of his career, Bill has been involved in a variety of occupations focused on public relations and fundraising. He retired as President of Boys and Girls Homes of North Carolina in 2007, an organization with which he was involved for over forty years. Bill is presently a speaker, performer, and emcee for festivals and charity events across the Southeast. He is a proud father and grandfather and lives in his hometown of Hallsboro, North Carolina.