A lifelong lover of books, writing, and sports, "Smokey Joe" Mayes is an award winning writer and erstwhile sports talk radio host. He has been published in local and national media and was awarded the 2009 Laurie O'Brien award for graduate nonfiction at the University of West Florida. Joe grew up in Northern California before moving to Germany to attend high school, where he met his future wife, Diane (though they had to wait nearly 40 years to close the deal). He is a twenty year US Air Force veteran, after which he rekindled his childhood (and often childish) passion for writing.Today, Joe lives in Krugerville, Texas with the lovely, albeit tiny, Diane, They are the faithful and loyal subjects of Her Royal Highness, The Notorious Z.O.E. who graciously allows them to live in her home. Diane and Joe are owners of Patchouli Joe's Books & Indulgences in Denton, Texas.
