Brian Tremain Gill is an international lawyer by trade, a former quasi diplomat by accident, and a writer by calling. His middle name comes from the children's book by Esther Forbes. He might have lived up to literary expectations sooner if not for a habit of venturing off to faraway lands-although consequently he would have fewer interesting tales to tell. In 1992, Brian spent the summer in Armenia, where he endured bombardments from neighboring Azerbaijan. Eight years later, he worked in Turkmenistan under constant surveillance. He, his wife, and their first son were in Kyrgyzstan during the coup of 2005, living within yards of a street beset by looters and arsonists. In 2008, his family, now with a second son, managed to be in the middle of both a shelling (Ashkelon, Israel) and war (Tbilisi, Georgia). Brian's professors had emphasized that international law may be practiced from the comfort of an air-conditioned office. Approximately once a month, he regrets not heeding their advice. The rest of the time he feels deeply enriched by his encounters and grateful to have emerged unscathed. Every day he hopes to put his experiences to positive use.