A hands-on tool for the training of new internal quality assurance auditors in the ISO 9000, QS 9000 and ISO 14000 markets.
Don L. Freeman doesn't remember his birth, because he was too young at the time, but he was told he was born in Oakland, CA and was soon whisked away to Oklahoma where he spent the next 22 years of his life.
One of his earliest memories is telling stories to his classmates in elementary school in Oklahoma City. "My biggest ambition at the time, I remember, was to draw a realistic horse, but, try as I may, I couldn't do it. So, I started writing a story about a horse and left it to my artisically gifted classmate to draw the pictures."
Somehow he graduated from high school in a small, rural community in Southeast Oklahoma. He was a class clown and a performer with a local band. "Back in those days, the schools still spanked, and I got a spanking with a big wooden paddle for clowning around during the rehearsel for my high school graduation." His great desire at that time was to act out his stories, and he went to Oklahoma University to study theatre. "College was a traumatic experience because I soon learned that I didn't have sufficent tools for college work. Acting was great, but the academics almost killed me." He acted out stories and wrote stories in play form, and one of his plays was produced by a fellow student. Defeating the odds, he graduated from OU in 1962 with a BFA and teaching certificate and took a job teaching school in a small town in Western Kansas. That agriculturaly rich, wind-swept country renewed his love for the Great Plains, the history and the people. He told his stories to freshman high school kids during this time.
He went into the Army in 1963 and attended Artillery Officer Candidate School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. He was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant and applied for flight school. While waiting for a "slot," he served with an artillery battalion support the Artillery school and developed a deep respect for "cannon cockers." He got his wings in in 1965 and was a flight/ground instructor and shipped out to Vietnam in may of 1967. He flew helicopters in Vietnam until December of 1968, and he left active duty with Army at that time.
"My dream then was to direct films, but the University of California at Irvine started a Masters program in theatre and I was one of the first 9 students they took. It was a great expierence. I had the chance to study writing with Mr. William Inge, acting with Mr. Curt Conway and I met a writer whose works I had admired, Oakley Hall." Don got an acting job with the Seattle Repretory theatre and was a cast member in 1970-71. "It became more important for me to tell stories rather than act out the stories, and I concentrated on writing."
He became an instructional designer and developer and began to sell stories--weaterns and adventures--to magazines. Four of his western stories were nominated for a Golden Spur Award. He completed a novel at this time, which ultimately became "Children of the Shadows," published by Zebra in '90. Later he was to publish "The Quality Auditor's Handbook."
He has been married for over 40 years and is in complete shock that his wife has been able to put up with him for all those years. He has two daughters, both grown with families of their own. "They Say There is a Ghost" was written for his oldest daughter, Patricia.
"I am fascinated by the importance of story-telling, in whatever form it takes. Not only is great fun to create and work out stories, it is a task to be approached with reverence because of how important stories are to people. I come to story-teller with enthusiasm and humility. It is an honor to be able to tell stories that are meaningful to other people."
Don L. Freeman lives in Southern CA.
