<aside> <img src="/icons/map-pin_green.svg" alt="/icons/map-pin_green.svg" width="40px" /> Whitehorse, YT, Canada / Dota, Costa Rica
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Bruce L. Willis K. C., Juris Doctor, M.A., B.A. (Honours), FCIarb, a former army officer, lawyer and historian.
As a historian I had a wonderful find which made a major difference to my thesis. My honours thesis was about infantry recruitment in World War One. At the Department of National Defense in Ottawa in 1969 I discovered an unopened file of work that dealt with Battle Honours. During World War One, the government created numbered battalions from 1 to 260, with soldiers from the existing Militia units. After the war they wanted to award Battle Honours to specific units so examined where the men from the militia units originated to award the honours. The military spent years to determine this and the government did not repeat that error in World War Two and maintained existing militia units.
My first job as a historian was the day after graduation where I worked at Admiralty House at the Naval Base in Halifax writing the History of Officer’s life in Halifax. I interviewed retired officers and did research at the archives. My second job as a historian was writing the History of Shawinigan Engineering which includes Shawinigan Water and Power Company that developed the first hydro electric dams in Quebec.
As a lawyer I travelled on Court Circuits through out the Northwest Territories including what was then Coppermine and Frobisher Bay. In the Yukon I traveled to the communities and spent many years flying in and out of Old Crow. For the first part of my practice I worked in civil litigation, criminal and mining law. I researched the gold rush for my M.A. thesis that established the historical accuracy for many of my books. I visited Dawson City and the gold fields, which helped inspire the historical background behind The Klondike Detective series. My last twenty years of practice was in administrative law.
Beginning in 1981 I taught twelve courses at Yukon College, now Yukon University in Whitehorse including teaching with the University of Alaska South East to graduate students in administrative law for the MPA degree. Presently I teach Practice and Procedure for Tribunals, Understanding Legislation and Advanced Decision Writing.
A Yukoner/ Costa Rican, happily married with two wonderful daughters. I began writing fiction in 2016, which continues since I am working on my 11th book. I enjoy walking, spending time with family, friends, our pets, since we have four cats and three dogs. I was never a cat person but the world changed and Annie, our newest, enjoys lying in front of my keyboard when I am at work. I enjoy the ocean, travelling, reading, writing, watching movies and playing cards with my daughters.