Bud Maxwell
In the background is the Catalina Island Golf Course
as seen from tee #4.

























Born and raised in the Midwest, Bud graduated from a very strict
college-prep military school, Missouri Military Academy in Mexico, MO.
In fact, he credits his ability to write novels directly to the intensive
academic standards of the academy. That and all the crime reports he
wrote over the years as a police officer, "mostly fiction," he sometimes
jokes. At the age of twenty-one, Bud joined the Phoenix Police
Department. During his career he worked as a patrol officer, a solo
motorcycle cop, federal grants coordinator, dog handler, and he walked
the beat in the rough skid row sections of downtown. Early in his career,
when confronted by an armed burglary suspect, he survived a deadly gun
battle. Bud is likely one of the more highly decorated officers of the
department, earning two Medals of Valor and a Lifesaving Medal.

Below is a photo of Bud at the age twenty-four on his police Harley
in 1977. This was taken from a scene in the Clint Eastwood
movie, The Gauntlet. Bud, along with hundreds of other officers,
took vacation time to act as extras in the movie.



















Also, see Bud's new ebook, How to Beat a D.U.I., please go to:
how2beatadui.com.

When Bud retired from his law enforcement career he decided to take
some time for himself and he loaded up his two rope horses and headed
for Cochise County. For the next couple of years he rode the high desert
and mountains around Tombstone and Bisbee. It was there he found plenty
of jackpot team and calf roping's where fists of cash were always
available for the best cowboy, and there were enough of the smaller
circuit rodeos around where Bud usually took home the buckle in the
bareback event. Some suspect that Bud went to southern Arizona
to conduct research for his first novel, Cutter Hagen, U.S. Marshal,
but the truth is he hadn't yet even thought about becoming a novelist.
But even a cowboy can only rope so many steers, throw so many calves,
drink so many beers, and two-step to so many country songs before he
finally realizes that there must be a little more to life than having a
great time. So he once again loaded up his roping ponies and
pointed his rig toward Las Vegas. He had heard about the construction
boom in southern Nevada and he wanted in on his share of that money.
It wasn't long before Bud started his own excavation company which
employed eleven backhoe operators, a couple mechanics and
an office staff of one. And it was at this time in his life that Bud
decided it was time to write his first novel. An avid reader of
Zane Grey and Louis L'Amour, Bud wanted to write a classic
western, and he accomplished that in just thirty days! Then he spent
the following year editing the manuscript. After his first novel was
complete, Bud went on to write a murder-mystery and then two
more westerns, both sequels to the first.

But having the ability to write good novels doesn't mean they will
ever be published, and Bud was in for a big surprise when he
began mailing out query letters to agents and publishing companies. It
took thousands of dollars in postage, office products, numerous worn
out printers, cases of ink cartridges and five full years before he
finally signed a publishing deal. "It was all worth the frustration and the
time it took," he said in a recent radio interview. "When I received my
author's copies about a year after signing the contract and I saw my
work in novel form and gazed at the cover art, I knew then that it had
all been worth it!"

Although Bud misses the mystique of southern Arizona and the
enchantment of the cool pines of the Mogollon Rim, he is now happy
to be living full-time on Catalina Island. The pace of life is quiet
and he enjoys the small town ways. His daily rounds of
leisurely golf, an occasional fishing excursion, or simply taking a
walk down the Green Pleasure Pier make it all worthwhile.
Bud and long-time girlfriend, Julie, divide their time among the
Island, Malibu and Palm Springs.

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Bud Maxwell
Catalina Island Novelist and Screenwriter