Born on July 1, 1932, Richard Stephens was the oldest of a loving brood of twelve. He developed a variety of interests at a very early age but music fast became his passion. Singing and piano were at the leading edge of his interests but the lack of funds prevented him from working with a teacher and so at age 14, Richard decided to teach himself how to read music and play piano, which was the
instrument provided at his school. He developed his singing and performed on radio and TV and at age 25, received a request from agents of the New York Metropolitan and the Chicago Opera to come study but because of family, he declined. But Richard continued to sing. He began writing by accident by taking notes about family and life. This book was written because Richard himself was a smoker and watched his father and friends die in their late forties and early fifties because of smoking. He decided to do his own research and write about it; hence, this book. After 43 years on the dark side, Richard has now been nicotine-free for 27 years and is in the best of shape. His goal is to help people quit this life-threatening habit.