Bill Mares has been a reporter-photographer, state legislator, and high school teacher. Raised in Texas and educated at Harvard, he has authored or co-authored 17 books, including, with Ross Conrad and others, a history of beekeeping in Vermont, "The Land of Milk and Honey" (Green Place Books, 2020). He lives in Burlington with his wife of 48 years, Chris Hadsel. They have two sons.