W. C. Highfield

My interest in writing began in the early 1990s. With eagerness to write stories for children, I successfully completed a course in Special Publishing offered by the Institute of Children's Literature. Several stories I wrote are accessible to read on this website. 

In 2000, I decided to write an adult-themed novel. Self-published in 2001, IN SUN DOWN FAR is set on Fort Myers Beach, Florida, but I fictionalized all of the names of locations and establishments (to protect the innocent and the guilty). Having regularly visited Fort Myers Beach since 1991, I drew on many personal experiences, and worked some of them into the book. The narrative presents an island slice of life with an emphasis on the music of the blues. I strive to strike a correlation between the two.

My second novel, Streets, was completed in 2010. Concerned with the persistent quandary of homelessness in America, I take a quirky look at how one character gradually alters his behavior in an effort to escape its clutches. The main character lives on the streets of Key West. He undergoes a series of surreal experiences that have a positive impact on his life. These inspiring and motivating events help drive him to uncharacteristic acts of heroism. 

My third novel, Sanibel's Secret Bank, was released in the fall of 2014. There is a secret bank located on Sanibel that is a powerful dealer in international finances. Residents of the island have no idea it exists, since it is camouflaged in the J.N. "Ding" Darling Wildlife Refuge. "The Bank," as it is called, is led by a ruthless group that eliminates anyone viewed as a threat to their quest for world financial domination. The main character leads a close-knit band of young employees as they set about to avenge the evil wrongdoings of The Bank.

My latest book is a memoir of my father's World War II experiences. LIBERATED, A World War II Memoir of Lt. Harlan E. Highfield chronicles his journey from enlisting shortly after Pearl Harbor to flying the P-40 fighter plane in the North African campaign. He was shot down in the Tunisian desert, subsequently wounded, and spent over two years as a Prisoner of War in Italy and Germany. I was fortunate in that my father left detailed notes and photographs, which I coupled with my remembrances and further research in order to tell his story. 

I am a graduate of the University of Delaware and also a native of The First State. After a decade of employment in the moving and storage industry, I embarked on a twenty-year run of ownership of a residential and commercial painting business. In 2006, I moved to Fort Myers.

Since 2007, I have written numerous articles for the Island Sand Paper, a weekly on Fort Myers Beach. Some of these articles are available on this site. I also serve as a member of the Board of Directors of Stay Alive....Just Drive, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting awareness of the dangers of distracted driving.

Sports have always been a big part of my life. Baseball was tops from an early age, and culminated with playing ten years in the Delaware Semi-Pro League. Later, I picked up the running bug and participated in hundreds of road races ranging from 5Ks to half-marathons. I continue to take part in various forms of physical activity and endeavor to enjoy outdoor life.