Tompkins, Walker A.

Tompkins was an author, master story teller, and Santa Barbara historian, born July 10, 1909 in Washington state's Yakima Valley. He began his writing career at age 14 and at age 21 sold his first piece of Western fiction. After a three year hitch as an overseas correspondent during World War II, he settled in Santa Barbara in 1946.

While he worked on many projects, he also worked as a reporter at the Santa Barbara News Press from 1957 to 1973 and did a daily radio show on KTMS. He published 59 books during his long career. Tompkins died at the age of 79 in 1988.

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