Richard Dowdy grew up on the coast in Encinitas, California; built surfboards at the height of the teeming '60s summer season; surfed Hawaii numerous times; was a writer for Capitol Records; was editor/publisher of Surfing magazine; editor/art director of RC Cars and Model Builder magazines; was chosen to write a double-CD-Rom entitled Unrestricted Access: An Encyclopedia of the X-Files; was the screenwriter for X-Files : The Game, a seven-CD, live-action game; works as a staff photographer for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, shooting the Indy 500 and other Indy Racing League events; and continues as co-owner of a successful graphic design company, Studio 2055.