Glen Hawley Carlson, a graduate of the University of Minnesota, has done graduate work at Harvard, and served in both the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Army. He and his wife live in Michigan's Upper Peninsula snowbelt with their dog, Buddy; their cat, Sophie; and their large and powerful snowblower, Brutus.

Andy Anderson was married to Glen's great-aunt, Lillian Randa.