Wallace Jan Ecklof grew up in a one square mile honky-tonk community on the Jersey shore and graduated high school in 1965 during the height of the Viet Nam War. He started working as a Roller Derby skater, a lobsterman, and then a cowboy in South Dakota for two years on a horse and cattle ranch. He then attended college studying for a and work for Prudential Insurance Company, while his mother wanted him to pursue something scholarly in Art or Literature. He married while still in college and the birth of the first of three sons, Shawn, Shannon and Patrick put his college career on hold. His father wished him to follow the path of other male family members. His need to support his family would mean the pursuit of literary interests would have to wait. He worked in retail and insurance, obtained his real estate license then managed a large real estate office in Middletown N.J. for twelve years. During this time, his marriage ended in divorce.