Stuart Woods was born in Manchester, Georgia and attended the University of Georgia where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in sociology.
He moved to New York City in hopes to begin his writing career, but instead he landed a job at an advertising agency.
By the end of the 1960s, he moved to London to work for various advertising agencies.
In 1973, he moved to Ireland to start writing his first novel, but he was interrupted by a newfound love of sailing.
After spending the better part of the 1970s sailing in the UK, he moved back to Georgia and wrote his first two non-fiction books.
Since then, Woods has devoted five characters to their own individual fiction series and is now the author of more than 50 novels; 38 of which have been on the New York Times bestseller list.
Woods continues to sail and also has his pilot’s license.
In early 2013, Woods married the former Jeanmarie Cooper, and they live together with their labrador retriever Fred in Florida, Maine and New York.