Keith R. Parris was born in Spartanburg, South Carolina, in 1946. He graduated from Clemson University in 1969 with Highest Honors and was a Distinguished Military Graduate. He served nearly eight years in the United States Air Force as a fighter pilot, flying F-4E Phantom II aircraft, in Europe, Asia and the United States. He married Janet K. Baugh, of Waco, Texas, in 1974 and later returned to school at The University of Texas at San Antonio and graduated at the top of his class in 1979 with an MBA Degree. He worked for 21 years in the gas and gas liquids industry where he served as Director of both financial and operational areas. Much of his business career was with Valero Energy Corporation. He retired from industry in December 2001 and began devoting himself to his lifelong passion of writing. In 2004, his first novel, THE SERVANTS OF FREEDOM, was published and received the "Editor's Choice Award" from iUniverse. With SHEPPARD'S GATE, a rewriting of the earlier novel, the author has improved the book from start to finish, adding compelling new characters and scenes that enhance the enjoyment of his insightful storytelling. REMEMBER is his first collection of poetry and is presented on this website for your enjoyment. PETER'S DREAMS AND OTHERWORLDLY THINGS became a concept in the author's mind before the "New Millennium" but its birth was carefully guarded until it could be wonderfully illustrated by Janie Lewis. Most recently, the author has completed a collection of short stories entitled THE POLYCHEM PLASTICS PLANT AND OTHER STORIES. Mr. Parris and his wife lived in Europe and Asia before making their home in Texas.

His works include:

The Servants of Freedom
The Servants of Freedom is a grand adventure lived by a young fighter pilot flying in the skies over Europe. It is about love, courage, terrorism and survival. This is the story of courageous military men and women of the United States Air Force, willing to sacrifice everything for the cause of freedom and yet eagerly celebrating each victory. Join with them and experience aviation in a world different from any you've ever known. Climb alongside the fuselage, step into the cockpit and get ready for the thrill of your life when the afterburners kick you in the pants and send you hurtling down the runway into the "delirious blue." More...

Sheppard's Gate
Sheppard's Gate is a book of passion and understanding about the camaraderie, trust and sacrifice of our men and women in military service overseas. It captures the exhilaration that sustains and sometimes haunts the dreams of ambitious fighter pilots. In this rewriting of his earlier novel, The Servants of Freedom, the author has improved the book from start to finish, adding new characters and scenes that enhance the enjoyment of his insightful storytelling. Join the souls on board Sheppard's Gate in their struggles with adversity and their search for life and love. More...

Peter's Dreams and Otherworldly Things
Peter's Dreams and Otherworldly Things is the story of an imaginative young boy on a journey to a seemingly unattainable horizon. His dream of finding freedom from fear leads him on a once in a lifetime adventure into the unknowns of fortune itself. Summon the courage to challenge the secret monsters that threaten Peter's very existence and share Peter's tale of adventure. Abandon disbelief and step aboard the Liberty on her maiden voyage into Peter's private world. Judge for yourself what is real or what is beyond fantasy. More...

The PolyChem Plastics Plant and Other Stories
The PolyChem Plastics Plant and Other Stories contains simple and direct, yet original and powerful new works. The author's pen has not been asked to give words to his characters. Indeed, his task and that of pen and ink have been to listen to the characters who present themselves and to faithfully record their stories in their own words, as if these words were being recollected and told face-to-face to the reader. More...