Between 1971 and 1975, Gerry Boylan hitchhiked over 100,000 miles in the United States and Canada. Much of Getting There, his first novel, is based on his own experiences. Boylan received his BS from Grand Valley State University in 1978 and is cofounder and managing director of Long Point Capital, a private equity firm. He and his wife, Kathy, are the parents of four children, Shannon, Moira, Joe, and Dan, and live in Royal Oak, Michigan.