The unsung person behind the familiar byline is always so interesting. Walter Ryce, is the Public Information Officer at California State University, Monterey Bay, loves books and shared his story with us.

Walter was born to a Korean mother and Panamanian father in Seoul, Korea. He grew up in Seaside, attended Juan Cabrillo Elementary School, Martin Luther King Jr. High, and Seaside High School.

He worked as a dishwasher, cashier and busboy before attending San Jose State University. Upon graduating in 1994 with a degree in Creative Writing, he moved to Portland, Oregon, then Miami Beach, Florida, before moving back to his hometown of Seaside in 2007. He became the arts writer, calendar coordinator, and, later, a columnist for the Monterey County Weekly, where he covers literature, theater, film, art, classical music and more. He is married, has two children, and lives in the former Fort Ord part of unincorporated Marina.

One of Walter’s favorite books (pictured here) is Images of America: Seaside, by Carol Lynn McKibben and the Seaside History Project. It contains many historical and archival photos of his hometown.

Some of his favorite writers include Raymond Carver, Toni Morrison, Flannery O’Connor, Alan Moore, Langston Hughes, John Steinbeck, Amy Tan, Jonathan Franzen, Pauline Kael and Roger Ebert.

He likes to give and receive books as gifts. He recently received (and cherishes) the graphic novel he got from his wife called Hip-Hop Family Tree.

He also likes the short story The Cathedral by Raymond Carver, which he has read eight times and will read again.