Billy Cross was born February 24 th, 1953 in Birmingham, Alabama. At the age of eleven he started performing for Birmingham Children’s Theater where he developed a love for acting. At the age of nineteen, he moved to Hollywood, California to pursue a film career.

Unable to make a living doing bit parts in movies, Billy moved to San Bernardino, California. Billy went back to school to pursue a nursing career and was a licensed vocational nurse for 27 years. In 2001, Billy retired from nursing, went back to college and received a master’s degree in education. Mr. Cross became a first through third grade, special education teacher. In 2018, after fifteen years, he retired from teaching.

Billy is now an author of children’s books. He believes his love of rhyme and poetry comes from his mother, Marjorie E. Cross, who wrote rhyming poetry from childhood. Billy was further inspired by the Canadian poet Robert W. Service who, through rhyme, could tell vivid and detailed stories.

The Pond is Billy’s first published book but he has two finished manuscripts forthcoming.