Richard Charles Tappan is a veteran educator, having taught English, literature, journalism, drama, and the writing process at the middle- and high-school levels for almost thirty years. He received his B.A. and a Master of Arts in Teaching from the University of New Hampshire. He was the drama director and English teacher at the Oyster River High School, Durham, New Hampshire, from 1981 until 2000, producing and directing ambitious stage productions. In 1989, Tappan received the Merrill outstanding secondary educator award from Cornell University. After retiring from teaching, Tappan became an associate with the consulting firm, Center for Assessment. He has published articles and short stories as well as the novel Voices from Cold River, based on the life of Sarah Mariah Tappan, his paternal grandmother. The novel was a finalist for the 2006 Peter Taylor Prize.