Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Karl grew up in the Catonsville area with four siblings.

While in the US Army and living in Germany, Karl gained hands-on experience in military intelligence during the Cold War. He worked in the administration of a security intelligence department, assisting soldiers completing security clearances and fingerprinting before submitting to the FBI for verification.

The military work also entailed seminar training to familiarize MI soldiers about Soviet/Russian espionage. Because the MI work also included driving the CO to intelligence meetings in Stuttgart, he was able to attend some meetings related to espionage matters as a bystander. While stationed overseas, Karl's travels throughout Europe helped develop his understanding of foreign cultural differences.

After serving, Karl worked full-time and part-time in commercial construction for financial support during college. He spent .seven years working in this area; attaining journeyman status. He graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park, majoring in Political Science (International Affairs, Comparative Government), and minored in English Literature. After college, Karl worked as a construction manager for construction and engineering firms.

Karl has spent the last several decades maintaining his awareness of Middle East politics and social movements. Before retiring, Karl began to fulfill a long-held desire to write novels. Now fully retired, he has written four, one family saga and three espionage novels. He is in progress of writing the fourth spy novel. Karl is a member of the Eastern Shore Writers Association, the Rehoboth Beach Writers Guild, and the Maryland Writers Association. He attends the Creatures, Crime and Creativity conference annually as well as many others.