Donald R. Grippo, D.D.S., practiced oral and maxillofacial surgery in northeastern Connecticut for more than 30 years. On a daily basis, the doctor encountered the patients’ fear of undergoing oral surgery and associated intravenous anesthesia. To help allay such fear he wrote, A Guide to the Guy or Gal Who Takes Your Teeth Out, a series of short stories dealing with the treatment of typical oral surgical problems. His resume includes working as a dentist at the Tennessee State Prison outside of Nashville and as a guard at the Hartford State Jail on Syms Street in Hartford, Connecticut.

These life experiences were drawn upon to tell a story and bring depth to the characters in To Sleep…Perchance to Die. Hubert (Hubie) Santos, the only non-fictional character, is a well-known criminal attorney who practices in Hartford, Connecticut. He has handled many high profile cases, including the appeal of Michael Skakel in the murder of Martha Moxley.

B-Dental-CaduceusDon is a native of Enfield, Connecticut. He went to Suffield Academy in Suffield, Connecticut, and Syracuse University where he majored in psychology. He received his dental degree from Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry in Nashville, Tennessee, and his oral and maxillofacial surgical training at Weill Cornell Medical College/The New York Hospital in New York City.

He has lived most of his adult life in Windham Center, Connecticut and Mystic, Connecticut. His current residence is Sanford, Florida.