I am the author and creator of the Gods and Kings Chronicles. After majoring in history in college, I had the good fortune to live briefly in the hilltop town of Orvieto, Italy. This is a town riddled with history, having been at various points in time an Etruscan city-state, a regional capital for the Romans, and even a fortress for the pope. Caught up in the history and intrigue of the region, I wrote the first draft of The Guardian while living abroad. The ruins and wonders of antiquity play heavily into the fantasy world I created. Now, almost a decade later, I am thrilled to finally bring The Guardian into publication.
In the intervening time I honed my craft (the version of the The Guardian being published in December would more correctly be titled The Guardian 5.0), I wrote a prequel (publication date TBA), and most importantly, I spent my days serving my community as a high school history teacher. Nine years in the classroom taught me a lot about the world, and it certainly made me a better writer. With a heavy heart, I left teaching in the summer of 2015 to pursue writing full time.
I currently live in Arizona with my wife and dog. I’ve read again and again, that for every author, there is a spouse in the background carrying them through the highs and lows of authorship. That has certainly been true for me. My wife has been beside me every step of the way along this very rocky road to publication, and I couldn’t be more grateful. When I am not writing (which seems to take up more of my time these days) I enjoy playing soccer, tinkering with Photoshop, and exploring the world. This past summer I had the wonderful opportunity to walk the Camino de Santiago in Spain — I hope to return soon! Nothing sounds more idyllic than writing a novel while venturing on a pilgrimage.
Last but not least, to any former students reading this: stay focused on your dreams, and with hard work you will get there. I spent ten years to get where I am now, and in truth, the hard work has just begun. However, I genuinely feel I am living my dream, and the educator in me hopes this will inspire you to do the same. In the words of the old Bull Moose himself:
“Believe you can, and you’re halfway there.” — Teddy Roosevelt
If you would like to contact me, click here.
