Narnia, Asteroid B-612, Middle Earth, and Earthsea. I’ve spent a lot of time in each of these places. I’ve also been to more than fifty countries on earth, on every continent except Antartica. But the imaginary places shaped me more than the real places. So I decided to create an imaginary place where reality could be experienced and I could share insights other people gave to me.
Also, I’ve felt that our American story has not been adequately presented to millennials and following generations, so I embedded the Verdura series in 19th century America and I wrote a book on the American Revolutionary War. I didn’t expect that to be the first of another series, but that’s what it became. So now two books are written in that series. I’ll be posting here about the writing of Book 2, The Blood of Patriots and Tyrants, so you can come with me on that journey. But read the book first! Otherwise, you’ll be upset by the spoilers. I’ve almost completed the third book in the series, The Liberty of the Whole Earth (another Jefferson quotation), and I’ve begun planning and researching the fourth, and what I hope will be the final book in the series, Fire as Their Element. But you never know. Once you begin exploring history, you find there’s a lot to learn – and quite a bit to unlearn as well!
I’ve taught students from high school to retirement ages and not found any who were not spoken to by stories. And since I love stories myself, that’s what I wanted to make. Now I live at the foot of the Rockies in Colorado, and get to hike in them while scheming and dreaming up new stories about old and new worlds.
Personal Information
Okay, here’s a little more stuff my family said I had to put in.
First, I have a Ph.D. from Duke University, a Masters of Theological Studies degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and a bachelors degree from Wheaton College (IL).
Second, all that was the ticket needed to teach university students for ten years, seminary and graduate students for more than thirty years, and adult students during that whole time. I estimate that the number of papers I read and graded during those years approaches a million.
Third, I got to teach in about two-dozen countries, primarily in English with translation. One of my books, To Give You a Future: God’s Side of the Story, was translated and published in Russian and Romanian.
Fourth, Just prior to and during my time in Europe I wrote several other books. I couldn’t give them the attention they needed while I was teaching in Europe, but now that I’m back, I can. So I’m revising them, editing them, and polishing them to make them the best they can be for you, and adding a few to the series.
Fifth, I’m always writing other stuff and when it becomes available I’ll let you know. However, the COVID-19 pandemic is changing our world in ways we won’t fully realize for a few years. I’m adapting, as are you. It will be interesting to see what publishing looks like in the coming years. I hope to be on the cutting edge!