Compared to most people I know, my upbringing was a little different. Two acres of forest in the backyard, parents still married and only on their first marriage, a boy and a girl (myself and my sister), a cat and a dog, and fish won every so often at various festivals. I didn’t really have neighbors growing up, and all of my friends from school lived quite far away. I was left most of the time with my sister (whom, truthfully, I didn’t like until we were older), my backyard of trees, my books, and my imagination. I always had a story idea in my head, and I always much preferred fictional worlds. The forested backyard that was my daily backdrop was the foothills of Yosemite National Park. A sight which some travel the world to see was my daily inspiration. There’s an equal sense of life and danger in the greenery, and survival is based solely on defense and awareness. I was actively involved in the Boy Scouts of America, achieving my Eagle rank in 2007, as well as working two summers at Camp Chawanakee in Shaver Lake, California. I learned much of my survival techniques (building shelter out of stray would, starting fires with sticks and rocks, etc…) through the merit badges offered through them, and always loved the rustic feeling it gave to my story ideas. I’ve always had a desire to travel, to experience all the corners of the world to enrich my writing as much as possible. Ever since I can remember, I’ve always been attracted to New Zealand. Seeing videos, movies, and pictures with the countryside always evoked a yearning inspiration to write the best fantasy story my mind will allow me to produce. I was first introduced to the majestic background of New Zealand in the early nineties, when I was a five-year-old avid fan of Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journies.  I first started to attempt my own novels when I was seven, and I discovered the Animorphs series by K.A. Applegate. I was particularly attracted to the idea of thought-speech, and her unique usage of the <> to illustrate thoughts. My interest in the fantasy genre sparked when, around the same time, I was introduced to The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. When I was ten, I discovered the sheer magic that was Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. I wasn’t allowed to read it, initially, because of the content. However, being the sneak I was, I asked my mother for money to a book fair, and instead of purchasing the books I said I would, I came home with Harry Potter. I devoured The Sorcerer’s Stone, closely followed by Chamber of Secrets and The Prisoner of Azkaban, before I was caught up and eagerly awaiting every additional installment.  In between The Prisoner of Azkaban and the release of Goblet of Fire, I was introduced to The Lord of the Rings, both movie and book simultaneously. I was thirteen at the time, and in the beginning stages of my fan fiction obsessions and my real desire to write. The combination of The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and Chronicles of Narnia movies have helped me envision my worlds in a more realistic manner, and the accompanied books have all influenced me to write the fantasy novels I do today. Immortality Awaits was so heavily influenced by all of these novels, and I’ve always kept a desire to remain true to the fantasy genre. I feel as though too oftentimes today it is mixed with the paranormal romance sub genre, and I feel as though the magic behind the stories that drove the genre into popularity are being too easily ignored.  

I attended California State University, Monterey Bay, where I received my Bachelor of Arts in Humanities and Communications, emphasizing in Creative Writing and Social Action. Apart from the publication of my first novel, Immortality Awaits, I have also completed The Ultimate Travel Writer’s Program through the International Living magazine.