Born and mostly raised in Minnesota I have been writing stories since I was ten years old. After serving in the US Army as an Infantryman, I settled in the St. Cloud, Minnesota area, married, and raised a family. The Greggs of Kesselt is my first published novel. Since I was young I have always had a keen interest in history, having studied wars and the politics that drive nations to fight. While watching the moon landings as a small boy I have also read and kept up with the latest news and theories on space and physics, being more of an amateur astrophysicist/cosmologist than an amateur astronomer. My other interests include appreciating the arts and music, experiencing new cultures, traveling and being out in the great outdoors. In short I have always enjoyed learning about the world and the people around us. Some of my favorite authors are, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Robert E. Howard, Karl Edward Wagner and Edgar Allen Poe. I like how they wrote where the lone hero over comes impossible circumstances, often for the love of a woman. Other authors that have inspired me are: J.R.R. Tolkien, David Eddings, Terry Brooks, Stephen King, and recently George R.R. Martin. I like to think that I am well read in the classics of Shakespeare, the Arthurian legends, and the mythologies of the Greeks. These are but a few of the authors that have had a profound impact upon my writing. Not so much copying in style and content, but instructing me in the art of telling a uniquely good story. Currently I am working on polishing my second novel of Kesselt titled A Princess of Kesselt. Then I want to finish the third book of Kesselt. My plan then is to take a break from Kesselt and finish a Civil War story I started a couple of years ago. Other story ideas are in the works that go beyond the stars and into the future, stories that chronicle the deeds of heroes and the villains that they battle. I also have several story ideas back on earth. I would like to write more about the American Civil War. I have three crime novels outlined and a series about a politician covering topical issues of today. I believe a good story teller can tell a tale from a variety of genres. So, from sword wielding knights, to gun slinging cowboys and beyond expect a tale that will hopefully be entertaining. Write to me at: mlstidmon@charter.net