Corrupted Quill

I grew up on a small pig farm in rural Iowa. Consequently, my childhood meant rising before sunrise to tend livestock. Additionally, work was always required in the fields. Therefore, life was defined by early mornings and hard work. Significantly, these experiences shaped both my discipline and my imagination.

At twenty-one, I enlisted in the U.S. Army. Specifically, I served as an Airborne Infantryman. Furthermore, the deployment to Iraq lasted fifteen months. Lessons learned there included resilience and camaraderie. Moreover, the weight of responsibility deeply impacted my worldview. Consequently, characters I create often reflect these important lessons.

Later, I returned to the swine industry. In fact, I worked in that field for almost two decades. While building my career, I also went back to school. First, earning a B.S. in Early American History was one goal. Then, a B.S. in Business Administration followed. Finally, my education concluded with an MBA degree.

For more than twenty years, I have been an avid fantasy reader. Typically, stories about ancient magic always fascinated me. Characters often inherited vast, old knowledge in those books. However, I began wondering about a different scenario. What if they did not possess such advantages?

Imagine magic suddenly appearing in the hands of novices. Indeed, they would have never studied or even seen it. Learning would be mandatory, forcing them to fail and try again. Ultimately, they would struggle exactly as the reader would. This core question, therefore, sparked The Corruption Within.

The world was conceived during an afternoon drive. Suddenly, a cloud-covered horizon looked like a gigantic bowl. The sky and earth blurred in that very moment. Thus, this vision led to the idea for the Rim of the World.

I had the complete story, but lacked the necessary skill. So, writing courses were taken to improve my craft. Craft books, similarly, helped me study the process. Four years of dedicated work brought the world onto the page. Finally, The Corruption Within became a reality after all that effort.