About Me
I was born in Southern California, but when I was a young teen, my family uprooted and moved to Nashville from Anaheim, California, where I ended up staying for college and meeting my wife, Hannah, at our university. In my free time, you can find me reading, watching horror movies with Hannah, and searching for the perfect cocktail. I am a fan of the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Tennessee Titans; however, I married into a Michigan sports family, so I have adopted the Lions and the Tigers as secondary teams. If I’m not at work, there is an incredibly high percentage that you will see me in one of my countless LA Dodgers hats.
In high school, I became involved in the Nashville hardcore and metal scene, which fundamentally shaped my life, politics, and social views. Music has always been a significant influence in my life, and I believe you will find elements of hardcore and punk ethos in my writing style. As I’ve gotten older I’ve been drawn to more extreme music such as Black Metal, Sludge Metal, and Grindcore. You will notice a lot of the imagery relating to my novel is based on this subgenre art style. I hope you can find the atmospheric dread of a Black Metal album in my writing.
What I’m Currently Writing
I am writing a historical fiction novel loosely based on my ancestors from East Tennessee during the American Civil War. I come from the Holt family, who were all strong Unionists during the War of the Rebellion and enlisted in the U.S. Army. Jake Holt is a misanthropic, jaded veteran attempting to leave civilized society and escape to the Wyoming Territory in 1880s America. However, on his journey, he’s tricked into working for the demon Gorrmont and the satanic Order of the Fly, which Lucifer and Beelzebub spearhead. Jake Holt’s life will forever change when he finds the Rotten Flesh Doll in the Texas desert. As of now, I plan for this to be the first book in the trilogy.
I have described my novel to friends as a Southern Gothic Occult Horror Western. This novel examines race, masculinity, trauma, and Manifest Destiny through the lens of the post-American Civil War era.
I hope you enjoy The Ancient Book and Jake Holt’s Northern Campaign!
A First Look at Jake Holt
The outstanding Jeff Williams provides this image of an unknown Civil War soldier.
The stylized black metal rendition is by the incredibly talented Robbie Geen.
Contact Me
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