Bobby Mathews attended Troy University, where he majored in journalism and minored in theater and English. His checkered past includes stints as a reporter and editor for daily newspapers, where he won awards for his writing, editing and leadership. No, he has no idea what the contest judges were smoking, either. He's also been a bartender, paralegal, and bum, occupations—or sidelines—that creep into his stories and novels. "I write weird stories about monumentally fucked-up people," he says. "That's what interests me. I hope it interests other readers, too." Mathews lives in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, with his wife and sons.