When Braden McElroy is not writing fantasy for children, he is usually preoccupied with the adult equivalent - developing financial forecasts for his employer in Houston, Texas. Proof resides somewhere in his attic that he earned degrees in agribusiness and Russian language and literature from Oklahoma State University, as well as an MBA from Yale University. In his spare time, he continues to help manage family cotton farming operations near his hometown in Oklahoma. Otherwise, his personal identity has been reduced to "Lisa's husband" and "Mara and Rowan's dad". Also, he is responsible for sifting the kitty litter.