My first novel, 'Kraken of Eden', came from my fascination with biology and exploration. I love monster stories, and I prefer science fiction grounded in what's really possible. In fact, the original inspiration came while explaining to one of my (then quite young) kids why the alien monster in the movie they just watched couldn't possibly happen. I grew up a biology nerd and was originally trained as a theoretical ecologist. During my graduate studies, in a fit of pragmatism, I took an entry level job in the tech industry, which led to a nearly 40 year career in technical management, strategic planning, research and development, and product development. All through those years, I fed my fascination with biology with a camera on hiking trails and in underwater housings.