Authors like Stephen R. Donaldson, Douglas Adams, and Glen Cook transported Hyrum through a rough childhood. Science fiction and fantasy were not just entertaining but also emotionally resonant and deeply therapeutic. Along the way, he earned degrees in chemistry and chemical engineering, completed a master’s thesis on plasma processing, and spent 18 years at a Taiwanese semiconductor company. He now works in a completely different field, making EV batteries for a Korean firm. Although he integrates a broad scientific background into his writing, it’s always the human element that matters most. Every life is a story, and he enjoys bringing a new story to life. Hyrum now lives in Kentucky with his wife and kids. He’s always hunting for a good café, a punchier sentence, and a reason to reread The Gap series. But with so many books on his waiting list, he probably never will.