James A. West is the bestselling author of the ongoing epic fantasy series Heirs of the Fallen, and the heroic fantasy series Songs of the Scorpion. Between gritty quests, he recently decided to dip a toe into the primordial sludge from whence he sprang, and penned the dystopian thriller, Beasts of the Field. James is a native of the Pacific Northwest, but life is a road of many turns. He served in the US Army, spent a year as a long-haul truck driver with his wife (who also happens to be his high-school sweetheart), and attended the University of Montana. He lives in Montana with his wife. His bodyguard, a Mini-Schnauzer named Jonesy, is always near to hand. James has been known to work for chips and salsa. While James spends most of his time navigating alternative realties, he periodically comes up for air at: jamesawest.blogspot.com