Robert Childs was born in Illinois and is an avid sword fighting enthusiast with bachelors degrees in Japanese Language and Geology and a masters in Military Arts & Science. He specializes in rapier swordplay, actively teaching and competing since 1987 both in the US and abroad. Mostly recently he brought home the silver medal as the North American representative in single rapier combat. His book "Fourth Power" is the sequel to his debut novel "Third Power" in an ongoing series in the sword and sorcery genre. He currently lives in California with his wife, three dogs, and a large collection of sharp pointy objects.