Steven E. Condon has an analytical mind, a love of mathematics and art, and a passion for history, stories, and storytelling. As a child he loved to draw, particularly in pencil, pen and ink, and pastels. Only in the last 18 years or so, however, has he truly discovered and given outlet to his previously untapped passion for writing fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Prior to this, his love of stories and storytelling found an outlet by absorbing over 50 years of books, movies, television dramas, and occasional theatrical plays. As a young father he loved to read picture books to his children. The occupations by which he has supported both himself and his family, however, have drawn mostly on his analytical talents. He holds a BS in physics from Trinity College (Hartford, CT), an MS in physics from Northern Illinois University, and has earned his bread over the years as a software developer, a software development researcher, and a data analyst. His last job before retirement was as a senior health data analyst for Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Prior to high school, where his interests turned more towards math and science, his favorite subject had been history, a passion which led him to discover cultures, personalities, and events ranging from classical Greece and Rome up to the twentieth century. He took a particular interest in military history, a realm that for him blended seamlessly from historical characters such as Alexander the Great and Charlemagne to legendary figures such as King Arthur, Roland, and El Cid. Steven has had a longtime interest in the American Civil War and is the author of the short nonfiction book “Stonewall Jackson and the Midcourse Correction to Second Manassas” as well as “The Court-Martial of General John Pope”, which is a nonfiction book wrapped inside of a novel. Both books present various aspects of his discoveries about the much maligned Union Civil War general John Pope, discoveries that demonstrate that Pope is probably the most underrated of all Civil War generals because so many of the major criticisms of him are based on an incomplete or erroneous understanding of the situations involved. Over the past 20 years or so, he has taken numerous courses about the mechanics, techniques, and art of writing—both in person courses and video courses—but most of all he has been writing because, although practice may not make perfect, it sure as heck helps a lot if the other priming of the pump has been done and done well. During this writing career, he has written 2.3 million words of fiction, nonfiction and poetry, a length of work that is almost 4 times the length of Tolstoy’s “War and Peace,” or if you prefer, about 4 times the length of “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit.” He recently wrote a spy novel, "Crossbow O'Connor and the Smoking Gun," that introduces Crossbow O'Connor, the newest action hero on the block. Armed with blazing bullets, fearless fists, and undeniable charm, he's a man on a mission. From combating deadly foes to captivating women, Crossbow handles every challenge with unmatched skill. His adventures leave his enemies defeated and his romantic interests breathless and longing for more, following encounters that defy belief. His latest book is both a love story that takes place in a 1960’s American high school and a detective story that takes place in the current day as the main character, Susan, looks back over 50 years to her tragic love affair back in high school and seeks with the help of her old sophomore year high school yearbook to prod her memory through an intricate dance of awakened recollections in an attempt to finally understand a tragic love story marred by obsession, betrayal, and the quest for redemption. This latest novel is named “Love’s Gamble Lost: Journey Through Obsession and Redemption.”