It all began in 2004 on my second tour to Iraq. The Iraqi government wanted to attempt to deal with the insurgency themselves. Because of this, we found ourselves with less work to do. To pass the time, some the Marines started to play role-playing games. One in particular was based on vampires. Originally, they had asked me to join, but I had other things going on and I have not gotten into role-playing games. A couple of weeks later, the DN came to me asking questions about the Vatican, strange questions like, "Do they have a wall?" and "Are there any guards?" After a few of these questions, I finally inquired, "Why are you asking me this?"
With a big smile on his face. "Well, you are Catholic, aren't you?"
"Yes..."
"Do you remember that vampire game that we are playing?"
"Yes..."
"Well, we are planning on blowing up the Vatican in the game."
As I pinched the bridge of my nose and shook my head I asked if I could get involved with the game. He said that I could, but then I added a caveat, I wanted to be on the side of the Vatican. He told me that was fine, gave me the paper and dice and I created a character that they couldn't beat. I sent him in and in one fight I defeated them all. From that point I was told that I couldn't play with them again unless I was on their side.
Several years later, after I had gotten out of the Marine Corps, I found myself having to do freelance work after the 2008 economic housing bust. Some of my freelance work was doing Art for people. One person in particular, in 2010, was writing a book and wanted me to draw up his characters for him. After I finished his last character, he asked if I had a character of my own. I told him about the one I created in Iraq. He suggested that I write a book, expand my list of characters and give them a back story. I don't know why, but that really inspired me and from June of 2010 to December of 2012 I ended up writing fourteen books with the first one based off of the game that I played in Iraq.
As for myself, I grew up in a small town in rural Nebraska spending most of my time on the family farm. After graduating high school, I went to college in Dever Colorado for Computer Animation and Industrial Design. From there, I joined the United States Marine Corps as a Network Engineer and Computer Specialist. My enlistment came up one month after 9/11 and so I told my wife that I was going to re-enlist. Considering that the war on terrorism had just begun, I knew that I was going to get recalled anyway. After 8 years, a support tour with Afghanistan. and two tours to Iraq, I felt it was time to return to the civilian corps. Again, after the housing crash in 2008, I found myself doing freelance work with my two skills of art and computers. A few years ago, my grandmother passed away and I inherited her house, so I returned to the farm after years of being away. Now I help out wherever I can on the family farm.
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