Joel Rosenberg (1954-2011) was born in Winnepeg, Manitoba, Canada and raised in North Dakota and Connecticut. An avid guns rights activist, his occupations included driving a truck, motel desk-clerking, and passing himself off as a head chef.

His first sale was an op-ed piece favoring nuclear power, appearing in The New York Times. He was best known for his “Guardians of the Flame” series, which gave him a huge fantasy fan base. His science fiction novels, including Ties of Blood, Emile and the Dutchman, Not for Glory, and Hero have been equally popular and received critical acclaim.