B. J. Vanderhoof 

Although only recently could I truly call myself a writer, I have always been a storyteller.  My storytelling started in grade school.  My friend Josh Vick (follow his instagram) and I told the stories of "00" BJ (take off of 007) and Vick Tracy (take off of Dick Tracy).  Of course with their combined knowledge and skill, they always solved the case.

From there my storytelling took place in the form of the Star Wars Roleplaying Game from West End Games. My brothers, my cousin, and I had a blast telling stories in the Star Wars universe.  Every chance we got we would throw ourselves back into our created characters and send them off on their next adventure.

It wasn't until I was almost in high school that I really started to enjoy reading.  A Star Wars book (do you see a theme) called Heir to the Empire by Timothy Zahn was the book that started it all for me.  It was the book that got me excited to read.  One of those books that you can't put down.  Star Wars has played a significant role in my life.  It has in the same ways that I am sure it has for a lot of people.  It is fun, it is entertainment, its an adventure in space filled with cool weapons, characters, the works.  But, for me it has been a lot more then that.  It has been about enjoying all of that with those around me; friends, family, and now my children.  I, not once, but twice, have rented out a theater for a private viewing of a Star Wars movie with my friends and family. But ultimately what Star Wars has been for me is the ultimate amazing feeling that is created inside you from someone's ability (in this case George Lucas) to tell a story.  Could I have that ability?  

 So, when did the writing begin?  To that I credit The Lord of the Rings and J.R.R Tolkien, my favorite books of all time (see below).  The world that Tolkien created immediately hooked me into fantasy fiction and after reading those epic works of fiction, finally my storytelling began to take place in the form of putting pen to paper.  Wanting to create a world all my own and tell a story that gives joy to others led me to write and eventually publish my first novel, The Prophecy of the Gate.

My Top Five!