Author Bio

Eldot is a simple cipher: the author’s first initial followed by a period, spelled phonetically [ L. = Eldot ]  Why? When his first novel was published in 2008, the subject matter was more sensitive and controversial than it is today. Lest relatives, friends or former colleagues be inconvenienced or victimized, the nom de plume was adopted as a shield.  Secondly, the author didn’t want media opportunism to distort what the book was seeking to achieve. Media treatment of the subject was the major motivation to write Julian’s side of the story in the first place.

All the Julian books received positive critical reviews.  The potential for controversy still exists, but the extremist groups have lost their clout—society has evolved rapidly: social media and the cell phone have changed the landscape; the Julian novels are made more topical than ever. By 2018 the subject matter had become relevant and openly discussed; a movie on the same theme was a contender for the 2018 Best Picture of the year.  For this reason and to satisfy readers’ response, the six books were revised in 2019, updated, and re-issued. He’s kinda tall is the seventh chapter in the Julian-Mark story. The eighth, still untitled, is under preparation.

A pen name isn’t easy or wise to remove, but it’s appropriate to let the reader get a peek behind the curtain. Eldot has lived in the Pacific Northwest for most of his life. In order to dodge the draft and avoid the Viet Nam war, he took an occupational deferment to teach high school Drama and English. The interminable nature of the war and the draft lottery kept him in that occupation so long that the refuge morphed into a successful career. Why change a good thing? He became a local and state leader in his profession.  After thirty terrific years as an educator, he retired. In his seventies he took up writing. As Julian would say, “might as well.”   Now in his eighties, he’s still healthy and going strong. The novels are not autobiographical.