John Levitt

I grew up in New York City. After a stint at the University of Chicago (I didn't graduate -- I had things to do) I traveled around the country and ended up in San Francisco. Drugs and rock 'n roll. Did some light shows for bands, learned to play guitar -- the usual stuff. I forgot all about writing.

A few years later, while working at a ski lodge in Alta, Utah, I found I was getting bored. So I looked around for the most unlikely thing I could think of, and joined the Salt Lake City Police Department. I only planned to do it for a year, just for the experience. That year turned into seven.

When I left, I had enough material to fill a book. So I wrote one, a police thriller. Then another.

Now I'm writing urban fantasy -- a series starring Mason, a musician and reluctant practitioner of magic, and Lou, his dog. Well, sort of a dog -- more like a familiar, known as an Ifrit. The first two in the series are Dog Days and New Tricks; the third will be on the shelves November 2009

I split my time these days between Alta, Utah, and San Francisco, and when I'm not working or writing, play guitar with my band in SF, The Procrastinistas.

The character of the dog, Lou - well, he's sort of a dog - is based on a real dog. Big surprise there. I personally have one cat and no dogs -- but my girlfriend has four.