J.L. Callison

J.L. Callison was an early reader whose third-grade teacher encouraged his love of reading. He read over 300 books that year, including volumes A-H of the World Book Encyclopedia, and was reading on an eighth grade level by year's end.

J.L. loves collecting books and has well over a thousand books in his library, many of which he has read more than once. Young Adult is his favorite genre, for as he says, he refuses to grow up. He studied for the ministry and for much of his adult life has served in lay capacities in prison and rescue missions, but his primary focus has been youth ministry. He has been a junior high youth sponsor and teacher for most of the last twenty-five years. He and his wife of over 40 years live in Illinois. They have five grown children and are blessed with five grandchildren.

He says he is proof that one does not have to be particularly smart to write. He actually failed English Composition the first time he took it, but his voracious reading developed in him the ability to tell stories. This storytelling style has been likened to the late Louis L'Amour, though he confesses he has far to go to reach the level L'Amour did with his stories. His goal in his writing is to demonstrate the winsome quality of Christianity without being pushy or preachy, to engender an interest in the reason for his faith while telling an engaging, entertaining tale.