Mike Noel-Smith

• Army veteran — real-world discipline, endurance, and authority that most fantasy authors cannot claim

• Rowed across the Indian Ocean in 2003 — extraordinary human achievement that validates the resilience themes in the books

• Global consultant working with organisations and leadership teams under pressure — direct relevance to the books' self-development angle

• Spiritual adventurer who explored solitude in wild places including Dartmoor — this is where the dragon encounters began, and it is a compelling origin story

• Author of Wild Waters in the Roar — a real memoir of ocean adventure that validates the non-fiction credibility behind the fantasy