Jim grew up on the shores of western Florida, and he spent much of his childhood swimming in shark-infested waters long before the movie "Jaws" put a scare into everyone. At the time, he probably was too skinny to attract a bull shark's attention. About ten other boys Jim's age lived on his same street, and they hung out morning, noon and night playing the usual sports that young boys love — football, baseball, "kill the carrier," etc. — but as a group they also played fantastical games that contained magic, monsters and superheroes. It was in this setting that Jim's imagination was born and nurtured.

Jim's latest works are books 1 and 2 of a teen fantasy adventure trilogy titled "Dark Circles," which is about a group of kids who are transported to a magical land where it can be deadly to sleep. Book 1 titled "Do You Believe in Magic?" is now available on Amazon and officially launched on May 25, 2023. Book 2 titled "Do You Believe in Monsters?" debuted on Oct. 30, 2023. Book 3 titled "Do You Believe in Miracles?" is set for April 2024. The "Dark Circles" series is appropriate for ages 13 and older. This is a great coming-of-age series for fans of J.K. Rowling, Neil Gaiman, and Brandon Sanderson.

Jim is the author of "The Death Wizard Chronicles," an action-packed, six-book epic fantasy for mature readers that was published by Bell Bridge Books. This series is appropriate for ages 18 and older.

Jim is also the lead writer and editor for the nonfiction book "Eclipse Over Clemson: The day Tigertown will never forget," which chronicled the Aug. 21, 2017, total solar eclipse that passed over Clemson University. The on-campus event which Jim coordinated was a once-in-a-lifetime experience attended by more than 50,000 people.

Jim lives in a valley surrounded by mountains in the Southern Appalachians. He was previously an award-winning journalist at several large newspapers and a communications director at Clemson.