About the author …

Yup, that’s me—John Penteros—and I’m wearing my writing uniform. Bet you didn’t know writers wear uniforms, did ya?
I’m a late bloomer when it comes to writing. Though I’ve dabbled with it since I was able to hold a crayon, I didn’t write with any serious ambition until after I did a bunch of other things with my life: shoveling snow, mowing lawns, delivering newspapers, and fetching/selling golf balls for starters. I was a janitor, dishwasher, laborer, carpenter’s apprentice (no good, afraid of heights), assembly line worker, real estate salesman (ha, would you buy a home through a teenager? Oh, wait, you probably are a teenager), carpet cleaning entrepreneur, engineer, math tutor, and … the most difficult job of all: stay-home dad.
My first original work was a poem written in first grade titled “A Walk in the Woods.” I don’t write poetry much anymore. See, I was the guy in English class who didn’t raise his hand when the teacher asked the question, “What’s the symbolism of that poem?” I was the guy saying, “But dude, how can you call it a poem when it doesn’t rhyme?” Sigh. Get the picture?
As a high-school sophomore, I wrote stories to entertain my friend, Patrick, in study hall. One was about a villain who stocked Lake Powell with piranhas. Since then, people have made movies based on a similar concept … probably Patrick.
Anyway, I didn’t have an incredible passion for writing right away. I hated those school essays and research paper assignments as much as the next kid. I only wrote because these stories kept popping into my head and wouldn’t stop until I gave in and started telling them. Now I enjoy writing, though I’d still dread doing a research paper. The ideas keep pestering me, so I weave them into stories. And I’m happy to report I no longer have an irrational fear of heights … I think. But here’s a glimpse into my world of writing:

How I write in one word: Unconventionally.

Where I write: At the dining room table, in bed, on the couch, at the coffee table, in a parked car, at Starbucks (between tutor jobs), on a cliff overlooking the desert, and most importantly—while I’m running on a rocky winding trail with lots of whoop-de-doos—where I do my best brainstorming and problem solving.

When I write: Best in the morning when the brain is fresh and there’s no noise except my fingers clicking on the keys, or the soles of my Altra Lone Peaks crunching the rocky trail.

Why I write: Already told you that. Pay attention!!

What I write: Realistic fiction about youthful people who think like you do.

My best writing attribute: Willingness to rewrite whatever needs to be rewritten.

My worst writing attribute: Poor posture, especially while writing on the couch or bed.

Age: Not that old, but probably not as young as you. I’m old enough that I’ve switched to the hexadecimal number system to count my years. But I still feel like a teenager (in decimal years).