Now, a little about Scott Austin Tirrell.
I hail from a town in Massachusetts so obscure that even some within the state can’t find it on a map. But imaginations run wild in places like that, shadows stretch long, and the wind whispers secrets through ancient trees. My childhood was a tapestry woven with threads of mischief, nature’s mysteries, and the eerie stillness of a town that never entirely caught up with the modern world.
With a population that hovers around 8,000 and a history marked by a long-abandoned granite quarry and a freak tornado that tore through its heart, my hometown is a place where time seems to stand still. There are no traffic lights, only a hundred miles of winding country roads leading to forgotten corners like the 256-acre state hospital, long since abandoned but far from empty. My hometown is a place that breeds not just an active imagination but one haunted by the echoes of what once was—and what might still be.
At eighteen, I left home for the uncertainties of a small liberal arts college with dreams as varied as music and psychology. I was accepted into the prestigious Berklee School of Music in Boston, only to realize that the life of a starving jazz drummer was not my destiny. Instead, I pursued psychology, a choice I’m still unsure made any more sense than the first.
After graduating with honors at twenty-two, I quickly found that the real world had little use for my degree. My grand plan to become a professor, bolstered by research success and connections, crumbled under the weight of a single nemesis—math. As that dream faded, I found myself stuck in a dead-end job at the US Postal Service, living with my parents and watching my future slip further out of reach.
But despair breeds desperation, and in my darkest hour, I decided to make a change. My fascination with China, sparked by a minor in Asian history, led me to the Middle Kingdom. On a frigid December day in 2004, I signed a teaching contract with a university in Baoding City, Hebei Province—a place known for its industrial gloom and suffocating pollution. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was real and would be my place to thrive.
Baoding, a city of two million souls, became the crucible in which I was forged anew. I taught English to everyone from CEOs to kindergartners, navigated the complexities of a culture that fascinated and challenged me, and even found love in the most unexpected places. By the time I left China, I was married and had written my first novel, a dark tale born from the countless new experiences that had shaped me.
Writing became my lifeline, my way of grappling with the strange and the unknown. I gravitate toward speculative fiction, where I can trap characters in isolated worlds and watch them unravel. Nature, ancient mysteries, and the paranormal all inspire my work, and I count Clive Barker among my literary influences. I also enjoy Frank Herbert and Pearl S. Buck, a combination that should give you a taste of the worlds I create.
When I’m not writing, I lose myself in other creative pursuits—painting, drawing, drumming, and carpentry. I share glimpses of these on my blog, alongside musings from my travels and the strange places I’ve seen. Every new experience fuels my imagination, feeding the stories I’m compelled to write.
Over the past two decades, I’ve penned numerous novels, each darker and more complex than the last. My first published work, The Island of Stone, culminated in years of storytelling and was self-published almost a decade after it was written. This was followed by The Slaying of the Bull, a historical fiction also written in my youth. Next came the four books (of six) in the epic dark fantasy series Absolution of the Morning Star: Dawn of the Lightbearer, The Mourning Son, Noonday in the North, and Destiny of the Daystar. I then wrote Koen, a stand-alone prequel to Absolution of the Morning Star, which will be available through Grendel Press in early to mid-2025. While navigating the lengthy process of traditional publishing, I completed and published The Novice of Thanatos, another tale set in the dark world of Lucardia, and Duke Rhime of the Spire, a dark fantasy romance, will be released soon. Currently, I am writing The Monk of Thanatos, the sequel to The Novice of Thanatos. As you can see, I am not one to sit idle.
I now live in the Boston area, where I write whenever I can—on weekends and after my day job as a higher-education administrator at MIT. Writing is still my passion, a beacon guiding me through the shadows of daily life. The dream of accolades, fame, and fortune may seem distant, but I’ll never abandon crafting new worlds and intriguing characters.
Join me on this journey through the dark and the fantastical—there are many more stories waiting to be told!
Want to know more? Explore my writing journey, dive into the world of dark fantasy, and find out why I chose this shadowy path.
