John Hamilton is a novelist, journalist, nature photographer, graphic designer, screenwriter, filmmaker, martial artist, dad, pirate, and lover of all pizzas.In addition to two novels, he is the author of more than 170 nonfiction children’s books published by Abdo & Daughters. He loves bringing history to life. Lewis & Clark: Adventures West was a finalist at the 17th annual Minnesota Book Awards. In 2008, he won a Golden Duck Award for Excellence in Children’s Science Fiction Literature for his six-book series The World of Science Fiction. He won a second Golden Duck in 2010 for You Write It!: Science Fiction, part of a series of books that teach young people how to write genre fiction.

As a professional photographer, John especially enjoys shooting national parks and rodeos. His photography has appeared in dozens of magazines and books, including Backpacker, Photomethods, and Arms Control Today. In 2010, his rodeo work was picked as Editor’s Choice by the National Association of Photoshop Professionals. His rodeo photos will also be featured in a six-part series of children’s books published by Abdo & Daughters in 2013.

John’s other interests include martial arts, with second-degree black belts in both Tae Kwon Do and Kung Fu. He loves lighthouses, and hiking along Minnesota’s rugged North Shore.