James Byron Huggins, born in 1959, began his career as a journalist, receiving a bachelor's degree in journalism and English from Troy State University. He worked as a reporter for the Hartselle Enquirer in Hartselle, Alabama, where he won seven awards for excellence in writing and editing. However, Huggins' life took a dramatic turn when he decided to help persecuted Christians in eastern Europe.
In 1985, Huggins moved to Texas to work with members of the Christian underground in that region, setting up a system to smuggle information in and out of Iron Curtain countries. In 1987, he traveled to Romania, where he photographed secret police installations, took pictures of people active in the Christian underground, and continued his work as an orchestrator of smuggling routes. Huggins' time in Romania was fraught with danger, often requiring him to hide in the woods or secure basements for days at a time. After leaving Romania, Huggins returned to the United States and resumed journalism, working for a small newspaper and a nonprofit Christian magazine. He later became a patrolman with the Huntsville Police Department in Huntsville, Alabama, before leaving to pursue writing novels.
Huggins' first three novels, A Wolf Story, The Reckoning, and Leviathan, achieved best-seller status in the Christian marketplace. He then broke into mainstream science fiction with Cain and Hunter, both of which were optioned for film rights. Huggins' novels are known for their fast-paced, action-packed storylines and significant horror elements. He has been an international bestselling thriller writer for almost twenty years, taking a break to work on film productions based on his novels. His latest work, Dark Visions, was released in July 2018. Huggins believes that well-written fiction is one of the best ways to learn and hopes that his readers enjoy his latest thriller.