Jeff Salyards is a renowned American author, well-known for his fantasy and science fiction books. He was born and raised in a small town north of Chicago, where he developed a fascination for the fantastic at a young age. Growing up, he would spend countless evenings reading speculative fiction, even past his bedtime with a flashlight in hand. His love for the genre led him to participate in activities such as playing role-playing games, attending Renaissance Faires, and participating in the Society for Creative Anachronism.\n \nSalyards' career as a writer took some time to develop, as he flirted with various projects before finally committing to finishing his first novel. His debut novel, Scourge of the Betrayer, was published by Night Shade Books in May 2012, and it was the first installment in a series called Bloodsounder’s Arc. The book received critical acclaim and won the Best Novel (36th Annual Predators Awards) in 2012. The sequel, Veil of the Deserters, was named the 5th best fantasy of 2012 by Kirkus Reviews.
Salyards is best known for his Bloodsounder's Arc series, which tells the story of legendary soldier Captain Braylar Killcoin and his First Company known as The Syldoon. The series is characterized by its dark and mature themes, which are a far cry from the irrepressible characters and heaps of danger that first captured Salyards' imagination as a child.\n \nDespite his success as a writer, Salyards maintains a day job as a book editor for the American Bar Association. He lives near Chicago with his wife and three daughters, who he hopes will one day share his love for the fantastic. Salyards continues to write novels, as long as there are readers willing to read them.