TONY BERTAUSKI is an American author, well-known for his science fiction, fantasy, and technothriller novels, including those for young adults. His works include the Socket, Halfskin, Claus, and Foreverland series. As a reader, he values a story that keeps his attention from start to finish. As a writer, he aspires to create such stories himself.
Bertauski was inspired by the science fiction and fantasy paperbacks he borrowed from his grandfather as a child. He was particularly fascinated by the concept of sentient robots and their mortality. This interest was sparked by the many scripts he found in his grandfather's closet, who, despite not finishing high school, was an avid reader. One of the books that most captivated Bertauski was Dune.
Bertauski's writing career began with contributions to journals and gardening editorials. He grew up in the Midwest and has always had a passion for writing, although he struggled with discipline in his early years. His writing took off after grad school, where he started teaching and writing articles for trade magazines. He eventually published two textbooks on landscape design and wrote a column for the Post and Courier. However, it wasn't until later that he transitioned to writing fiction.
Bertauski's fiction writing began when he started creating stories with his daughter to encourage her to read. This led to the creation of The Socket Greeny Saga, a science fiction trilogy that was gritty and thoughtful. He has been practicing Zen since he was 23 years old and is a daily meditator. He strives to instill meaningful messages in his stories that appeal to both young adult and adult audiences, similar to The Hunger Games. Bertauski's work often explores the human condition and the meaning of life, and he is a fan of plot twists. Half of his work is young adult fiction, while the other half is for adults, allowing him to incorporate mature language.