*Photo Courtesy of Andrea Gilliam, 2026 Tokyo Skytree.
James Gilliam writes epic fantasy rooted in myth, adventure, enduring faith, true heroes, and unrepentant villains. His love for storytelling began early, listening to his parents read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings at bedtime. From Tolkien and Lewis to Pratchett, Gaiman, Salvatore, and Doyle, he developed a lifelong passion for fantasy, adventure, mystery, and mythic storytelling.
At five years old, James’s father introduced him to his first Fighting Fantasy adventure game. It gave him nightmares that night, but also ignited a lifelong love of swords and sorcery. Years later, he sat down with his father, uncle, and cousins to play the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition boxed set the first time. The game further ignited a lifelong hobby that would shape his imagination for decades. Through tabletop gaming, numerous paperback novels, and reading his father’s own stories, James eventually committed himself to bringing his own worlds and characters to life.
A twenty-six-year veteran of the U.S. Army, James has served in the Infantry, the Chaplain Corps, Intelligence, Law Enforcement, and Cyber Forensics. Alongside his family, his military career carried him across much of the United States as well as Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Those experiences, across both peacetime and war, continue to shape the people, places, conflicts, and themes woven throughout his fiction.
James C Gilliam 