David Atchison grew up in the Pacific Northwest and is an elementary teacher in a small town in northern Idaho where he lives with his wife, three children, and various cats, dogs, chickens, and horses. David holds a masters degree in elementary education with a focus on technology and literacy. His many interests include riding and raising horses with his family; collecting rocks, minerals, and gemstones; and writing stories for children. Ideas for the Black Bart series came from an adventurous large black cat named Bart that his older sister had as a child. The theme of the series is character development with the stories being told by the main character, Black Bart. David hopes that this children's book series will provide a positive moral influence based on biblical values while entertaining the readers. The experience that most shaped David's life is having Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.