Tod Newman discovered his calling as a storyteller during his engineering studies at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, where long watches at sea sparked an imagination that would eventually span from ancient prophets to imperial Rome. What began as tales inspired by maritime lore has evolved into something far more ambitious: novels that excavate the buried truths hidden beneath history's surface. Drawing from influences as diverse as George MacDonald and the Inklings (Tolkien, Lewis, Williams) to the psychological depths of Russian masters, the stark beauty of Cormac McCarthy, the magical fiction of Gabriel Garcia-Marquez, and the agrarian wisdom of Wendell Berry, Tod crafts stories where powerful ideas emerge naturally from character and conflict rather than heavy-handed allegory. The Halls of the Shadow King series is set in third-century Rome, where emperors plotted persecution and pursued the hidden networks that kept faith alive. Here, Tod's signature magical realism finds its perfect setting: a world where the divine still dwells with ordinary people called to extraordinary purpose. The Rim Country is his third series of historical fiction, exploring the Pleasant Valley Range War of the late 1880’s in Arizona Territory. This is the Range War that was largely unknown for years because the locals refused to discuss what happened with outsiders. Discover Tod's latest projects and upcoming releases (and buy them if you like!) and get on the mailing list at todnewman.com