The Mind Behind the Stories
Behind the Pages: A Writer’s Journey
J. William Hauck was born in Boise, Idaho. As a young boy, he spent his days with his grandfather, who captivated him with his tales of childhood adventure in Chicago, baseball glory, and the dark years of World War I. At the age of six, Hauck’s family moved to Southern California. He spent his early life living there and in Southern Utah. An avid military and science fiction fan, Hauck was fascinated by army stories, all things Star Trek, and later Space: 1999. He marveled at the paradoxical world of the Planet of the Apes saga. But it was Star Wars, with its complex mythology, action, and ethical questions, that really triggered his imagination. He wrote his first short story, Star World, at fourteen. Hauck managed to contain his vivid imagination through high school, but his mind continued spinning up tales.
After serving as a missionary in Norway, he met the love of his life, Nancy. Together, they attended Dixie Jr. College (now Utah Tech University), Southern Utah State College (now Southern Utah University), and Pacific University in Oregon, where he received his Doctor of Optometry degree. While stories still circulated in his head, the rigors of work and family life put writing to the side.
Hauck’s first novel, Truce of the Bear, was released in 2000. He wrote two sequels to the military thriller that were never published. Spurred by his desire to tell his grandparents’ fascinating story, he wrote The Sheep Rancher’s Daughter series. The Chronicles of the Watchers series came next. With it, he discovered a pseudo-fantasy world that allowed him to explore some of humanity’s greatest questions.
While important moments in time often provide the backdrop to Hauck’s novels, it is his eye for detail and understanding of the human spirit, complete with its imperfections and greatness, which gives his characters their depth and dimension. He loves exploring the world with his wife, Nancy. He is the father of five and resides in Saint George, Utah. He is currently working on his next novel.
