The author was born and raised in Racine, Wisconsin, and also lived in Toronto, Ontario, as a boy. With the exception of a five-year stretch, Matthew called California home from 1979 to 2004, and lived in both the northern and southern parts of the state, with the highlight being his ten years in Long Beach. At the time of this novel’s initial publication, Matthew was relocating to Omaha, Nebraska to become Executive Director of a not-for-profit performing arts company.