Michael Eves Shaffer
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Michael Eves Shaffer was born on April 1st at one in the morning. Whether the birthday shaped him or he chose that date to represent his life, only the divine really knows. His tastes have always been extremely eclectic as well as his career paths. From his first job as a dishwasher, he went into the Army to become a turbine engine mechanic. After four years, he got out and joined the Army Reserve Military Police. Which immediately deployed for Desert Storm. Returning home, he worked as a bookkeeper for an accounting firm. But adventure still interested him, so rejoined the Army to become a Calvary Scout. Which meant his job was to go behind enemy lines to observe what they were doing. While stationed in Baumholder, Germany, as part of the 4/12 Infantry Brigade, he was deployed to Bosnia. After his time there, he moved fully into civilian life, doing a number of different things before he settled into software engineering.
Currently lives in Youngstown, Ohio, with three cats (Scooter, Tanjay, and Isbit) and an Anatolian Shephard (Fafhrd). He had always been into fantasy and science fiction, a very avid reader since before he got into school. In October of 2014 he finally decided to put together the pieces and parts that had been running through his head. In April of 2015, he published his first book, Firing of the Crucible. His second book followed in June of the 2016, Forging of the Blade. Part of the delay was he had decided that he wanted to add illustrations. After going through a number of artists who said they wanted to be part of the project, he tried his hand at art. Forging shows his first attempts and a month after the released Forging, he re-released Firing with added artwork.
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Firing of the Crucible
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Science Fiction, adventure
The Empire has thrived for millions of years with very little war marring the peace. It spans a large portion of the galaxy. Less than a hundred years ago the Empire found a young race, the Easlank. They were a race apparently recent to space travel but who consider all other life to be either slaves or food. The Empire decided to correct this view and help them integrate into the Empire. Your ship was the only one to survive The Last Battle. The High Court is in exile. All other planets and races of your fallen Empire lie at the mercy of ravenous hoards. Your last hope is a planet that was sealed away from the rest of the universe and used to try and breed the ultimate warrior. A project started over two hundred thousand years ago. Only a few minor problems lie in your way. You must get there without the enemy following you. A process made difficult in the extreme as they can apparently track Emergence somehow. Going there without direct permission from the Emperor means your mind will be wiped. Or you will be executed. Or both. Getting his permission at this point is not an option. There is also the slight problem that the project was terminated because the resultant race was too violent, too uncontrollable, with too much of a chance of killing their handlers instead of their targets. Best case scenario is finding a few survivors who might be able to slow the advance of the Easlank while your Empire recovers. The planet's name in the records means "terrifying experiment". The natives just call it Earth. And they definitely didn’t get the “termination” memo. May Goddess have mercy on your soul. 
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Forging of the Blade
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Science fiction, adventure
The first 13 Omegas have been brought onto the alien's ship. The aliens have all the technology, millions of years of society, and a higher intelligence. Not to mention that individually, they are all older than the oldest Terran. The Terrans have what we have always had, wits and a wiliness to do what is necessary for the survival of the race. The aliens are going to be fighting to maintain control and their way of doing things. The Omegas are going to be fighting to carve a place in this new galactic empire that isn't just as a subservient fighter-servent one. And neither side can lose if either is to win. 
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Attila the Runner: Episode 1 - Awakening
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Science fiction, distopia
At birth, Attila was saddled with a name he could never live up to. At age 7 he was forced into a body he could never excel in. . At age 14 he chose to commit actions he could never atone for. Unfortunately, much like his namesake, the rules and expectations of others weren't something he gave much attention to. Unfortunately for those others who wanted to force them on him that is. Especially since at age 21, he got the ultimate "reset". If only he can find the "On button" for all his new abilities. 
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Attila the Runner: Episode 2 - Run to Moore Tower
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Science fiction, distopia
Attila had little time to explore all the changes the Space virus had done to his body. An idle Runner was a dead Runner. But this next Run was easily the most dangerous one he had ever attempted. One doesn't simply walk into Moore Tower. In fact, only one real Runner has ever made it in and out of Moore Tower with their life. On the plus side, it had been he who made that run. On the negative side, that was when the Tower was still getting its security installed and the item he smuggled in was something that fit into his pocket. And this time the object was definitely bigger than a breadbox. 
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