Brian grew up in the small town of Whiting, NJ, a magical realm near the sea where pine trees grow in the sand. Aside from deer, his primary company was his imagination. He obtained his BA in East Asian Studies (Japanese) and Creative Writing from Bucknell University, and spent a great deal of time studying, living, and working in Japan before moving to the United Kingdom to pursue a Master's Degree in Sociology at the University of Oxford. He wrote his dissertation in a pub, and proudly continues that tradition by pumping out novels at any bar with good grub and good drink. When he isn't writing, Brian hops around the world tasting wine, collecting My Little Ponies, and cooking a hell of a lot of nomtastic food.