Mark Matthews has worked in the behavioral health field for over 20 years. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan, a licensed professional counselor, and lives near Detroit with his wife and 2 daughters.His novel "On the Lips of Children," from Books of the Dead Press, was nominated as a semi-finalist for the 2014 Best Kindle Book Awards. It is based on a predawn run on a dark San Diego trail just as described in the novel.The follow up to this novel, MILK-BLOOD, is set within the urban blight of Detroit and is also based on a true setting and some true circumstances. STRAY was his first novel, and takes place at a substance abuse treatment center with an animal shelter right next door within barking distance.Matthews is an avid runner, and his second novel, The Jade Rabbit, is the story of a woman, adopted from China, who is raised in Detroit and runs marathons to deal with lingering trauma. A non-fiction book on running and addiction called "Chasing the Dragon: Running to Get High" is also available on amazon.He blogs at "Writing, Running, and Chasing the Dragon."