JOHN AKERS

John Akers grew up in suburban New York. Born with a cleft lip and a cleft palate, he dealt with extensive craniofacial and ENT issues for his first twenty years. However, with the support of his family and friends and the skill of several excellent surgeons and other doctors, he was able to enjoy a largely normal life.

John's fascination with technology and user interfaces led him to earn a B.A. in behavioral sciences and an M.S. in human factors engineering before embarking on a career as a product designer for various technology companies. Some of the many products he has designed include an entertainment kiosk at Walt Disney World, a photo-sharing website, photo printers, accounting and tax software, and a job applicant tracking system. John is the sole inventor of a U.S. patent, and he leverages his expert knowledge of man-machine systems and user experience design to create his compelling, dystopian visions of the future.

A fan of science fiction ever since he saw Star Wars in the theater with his dad as a kid, John's literary influences include Ray Bradbury, Kurt Vonnegut, Ursula Le Guin, Neal Stephenson, Octavia Butler, Hugh Howey, N.K. Jemisin, and Neil Gaiman. Over a decade ago he began writing his own stories as a way of exploring his concerns about the unintended consequences of human technology.

John lives with his family in San Diego, California. You can contact him at john@john-akers.com.