Derek Dunnagan was born and raised in downstate Illinois. From an early age, his parents imparted to him an interest and love of history. He attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he studied actuarial science. After decades in the insurance industry, he left his career to become an author. An avid student of history and of the Bible, he yearned to write a story combining these two passions. This is the result: a novel that stays compelling and cohesive throughout while remaining faithful to history and to the Bible. He and his wife live in Iowa where he is currently writing two more books focused on history and the Bible.