A L BeckA.L. Beck was born in Hamilton, Ontario, known as "Steel City", and grew up in an unusual family situation. Raised by their maternal grandparents, who later adopted them as an adult, they spent much of their childhood in a quieter, more insular worldthan most of their peers. Books became their constant companions, and school was the place where they felt most at home.That early love of reading turned into a long academic journey. Beck went on to earn three degrees in literature, including a PhD completed while caring for their aging grandparents. Their work has explored vampires, Catholic imagery, Anne Rice's fiction, and Pre-Raphaelite art. Along the way, they have presented papers and lectures on topics ranging from Catholic influence in gothic writing to Canadian speculative fiction.The spark for Shattered Faith arrived after Beck watched Leah Remini's series Scientology and the Aftermath and was struck by the scale of harm described by former members. Without their own first-hand experience, they turned to fiction as the most honest way to contribute. Beck wanted to write about broken people in different ways, and chose Scientology as the structure that breaks Quinn from the inside.Beck now lives in Calgary, Alberta, "Cow Town", with their partner, four dogs, and a housemate. When not writing, Beck is usually in the garden, watching animation and anime, reading horror, baking, or looking after foster dogs, including one memorable foster who never left and became part of the family. Read More Read Less