The Evolution of Everything: How Selection Shapes Culture, Commerce, and Nature

Mark Sumner is the award-winning author of several novels, including Devil's Tower which was nominated for the World Fantasy Award.  His News from the Edge series (including The Monster of Minnesota and Vampires of Vermont) was the basis for the television series The Chronicle which appeared on the SyFy network.

He worked for two decades as a field geologist, discovering miles of cave beneath western Kentucky, uncovering dinosaurs in South Dakota, and exploring for minerals across many western states. He now works in an office -- which is not nearly as scenic or exciting, though it does tend to stay warm and dry.

He is a contributing editor at the political web site Daily Kos, where he frequently writes on issues of science, the environment, and the economy. He holds a Masters Degree from Washington University, and lives with his wife and son in a drafty log cabin near St. Louis, Missouri. He still owns a rather rickety ultralight plane for use on those occasions when the world seems a little too safe.