John Cammalleri was born in Paterson, NJ, attended Rutgers University, and retired from a 33 year career that included Financial and Supply Chain Management in 2007. Soon after, he pursued a lifelong desire to write. His first novel, "Protecting the Cittern", was published in 2010, and is a winner of a 2011 Royal Palm Literary Award from the Florida Writers Association. His second novel, "The Ibex Trophy", won a RPLA in 2013. He and his wife, Evelyn, live in Fort Pierce, FL, where he is a member of several writing workshops, on the Executive Committee of The Florida Writers' Association, and is the President of The Treasure Coast Writers' Guild.