A. R. Arias was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, and grew up in Hoboken. After graduating from high school in Puerto Rico, he honorably served in the U. S. Army. He attended the School of Visual Arts in New York City, where he studied fine arts and creative writing. He is the author of the novels A Death for Beauty and Oceans. THE ASYLUM is his third novel. He is currently developing a screenplay adaptation of the novel.