About C. L. Hamilton

I'm a family man.

I live in coastal South Carolina with my beautiful wife, three children, a quartet of cats, and one very friendly dog named Shaw (I'd love to say he was named after a famous writer, like George Bernard Shaw, but the truth is he used to have a brother named Hobbs, and if you can figure out that reference it should tell you a lot of what you need to know!)

I'm a teacher. 

Oh, look: a teacher who really wants to write. Could I be any more of a cliché? 

Yes, it's true, I am that high school English teacher who has always secretly wanted to be a writer. But that doesn't mean I don't love teaching. I have more than 25 years of teaching under my belt, with students ranging from children to adults. 

I'm a traveler. 

I've spent my life on the go, dragging my family to every part of the country (and beyond) that I've been able to reach. There's nothing more exciting to me than the prospect of a road trip, and I trained my kids early on to appreciate life in the car. Together, we've made it to 48 states (I'm looking at you, Alaska and Hawaii!) as well as several continents. 

Traveling is important for me because it helps remind me of the endless variety of life and culture on our planet. 

I'm a musician.

I love teaching, but my (not-so-secret) ambition has always been first and foremost to be a musician. I grew up taking piano lessons and playing trumpet in high school and college, but at some point transitioned into a bass player.

I love all types of music (although my wife would probably tell you that most of it is best described as "weird"). Currently I play bass for Moonlight Ale, an Irish-inspired group based in Charleston, SC. If you're in the neighborhood, come find us and share  a pint!

I'm a writer. 

Even though Across the Western Gray is my first official novel, I've been writing in one form or another since elementary school, when I wrote my first Choose Your own Adventure book in the 5th grade. I love writing all sorts of stories and poems, and I hope you will love reading them.