Joseph M. Monks

Joseph M. Monks was born in Queens, New York on February 21st, 1968, and while he no longer lives in the state, he will always consider himself a New Yorker. His family upped and left for the 'burbs in 1977, and Joe rooted himself in Valley Stream, NY, where he began a pursuit of two rabid passions: hockey and writing. Joe began writing when he was nine and has not looked back, particularly in recent years. Undaunted by the loss of his eyesight in 2002 (the result of Monks' long-time battle with diabetes), the then-33 year old author completed his first anthology of original fiction, Stuff Out'a My Head, released in December of the same year, and illustrated by horror legend Bernie Wrightson. Joe and Bernie frequently team up on horror projects, and their previous collaborative efforts include COVEN, The Night Terrors (comic book), and in 2003 a unique story & art portfolio entitled Gardens of the Dead, which further expands the Zombieverse that Joe has frequently explored with Bernie.