Born in Long Island, New York, Rand grew up in Maryland and still lives there with his son and daughter. He spends his time writing, making music, playing games with his kids, and running his creative business, including his own online store.
A professional software architect/manager, he has worked for NASA, the State Department, and White House (among others), and ran a successful consulting firm in the Washington D.C. area for a decade.
As an Author/Publisher
As an indie author and world building strategist, Rand has written fantasy fiction and created fictional worlds since the 1980s. In addition to authoring the acclaimed series, The Art of World Building, he’s the founder and lead instructor at World Building University and hosts a related podcast. He’s also co-founder of the annual Fantasy and Sci-Fi Authors Summit, and the Writer’s of the Future contest has recognized his writing three times. His multiple series of epic fantasy stories are available online, local stores, and in-person at live events.
As a Musician
As a composer and guitarist, he has written, recorded, engineered, produced, and released/promoted several instrumental albums (rock, acoustic guitar, or classical guitar), with him sometimes also performing the drums, bass, piano, and doing string arrangements. He performs the same roles, including lyricist and band manager, for his metal band, Black Halo. He’s earned endorsements from multiple companies and only plays electric guitars he made.
Rand minored in piano and has a Bachelor’s of Music in classical guitar (Magna Cum Laude, from Catholic University in D.C.). After college, he developed severe tendonitis in both arms; the injury temporarily crippled him, cost him his guitar playing for years, and changed the course of his life.