Hartley Barnes was born in Seaford Town, Jamaica. At the age of eleven, he moved with his family to Brooklyn, New York. Making the transition was a significant adjustment for him. He joined the Army at the age of eighteen. After serving for three years, he was discharged from the Army shortly after returning home from Vietnam. Returning to Brooklyn, he faced many challenges, most of which he did not understand. Post-traumatic stress disorder had set in unbeknownst to him. Coping with everyday life was not easy and, with no sense of direction, found himself in a well of despair. Help was not readily available-like a boat without a rudder, he drifted. A typical day meant depression, anxiety, and panic attacks. Ten years passed, which included the pursuit of an acting career; Hartley returned to the military, a haven in his mind. During those years, he deployed to two wars; Desert Storm, and Iraqi freedom. In 2006, with 27 plus years of service, he retired from the Army with numerous medals and awards. Hartley returned to Afghanistan and Iraq as a civilian contractor for another six years. Writing became a significant part of his healing process; It helped him immensely to overcome the ravages of war. It allowed him to exhale and find peace. Sharing his non-fiction and fiction stories gave him the freedom to let go of his fears. Hartley anecdotes were published by Around Wellington, an online magazine and The Florida Writer Magazine. He is a contributing writer in Spectrum volumes 14 and 15, a compilation of stories by the Royal Palm Beach Writers, a local writing group of which he is a member. Hartley is a 2019 silver medal winner in creative writing from the Department of Veterans Affairs, National Veterans Creative Arts Competition. His focus are original narratives and play-writing. Hartley recently Co-founded Veteran Writers Alliance, a charity organization, as a way to give back to the community and to help other veterans find healing through writing. His hobbies are carving airplanes from two-by-fours and listening to jazz, blues, and reggae. Hartley presently lives in Royal Palm Beach, Florida, where he spends much of his time writing.
