Daniel Clerc grew up in the agricultural corridor of Southern Illinois. During his formative years, the long hours of work were broken up by his enjoyment of the Marvel and DC Universes, and books that included Sinbad, Conan, and Flash Gordon. By his teen years, this evolved into an interest ranging from science fiction to frontier life, and included all things historical. Daniel's principal historical interests still include military history, the story of Early America through the tragedy of the Civil War, and historical events and ideas that have been poignant enough to alter the course of humanity. After high school, Daniel packed everything he owned into the back seat of his 1977 Chevy Nova. He rescued it from the scrap heap and by the time he left for college, it was nearly equal parts metal and bondo. Even though it dog-tracked down the road, had no working radio, a blower motor that only worked in August, used a quart of oil every hundred miles, and shook violently at speeds between 40 and 50 MPH, it was his special set of wheels. He left his multi-generational family farm and entered the next chapter of his life--at Southern Illinois University. He worked a multitude of jobs on his journey through college. With the increased exposure afforded by a collegiate education, he stumbled upon an irrepressible love for the sciences and the healing arts. He double-majored and achieved bachelor's degrees in biology and psychology, and a minor in organic chemistry. He additionally became a certified EMT. Then there was the thrill of bench research...studying DNA repair in chick embryo melanized retinal pigmented epithelial cells. A successful thesis defense marked the completion of a master's degree in biochemistry. Following graduate school, Daniel attended Saint Louis University School of Medicine. He graduated with his Doctorate in Medicine in 1998. With an additional interest in forensic pathology, he became a certified death investigator. Through it all, he maintained his keen interest in great literature--with a love for the likes of Mark Twain, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and again...all things pertaining to history and human development. After medical school, he completed a family medicine program at Forest Park Hospital in St. Louis and spent many nights and weekends moonlighting in regional emergency departments surrounding the St. Louis metro area. When he completed his training in 2001, Daniel was awarded the Family Medicine Resident of the Year. With a desire to practice the healing arts and to touch lives in an underserved community, he took a position to practice medicine in rural Missouri. Several years later his career took an unexpected turn. He moved with his wife and three small children to the Great Northwest...to Seattle Washington. The move was so he could attend post-doctoral training in sleep medicine. To this day he continues to practice medicine in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. Over the years he has enjoyed lecturing to professional and community audiences on various medical topics ranging from primary care to sleep disorders, and he has given multiple radio interviews. Additionally, Daniel has held clinic directorships and has served on multiple hospital and clinic committees. The Time Altar Series found its inception in a poignant dream. Then, as the idea matured and the story was teased out of the shadows, the characters found their form and were given their voices. That's where the reader will find the intersections of Daniel's love of literature, science, psychology, and history. While the tension of The Time Altar Series weaves and grows through two centuries in the future and one in the past, it is solidly built on a foundation of science and history, and of governments evolving under the pressure of colliding philosophies. The story is designed to be engaging and thought-provoking on multiple levels. It's a look back to discover where we've been, and a look forward to where we're going.
