My name is Christopher Tate. I was born in the small town of Marietta, Ohio, and grew up the oldest of two brothers. We moved around a lot, but no matter where we landed, one thing stayed the same: I was always telling stories.

As a kid, I didn’t just play with action figures — I built entire worlds. Each toy had a backstory, a goal, a rival, even a love interest (shoutout to my WWE collection). My friends and I would freestyle stories on the spot, competing to see who could make each other laugh, cry, or flinch. That spark never left.

In school, I wrote a story during a state exam about a kid who finds a magical locker and gets pulled into another world. I couldn’t stop writing — even after time was up. A few weeks later, my mom got a letter saying it was the top-rated story in Ohio for my grade level. That moment stuck with me. So did her belief in me.

I’ve tried a lot of creative paths over the years — rapping, photography, filmmaking — but storytelling has always been at the heart of everything I do. I write character-driven dramas, crime fiction, and horror that digs into real emotion. I take inspiration from filmmakers like Quentin Tarantino and Christopher Nolan — Tarantino for his unforgettable characters, Nolan for the way he explores human connection. (Interstellar isn’t just about space — it’s about a father and daughter. That’s the stuff that hits me.)

Whether it’s a film, a novel, or a video game, I’ve always gravitated toward stories that stay with you. Red Dead Redemption, God of War, Bioshock — those worlds felt real to me. Same with the books I grew up reading. Stephen King was my first favorite. More recently, I’ve become a huge fan of S.A. Cosby, James Patterson, George R.R. Martin, and Nita Prose — storytellers who make you feel something long after the last page.

Now, I’m finally doing what I’ve always dreamed of: writing stories of my own. I’m the author of The Mark They Left and the upcoming novel A Petal Through Stone, both set in the fictional city of Heartland — a place torn between survival and ambition, violence and hope.

Outside of writing, I’m a proud father of three amazing kids — one daughter and two sons — and I love hiking, swimming, golfing, movie nights, and just spending time with the people I love. No matter where I am or what I’m doing, I’m always thinking about stories. It’s more than a hobby. It’s my passion. My purpose. And I’m just getting started.