Gil Hess writes cozy, character-driven fantasy adventures about quiet courage, found family, and the strange beauty of magic hidden in ordinary places. He is the author of The Inn Side Shop and its sequel, Cinder’s Edge, part of a larger series exploring the Crossroads and the world beyond.

When he isn’t writing, Gil works in radiation oncology, helping patients navigate some of life’s hardest chapters. Outside of work, he can usually be found somewhere along a California trail—hiking, thinking through storylines, or just chasing a bit of quiet. He lives with his family, an overcurious cat, a ball-chasing dog and more notebooks than he could ever fill.