A.J. Cunder was only sixteen-years-old when he began working on the first draft of The Silver Talon. His great love of fantasy worlds inspired him to craft his own so other readers like him could sit back, relax, and journey to a realm of magic, dragons, and unimaginable reality.
He loves anything to do with medieval times (especially sword fighting and knights) and gravitates towards books that incorporate such ideas into their plots. He has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, and in his free time, he practices sword fighting with his friends to get a better idea of what his characters go through in their own battles.
He currently attends Seton Hall University and is one of sixty chosen from his grade to be a part of the University's Honors Program. After studying Italian for four years, he also considers himself semi-fluent in the language.
When not writing or studying for school, he is a volunteer firefighter with the Whippany Fire Department. He was also a sergeant with the Morris County Sheriff's Office Explorer Post 140.
Since the age of one-and-a-half, A.J. has lived with Type 1 diabetes. Proceeds from book sales will be used to help the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation find a cure for this life-long disease.
Finally, A.J. would like to thank everyone who supported him throughout his writing experience: "To all my family and friends, I appreciate your constant enthusiasm from the inception of the novel all the way through. To my teachers, I value all of the critique and support you have given me--with The Silver Talon and as a student in your classroom. You have truly made my academic experience both enjoyable and informative. And lastly, I extend a warm thank you to all my readers, whose hearts and minds give Arius and Guardus a home. Without you, Farahdin is nothing more than a word on a page."
