Meet Bryan
Osiyo nigada! (Hello everyone!)
I am a Charlotte, North Carolina native currently residing in the Greater Seattle area, with roots in Western Europe and Cherokee heritage. Over the years, I’ve explored a range of careers, but two stand out as my greatest passion: writing fiction and training dogs. In my earlier years, I had the privilege of training thousands of dogs and the bond between humans and canines remains sacred to me. You’ll often find a dog featured in my stories. One of my favorite images, displayed on my homepage, captures a cherished moment with our dog, Lyric, as we walk on a Washington State beach.
For me, writing is more than a vocation - it is a vital form of spiritual expression, a concept we describe in Cherokee as “medicine.” My Cherokee heritage is deeply rooted, with ancestors listed on several historical rolls, from the Reservation Roll of 1817 to the Miller Roll of 1909. Our family’s journey includes those who traveled the Trail of Tears in the Bell detachment as well as my father and paternal grandmother who grew up within two miles of Kituwah (Gidu-hwa) Mound, considered the mother town of the Cherokee people.
My tribal affiliation is extended through membership in the Cherokee Community of Puget Sound and the Mt. Hood Cherokees, both official satellite communities of the Cherokee Nation. My cousins within the Cherokee Nation descend from the Collins, Cordery, Harris, McNair, Rogers, Sanders, Vann, and other families.
Academically, I hold a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and a master’s degree in theological studies, with additional postgraduate work in clinical chaplaincy and family systems theory. Currently, I live on an island in Puget Sound with my wife, Penelope, and our beloved dogs, enjoying the company of the local wildlife, including deer, raccoon, bald eagle, osprey, coyote, river otter, and orca.