How did the Traveler become a series?

It all began with an extraordinarily vivid dream around 2011.

The dream lingered with startling clarity. Days and weeks passed, yet John could still remember every detail as if he had been part of the construction crew himself. Compelled by the precision of these memories, he sat down and drew up complete set of house plans and a site plan, visualizing exactly how it would look overlooking on the California shore. The dream featured three distinct characters: an older wealthy man (who by 2025, John upgrade to a billionaire), a female artist walking on the beach, and himself as the architect.

​

For years, the dream remained just that—a fascinating story that John shared with friends. His family had literary inclinations: his younger sister had written a poetry-picture book five years earlier, and his mother had authored a series of books around 2005, including two about a girl named Renee and others focusing on military families. In January 2024, John approached his mother about collaborating on his dream story. While she envisioned a wizard-centered tale, John felt compelled to preserve the integrity of his original dream and began writing it himself.

​

The story took on a life of its own. As John developed his three characters, he realized he needed to explain how the old man had acquired his wealth. What began as a redwood forest storyline unexpectedly evolved into an extraterrestrial narrative, with Planet Nibiru becoming central to the plot alongside an entire civilization of visitors and their families. Writing first in notebooks until he had accumulated enough material to transfer to digital format, the initial story reached 32 pages.

​

Driven by his need for authenticity, John researched history while writing almost daily before and after work. The narrative unfolded in his mind like a movie, with character names crafted using phonics from family and friends. Most importantly, he anchored his story to real historical events, creating detailed timelines spanning from 8,000 years ago through the 13th, 16th, and 19th centuries. Remarkably, the story's prehistory developed backwards from his original dream.

​

This passion for discovery has deep roots. During his formative years, John devoured National Geographic magazines and watched with fascination as his grandfather crafted houses from foundation to roof. Throughout his education, he immersed himself in engineering, architecture, astronomy, and photography, always driven by an insatiable curiosity about how things worked. His love of movies, books, and thought-provoking programs like Discovery Channel and Unsolved Mysteries provided additional inspiration, with hints of these influences woven throughout his narratives.

​

The Traveler series invites readers to explore thought-provoking possibilities that challenge conventional thinking. When not crafting narratives, John can be found exploring remote corners of the world, camera in hand, gathering inspiration for future stories that blur the lines between dreams, reality, and cosmic possibility.