A. R. Cook

A native of Riverside, Illinois, A. R. Cook has always been surrounded by an artful atmosphere. Parents John Reeger and Paula Scrofano, "Chicago's royal couple of live theatre," have always been a constant source of encouragement. At the University of Iowa, A.R. studied English literature and theater arts with a focus on play writing, having six short plays and one full-length children's play produced at the university. After moving to Gainesville, Georgia, in 2007, play writing turned to novel writing, particularly fantasy (just ask the residents of A.R.'s ever-expanding dragon and griffin figurine collection). A.R. has continued to write short stories and short plays, which have been awarded honorable mentions in various magazines, such as Writers' Journal and Writer's Digest. For the past three years, A.R. has been the book review columnist for the Gainesville Times, one of the most widely distributed newspapers in northeastern Georgia.