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Jeff Raymond
Author Bio:
I grew up in a very small town in Central Illinois; a town with no stop lights, no national-chain restaurants, and more tractors than pupils in the local high school. (I had 43 in my graduating class.) That "smallness" allowed me to be involved in a variety of activities - from sports to piano lessons to marching band to working for my father.
My father owned a commercial printing business and served as publisher of a small weekly newspaper for more than 50 years. His business - the Golden Prairie News - provided my first opportunity to work on publications and to write. My older brother started in the newspaper business after college and continues as an owner and publisher of his own publication in Illinois.
Despite that media background, I chose another path.
I entered college at Taylor University in Indiana with the plans to become a coach and perhaps a teacher. During college, I was a member of the track and field team, but kept my hand in the media realm, working for a year at the school newspaper and serving as a color commentator for basketball radio broadcasts. I headed to the University of Georgia for graduate school, where I served as a graduate assistant coach for the track program and earned a Master's degree in Sports Administration.
My first real job turned out to be a perfect mix of my interest in sports and my media background. I was hired as a sports information director for a collegiate conference, where I worked with statistics, press releases, and the production of media guides. I eventually moved to an on-campus opportunity in sports information and added the responsibilities as an assistant coach.
Now, after more than 30 years, I can look back and see how the Lord provided opportunities to learn, grow, and interact with amazing people who influenced my life and career. Along the journey, I've been able to work in media relations, coaching, and administration at four different universities.
Outside of my official jobs, I long harbored a desire to write fiction. I started to write several books over the years, but never followed through to completion. I finally finished a first draft of a novel more than a decade ago, getting value from the process even though the quality was not up to publishing standards. The beginnings of The Medici Quest appeared during 2020 when many - including myself - were primarily working from home during the Covid outbreak. The process advanced in short bursts (a move across the country delayed the process for more than a year), but eventually the book came together. Plans for a sequel are underway, with hopes for completion by the end of this year.
In addition to writing, I have an interest in history, including Biblical history and the origins of the Bible. I have a growing collection of Olympic Games memorabilia (5ringscollecting.com), I'm a member of my church’s Worship Team, and spend some of my limited extra time as a certified track and field official for both high school and college events. I've always had an interest in travel and have been fortunate to visit a number of international locations, both as a tourist and as part of short-term mission trips.
The biggest blessing in my life is my wife, Deborah, who has somehow stuck with me for more than 30 years. During that time, we have moved from the Midwest to the West Coast, back to the Midwest and then back to the West Coast. Yes, she is amazingly supportive (plus smart, beautiful, loving and a great proofreader). We currently both work at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California for the second time, returning to the campus after an 18-year gap. We have one grown son, a daughter-in-law and one grandson, who is definitely spoiled by Mimi and Papa.
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