TODD HOSEA
AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR & USAF VETERAN
ABOUT TODD
First things first: I’m often asked how to pronounce my last name. My Irish ancestors spelled it Hossey back on the Emerald Isle, but when they came to the United States in the late 1800s, it was changed to Hosea—and it’s been confusing people ever since. My family pronounces it “Hō-zee.” Go ahead, say it three times fast.
Now that we’ve cleared that up, a little about me. I was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana, but spent many summers in Colorado. To this day, the mountains are my happy place. I currently live in southern Indiana with my family and our rescue dog, Lilly.
I’m also a proud veteran of the United States Air Force. Back in the day, I served at NORAD and Air Force Space Command headquarters in Colorado Springs, as well as Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland. Those experiences—and my lifelong fascination with aviation, space, technology, and the people who operate at the sharp end of all three—eventually found their way into my writing.
After leaving the Air Force, I completed my undergraduate studies at Indiana University and later earned a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership. By day, I work in talent and product development. By ridiculously early morning, I’m a novelist, usually writing around 4:00 a.m., when the rest of the world is quiet and the coffee is doing most of the heavy lifting.
WHY I WRITE
I’ve always loved stories that make you forget where you are. The first book I remember reading purely for enjoyment was The Omen by David Seltzer. I found it in my school library and couldn’t put it down. Later, I discovered The Hunt for Red October, and that was it—I was hooked on techno-thrillers. Tom Clancy and Michael Crichton became major influences, especially the way they could take technology, science, and real-world possibilities and turn them into stories that felt just plausible enough to make you wonder, Could this actually happen?
Of course, I’m also a self-proclaimed Star Wars geek (Original Trilogy) and a fan of anything Steven Spielberg ever made. So when I finally decided to check “write a novel” off my bucket list, those two sides of my imagination collided. I wanted the military realism, technology, suspense, and international intrigue of the thrillers I loved, but I also wanted spaceships, alien worlds, larger-than-life villains, humor, and a sense of adventure. That experiment became Steal the Reaper.
I originally intended it to be a standalone novel. I certainly never imagined it would grow into The Reaper Series and take me—and my characters—across four books, close to a dozen worlds, and a whole lot of trouble. What began as a bucket-list project became something much more meaningful: an opportunity to create the kind of stories I’ve always loved escaping into myself.
That’s ultimately why I write. I want to give readers an escape from the real world for a while. I want you to turn the page because you have to know what happens next. I want you to laugh with these characters, worry about them, cheer for them, despise some of them, and maybe even miss them when the adventure is over.
When I’m not writing, I enjoy biking, hiking, and spectator sports—especially the Indy 500. The arts are another passion of mine, whether it’s theater, movies, or live music. My playlists are all over the place, ranging from Duran Duran and The Rolling Stones to John Williams and Michael Giacchino. And if I had to pick favorite movie soundtracks, The Empire Strikes Back and Dances with Wolves would be tough to beat.
In the end, I’m still that kid who discovered a book in the school library and realized how much fun it was to disappear into another world for a few hours.
Now I get to create those worlds. I hope you enjoy the adventure!