𝗜𝗮𝗻 𝗚𝗿𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗻 is a native Texan who served in the United States Army for 31 years. During his time in the army, he lived in Germany for nine years. Living in Germany gave him a unique perspective of Germany and its culture. The army would take 𝗜𝗮𝗻 to unique places that would span across the globe. He has incorporated his experiences and observations into spinning a yarn that encompasses 𝗥𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗞𝗮𝘁𝗷𝗮.
𝗜𝗮𝗻 won best literary work from the 𝗟𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗙𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻-𝗖𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀-𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲 for his book 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝘽𝙧𝙞𝙖𝙧! 𝗜𝗮𝗻 also won several 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗯𝗶𝗿𝗱 awards from 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗨𝗽 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗥𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗼 for 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝘽𝙧𝙞𝙖𝙧. These awards include 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 place for 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗔𝗱𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝗙𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 place for 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗙𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 and 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱 place for 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻’𝘀 𝗙𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.