I have a Ph.D. in Roman and Mediterranean history. I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, which is a marvelous place (if you're from there at least). I recently published my first book, entitled "The Cat: A Short History," which (as it sounds) is a brief history of the domestic cat from prehistory to the present. After spending four years writing a highly specialized dissertation about slaves and slave rebellions I decided to write some things purely for fun, and so I ended up with a book about cats. My forthcoming book is entitled "Weapons and Warfare in the Zombie Apocalypse." What can I say, I'm a nerd. I live with a variety of selfish cats who have kept me sane through graduate school. When not teaching or writing I read (usually history), play the guitar, cook, and think about what I'm going to write next.