About us

Mike Aurelius imbibed optical manufacturing from his father at an early age, but that has nothing to do with his latest work, The Senator's Harem, the first book in the Republic of Magic series. He did the college thing—graduating with an accounting degree, but a short stint in an office made him realize that rolled-up sleeves and a green-tinted visor weren’t his thing. So, during the day, he is a mild-mannered manufacturing optician. In the afternoons and evenings, plus alternate weekends, he writes apocalyptic fiction. He lives with his four cats in Central Minnesota.

Julia Benson-Slaughter has so many (figurative) hats that it’s hard for her to remember which one she’s wearing at any given time. Maker, writer, tech geek, storyteller, pyromaniac, drummer, research guru, and cat slave are the ones she wears most frequently since her retirement from teaching computer science at the local community college. She’s best known in the Multiverse as the creator of Noctua Designs’ eclectic chainmaille and glass jewelry to satisfy the magpie in all of us. During the early days of the pandemic, Julia elbowed her way into the Chronicles of the Covenant world. She told Mike that she was now his editor and collaborator, which has led to all sorts of shenanigans both on paper and when they finally met in person at Multiverse Con 2022.