J.D. Mathes grew up a feral child in the deserts of the American Southwest who loved to read library books. He is a PEN America Writing for Justice Fellow, the result of which is his recent book Of Time and Punishment: A Memoir. The story recounts his life in a halfway house where he searches for work and friendship with the stigma of being a felon and the lure of booze he is forbidden to have. Among things he’s done to support his writing, and two daughters have been a wildland firefighter on a helicopter-rappel crew, oilfield chemist, and logistics specialist at Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, Antarctica where he led the Southernmost Writers Workshop in the World. www.jdmathes.com
