From his first time collected big, shiny, golden bananas in Donkey Kong 64 as a wee-lad, to hunting down the darned thief of his sweet-roll to the edge of Tamriel, Jared has had a fervent adoration for gaming. His journey into the roots of Middle-Earth and Arda -- into epic tales of stolen Silmarils and Balrogs from the deep -- only further anchored his inner geek. For him, gaming and geek culture became not an outlet through which he could escape the world, but an inlet through which he could dig deep into himself and his passions. It inspired a true love for the outdoors and this beautiful Earth, and it prompted him to begin establishing himself as a writer of fantastical things. He's been taken on countless, amazing journeys since, whether it be chasing down bandits that want to drink from his skull in Calradia, pioneering through the cosmos of No Man's Sky, swinging across ravines with his whip as Indiana Jones or Nathan Drake, building his own world in Minecraft, descending into dark madness in Amnesia, sneaking through dim hallways as Sam Fisher, or even becoming the greatest player in the history of the NBA. Gaming and geek culture has become a large part of his life in both casual fun and incredible, magical, life-changing experiences. He loves to share this passion.