I'm Ben Kushner, the author of Shattered Lion and the founder of Ben's Book Shack. My journey began at the age of 5 with my very first foray into Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. The day I opened that book, I finally understood the magic of a good story. Since then, writing and reading have formed who I am as a person. From fantasy to history to mysteries and thrillers, nothing can match the feeling of sinking down into a large armchair, ready to dive into a brand new book. I began writing Shattered Lion when I was in 7th grade. I crafted my plot and developed my characters. I learned how to tell a good story. After more than 5 years of writing, editing and rewriting, I decided that I was ready to publish--that I was ready to share my writing with the world. However, as I contemplated how I wanted to publish, I realized that a traditional publisher didn't feel quite right. After many hours of head scratching, I came up with Ben's Book Shack, a place where I could sell all my writing while maintaining control over both the writing and publishing processes. As I work on Shattered Lion Volume 2 and continue to expand my podcast, I think of how far I’ve come and how much road is left in front of me.