Japheth Benfield

I was hatched to human parents in the virginal waters of Genesee County, Michigan, and escaped from childhood with minor injuries and major introversion. Mankind’s inability to pronounce my name led to my adoption of “Jay” in hopes of making roll call in school less terrible. It didn’t work. In fact, all of my attempts at invisibility failed miserably. Even my genetics betrayed me – my gangly frame resulting in extra-visibility.

Music, guitar, and D&D were a balm for the moody despair that glommed my awkward teenage soul. What wasn’t remedied by Dr. Dre, minor pentatonics, and slaying kobolds, I satisfied through an unwavering devotion to shenanigans and general purpose dumbassery.

I became a husband and a dad right out of high school. It wasn’t fun (seriously, 0/5 stars) but that little baby girl, arriving amid uncertainty, chaos, and hardship, became my purpose. Fast-forwarding through thirty years of life: I divorced, remarried, and today have six awesome kids – four of whom can no longer be called kids, and five of whom like me at any given time.

I work in healthcare (software not scalpels) and enjoy torching midnight oil to help entrepreneurs, creatives, and nonprofits with web stuff. Beyond technical nerdery, I write sci-fi and fantasy, play lead guitar in a band you’ve never heard of, improvise stories propelled by funny dice, and strive for nonfailure in all things.