J. R. Hardesty is the nom-de-plume of Johanna and Richard Hardesty. They currently live in NW Montana with their two cats and three Cocker Spaniels not far from Glacier National Park. As you might imagine, they enjoy the outdoors. They also collect Japanese costume dolls, swords, and butterflies (Richard has published several scientific papers on them). Johanna is an archaeologist and teacher by training, while Richard, among other things, was a Russian linguist in the USAF and a computer systems operator/programmer at a community college for some years. They also were professional tax preparers for over twenty years. Their lives have been blessed with many opportunities and experiences upon which they draw to create their stories.