A third-generation Californian, Eric Peterson attended UCSD, and completed his Communication degree at Stanford. In college, he worked for Amtrak, getting a glimpse into the rarefied world of travel via private railcar, and seeing a few impressive parties on the cars’ open platforms. Peterson realized his dream of becoming a novelist in 2009, after decades spent working for a venture partnership, founding a software company, and running a fine-dining restaurant. His debut novel, Life as a Sandwich, was a finalist for a San Diego Book Award; The Dining Car is his second novel, and the fifth book from Huckleberry House, the publishing firm he established in 2009.