Darren Gilbert was born in Ilion, NY, but grew up in North Adams, Massachusetts, nestled in the heart of the Berkshire Mountains. An avid reader, he particularly enjoys military history, epic sagas, spy novels, and historical fiction.In addition to serving in the U.S. Army from 1979 to 1983, Darren has over 38 years of martial arts training. He ran his own karate school for 12 years. Darren has earned undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Tennessee and Western Governors University. He is also a graduate of Executive Security International's Executive Protection Program and is a Certified Protection Specialist.His novel, Serpents Underfoot, received many great reviews, including a "recommended" review from Kirkus Reviews, and his collection of short stories, Adirondack Bear Tales, is also trending. His newest release, Montagnard, won the August 2020 Literary Titan Gold Book Award and received a fantastic review from Kirkus. All three books continue to receive great reviews from readers.Darren is a member of the Military Writers Society of American and the Knoxville Writers Guild. In his spare time, he enjoys karate training and playing catch with his German Shepherd, Sophie.