Z. S. Winters

Z. S. Winters immigrated to Canada at a young age from Hungary, because getting into America was just too freaking hard. Not speaking the language and being the friendless weirdo in suburbia, Z. S. Winters found friendship and refuge in books. By age 10, he had read the entire Anne Rice Vampire series, "Catcher in the Rye," and the Bible. He wrote his first story around that age, as well as created several volumes of homemade comic books. His fascination turned to history and read stories like King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, Achilles, and Ivanhoe.  As time passed on, Z. S.'s passion for history, knights, and nobility only deepened, yet he grew increasingly aware of the stark contrast between the romanticized tales of western authors and the gritty, often grim reality of history. This awakening, recognizing the historical figures often depicted as heroes were more complex, sometimes dark characters driven by ambition and violence, inspired him to pen "The Khanjar’s Crusade." This revisionist take on the Northern Crusades marks his venture into shedding light on the authentic, unvarnished side of history. He lives in New York City with his family and a historical map-cluttered desk, Z. S. Winters balances life as a dad, husband, and the family's designated poop-picker-upper for their dog. When he's not engaging in these day-to-day adventures, he's time-traveling at his desk, through his writing, Z. S. offers a lens to view history not as it's often romantically portrayed but with a raw, unfiltered gaze, inviting readers to explore the depths of human nature and the complexities of our past.