Aaron Dean Mackley

Aaron Mackley's passion of storytelling began in childhood. He remembers his mother reading adventures aloud. He still remembers The Mouse and the Motorcycle, who stole his heart, and Where the Red Fern Grows touched him deeply. Adventure and historical fiction sparked a lifelong fascination with the transformational power of stories.

In college, he discovered his interest in English, drawn to both grammar and the imagination. As a writing tutor, he recognized the close relationship between intellect and imagination. Later, as a teacher, he brought Poe, Kipling, and Twain to life, inspiring students, some of whom went on to publish their own works.

As a Boy Scout leader, bored scouts asked for more when he told tales of adventure around the campfire. His Christian faith and lifelong concern with the mind's possibilities enriched his grasp of how stories develop characters. As The Fireside Storyteller, he tells stories that inspire imagination, spirit, and personal growth