Fantasy Author | Storyteller | Essayist
Dennis D. Montoya is a fantasy and literary fiction author whose work explores connection, memory, and resilience. His work has been recognized with an Honorable Mention in the WOW Competition. He writes from the intersection of storytelling and healthcare, where empathy is not only a skill, but a way of seeing the world.
I grew up in a small town in Washington State and graduated from Clarkston High School before joining the U.S. Army, where I served two enlistments. Afterward, I worked a string of jobs—janitor, baggage handler, even garbage man—while finding my way into healthcare. I began as a Certified Nursing Assistant and eventually became a Registered Nurse.
Those years taught me something simple but powerful:
people are endlessly fascinating—resilient, intelligent, and kind.
Writing has always been part of who I am. I started in fifth grade, spinning odd stories that entertained my classmates. By eighth grade, they were still odd—but definitely more fun to read. Like many writers of my generation, I was shaped by Dungeons & Dragons and later by Terry Goodkind’s Wizard’s First Rule. That book inspired my close friend Hank and me to say, “We can do this too.” And so we did.
In 2015, my co-author and I self-published Over the Dragonwall, the beginning of a much larger fantasy series. Since then, I’ve returned again and again to the world of Ambervale—sharpening its edges, enriching its lore, and building the story I’ve always wanted to tell.
These days you’ll usually find me working on several projects at once. The Witch’s Mandate is complete and currently being submitted to literary agents, while book two The Prophecy of the Bell continues through revision.
Between novels, I write personal essays, collaborate with fellow writers on the Ambervale Anthology, and occasionally chase an idea that refuses to wait its turn.
— Dennis D. Montoya
A Few Things About Me
- I’m a pretty ordinary guy who believes a pen, a blank page, and enough coffee can move mountains.
- The most remarkable person in my life is my wife. She believes in me more than I sometimes believe in myself, and every story I write is better because she is part of my life.
- Away from the page, I’m scuba certified and happiest near the water. I also try each day to become the man my dog already believes I am.
- All of those things—love, loyalty, curiosity, and a little adventure—eventually find their way into my stories.
Dennis D Montoya 