At eighteen, W. D. Nelson set off on a two-month backpacking trip through Europe with nothing but a guitar, a journal, and a Eurail pass. That journey, navigating ancient cathedrals, hitchhiking through Ireland, and sleeping in hostels across the continent, never really ended. It became the foundation for a lifetime of travel to more than forty countries and, ultimately, the inspiration for Dylan Stone's Journal.

Nelson's fascination with unsolved historical mysteries led him deep into the true story of the 1907 Irish Crown Jewels theft, one of history's greatest unsolved crimes. What began as research evolved into a novel that spans two timelines, two generations, and thousands of miles across Europe.

A graduate of the University of Texas with a degree in English, Nelson writes at the intersection of adventure, memory, and the mysteries that refuse to stay buried. His work is informed by his travels, a vinyl collection featuring The White Album and Dark Side of the Moon among other classics, and a belief that the best stories are the ones that make you want to book a flight.

When not traveling, he can be found in Houston or the Texas Hill Country, where he enjoys early mornings on the back porch overlooking Canyon Lake, long hikes, and working on his next book. He is currently completing his second novel, which picks up where Dylan Stone's Journal left off.