James Ladd Thomas is a fiction writer who was born in Dothan, Alabama, and has also lived in Prattville, Alabama; Huntsville, Alabama; Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Decherd, Tennessee; Coronado, California; San Diego, California; Auburn, Alabama; Orlando, Florida; and Sanford, Florida. He has published several short stories in literary journals, including Hawaii Review, RE:AL, Berkeley Fiction Review, First Class, Dead Mule, littledeathlit, Finding the Birds, and The Wax Paper. His two novels, Ardor and Lester Lies Down, were published in 2012 and 2022 respectively. Thomas earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Alabama and a master’s degree from Auburn University. He taught Freshman Comp at Auburn University for three years and Freshman Comp and Fiction Workshop for 27 years at Valencia College.