About the Author

Todd grew up in San Diego, California where he enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1991. He served in the Marine Corps Reserve as an Infantry Scout and Light Armored Vehicle Crewman at Camp Pendleton, California, before he attended the U.S. Naval Academy (Class of 1998) where he earned a Bachelor of Science in History. After graduation, he was commissioned as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy and served as a Surface Warfare Officer onboard a supply ship stationed in Bremerton, Washington, before he was granted a transfer into Naval Aviation. He earned his Navy "Wings of Gold" in 2002 and flew both the MH-53E Sea Dragon and MH-60S Knighthawk helicopters. He earned a Master of Arts in Diplomacy from Norwich University where he studied Europe and the Middle East extensively. He also served with the U.S. Sixth Fleet in Naples, Italy (2011-2014), where he spent time studying international relations, global strategy, and regional conflicts throughout Europe and the Middle East. It was on this tour of duty that Todd saw the horrific toll the Syrian conflict was taking on innocent civilians, particularly, Syrian children. His research drove him to write his debut novel, LOOKING INTO THE SUN, to raise awareness and garner support for Syrian children. He and his publisher are donating a percentage of proceeds to Save the Children. Todd is still serving on active duty in the U.S. Navy and lives in Virginia with his wife, Bonnie, and their two children.

Reviews

"Looking Into the Sun is an action-packed, engrossing tale that puts a face on the heartbreaking struggle of children caught up in the war in Syria. It's one of those rare books whose story will remain with readers long after they put it down..." - Peter Telep #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of The Secret Corps "An engrossing and authentic thriller. Remember the name Todd Tavolazzi. You'll be seeing it a lot." - Grant Blackwood New York Times Bestselling Author of the Briggs Tanner series, is also the coauthor of the #1 New York Times bestseller Dead or Alive, with Tom Clancy, and The Kill Switch, with James Rollins "Looking into the sun delved into the characters of those most affected by the Syria crisis. This book tells their stories, heartache and trauma. A must read." - Ranya Alkadamani, founder of the Impact Group International