𝗜𝗮𝗻 𝗚𝗿𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗻 is a native Texan who served in the United States Army for 31 years. During his time in the army, he lived in Germany for nine years. Living in Germany gave him a unique perspective of Germany and its culture. The army would take 𝗜𝗮𝗻 to unique places that would span across the globe. He has incorporated his experiences and observations into spinning a yarn that encompasses 𝗥𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗞𝗮𝘁𝗷𝗮.
𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘽𝙞𝙧𝙩𝙝 𝙤𝙛 𝙖 𝙎𝙥𝙮 𝘾𝙤𝙪𝙥𝙡𝙚 is Ian's first book, and it is also the first in the Rick and Katja series. 33 𝙤𝙧 9 is the second book in the 𝗥𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗞𝗮𝘁𝗷𝗮 series. The third book is 𝘽𝙚𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙮𝙖𝙡 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙒𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣, which just released in August. 𝗜𝗮𝗻 also released a non-𝗥𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗞𝗮𝘁𝗷𝗮 book called 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝘽𝙧𝙞𝙖𝙧, which is a coming-of-age story in Rural East Texas. It was released in August, as well. Ian is about to release his new book called Trash Can Terry.
Ian lives by the mantra, "I am just an old soldier who relishes writing about the complexities of life."
𝗜𝗮𝗻 has won several awards for writing in the state of Texas. He won first place in 𝗡𝗼𝗻-𝗝𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗺 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆, 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗧𝗲𝘅𝗮𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗲 𝗝𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗺 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗧𝗖𝗖𝗝𝗔) in 2022. Later 𝗜𝗮𝗻 won first place for 𝗜𝗻-𝗗𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗵 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴, first place for 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗙𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗣𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗼, second place for 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄, and third place for 𝗙𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝘅𝗮𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗧𝗜𝗣𝗔) in 2023.
𝗜𝗮𝗻 won best literary work from the 𝗟𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗙𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻-𝗖𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀-𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲 for his book 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝘽𝙧𝙞𝙖𝙧! Ian also won several 2024 Firebird awards from Speak Up Talk Radio for The Story of Briar. These awards include first place for New Adult Fiction. First place for Southern Fiction and second place for Women's Fiction.