Why J. E. Sandoval?

J. E. Sandoval is not my real name. So why did I chose it for my pseudonym?

I was adopted when I was 3 months old into a lower-middle class family. Growing up, my idea of luxury was going out to eat at McDonald's once a month, on the Friday of my dad's non-mortgage payday. Those fairly meager beginnings gave me a very good perspective on life, and an appreciation for any blessing that may come my way.

It was a good thing my biological mom put me up for adoption. She was 18 and an unmarried college student. Fortunately, it was 1969. Her pregnancy shattered her relationship with her father. After I was out of the picture, given to a loving family, she was able to go through medical school and became an MD.

When I was 30, I got in touch with her again. The first time I met her, her husband, my two biological siblings, and my biological grandmother and grandfather was at my adopted dad's funeral. My dad was the rock solid foundation of our family. Giving me my biological family kind of felt like God's way of softening the blow.

Anyway, I digress. The name of my adopted family just doesn't roll off the tongue. It turns out that my biological father, whom I've never met, is Hispanic. This is why I chose the last name Sandoval. Plus, on book shelves in the bookstores, it will put my novels next to R. A. Salvatore!

Serendipity, baby!!!