Jimmy Ray Conner was born in Texas, but grew up in Central California when his parents moved there seeking a better life. After high school, he received a BS in electrical engineering and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Pacific’s McGeorge School of Law.

The author began his professional career as an entry-level engineer for a large multinational conglomerate and finished that career as manager of a European division based in London, England.

Seeking a more creative outlet, the author left corporate life and started an independent production company, producing several hundred hours of television programming, winning numerous cable television industry awards. The author also won a Emmy Award as Executive Producer of a three-hour documentary series for The Disney Channel. 

After publishing a media newsletter for a few years, he wrote his first novel, Murder and a Midnight Swim, a story based on the mysterious death of a wealthy widow who marries a much younger man, a race car driver.  

That initial book was so successful that the author was encouraged to create the Chris and Kate Taylor Mystery Series. Book one in that series is The Deadly Canvas: A Chilling Tale of Art, Mayhem, and Murder. Book two is Warpath to Murder: An Ancestor’s Revenge. The next book in the series is The Transparent Terrorist: Martyrs in Their Midst, followed by Murder on the Waves: A Voyage of Violence, Justice in the Desert: A Vacation of  Violence, and finally The Winter Murders: A Case of Cold Revenge.  

A standalone book, The Assassin’s Vendetta, A Political Thriller, was recently released to rave reviews from book reviewers and readers alike. 

The author recently released a new series entitled the Holly Webb Murder Mystery Series, with the first volume being The Serial Killer's Game, followed by The Fog City Murders. This exciting new series takes place in 1960s San Francisco and captures the essence of those tumultuous social and political times. A third volume in this series is now underway. 

The author lives in California’s Coachella Valley and is happily married to fellow author Roberta Conner, who graciously proofreads early manuscripts and provides invaluable insights into the development of the book’s characters. In addition to writing books, Roberta hosts an insightful and entertaining website. For a dose of her midwestern, down-to-earth humor and wisdom, go to www.RobertaRaves.com.

 Any typos in the author's manuscripts are due to a one-year-old tortoiseshell cat, Gypsy Dawn, who sometimes makes unwanted and random paw strikes on the author’s keyboard in a misguided effort to contribute.