Writer Terry Goodkind was born in Omaha, Nebraska in 1949. As a child, he had trouble reading and writing because he suffered from a form of dyslexia. It wasn't until high school that a composition teacher recognized his writing talent. Before becoming a writer, he worked as a carpenter, violin-maker, hypnotherapist, wildlife artist and restorer of rare artifacts. Goodkind's first novel, "Wizards First Rule" (1994), took a year for him to write and had a record-breaking debut. It became an international bestseller and won the praise of many writers in the fantasy genre. The sequels "Stone of Tears" (1995) and "Blood of the Fold" (1996) experienced equal success. His fourth book, "Temple of the Winds" was published in 1997. His other books include The Pillars of Creation, Naked Empire, Confessor, The Omen Machine, Severed Souls, and Shroud of Eternity. His series included Sword of Truth; Richard and Kahlan; Jack Raines; Nicci Chronicles; and Children of D'Hara. Terry Goodkind, author of over 35 books, novellas, and short stories, died on September 17, 2020. He was 72. (Bowker Author Biography)