W. L. Patenaude

Educated in engineering and theology, W. L. Patenaude has been writing and speaking on the intersection of faith and reason for almost two decades. \n\nRaised Catholic, Patenaude abandoned the Church in his teens. He adopted pagan and agnostic beliefs as he pursued his degree in mechanical engineering, and later his career with Rhode Island's Department of Environmental Management—an occupation he's still enjoying after thirty-one years. In 1999, Patenaude returned to the Catholic Church and soon after began writing about the Catholic understanding of ecological protection. In 2011, he received a master's degree in theology. \n\nWith this diverse background, Patenaude has reached beyond his environmental regulatory career by serving as a special lecturer in theology at Providence College and writing for national publications. He's also provided analysis for The National Catholic Register, Catholic News Agency, Associated Press, National Geographic, Crux, the Washington Post, and the New York Times. \n\nAn avid sci-fi reader in his youth, Patenaude has returned to the genre as a vehicle to both entertain and to explore philosophical and theological themes about faith, the future, and the power of free will. \n\nPatenaude is a Knight Commander with the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. When he's not writing, regulating, or teaching, Patenaude takes care of an elderly parent, exercises, gardens, and spends time pondering the heavens that have inspired his debut novel, A Printer's Choice.