Adrian Gutierrez Martel grew up as a Jehovah's Witness in San Diego, Ca. Growing up, he found it difficult to reconcile the beliefs of an extremist, doomsday-oriented religion with his queer identity. As an escape, he threw himself into books and stories prohibited by his spiritual leaders.

In secret, he spent his childhood reading the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, R.L. Stine, Stephen King, and other influential horror and fantasy authors. These stories and experiences served as inspiration for the unique blend of horror, fantasy, and theological themes which he incorporates into his writing.

After earning a degree in Journalism from San Diego State University, he left his religion (and way of life) behind and moved to Los Angeles to write for TV and Film. Most recently, he has been working in TV and feature production.