Chris Lodwig

Father of daughter, husband of wife, writer of books

Chris lives in Seattle with his wife, daughter, and dog. He's been writing as a hobby since he was fifteen.

The first image of Systemic popped into his head one day on the bus when his phone and laptop died, and all he had was a pen and paper.

Host is the sequel to Systemic. It was inspired by watching his child struggle with a needle phobia (which she's since overcome), and observing some of her more difficult childhood friends.

He is putting the finishing touches on book 3 of the Systemic Series, working title: Interface.

Before the Books

He spent his younger years playing music, throwing art parties and parades, and clandestinely installing monoliths and soldiers in local parks.

He has spent the last twenty-eight years at technology companies in the greater Seattle area. This experience gives him a unique and deeply informed perspective on the AI-driven world of the Systemic universe.

He has degrees in both Comparative History of Ideas and Communications from the University of Washington.

The Podcast

Together with his editor Christina Scheuer, Chris hosts No "i" in Writing — a podcast about the creative collaboration behind turning a rough draft into a finished novel.

Collaborators

Christina Scheuer

Editor & Podcast Co-host

Christina is my editor (for Host and Interface) and my collaborator for the No "i" in Writing podcast.

christinascheuer.com ↗ Read more

Christina has been an English teacher and editor for over twenty years, and she loves helping writers find their voice, make exciting discoveries about their work, and complete their projects. She has taught college-level composition and literature classes at the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana and North Seattle College.

As a book coach and editor, she loves the process of collaborating with writers. Together, she and the writer dive into the world they’ve created to get to know their characters’ deepest, darkest secrets, motivations, and fears.

Dave Cruse

Audiobook Narrator

Dave has been telling stories for over 30 years as host of a morning show, a voice actor and an audiobook narrator.

Dave and his wife Emilie (who lost her fight with cancer in 2025) raised three sons, who served as Dave’s first audiobook audience … which is to say he read them bedtime stories.

As they got older they graduated from bedtime stories to reading stories around the backyard firepit. Any given night might find Dave reading The Hobbit or A Christmas Carol, creating voices for the characters and doing his best to bring the stories to life.

His sons have since married and moved away, so now he reads for any who will listen. With nearly 100 audiobook titles available, his new audience has outgrown the firepit. But Dave still enjoys creating unique characters and helping the listener experience the story in a new way.

Todd Lubsen

Cover Artist

Todd has created all the book jackets and layouts for the Systemic Series.

T.A. Lubsen makes many fine and intricately beautiful things, from book covers to videogames, from beautiful oil paintings to forged ironwork and replica medieval suits of armor. He does fine woodworking, builds wine cellars, tree houses, and multimillion-dollar homes.

He was classically trained at the Savannah College of Art & Design and insists on 100% human-powered creativity. No A.I. Ever.

If you’d like something beautiful, custom, and handmade, get in touch with Chris. He’ll pass it on.

Original concept for Systemic was done by Love Like Salt.