Rising Stars: Meet Bowen Gillings of Northwest Colorado Springs

Today we’d like to introduce you to Bowen Gillings.

Hi Bowen, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My story is more a multi-genre anthology than a traditional novel. So many different scenes and sets were slapped together to make me it’s almost laughable. I have lived on two continents and on the shores of two oceans. I’ve worked a dozen different jobs and a half-dozen different occupations, from puppetry to financial planning. I’ve seen the effects of war in Bosnia and joy despite the circumstances in Haiti. The ride never seemed wild while I rode it, but looking back, my life seems one crazy tilt-a-whirl. And it’s still spinning.

Foremost, I am a husband and a father. Met my wife at a martial arts school when we were both in the military. Gotta love a woman with a solid right cross. My daughter is brilliant. At thirteen, she’s already won a national parkour championship and has artwork hanging in an official U.S. Olympic museum. She dreams of working for Wētā Workshop in New Zealand, which makes her Lord of the Rings geek dad ecstatic.

Two jobs I love occupy my time outside of family. For roughly fourteen years I have worked at Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs as the park’s school programs coordinator. This means I have the privileged pleasure of connecting two to four thousand kids each year with the wonder of the park. In my alter ego, I am a fiction writer with a few books in the world and a few awards for my efforts.

I came to writing out of acting. I did local theatre and local commercials plus a few training films and even a historic documentary for Alaska PBS. However, that pace and lifestyle didn’t suit with my daughter on the way. So, I switched to writing and haven’t looked back.

In a condensed bio, I have a Bachelors and a Masters from universities in Minnesota and Alaska, served ten years in the U.S. Army, hold five first degree black belts in various martial arts along with a Dueling Arts International stage combatant certification.

My first published story appeared in Allegory e-zine in 2016. My latest came out in Sally Port Magazine in January 2025. In June this year my next book, Overstuffed Lunchbox, comes out.

I have served on the board of directors and as president of Pikes Peak Writers, a 501c3 non-profit founded in 2001 to promote and educate writers. I teach a wide variety of writing workshops ranging from networking to the benefits of improvisation and the influence of fantasy to writing fight scenes. I am active with Pikes Peak Writers, Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, Superstars Writing Seminars, and The Authors Guild.

I am an extrovert poster child who loves the outdoors, backcountry camping, travel, martial arts, and a good laugh with great friends. I quest for the perfect cheeseburger, the perfect pour of whiskey, and the perfect flat white coffee.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road has been anything but smooth and seems to always run uphill. To focus on my writing, the motor of my achievements operates in fits and starts, occasionally it slips into reverse or gets caught idling before finally grinding forward. So many people think writing a book is easy. You sit down and write. What’s the big deal? There is much more to it and much more to learn, from understanding story structure to utilizing critique groups, beta readers, and editors who ensure the story is as tight as it can be. Then there’s formatting and cover design, branding, marketing, and publicity to connect readers to the book. It’s no easier as a traditionally published author versus an independent. I’ve had stories published traditionally and there is still a ton of work to do outside of writing THE END and shipping it off to the great publishing angels in the sky. Through missteps I’ve learned to give myself about three years to put a book out, to get advance reviews, to expect issues with the Amazon marketplace, and who I can reach out to when I need help (gotta build a network, people). Writing is a job, and it’s a job I’ve had to learn (and relearn) as I go. I’ve stumbled enough times that I now facilitate a workshop on helping others benefit from my mistakes. The title is Stumbling Blocks.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I write fantasy and thrillers laced with humor. I love reading dark and gritty stories but that’s not what comes out of me when I craft a tale. My creations have snark and wit and are loaded with characters you can have a beer with. I want readers to crack a smile as they read, laugh even. I think that’s what makes my stories approachable, engaging, and memorable. Readers love the fun. Oh there’s plenty of action, drama, mystery, and even romance in there, too. But humor is the baling twine binding all that together. I’d have to say I am proud of my entire body of work. Though what I am most proud of, is my daughter showing off my stuff to her friends and teachers saying, “My dad wrote this.”

Who else deserves credit in your story?
There are so very many. Family, of course. My wife tolerates my writing problem and helps me manage it. My daughter is my moody, angsty-teen support group. My critique partners keep me honest and chugging forward. Since getting involved with Pikes Peak Writers and Superstars Writing Seminars here in Colorado Springs, along with Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers in the Denver area, I have grown exponentially in craft, skill, business acumen, and ability to handle the work/life balance. Those groups also allowed me to connect with top notch writers, agents, and editors who’ve given me so much over the years in terms of mentorship and guidance, even hard-to-take course corrections. When I say top notch, I’m talking bestsellers like John Gilstrap, Jonathan Maberry, Rachel Howzell Hall, Kevin J. Anderson, and David R. Slayton who have all bettered me as an author through their example and generosity of spirit.

Pricing:

• Ebooks between $.99 and $7.99
• Paperbacks between $6.99 and $19.99
• Newsletter subscribers get a free ebook

Contact Info:

• Website: https://storiesbybowen.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bowengillings/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BowenGillingsAuthor
• Other: https://linktr.ee/bowengillings

Image Credits
Torie Fox (model seated holding my book)