Born and raised in the eastern Missouri Ozarks, Steve Weigenstein's family roots go deep in Madison, Iron, and Reynolds counties. He attended the University of Missouri where he completed a master's and doctoral degree in English. His first novel, Slant of Light was published by Blank Slate Press, followed by This Old World and The Language of Trees. These novels garnered significant praise and awards. Scattered Lights, his collection of short stories was a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award in Fiction and earned Steve the Missouri Library Association Missouri Author Award.