Mystic Mountain: The Ascent to Love

John R. Sack was born in Springfield, Ohio. He has a BA in English from Yale University and an MA in Creative Writing from the University of Washington. As a young man, he entered Our Lady of Gethsemane Trappist Abbey in Kentucky where Thomas Merton was his novice master. In later years, he trained in Swami Muktananda’s ashram in Ganeshpuri, India. Spiritual awakening and transformation are common themes in both his fiction and nonfiction books. Other works include the internationally-acclaimed novel, The Franciscan Conspiracy (currently out in 16 languages) and a companion work, Angel’s Passage (available in three languages). The Wolf in Winter is a fictional tale of the early career of Francis of Assisi. Other fiction and short stories, including his Trappist Tales, can be seen on his Amazon or Smashwords author pages. His nonfiction Yearning for the Father is a guide to contemplative prayer centered around the Lord’s Prayer. Today, he writes and homesteads at Casa Chiara Hermitage, situated on a sunny mountainside in southern Oregon, with his wife, Christin Lore Weber, author of many books related to spiritual growth. They have three grown children and four grandchildren in their blended family.