Children’s Hospital researcher taps into creative side by writing science fiction – The Columbus Dispatch

Eric Lagatta The Columbus Dispatch @EricLagatta

In Dan Koboldt's fantasy novels, a medieval world of sorcery converges with its modern technological counterpart.

The metaphor is as apt as any for Koboldt's dual persona: He is both scientist and fantasy novelist.

The 37-year-old spends his weekdays at Nationwide Children's Hospital researching rare diseases in kids.At night and on weekends, he travels to Alissia, a mythical universe of his own making.

Its definitely a very different part of the brain than what I use at work, said Koboldt, who lives in Lewis Center with his wife, Christina, and their three young children. I like it as a creative outlet, and its a fun hobby to have thats less serious sometimes than the stuff I do at the hospital.

In his hometown of St. Louis, Koboldt grew up on a diet of J.R.R. Tolkien, Frank Herbert and other stalwarts of the genre. "Lord of the Rings" and even the original "Star Wars" films gave him an appreciation for the trilogy format.

For years, though, he suppressed his drive to write his own epic tales as he pursued another passion: human genetic research.

Although Koboldt took evening writing classes at Washington University in St. Louis while working on his master's in biology, he didn't really begin writing in earnestuntil 2009, when he firstparticipated in theinternet-based National Novel Writing Month.

"That book will never see the light of day," he said, "but it's good exercise for me."

He continued writing while working as a researcher at the Genome Institute of Washington University, eventually creating an idea for a trilogy in 2013 that he thought had enough promise to begin shopping it to agents.

By early August in 2015, he had a deal with HarperCollins, which agreed to print the "Gateways to Alissia" series under its Voyager Impulse imprint.

Koboldt's first book, "The Rogue Retrieval," was published in March 2016. The storyfollows Las Vegas magician Quinn Bradley, who is recruited by a corporation to infiltrate a medieval realm through a secret portal.

Bradley finds himself returning to Alissia in "The Island Deception," which was released in April. This time, the protagonistsees an opportunity to learn to use real magic for himself.

The stakes will be even higher in the finale, The World Awakening, as competing interests become aware of the portals existence and fight to control the alternate dimension.

"What I like about Dan's writing is that he's able to make Quinn really funny," Koboldt's agent,Paul Stevens ofDonald Maass Literary Agency, said by email."Even though he (the character) is in life-or-death situations, he keeps his sense of humor, often throwing in pop-culture references to lighten the moment."

Like any effective work of science fiction or fantasy, the books draw on the familiar to explore social issues. Themes of corporate exploitation abound, reflected in the shady CASE Global that engages in espionage and uses military drones for its own profit.

The inspiration for the series came after Koboldt read an article about people secretly filming magicians Penn and Teller's live acts in order to reverse engineer their illusions so they could steal them.

It got me thinking about technology, he said. Technology has really changed the practice of illusions and magic.

Since he moved with his familyfrom St. Louis to Columbus in the fall to work at Children's, he has discovered what he called a lively and passionate literary community in central Ohio. He has appeared at several eventsto help build an area fan base, with his next appearance scheduled Sunday at the Book Loft in German Village.

Koboldt and others working at Washington University were recruited to Children's last fall as part of the hospital's efforts to advance pediatric research. As a researcher atthe Institute for Genomic Medicine, Koboldt helps determine genetic mutations that can cause unidentifieddiseasesin children.

His role is primarily as a data analyst.

What I really enjoy is the people who work here are all fantastic, Koboldt said. Were much closer to the patients and families were trying to help.

In his office, a poster featuring the cover of"The Rogue Retrieval" hangs prominently. On his desk, a coffee mug warns all visitors:"Careful, or you'll end up in my book."

"I like to break it out at meetings because everyone around here is afraid they'll end up in the book," he said with a laugh.

It's not an idle threat, as co-worker Vince Magrini has learned.

Magrini whohas knownKoboldt for 10 years, since the two began working togetherat Washington University is quick to point out that a military contractor named "Hank the Tank" Magrini was killed in the early pages of the first book.

He vowed not to read another page until Koboldt resurrects the character.

It's not that Im really boycotting him," said Magrini, who began working at Children's at the same time as Koboldt, "but Im boycotting him.

Joking aside, Magrini praised his colleagues ability to embrace a creative side that many dont associate with scientists.

It helps really diversify somebody," he said. "It centers them; it gives them balance."

Peter White, senior director of the computational genomics group, recognized that same trait in Koboldt, too.

It doesnt fit the stereotype of having this computer science/math/genetics background and to have that creative, artistic side to able to write a novel, said White, adding that Koboldt's books are "on my list to read because I do enjoy fantasy.

Christina Koboldt, who met her husband of 11 years when both were undergraduates at the University of Missouri, was never surprised by his artistic drive.

He often carries a notepad to jot down ideas that occur to him. And,as soon as they put their children to bed, he retreats to his home office to write.

Hes got the creative juice and the imagination and the skill to do it, Christina Koboldt said. I just think its incredible that he can do that while still managing his job and his family and his marriage.

Once Gateways concludes, Koboldt envisions more fantasy adventures.

He hinted at a series set in the future that draws more on the experiences of his day job in which a company designs genetically engineered dragons for households to own.

elagatta@dispatch.com

@EricLagatta

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Children's Hospital researcher taps into creative side by writing science fiction - The Columbus Dispatch