The author of And the Hills Replied, writing under the pseudonym Sparhawk Hutchins, is David Casterline, an attorney residing in Harbor City, California, with his wife, Madalene. His pen name honors an ancestor who, in 1924, documented their family's descent from King Robert I of Scotland. A native of Indiana, Casterline served as both a federal and elected state prosecutor before moving to California in 1979. Since then, he has worked as special counsel to a federal regulatory agency and currently practices privately, specializing in securities litigation and representing clients in federal and state courts. In his spare time, he enjoys creative writing, woodworking with fine hardwoods, and playing golf.