John W. Bebout is the 2021 eLit Bronze Medal Winner for historical fiction as well as winner of the 2021 Literary Titan Silver Book Award for his novel 'The Cause of Darkness.' He is also a poet who has published his work in such literary journals as 'The Esthetic Apostle', 'The Paragon Journal' and 'Horseshoes & Hand Grenades,' among others. In a former life, Dr. Bebout was a scientist who authored/coauthored more than two-dozen juried, technical papers. He has lived in Virginia for more than 30 years, where he says "adventure and romance are as pervasive as honeysuckle growing on a fence line."