The fictional Dr. Bright’s intimate knowledge of troubled youth mirrors Patrick Shattuck’s own experience as a high school English teacher in Manhattan. In addition to being a longtime English teacher, he is also a dedicated writer. He holds a B.A. in English from Syracuse University and an M.A. in English from Simmons College. His short stories and poetry have been published in the Antietam Review, Smashing Icons, Lonesome Traveler, Paradigm Magazine, Fox Cry Magazine, The Syracuse University Review, and Evening Street Press.