About Cole

John William "Cole" Leffel didn't grow up in church. He grew up in a broken home in rural Texas, without a Bible on the nightstand or a pastor to call when things fell apart. He came to faith as a teenager — not through a crusade or a dramatic conversion, but through a friend's family who lived the gospel so clearly that it filled a hole he didn't know was there.

That friend's family dragged him along with what he calls "a holy rope." They showed him structure — not just rules, but rules that came from somewhere higher. They studied together, held each other accountable, and wanted to know the Lord even when it would've been easier not to. It was the first time he'd seen anything like it.

After high school, living on his own in Houston, Cole had to choose faith for himself. No one was dragging him to services anymore. That independence became the crucible where holiness started to sink in — along with the failures, the doubt, and the slow realization that the God of Scripture was nothing like the version he'd absorbed from culture.

The Writing

The "Real" Series is Cole's attempt to give readers what he wished someone had given him: the unfiltered truth about the God who was there the whole time. Nine books, each tackling one major biblical theme — providence, grace, holiness, prayer, faith, rest, family, worship, and Jesus Himself — with the same question running through every page: What if the real thing is better than the version we've been sold?

A Day in Your Courts is a devotional journey through Psalm 84 — a love letter from a pilgrim who has tasted the presence of God and can't get enough.

Legends of Iathia is a dark epic fantasy series about power, sacrifice, and the sovereignty of the Maker. Thirteen books across four seasons, following champions of different races as they navigate a world where the veil between realms is tearing and magic comes at a cost. Think the grit of Nightlord, the found-family warmth of Eragon, and the political depth of Codex Alera.

The Person

Cole works as a software developer and lives in Arkansas with his wife, Melissa, whom he waited for until he was thirty-four and who has been the most consistent evidence of God's goodness in his life. When he's not writing or coding, he's probably outdoors, reading fantasy novels, watching anime, or working on yet another home renovation project.

He writes the way he came to faith — honestly, imperfectly, and convinced that the God of Psalm 84 is still making room for outsiders at His altar.