Kendrick Smith, a native of Atlanta, comes from a long line of southern lawyers and was a well-known trial lawyer for more than 40 years, He draws upon his courtroom experience and storytelling skills to inject authenticity and energy into his characters and their stories. His first novel, House on Burnt Mountain, is a coming-of-age tale inspired by his own youthful lore, tales, and experiences relating to a 1930s lake house built by his grandfather in north Georgia. It balances the supernatural with poignant human elements and a splash of political intrigue.

His second novel, Leia’s Unraveling, is a legal thriller that delivers a sprawling, hardcore, adrenalin-infused story set during the frantic, uncertain period just before the Second Gulf War. It introduces Leia Bloom, the brilliant but neurotic protagonist, and focuses on her misadventures and travails following her first professional setback.

Kendrick lives in Atlanta with his wife, Caryl, and their two dogs. They have two children, Gina (in photo at left with Kendrick), who lives in California and designed the dramatic cover for the book, and Jacob Ryan, who is a composer and musician living in New York City.