Rebecca R. Dvorak, October 3, 2003 - Antonin Ray Dvorak was born on February 24, 1979 in Cleveland, Ohio to his recently immigrated Czech parents Antonin J. and Jaroslava K. Dvorak. He lived the first ten years of his life in the suburbs of Cleveland. His parents had two more sons, Thomas and Peter. In 1990, the Dvorak family moved to Painted Post, New York, a village near Corning, the crystal city. His father had acquired a new job, and they decided the area had quality schools; so Painted Post was where Tony and his brothers pursued the remainders of their primary educations.

In West High School, among other things, Tony spent his time with the drama club, yearbook editing, and occidentals. A good student with a knack for writing, he built an appreciation for animals and science. It was during his high school years that he first toyed with the idea of writing. And during his senior year he began work on his first novel, Past's Awakening. It was completed during his first year of study at Alfred University, though his vision for the story is now far grander and encompasses a three-book series.

With the reputation of being a quality business school, Alfred University had the convenience of also being close enough to his family in Painted Post that he would be able to return home anytime he wished. While excelling academically during his time at Alfred in his major, Business Administration, and his minor, Anthropology, he penned his second novel, Second Nature. Also, in his four years at college, he worked in the local mall at a retail-clothing store, American Eagle Outfitters. Even with this full schedule, Tony found time to unleash more creative works through short stories. His first short was Death Sits A While, and he has found a passion in writing others.

During the summer of 2000, Tony spent six weeks studying at New York City's Columbia University, where he took two writing classes. He then spent the last six weeks of summer in his parent's homeland, the Czech Republic, where he designed a web site for a crane manufacturing company. During the same year he also worked intermittently on building a web site for a locally owned jewelry store. But he found that it was his writing that burned the midnight oil. And the writing kept at him, becoming a way of life. He continued writing short stories and novels.

Having graduated from Alfred University with honors, he currently works as the Marketing/Proposal Department Manager of a firm in Buffalo, NY. Still, the midnight oil burns, and it burns bright. And as always—"I write about change," he says, a whisper of a smile touching his face, "but some things just don't change"—he's enjoying his writing, and his readers.