Fish Wielder is J.R.R.R. (Jim) Hardison's first novel novel (He wrote a graphic novel, The Helm, for Dark Horse Comics). Jim has worked as a writer, screen writer, animator and film director in commercials and entertainment. He started his professional career by producing a low-budget direct-to-video feature, The Creature From Lake Michigan. Making a bad film can be a crash course in the essential elements of good character and story, and The Creature From Lake Michigan was a tremendously bad film. Jim learned his lesson well, and after a brief stint recuperating as a freelance writer and film editor, founded his own production company. During its seven-year run, he wrote, directed and edited live-action and animation productions, including educational films, television commercials and television pilots. Shifting his focus entirely to animation, Jim joined Will Vinton Studios in 1997. There he directed animated commercial and entertainment projects, including spots for M&M's, AT&T, Cingular Wireless and Kellogg's as well as episodic television (UPN's Gary and Mike). While working at Vinton, he also co-wrote the television special Popeye's Voyage: The Quest for Pappy with actor Paul Reiser.
Jim has appeared on NBC's The Apprentice as an expert advisor on brand characters, did character development work and wrote the pilot episode for the PBS children's television series SeeMore's Playhouse and authored the previously mentioned graphic novel, The Helm, named one of 2010's top ten Great Graphic Novels for Teens by YALSA, a branch of the American Library Association. He's also written another novel, the horrifically funny horror comedy Demon Freaks. And after 21 years, Jim finally completed The Creature From Lake Michigan, which is terrible in a fairly funny way.