Author

Hector M. Rodriguez

Hector M. Rodriguez is an award-winning children’s literacy advocate and author based in the Pacific Northwest. As a SMART reader in the 509J School District and manager of the children’s literacy library for his local Kiwanis Club, he works directly with emerging readers every week, witnessing firsthand what stories capture their imagination and why. His dedication to children’s literacy earned him Kiwanian of the Year honors in 2025.

As past president of Kiwanis Sunrisers of Corvallis and a long-time Scoutmaster and merit badge counselor with Scouting America, Hector has spent decades helping young people develop moral reasoning, navigate difficult choices, and understand how their decisions affect their communities—themes central to The Bang and Clang series. His deep experience with youth development informs every page of these stories.

Beyond his work with children, Hector teaches writing classes at Linn-Benton Community College, where he guides adults in crafting their life stories, and speaks regularly with community organizations on inspirational writing. He is the author of The Awkward Optimist: A Guide to Human Connection, host of The Write Time – Inkwell Interviews podcast, and has published seven books since retiring from the US Department of Energy in 2016.

A graduate of St. Mary’s University, Hector lives in Oregon’s Willamette Valley with his wife and Siamese cat Kai, finding inspiration in the wildlife that visits his garden. The Bang and Clang series is his first work for children, born from a conviction that young readers deserve stories treating them as capable of wrestling with complex emotions and ethical questions.

Connect with Hector at hectorsbooks.com or on Facebook.