R.A. Montgomery was an avid adventurer, first and foremost. Whether in the mountains, or on the sea, or in explorations of the mind, he found adventure in every aspect of his life. Teaching school, working in the administration of a top university, hiking in the Himalayas, or working in the Peace Corps in Africa, Montgomery took making choices seriously.

"There is never a day in which you are not confronted with choice. Some seemingly small choices can determine the path of the rest of your life. CYOA gave me a vehicle for examining all the impacts of choice."

As the co-founder of Choose Your Own Adventure, his books are known for being bestselling chapter books in the same arena as Wimpy Kid, Magic Tree House and the Disney Princess series. Choose Your Own Adventure books are perfect for reluctant readers and kids who don't like to read. They have inspired a love of reading for generations.

He was born in Greenwich, Connecticut in 1936. One of his first memories was of him sitting in his high chair and being frightened of Jell-O, which he thought was alive. He attended Hopkins Grammar School, the oldest private school in the country (founded in 1660), and Williston Academy. He got his college degree from Williams in 1958, and attended graduate school at Yale and NYU.

Choose Your Own Adventure books reflect his diverse interests and values. "More than anything else, everyone should have the freedom to express themselves. Second to that, everyone should take risks and be willing to fail. Picking yourself up off the mat is the central business of life."

R.A. Montgomery made his home in north central Vermont, where he co-founded Chooseco in 2003, the small publishing house that has re-introduced the CYOA series. Although his technical climbing days were kaput, Ray continued to travel frequently throughout his life to Asia and annually to Europe. He was married to the writer and game designer Shannon Gilligan. Montgomery died in November 2014, only two months after his last book "Gus vs.The Robot King" was published.