About JAMES SABATA

 Photo by Kandi Kirk

            James A. Sabata was born in Seward, Nebraska in 1978, the only child of James P. and Phyllis Sabata.  He was raised in Lincoln, Nebraska, but traveled the United States extensively with his parents on their many business trips, spending thirty-six weekends a year on the road from age three to age nineteen.  James has used some of these experiences in his stories. 
            James attended St. Mary’s Catholic Elementary School in Lincoln and then Pius X High School, graduating in 1996.  James began writing in 1992 at the suggestion of his sixth grade teacher, Alexis Heaslip, and found he truly enjoyed it.  Throughout high school, James enjoyed writing and theater.  He performed in several plays in high school.  He spent the fall semester of his junior year writing a parody Christmas CD which was released in small press in 1996.

            James set out for a career in advertising and attended Southeast Community College in Beatrice, Nebraska in 1997, but quickly found that the advertising world was not where he wanted to be.  Writing was his only passion.  He moved back to Lincoln, where he worked for an alarm company and was given the opportunity to write for several hours a night while at work.  It was here that James truly began to develop his craft.  In 2000, James met Naomi Fisher, who he married in 2001, shortly before his father James P. Sabata passed away after a long battle with lung cancer and heart disease. 

James and Naomi moved to Yankton, South Dakota.  After the birth of his first son, Kaleb, James decided it was time to go back to school.  James and Naomi had two more sons, Jeremy and Ethan before getting divorced in 2005.

James graduated in August 2006 from the University of South Dakota with a Bachelors of Science in English, which he affectionately calls “my BS degree.”  The following Summer, James graduated with a MA English from the University of South Dakota as well, taking only one year to get his degree. 

James stayed on at the University of South Dakota for another year, working on a MA in History and teaching classes for the Interdisciplinary Education and Action Program.  The class looked at how the mass media influences the perceptions and beliefs of the American public in regard to peace and conflict.

James is currently working on two novels, three screenplays, and a graphic novel.  He partakes in an annual miniature golf league, which he has won two out of four years, and tied for first another year.  He makes a lot of excuses for the other year.  James enjoys the outdoors, particularly long hikes, ATV rides, archery, and any other excuse to attempt his latest hobby - photography.  James also tried to find time to coach Special Olympics whenever the opportunity is presented.

He currently resides in Fremont, CA with his girlfriend, Lynda.  He is extremely anxious to see what the future holds.