Mike Schultheiss contributed “Darwin’s Corridor” to TQF#22, bringing adventure, ecology, colonialism, evolution and religion together in one steaming teapot of a tale. Though we had published many, many wonderful contributions over the previous year of TQF, this kind of intelligent adventure was so exactly what we were after that we were tempted to post it in full on our submission guidelines page. And it came with a scientific note. How wicked is that? Notably, the story contained the word erectus 91 times. If you laugh, it’s only because you’re as immature as I am.

At the time of the story's publication (in 2008), Mike was living in Davis, California, and attending the university of the same name. He was looking forward to his graduation, and planned to pursue a career as a high school teacher of Social Studies and English through the UC Davis credentialling program in the fall. Having grown up in the foothills of California’s Sierra Nevadas, Mike is a long-time nature and animal enthusiast and is particularly fond of reptiles. At that time he was at work on a novel-length version of “Darwin’s Corridor” as well as a vampire novel, Blood Moon Queen. You can befriend (or just secretly spy on) him at www.myspace.com/mikeschultheiss.