Austin Reams was born in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, and has lived in San Jose, Oakland, Santa Fe, Boston, Vienna, and Moscow. His varied background includes work on nuclear non-proliferation programs at Los Alamos National Laboratory, consultant to the International Atomic Energy Agency, high school teacher of Russian language, guitar player, and oil painter. He practices law in Oklahoma City, where he lives with his wife, Ling, the love of his life.

Reams was inspired to write "The Morning Tree" in the spring of 2003 during the initial phases of the American invasion of Iraq. He was studying the teachings of Jesus in the synoptic gospels when George W. Bush, an avowed Christian, informed the public that he prayed while giving orders to go to war. That revelation evoked an image of Mr. Bush, alone in a White House chapel, hearing a voice that he should "get peace in the Middle East." The solution: punish the "evildoer."

Reams had much difficulty reconciling Bush's message and actions with those of Jesus of Nazareth. In the gospel according to Matthew, Jesus told his followers at the Sermon on the Mount, "Do not resist an evildoer." Not only did he say "turn the other cheek, " but, "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." In the gospel according to Luke, Jesus says, "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you." There is no room for war or killing in Jesus' teachings. "If there is a lesson in this novel, that is it," says Reams.