Daniel S. Holt is a writer based in the Washington, DC area and the author of The Ghost of the Mountain Kings.

He began writing his debut novel more than a decade ago after spending time at Darrow School, located on the grounds of the historic Mount Lebanon Shaker Village in New York. While there, he found himself wondering what it might have been like if the Shakers who once lived on that land could somehow cross paths with the students who now walk it. That question became the foundation for a coming-of-age story about grief, friendship, and a young person drawn into challenges larger than himself.

Before turning to fiction, Holt spent more than two decades working in politics, public affairs, and institutional leadership: experiences that gave him close exposure to power, conflict, and the ways people navigate moments of moral and personal uncertainty. He continues this work today through his crisis communications and strategic advisory practice, Anchorage Partners, where he advises institutions, leaders, and families facing high-stakes moments of transition.

Holt’s writing is shaped by a long-standing interest in American history, belief systems, and the ways history continues to shape the lives of those who inherit it. 

He lives in Virginia with his family.