Chris Baldwin grew up in rural Minnesota. He attended the University of Alaska and the University of Minnesota where he studied history, art, and Russian literature and film. After graduating he worked as a reporter for two local newspapers. During this time he wrote creatively at night, finishing several manuscripts one of which became his debut novel Stand on the Bench, Achilles. He currently lives in Sapporo, Japan. His interests include psychology, history, sports, and Russian film and literature.