Len Handeland’s creativity took him from attending FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology) in Manhattan to hair. He studied fashion illustration, then, years later, a long and successful 27-year career in the hair industry as a sought-after hair stylist, hair colorist, and salon owner. Len owned a salon in San Francisco’s Union Square for nine years and two salons in the town of Sonoma, Wine Country; for eight years, now fully retired from hair, Len became a full-time writer in the spring of 2021.

Len is a dynamic award-winning writer specializing in fiction, specifically horror, paranormal, and crime drama novels. Len has enjoyed writing as far back as middle school. To further enhance and better his writing, Len has taken many creative writing classes and, in 2017, attended The San Francisco International Writer’s Conference, which inspired him to write his first book, “The Darkest Gift,” based on his love of vampires. He credits the late Anne Rice for being the author that inspired him the most to write his own dark vampire story. His first book earned him 5-star reviews from readers and professional book reviewers. His first novel became a finalist in the American book fest contest in the fall of 2021.

This spring, Len’s novel “The Darkest Gift” was awarded first place in the Bookfest 2022 awards in the category of Fiction/Horror. In addition, Len’s book and author interview were featured in the fall literature issue of “DeMode” magazine, with Len’s book named one of the ten must-read books of 2021. With the completion of Len’s second novel “Requiem for Miriam,” and his third based on his 27 years in the hair industry called, “Tales from the Chair - Adventures and sordid tales of my life in the hair industry,” which recently was awarded first place in the “Firebird book awards” he’s writing his fourth book (“Transplant - The evil that lurks deep within”) to release in February of 2023.