Meet James Allen, Iowa Author & Storyteller
James Allen’s path to authorship did not follow a single straight line. A career in information technology and education, along with years spent behind a microphone as a DJ and trivia host, sharpened his curiosity about people and the moments that shape their lives. Today, he brings those experiences to fiction, memoir, essays, poetry, humor, and children’s stories, writing under his own name as well as The Sawdust Sage™ and Seamus Ailin™. His books now reach readers in the United States and abroad.
A Quick Note on Names
James Allen is, unfortunately, a fairly common author name. If you searched for “James Allen” before landing here, there’s a decent chance you passed one or two others along the way. You can currently find at least eight James Allens on Amazon alone.
I’ve also received messages about As a Man Thinketh, the philosophical classic written by James Allen (1864–1912) and first published in 1903. Much as I might enjoy claiming that kind of literary longevity, I should clarify that I am neither English nor more than 120 years old. Despite the gray hair, that James Allen and I are not the same man.
This James Allen is a contemporary American writer whose work includes fiction, essays, memoir, humor, and poetry. My writing tends to grow out of ordinary life, imperfect people, overlooked moments, and the strange business of being human.
I have great respect for my namesake and the lasting influence of his work. But if you came looking for the author of As a Man Thinketh, you have wandered onto the website of a different James Allen entirely — one with modern deadlines and a considerably greater dependence on coffee.
James Allen writes from a life shaped by equal parts sawdust and stories. His work blends humor, reflection, and everyday Midwestern experience into writing that feels familiar, honest, and quietly insightful.
A retired IT project manager and longtime craftsman, James finds meaning in workshop mishaps, market days, unexpected conversations, and the steady rhythms of ordinary life. His writing spans novels, essays, memoir, humor, and poetry, all grounded in the belief that the extraordinary often hides in plain sight.
James is also known as The Sawdust Sage™, the voice behind his poetry, reflections, and observations about life, work, people, and the lessons found in ordinary moments.
He writes for children and young readers as Seamus Ailin, creating imaginative and thoughtful stories filled with animals, adventure, humor, and curiosity.
James’s books have reached readers in the United States and abroad. They are independently published through All En Crafts LLC Press and made available in ebook, paperback, and hardcover editions through major booksellers and publishing platforms.
James lives in Iowa with his wife, Lexie, under the watchful supervision of their cats, Midnight and Sunshine.
Explore current titles, formats, and purchasing options on the James Allen Bookshelf.
Individual Voices
James Allen and The Sawdust Sage™ are the same person, but they serve two separate and independent creative purposes.
James Allen writes fiction, memoir, and essays shaped through narrative, research, and extended reflection. The Sawdust Sage speaks through poetry, humor, observation, and the hard-earned wisdom found in workshops, backyards, barrooms, and everyday life.
They may share the same experiences—and occasionally the same sawdust—but each has a voice, perspective, and body of work distinctly its own.