Antanas Marcelionis

Master Version 1.1 is my first book. I’ve been writing for most of my life—not books, but code. I’m a software programmer. Together with Martynas Majeris, who translated Master Version 1.1 into English, we run a tiny company—essentially a two-and-a-half-man operation (sans Charlie)—but one that’s extremely successful in its field: amCharts. We estimate that our data visualization libraries are now used by at least half of the Fortune 500 companies and thousands of smaller businesses. Besides this main activity—which, even after nearly two decades, is still fun—I also enjoy long-distance bike travel and participate in competitive sailing events, both fully crewed and double-handed. When it comes to my reading habits, I prefer science fiction. Like most readers, I have my favorite writers, such as Neal Stephenson, and eagerly await their new releases. In between, I enjoy giving new authors a try. Sometimes, they blow me away and become new favorites, like Andy Weir. Unfortunately, there’s also a fair share of disappointment. Every time I felt let down by a new book, I thought, I could do better. On one such occasion, I sat down and wrote my first chapter. Then I wrote another. And a couple more. To make my texts believable, I wrote about things I know well. As a member of the Lithuanian Riflemen Union—an organization of voluntary fighters ready to take up arms and fight Russians if they come this way—and a regular participant in tactical drills and exercises, I’m well-versed in warfare. I know my way around guns and drone combat. You can find me on BlueSky @marcelionis.