Who Am I?

I edit (videos). I write (words). I create (STORIES).

ANTOINE BANDELE IS AN AMAZON BESTSELLING AUTHOR IN ACTION ADVENTURE FANTASY, DARK FANTASY, SWORD & SORCERY, AFRICAN AMERICAN FANTASY, AND AFRICAN LITERATURE.

He was born and raised in Los Angeles, though he spent one year in Fort Lewis near Tacoma, Washington while his father served in the U.S. Army.

He lives in Los Angeles with his life partner and cat. You can find him producing videos all over YouTube, including his own channel (which you should totally check out). He is also an audiobook engineer.

SINCE 1990 ...

I've been a creative kid, whether writing stories, drawing comics, or directing home movies. I remember the first time I thought I was a "published" author. My father took my brother and me to an office supply store, where we got our books (which were made out of wide-ruled notebook paper) laminated and copied.

It felt so legit.

In elementary school, I kept filling out more notebooks with my stories. I was even brave enough to share those stories with friends during recess. The underside of the playground slide became my own library, but the only inventory was my books. They were stories about kung fu fighting teenagers who were stuck in their own dreams (still might develop that one day), or fan fiction covering my favorite franchises.

Growing up in Los Angeles, only a few miles from Hollywood, I started flirting with the film industry. This became my focus throughout my young adult years. I majored in Multimedia at California State University Northridge (though my diploma is still incomplete). That eventually got me on YouTube which (for most filmmakers in those early days) was the best place to archive and share your work. YouTube has turned into a different beast today, but I still seek out that sense of community it had among like-minded individuals.

If there is one thing that encompasses my life so far, one theme, it would be the pursuit of art. Whether I'm writing, drawing, editing or otherwise (though I really wish I had a talent for music), I've always been drawn to crafting art. That's all I'm really about when it comes right down to the bare bones, everything stripped away. I'm fueled by creating make-believe, letting my imagination take me to wonderful worlds filled with characters who speak to my inner muse. 

So join me here on my small corner of the internet (a bit of an upgrade to the underside of a playground). I want to share my creativity with you.