C.M. Martello was born into a family of Irish-German heritage whose Chicago history on both sides goes back more than one hundred years. He was educated in Catholic schools and then went on to a career in finance and advertising. The author chose the pen name Martello as a tribute to his favorite author, James Joyce. Martello Tower in Dublin is the setting for the opening of Ulysses and the site of the Joyce museum. The author was inspired to begin writing after a visit to the tower. Malachy’s Gloriam is his first published novel.