John Earp was raised in Tampa, Florida, earned a B. A. in English from Lenoir-Rhyne College, Hickory, North Carolina, and a Master of Divinity (a degree which continues to feed his finely honed sense of irony) from the Lutheran seminary in Columbia, South Carolina. A pastor for 23 years, he served two parishes in Florida and two in North Carolina.

For two years John and his wife, Debra, owned and operated a small chocolate and confectionary shop on the island of St. Thomas, USVI. While the people were mostly friendly, and the scenery was achingly beautiful, the marauding squadrons of cat-sized rats and the nightly tattoo of gunfire ended their Caribbean dream. He is currently working on a novel based on their tropical adventures.

Sweet Heavenly Daze has its roots in John's lifelong love affair with all things religious, his pastoral experiece with the joy and pain of simply being alive, and his not-so-orthodox sense of humor.

John and Debra now make their home, and cherish their friends, in the small Florida town of Winter Haven, where John will be found either at Richard's Coffee Shop or on the golf course.