Jim Butcher is an American author born on October 26, 1971. He has written the contemporary fantasy series The Dresden Files, Codex Alera, and Cinder Spires.

Jim Butcher is also a martial arts enthusiast with fifteen years of experience in various styles including Ryukyu Kempo, Tae Kwon Do, Gojo Shorei Ryu, with some Kung Fu. He is a skilled rider, having worked as a summer camp horse wrangler and performed in front of large audiences in both drill riding and stunt riding exhibitions.

Jim enjoys fencing, singing, bad science fiction movies, and live-action gaming. He resides in Missouri with his wife, son, and a "vicious" guard dog. He adopted the moniker Longshot in the early 1990s when he aspired to become a published author, beating the odds to establish a career as a novelist.