James W. Bennett was born in 1942 and lived in Canton, Monticello, and Bloomington, Illinois as a child. He studied at Illinois Wesleyan and Illinois State universities before becoming a teacher at several community colleges, an aide to high school students, and a successful author.
His works are mainly for young adult and teen audiences, and often deal with challenging themes. Many of his books revolve around sports and other topics such as mental health. Several of his novels have been integrated into high school English and Literature curriculum. His better-known published works include The Squared Circle, Dakota Dream, I Can Hear the Mourning Dove, The Flex of the Thumb, Blue Star Rapture, and Plunking Reggie Jackson.