Spike is an author, journalist, woodworker and speaker, who’s been exploring the world around us for 25 years. He’s the author of the recently released A Walk Around the Block: Stoplight Secrets, Mischievous Squirrels, Manhole Mysteries & Other Stuff You See Every Day (But Know Nothing About) (Harper One) as well as the award-winning A Splintered History of Wood: Belt Sander Races, Blind Woodworkers and Baseball Bats, Cabin Lessons and several books on woodworking and self-sufficiency.. 

He’s written for Men's Health, The Wall Street Journal, Make, Old House Journal, Smithsonian magazine, Fine Homebuilding, The Minneapolis Star Tribune and many other publications. He is former Executive Editor of Family Handyman magazine where he wrote hundreds of articles on home improvement and woodworking, and oversaw the books division. He’s made appearances on the NBC TODAY Show, CBS Early Show, HGTV and Modern Marvels. 

Prior to picking up a pen he worked as a teacher, and carpenter for 15 years. A hopeless wood addict, he’s the owner of both a wood cowboy hat and a wood bike. He and his wife Kat have 5 children, nine grandchildren and live in a 165 year-old house in historic Stillwater, Minnesota.