Rodney Gottula grew up and still lives in Shepherd, Montana, studied English Literature and Philosophy at Rocky Mountain College in Billings and earned his M.A. in Linguistics on his way to becoming a National Board Certified Teacher of English Language Arts and a high school administrator. Having lived and taught overseas, Rod's four years on the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program fueled his passion for helping young people experience the wonders of other cultures and the beauty of everyday folks in different lands. Whether sharing Montana with the world or marching off into the world with Montanans, he takes joy in learning and seeing something a little bit new. His hobbies include reading, writing, struggling to play the guitar, and an occasional evening of imbibing and karaoke. Rod and his wife, Rie, have two children and they are constantly nagging the children to study more and make the most of their bilingual and multicultural opportunities. Double! Not Half is dedicated to their journey.

Those of us who know Billings will notice the brilliant transition shown on the cover of Double! Not Half. A red bridge that joins two worlds starts on the back cover and continues to the front cover. The back cover clearly shows the Billings skyline and landmarks, while the front shows our main character entering the world of Japan. 

Photo: Rod Gottula reading at This House of Books.

See our interview with Rod.

Rod is a member-owner since September 2018.