R.A. Montgomery grew up in rural Connecticut. He graduated from Williams College and attended graduate school at Yale University and New York University. An educator and publisher, he co-founded the Waitsfield Summer School and helped found a research and development firm specializing in educational programs. He worked for several years as a consultant to the Peace Corps in Washington, DC and West Africa. His interests include macroeconomics, geo-politics, mythology, history, mystery novels, and music.

Montgomery has hiked in the Himalayas, climbed mountains in Europe, scuba-dived in Central America, and worked in Africa. He lives in France in the winter, travels frequently to Asia, and calls Vermont home. He has two grown sons, a daughter-in-law, and 2 granddaughters. His wife, Shannon Gilligan, is an author and noted interactive game designer.