He earned his PhD in English, with a specialization in ethnic studies, from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He serves as a fiction editor for Prairie Schooner. His fiction was distinguished/notable in Best American Short Stories 2016, and included in Best Small Fictions 2018. Additionally, his work has been supported with fellowships and scholarships from the CubaOne Foundation, the Kimmel Harding Nelson Center, the Santa Fe Writer's Conference, Sewanee Writer's Conference, and Sundress Academy for the Arts.