Chas was born in Los Angeles, but spent most of his life in the San Francisco Bay Area. He grew up with two older sisters and a single mother.

Chas studied political science and French at the University of California, Berkeley. On a year abroad program in Paris, he met his future wife, the artist Pouke. Some years after their marriage, they adopted a multiracial baby daughter who now identifies as queer. Chas attributes his ability to create fully-realized female characters to his life spent surrounded by women he loves and respects.  

After a short stint teaching high school French, Chas established himself as a commercial writer and director, specializing in storytelling and humor. Eventually, he turned his skill at storytelling to writing novels. He explains:

“I enjoyed my life as a scriptwriter and director, but I always felt creatively constrained by having to meet my corporate clients’ demands and by having to limit myself to storytelling that could be told in ninety seconds or less.”

Chas now lives in Berkeley, California with his wife. He recently finished his seventh novel, A Handful of Clouds, the story of a divorced couple re-examining their relationship.

When not writing, Chas can be found singing baritone opera arias around the house or playing pickup basketball at the local park.