Cedar Hill. An upper-middle class community with an abundance of unseemly stories. Enjoy a voyeuristic glance into what lies beneath the manicured lawns and picturesque families.

From one man’s attempt to cope after a devastating diagnosis to a neighborhood kidnapping that continues to mystify years later, On Cedar Hill proves things are not always as they appear. Each vignette stands on its own, yet intertwines to form a composite of Cedar Hill and the peculiar lives of those who have lived there over several decades.

Rich in character, place, and its examination of the impact of time, On Cedar Hill will appeal to any reader who has been curious about what may lie behind the mask of propriety of the well-respected, affluent family. A journey to Cedar Hill will quench not only a thirst for scandal, but touch us as we see the characters trying to save not just their image, but their families and lives.

Emil Kresl was born and raised in Minneapolis, MN, before going off to college in Madison, WI. In both places there was lots of laughter, stories, and swimming. In Madison he learned how to write fiction and plays, and picked up a thing or two about philosophy. 

After Madison, it was off to Hollywood where he learned about screenplays and swimming in the Pacific. Then a couple years later, he went off to Austin, Texas, to see what all the fuss was about. There he found the best swimming water he had ever seen. He also got to work with some of the best storytellers around, found the love of his life, and helped bring into this world a human of astonishing beauty, wisdom, and good humor.

To put food on the table, Emil helps people find happiness and fulfillment by contributing in a meaningful way to the world around them, which is not a bad way to collect a paycheck.

When he’s not doing all that other stuff like writing, being a dad, and consulting, he studies public policy and community planning, two things that hold the secret to making this world a better place (along with laughter, stories, and swimming).