Val Gale was born and raised in Des Moines, Iowa. He served in the U.S. Army from 1991 to 1996, with stations in New York and Seoul, Korea. Following his honorable discharge, he earned a B.A. from Grand View University in 1999.

As a trans man, Val is deeply passionate about advocating for marginalized voices, a mission fueled by his own experiences and the support of his allies. After an industrial accident ended his career at a tire facility, Val began writing full-time, turning a life-altering event into an opportunity to pursue his lifelong passion for fiction.

His debut novel, Different (2017), is a semi-autobiographical YA story about a trans teenager. He followed this with Hunter, an LGBTQ novel exploring post-transition relationships. His third and most recent novel, Wild Dandelion, follows Bo—a trans trucker with a rough past and a loyal orange cat—as he drives coast-to-coast chasing shadows and helping lost kids survive.

In 2025, Val co-founded Crimson Crow Press alongside a group of indie authors who also co-host the In Other Words podcast. Their mission is to uplift writers and provide full support within the ever-changing publishing industry. This fall, Crimson Crow Press will showcase its first anthology of short stories.