G. Carlos Smith lives with his spouse, their three daughters, and their cat, Edgar, in Woodside, California, and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Prior to the arrival of their twins, he was a corporate partner at a global law firm. Sayulita Sunset is his second novel. A Matter of Choice was his first. He is a graduate of Stanford and Columbia universities.

In addition to literature, he has an active interest and background in music. While at Stanford, he was the winner of the Stanford Concerto Competition (piano) and the Dean of Humanities and Sciences Award in music. In addition to performing as a soloist with the Stanford Symphony, he appeared on several occasions as a soloist with the Utah Symphony in his youth.

G. Carlos has also published non-fiction. From 2004 to 2023, he was the General Editor of Startup and Emerging Companies: Planning, Financing and Operating the Successful Business (Law Journal Press), and he is the primary author of several of the chapters included in that treatise.