I haven’t updated my website in a while, but fear not, faithful readers, I have been doing a good deal of writing! Just about two years ago, I joined a wonderful weekly writing group next door in Gloucester, and I’ve been getting some great feedback from those bright and supportive folks. And, I think, I’ve been honing my craft.
In the works are another collections of sci-fi/horror short stories, a historical fiction/science fiction novel set in Ming Dynasty China, and a host of other things. And, as my writers group consists of about half poets, they’ve piqued my interest in that venerable art form, and I’m beginning to write some of my own. I had no idea how much I didn’t know about poetry!
You will also see that I’ve added a section on film writing to my site here, where I’ll post some of my movie reviews/essays.
All right, 2022 is winding down, and here’s an early Christmas gift. Running through December 4th is this wuxia/martial arts promo offer. You can download free stories from several notable martial arts writers, including a short story from yours truly! It’s only good through December 4th, though, so don’t miss out! The download is compatible with Kindle and all other E-Readers. Here’s the link:
I’ve been writing quite a bit this past year, but it’s been spread out over numerous short stories and longer works. Look for more releases from me in 2023!
So, I wanted to offer a short story as a reader magnet for new subscribers to my email list. The thing is, though, I write in a few different genres: sci-fi, historical fiction, martial arts, etc. Well, I figured it might be a good idea to write a story that combined a few of my genres, and so I did. It’s called “Strange Duel at Playful Pearl Inn.” It’s part historical fiction (based on an actual UFO sighting in 11th century China,) and as such it’s got some sci-fi in it, and also a good ol’ martial arts swordfight!
I’ll be offering a link to a free download of the digital version in the near future, but for now, it’s available for Kindle on Amazon:
And if you do read it and enjoy it, I wouldn’t mind if you left a review on Amazon!
All right, it’s finally done! Fists of Fiction is an anthology of martial arts short stories from five authors, including me! Some writing pals and I got together and we each contributed two short stories for this collection, and we’re offering it for free as a promotional giveaway.
These stories range from classic wuxia, to historical fiction, to modern adventure and fantasy. My two stories are called “The Beggar and the General,” and “A Share of the Gate.” As I described them in the introduction:
For the two stories I wrote for Fists of Fiction, I set them both in the same universe as my historical fiction/martial arts adventure novel Dragons and Boxers. And in fact, characters from that novel make an appearance in both stories.“A Share of the Gate” is the story of two Buffalo Soldiers (the nickname for soldiers serving in the several all-black infantry and cavalry divisions of the United States Army) who find themselves in Tianjin, China, in 1900, just weeks after the devastating events of the Boxer Rebellion. In a public prize-fight against an aging kung fu master, Sergeant Clayton Brooks is in his element. But when American expatriate Wayland Cooper gives him some inside information on the background of his Chinese opponent, his moral dilemma begins.
“The Beggar and the General” tells the tale of young Gao Jinhai, a teenaged kung fu student in Shanxi, China, in 1865. Many strange characters are roaming about in the aftermath of the catastrophic, nation-rending clashes of the Taiping Rebellion, and Jinhai’s kung fu master has always stressed the importance of bravery and standing against injustice. Still, when Jinhai puts that advice into practice and challenges a petty thief, he soon learns that he’s in for a fight more deadly than he could have ever imagined.
Here’s the book trailer:
And here’s the link to download the book for free, for Kindle or other E-readers:
These guys are all great writers, and you should definitely check out their other work! Hope you enjoy reading these stories as much as we enjoyed writing them!
While I haven’t updated this blog in a while, I have indeed been writing. I’ve completed a few new sci-fi/horror short stories, one of which I’ve submitted for a compilation to be put out by the New England Horror Writers group. I haven’t heard back on that yet, but if it doesn’t make their compilation, I’ll be self-publishing it on my own, along with several other stories.
And speaking of my sci-fi/horror stories, I did update the cover of my first collection. Wow, crafting covers is an entire art and science of its own, and when you’re trying to keep your budget in check, it makes sense to do it yourself–but there is a learning curve! I hope I’m progressing a bit. The title is available on Amazon in both paperback and Kindle, and here’s the new cover:
And what of Wayland and Suyin from my historical fiction/martial arts novel Dragons and Boxers? Well, they’ve got some new adventures coming, as I’m writing the sequel now. And you just might find a few characters from Dragons and Boxers in a couple of short stories that will be included in an upcoming compilation of martial arts stories called Fists of Fiction. Stay tuned…
Here’s the book trailer for Dragons and Boxers. I had a lot of fun putting this together. I had composed the music at the beginning of the year, and I thought I’d have the trailer done shortly after that, but as always, things come up and and time is tight. I tried to use the film footage, pictures and narration to capture the story and the tone of the novel, and I think it came out okay; like the novel, it’s got some serious historical images mixed with some classic kung fu movie tropes! Having a story set in 1900 is very advantageous when it comes to putting something like this together, as there’s quite a bit of film and pictures available from the general area and time-frame, yet it’s all so old that the copyrights have generally expired. The book is available from major booksellers, in both paperback and digital form.
My historical fiction/martial arts novel Dragons and Boxers is back in stock on Amazon and other online retailers, in both paperback and Kindle. It’s slowly picking up some good reviews and sales!
Thanks to Matteo at China-Underground.com for this online interview, where I talk about the background of my story:
My first novel, Dragons and Boxers, was officially released on February 1st. That’s awesome! It took a couple years and a lot of work to get it out there, and it’s really satisfying to hold the finished product in my hand.
The bad news, however, is that there are currently some delays in printing and shipping. A number of copies were sent to Amazon (US), and those have sold out. My publisher is based in Shanghai, and due to the ongoing health crisis in China, printing and shipping is delayed. So my novel is out of stock at all online retailers at the moment. I’m not sure when it will be back in stock, but as soon as I know, I’ll post the info. Thanks for your patience!
So, it’s finally done. I began writing Dragons and Boxers around February of 2017, and now, just about three years later, it’s going to be published by Earnshaw Books! The story is an historical fiction/martial arts adventure set in China in 1900, concurrent with the events of the Boxer Rebellion. It tells the tale of an American missionary family who have left their home in the US to spread the gospel in China, and they find themselves caught up in the storm of history and events beyond their control. After a vicious attack, their 19 year-old son Wayland is left clinging to life, and he’s taken in by a kindly Chinese family. He soon finds himself in the middle of a deadly, decades-old family dispute between two martial arts masters, and his own training in the arts may hold the key to all of their fates.
While I wanted to write an exciting, entertaining story, I also tried to keep every aspect of the story grounded in reality; I researched the daily lives of the Western missionaries in China at this time, I delved into the historical details of the Boxer Rebellion, I drew on my own understanding of Christian apologetics and Chinese religions, and I used my own study and training in Chinese martial arts as a template for the characters’ training and fight scenes. There are a number of big themes in the story, of East meeting West, of modernity meeting antiquity, and of the clash of religions–but I also included action tropes that will be familiar to any fan of kung fu movies!
I always saw Chinese kung fu movies as analogous to American westerns: yes, they could be formulaic and low-brow, but at their best they could also be great art that exemplified and expressed profound, important aspects of their respective cultures. I really tried to have my novel follow that path; if you just want to read a good, historical adventure story, it’s there, but if you’re looking for something a bit deeper, you may be pleasantly surprised.
.The release date is February 1st, 2020, and it’s up for pre-order now at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other major retailers. Thanks for your interest!
