Hello
The short, concise story is that I'm a mid-forties, hard-working guy named James who's been all over the place, done all sorts of things, has an overactive brain and big imagination, and high intelligence who's now trying his hand at being an author. It's a lifelong dream of mine, so I'm pursuing it.
To address a few questions I've already gotten, here we go.
1) Are you educated? Rude. Yes. I have a Bachelor's degree.
2) Have you written anything before? Yes. Lots of things, but nothing I could publish or show publicly without lawsuits and regrets. Maybe one day I'll release some of my poetry. Maybe.
3) Why don't you use a "nice" picture, where you're dressed up in a suit and tie? I don't wanna. This is the real me.
Any other questions?
My Author Journey
This started when I was a kid. A little kid. I've been writing almost my whole life in one way or another. Am I a professional writer?
I have been, yes. I've worked in several positions that were centered around writing. Even if some jobs weren't focused primarily around writing, I found a way to integrate or focus on it and hone my skills: emails, reports, and so on. Believe it or not - and regardless of what employers say - the opportunity to practice writing is always available if you're willing to look for it.
I released my first novel, "Rogue," on September 11, 2025. I've pledged to donate half of my royalties from "Rogue" to worthy veteran charities each month in perpetuity. Right now, I'm working on adapting a screenplay Daryl wrote a while back into novel form. It's a very cool story called "46.2," with several elements: bleeding edge science fiction, politics, lost love...just wait. It's a thrill ride.
My "journey" as an author is just beginning, but it's going to be a wild ride.
Are you in?
Published Works
Rogue
So it was true. Uncle Ricky was dead. He had killed himself. The unfathomable demons of war had started the job, and he had finished it. He had also left me with a demon in the process: knowing those demons existed.
Could I beat the demons of war?
Derek Keison grew up knowing something about the horrors of war had taken the life of his hero, Vietnam veteran Uncle Ricky. When September 11, 2001 happened, he had an excuse to join the Army. His body got broken in training, but he was offered the opportunity to become one of seven very special operators: a mysterious do-it-all single-person unit known as a "rogue." An elite, unacknowledged, invisible multi-tool of the United States military. Cold death on two feet.
Now it's 2025, and he's given a very big and dangerous mission: track down the source of the fentanyl crisis and wipe it out. He can call on any resources he needs, including the other rogues.
It's the shot he's waited most of his life to take: help his country and face down the psychological terrors that took away his childhood hero.
Game on.
Half of all earnings from this novel go to charities that effectively reduce veteran suicide. Twenty-two a day is too many. One is too many.
In The Works
46.2
Ivan Thorn used to be a soldier, then a high-tech engineer. He used to be engaged to a wonderful woman, work for an avesome defense contractor, and live a good life.
Now he's a classified human weapon, presumed dead, who's trying to make things right.
The Congress is having a critical debate about cloning and bionics that could either put dangerous technologies like him away, or open some very dangerous doors. Now is Ivan's only chance.
He has one week. It's now...or never.