So what kind of fiction can you expect to read, you may wonder? As I mentioned, I will be sharing short fiction and lengthier fiction. I have dozens of stories in my head, and I don’t want to waste a whole lot of time talking about what I’ll produce as much as producing it. The scope of short fiction is too vast to pinpoint. I write quirky stories sometimes, most with elements of surrealism or magical realism, however you want to call it. But I also produce general fiction and literary fiction. I am developing a serial novel which will focus on the lives of several individuals taking on distinct traits of their characters. I am still debating how the story will develop as a whole, but am already working on bringing it to life. My most recent work, the novel The Distance To The End, is, in my mind, literary fiction. The book follows the life and times of Nicholas Duke, a gay poet and writer. There are no elements of fantasy, surrealism or any other mode of genre writing.

The novel is also written to appeal to a wide audience, and as such does not have a focal point on the LGBTQ aspect of the character. He is simply a character who happens to be gay and this is his story. I think of writers like William Burroughs when I think of this series. His early novels, Queer and Junky, featured gay protagonists, but this was more of an afterthought than a pitch for the story. My Nicholas Duke novels are the same. The Distance To The End follows Nicholas Duke and his once estranged lover, Raoul, as they spend the weekend in Las Vegas with Nick’s best friend, Neville Acosta and his wife, Gladys. Pretty straight forward story telling driven by the characters. As one may expect, there is a lot of drug use and alcohol abuse in the story, but its not a typical Las Vegas tale. And it’s a far cry from stories like The Hangover series. The Distance To The End is the first in the series, the hook, if you will, and will also be the only story featuring Nicholas Duke set in Las Vegas. At least for the foreseeable future. I have six novel outlines for Nick Duke, and at this point the series is finite, so I encourage readers to get as much Nick Duke as they can. I may write some vignettes with the characters introduced in Nick’s universe, but the majority of this story and timeline will have to be read through the novel. The Distance To The End is available wherever books are sold; if not in the shop, you can get the book for sure by way of special order, or just grab it online. Who knows, though, if the people want more Nick Duke, I may find a way to accommodate. I am working on the next installment in the Nicholas Duke universe, and you are welcome to tag along chapter-by-chapter.

Another series I am working on is an age-old tale I’ve wanted to tell for decades. Prior to this, I have not disclosed my desire to share my fantasy novels. My idea was first dreamed  of when I was a teenager. I was an avid reader of fantasy novels growing up. I could not deny the fact that I was inspired by the stories and the art and the concepts of magical realms and diverse characters. My favorite was the Discworld novels by Terry Pratchett. I can guarantee, however, these stories will be nothing like the world of the Disc, or anything like you’d find on the streets of Ankh-Morpork. My story takes place in the magical land of Kontraskia. The story of Kontraskia began like most, when I was a teenager and in comic book format. It was then converted into a novel. It was the first novel I completed, and  at the age of twelve. The stories of Kontraskia have been inside me, and randomly scrawled on paper for decades, and, in all honesty, I never thought I would bring them to life. At least not until I was around fifty years old. But, the characters have continued to speak to me through out the years, and recently have begun to scream at me on the inside, and they are ready to come out. So the fantasy series of Kontraskia has been developed for years, and I have many stories to tell. I couldn’t say whether or not I’d compare it the masters like J.R.R. Tolkien, or Terry Goodkind, or Tad Williams or the likes, and it’s not a complex medieval inspired venture like Game of Thrones; no, the main premise of the first novel I ever wrote featuring the land of Kontraskia evolved around a chosen victor risking his life to save the soul of a king. That was the premise that birth this world, and there is oh, so much to come.

It’s a mixed bag you’ll get from me. Hopefully you’ll follow along. You’ll see there is plenty for everyone. I’ll bring you your contempo-fiction, and raise you fantasy and science fiction. I’ll offer you short stories, and season it with poetry and haiku. I’m really looking out for the reader, and the fan desiring to get lost in these realms. So, stick around for the ride. I appreciate you and want you to enjoy your visit to the different worlds I intend to bring. Thanks, you.