SEMINAR is now free on Google Books!
August 22nd, 2025
I'm happy to announce that my short-read novella, SEMINAR, is now available for free on Google Books! If you love suspense with a bizarre, Black Mirror feel, then SEMINAR is for you. This 47-page novella, a Kindle Book Award semifinalist in suspense/horror, is the perfect entry point into my...
SEMINAR now on audiobook!
February 11th, 2024
I’m excited to announce availability of the audiobook version of my Kindle Book Award semifinalist suspense/horror short read, SEMINAR! Coming in at 1 hour and 21 minutes, it’s now available on Audible and Apple. Aaron Scott, Jr. narrated and produced SEMINAR. Aaron did a truly magnificent job voice-acti...
SEMINAR publication day!
April 1st, 2019
SEMINAR is out today! You can find it here. I'm thankful a few nice pre-release reviews have already posted to Goodreads: "I have attended a lot of business seminars in my career, but nothing quite like the one this story shows us." "The book or prequel, starts out innocent enough, but when the story gets going you are thinking that thi...
SEMINAR available on April 1!
February 24th, 2019
SEMINAR is available for pre-order on Amazon and is now listed on Goodreads! This short read (about 45 pages) is part of the MEASURE OF DANGER universe and is a prequel to the series. If you've read either MOD or SOURCE, you'll definitely enjoy it. If you're looking for something completely standalone, this isn't designed for that, but you'll...
Dungeons & Dragons…and creativity
December 14th, 2018
A friend forwarded me a great Forbes article about leadership lessons you can learn by playing Dungeons & Dragons. I was quite surprised that 8.6 million people played the game in 2017, and I'm sure that its being part of a story setting in Stranger Things created some new awareness. Sadly, the full linkage to D&D in the book Ready Player On...
Mind-controlled drone swarms!?
September 19th, 2018
A very interesting article. And we complain about multi-tasking...
Spring Break reads…
March 1st, 2018
I was just notified my publisher is making the Kindle version of MEASURE OF DANGER available for the first time at 99 cents in a promotion through the month of March. I appreciate any referrals / gifts to help spread the word! :) --JK
My Kindle giveaway odds…and Eagles v. Vikings
January 21st, 2018
At the time of this posting, there are four days left in this Kindle giveaway for SOURCE. It's a great opportunity with great odds...there are 100 copies and 129 sign ups the last time I checked. It's also a new program for Goodreads, and I love the idea. The print giveaways have been active for years, but my pet peeve with them is that I've observe...
Beating the hate parasite – Star Trek: Day of the Dove
September 26th, 2017
Captain James T. Kirk: "Captain's Log, stardate... Armageddon. We must find a way to defeat the alien force of hate that has taken over the Enterprise, stop the war now - or spend eternity in futile, bloody violence." Mr. Spock: Recent events would seem to be directed toward a magnification of the basic hostilities between Humans and Klin...
SOURCE Chapter 6 playing out?
August 16th, 2017
Interesting activity going on along the Indo-China border from Reuters! "On Tuesday, a source in New Delhi, who had been briefed on the military situation on the border, said soldiers foiled a bid by a group of Chinese troops to enter Indian territory in Ladakh, near a lake called Pangong." If you want a fictional account on how this can play ...
SOURCE now released!
May 8th, 2017
The road to the finish was rocky, steep, and winding--and that's the way I like it! But unlike how I feel after some of the races I run these days, I'm ecstatic about how this book finished. I hope you feel the range of emotions that went into it. Those are real. :) I'm forever grateful to tho...
Cover Reveal for SOURCE!
March 7th, 2017
The sequel to MEASURE OF DANGER is coming in May! I thought I would put the new cover out there to make it real. If you read MOD, then you know who that is on the cover. She is front and center in this story!
“Collector”
December 30th, 2016
The imminent New Year demands resolutions while many of us remain in shock, overwhelmed that we (eventually) have to box up the holiday decorations and get back to work. I thought I'd share a poem that was part of my mental end-of-year dump. The structure and scheme progressively de-clutter, and it ends in a place I hope you enjoy. :) Wishing ...
The story of the ugliest Christmas ornament
December 5th, 2016
It's December! I'm behind in my holiday preparations, but at least I've raised my tree and unpacked the decorations. While doing so, I again noticed one ornament that's been in my family's Christmas inventory forever. From maybe 3rd or 4th grade (I'll have to check). What, you can't tell what it is? This is a pull-tab flower ornament, the pet...
A Destroyer Story
May 25th, 2016
For nearly three years, I was lucky to live in Astoria, Oregon, and after a few weeks of exploring the area, I visited its beautiful maritime museum on the Columbia River. One of the exhibits caught my extra attention as I moved through the rooms: the bridge of a WW2 / Korean War vintage destroyer. "Oh, cool," I thought, remembering the hund...
Much better late than never
May 15th, 2016
I submitted the original version of MEASURE OF DANGER for a Publishers Weekly review two years ago and assumed it had been passed over. I'm grateful that it has now received attention, and it was worth the wait! The review on the PW site is here.
Roughly the size of two stacked nickels…
March 7th, 2016
Fascinating story today... "In its announcement, DARPA acknowledged that an implant is still a long ways away, with breakthroughs in neuroscience, synthetic biology, low-power electronics, photonics and medical-device manufacturing needed before the device could be used. DARPA plans to recruit a diverse set of experts in an attempt to acce...
“Decision”
February 13th, 2016
Quick decisions. Long decisions. Bad decisions. Some decisions we have to make fast. Some we only think we have to make fast. What is the right mix of indecisiveness in decision? "Decision" I don't prefer To flip a switch When left or right Adjusts the dial I don't remove A precious chance When there is time To think A while Yo...
Left Coast Crime 2016 – Phoenix
February 7th, 2016
I'll be stopping by Left Coast Crime on the weekend of 2/26. It happens to be close to my home here in Phoenix this year. So, if you're headed this way, send me a message!
Falling has fallen
January 28th, 2016
When I composed my author bio two years ago, I said I enjoy desert trail running and I’m “particularly good at falling down.” Back then, I had an irrational aversion to slowing down on training runs. For that, I sometimes paid the price, though I'm lucky I never had any serious injuries. I've most often tumbled during the Arizona summer as ...
“Answer”
December 30th, 2015
As the year comes to a close, we're reminded of that big clock on the galactic scoreboard. I hope all of you start 2016 with the anticipation and simple promise of a winter's sunrise. My daughter took the shot posted below. I wish you all a happy and healthy 2016, and may you find your answer! --JK "Answer" You prayed for a flower Where on...
Event at The Poisoned Pen
October 9th, 2015
I'm excited to announce an event next week on Wed 10/14, 7 P.M. at The Poisoned Pen in Scottsdale, the premier mystery/thriller/suspense book venue in the Phoenix area. MEASURE OF DANGER will be featured with DRONE COMMAND by Mike Maden, and the event will moderated by Anne A. Wilson, former navy pilot, Annapolis graduate, and author of HOVER. Th...
Not so far-fetched after all…
September 28th, 2015
An interesting article I recommend for MOD readers! https://fusion.net/story/204316/darpa-is-implanting-chips-in-soldiers-brains/
Publication Day is here!
June 16th, 2015
When I began MEASURE OF DANGER a few years ago, there was always that question of whether it would be worth the effort. I now understand this feeling isn't unusual for new authors. Rarely did I have doubts about finishing my first mental marathon, though. Like a race, sometimes when it hurts, you repeat to yourself in your mind: just don't stop. ...
MEASURE OF DANGER: New cover reveal + signed book giveaway
April 16th, 2015
More excitement! MEASURE OF DANGER received its new cover, created by Scott Barrie of Cyanotype, as part of its Thomas & Mercer publication. Initial feedback has been great, and I think it captures the creepy mood of the story better than the original. MOD is now posted on Amazon with a 6.16.2015 publication date, but it's also availabl...
Giving ASICS my two weeks’ notice
April 6th, 2015
I've been an ASICS guy since high school. The shoes have always seemed to fit best and never cause a blister. But over the last decade, I've found that some of their models are hit and miss. I'm not sure if it has to do with their shoe quality, my age, or my current ignorance in finding a good match. It doesn't have to do with price—I've bought mo...
Words like a milk shake…
March 13th, 2015
I submitted the final-final proofreading corrections for MEASURE OF DANGER this week. It was fun, but I’m relieved it’s over. I remember when this process started, and the corrections to the manuscript had the word “CMOS” annotated everywhere. As a new author, I’d never seen the acronym in this context before. CMOS wasn't referring t...
Escape is never boring
February 7th, 2015
Escape is one of the strongest themes in literature and film, especially in the thriller genre. I'm a sucker for prison breaks, daring rescues, and even the slow, methodical pursuit of feeedom if well-plotted. It's a suspense and action hook that never grows old. Add mental or emotional escape to a physical escape (an advantage a book has over a...
MEASURE OF DANGER – Honorable Mention in 2014 Writer’s Digest Self-Published eBook Awards
January 21st, 2015
I'm happy to have received an award in the Genre Fiction category of this competitive annual contest! I now also have the judge's comments, which I've pasted below. As my self-published ebook moves on to a republished and improved version to be released in June, it's still nice to get this recognition for the original version submitted back in J...
Book-Beer Pair #12: PINES by Blake Crouch and Alpha Dog
December 28th, 2014
I'm doing something different for this review. I'm going to say you need to read PINES, the first book in a trilogy by Blake Crouch, also a forthcoming TV series on FOX this Spring. I think it definitely should be read BEFORE the series is on TV. I've read all three books, and while all are great, I think PINES is best. I'm not going to tell you ...
Book-Beer Pair #11: The Gomorrah Principle
October 12th, 2014
I've been remiss in posting a review for a while, so I thought I'd recognize an author I met through networking, Rick DeStefanis, and his novel THE GOMORRAH PRINCIPLE. Rick is a former 82nd Airborne paratrooper and sniper who assisted with training of Vietnamese personnel. His novel was a Readers' Favorite Silver Medal Winner in the military thrille...
“Captured”
September 15th, 2014
Pictures are great. I love them as much as the next guy. Some will argue we obssess with taking too many photos in the smartphone age. You know, we should try to actually be in the moment. How clear are those memories of ours when we never take a photo? Hmm. Makes you think… Anyway, my brain spit out a somewhat dark poem on this matter. Maybe ...
Book-Beer Pair #10: COCKROACHES by Jo Nesbo and Chang Beer
July 13th, 2014
I've never been to Thailand, hadn't read any novels about Thailand, and I don't remember ever having a Thai beer. So when a friend suggested I read COCKROACHES, by Norwegian crime fiction writer Jo Nesbo, I took the bait. The novel features the alcoholic Norwegian police detective Harry Hole as he's dispatched to Thailand. Hole is to assist in the i...
Book-Beer Pair #9: WHITE FIRE and 90 Schilling Ale
June 7th, 2014
WHITE FIRE, by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, brings back eccentric FBI Special Agent Aloysius Pendergast with his protégé, John Jay Criminal Justice student, Corrie Swanson. Corrie heads out to Roaring Fork, Colorado - a fictitious town of the Roaring Fork Valley on Colorado's Western slope - to research her thesis involving eleven miners kil...
Book-Beer Pair #8: MISSING YOU and O’Hara Irish Pale Ale
May 10th, 2014
In the first scene of MISSING YOU, by Harlan Coben, NYPD officer Kat Donovan is hanging at her favorite pub, O'Malley's, surrounded by a "douchebaggery" of patrons when her hottie friend, Stacy, gives her terrifying news: she just signed Kat up on an internet dating site. That move sets off a chain of events that...well, let's just say that lurking ...
Book-Beer Pair #7: BAD GAMES (HELLBENT) and Victory HopDevil
April 30th, 2014
The third installment of this thriller series features Domino Taylor, an ex-Marine keeping a watchful eye over the widowed Amy Lambert and her two children, who have been subjected to an extended nightmare in two previous books. Psychopath Monica Kemp and her disturbed teenage recruit, Kelly Blaine, use a hostage to lure Taylor into a trap located d...
Book-Beer Pair #6: Pyramid Lake and Hop Box
April 13th, 2014
Pyramid Lake has a plot setup that's fairly simple. We meet the main character, Trevor Lennox, an ego-maniacal DARPA scientist working at the high-security Pyramid Lake complex who drops more F-bombs than a B-2 Spirit. We learn that his current project is a talking supercomputer that can read facial microexpressions. But then the murder and gore sta...
Book-Beer Pairing #5: THREAT VECTOR and Tsingtao Beer
April 6th, 2014
If the NSA has you worried enough about your phone and computer web cam, then THREAT VECTOR by Tom Clancy / Mark Greany will make you realize that maybe you should be more concerned with our giant trading partner to the east. This novel has China not only acting out on a host of territorial ambitions with military moves in the South China Sea, but a...
Book-Beer Pairing #4: DOCTOR SLEEP and #9 Not Quite Pale Ale
March 30th, 2014
I made my way back to properly pair DOCTOR SLEEP by Stephen King, the (decades) long-awaited sequel to THE SHINING. The storyline was good, the writing great as always. Danny Torrance is back as an adult, teaming up with the young girl Abra who also has the ability to "shine" but her power is much greater than Danny's. We learn that the more "shine"...
Book-Beer Pairing #3: PHOENIX ISLAND and Cerveza Sol
March 16th, 2014
I'm almost caught up for 2014, which brings me to PHOENIX ISLAND. Set in a tropical environment off the coast of Mexico, the PHOENIX ISLAND experience will make you plenty thirsty. If it isn’t one hazard after another killing off the finest juvenile delinquents America has to offer, it’s the sadistic cadre constantly turning up the heat. You nee...
Book-Beer Pairing #2: THE GODS OF GUILT and Stone Levitation Ale
March 9th, 2014
Lincoln Lawyer Mickey Haller is back for another adventure in L.A., this time a case involving a dead prostitute, the DEA, and a pimp claiming he was wrongly accused. Case preparation stress, dealing with two ex-wives, and a strained relationship with his daughter Hayley often makes Haller turn to the sauce. In one scene he's offered wine and says "...
Book-Beer Pairing #1: MEASURE OF DANGER and Deschutes River Ale
February 27th, 2014
Since much of MEASURE OF DANGER is set in the Oregon Coast Range, I thought it only fitting that a top-notch Oregon beer make the cut. Deschutes River Ale by Deschutes Brewery describes itself as: “Here’s one that’s clean and refreshing enough for the long haul.” Yes, long haul. If you’re reading a book like this, or you happen to be on th...
Happy Veteran’s Day
November 10th, 2013
I was 24, walking through Newark airport in uniform, when I paused in the concourse. I think it was to glance at the gate information. I don't quite remember that part. A woman, about fifty-years-old or so, lightly grabbed my elbow to get my attention and asked, "Can I give you a hug?" Not one to turn down a hug, I smiled and said, "Sure." Wh...
New Portable Writing Device
October 15th, 2013
Everyone talks about their latest iPhone, Android, or other gadget. Well, I picked up a new device I'm excited about. On a recent trip to Montana, this gem sitting on the floor of an antique store caught my attention. $42 for a vintage late 1940's Royal De Luxe manual typewriter, considered to be one of the first "portable" models. What can I say....