The Pen & The Sword

Friday Knight News

“It is said the warrior's is the twofold way of pen and sword, and he should have a taste for both ways. Even if a man has no natural ability he can be a warrior by sticking assiduously to both divisions of the Way.” Miyamoto Musashi 

I find myself drawn to both ways and having no natural ability I have stuck assiduously to both divisions. This is an auspicious occasion with this being Friday the 13 and writing about the luck of a warrior and the official opening day for the end of the movie series taken from J R R Tolkien's books. It seems that in his writings and in life luck or fate often plays a hand in our battles. Sure we as martial artist know that the hours we spend in training are what makes up for eighty percent of our success. Still that leaves us with a twenty percent chance for a twist of fate to contend against. This twist of fate seems to extends even beyond our chance physical self defense situations. The twist of fate struggles to find the right words, relationships, opportunities, and or audience for our talents (what ever they may be), extends into every part of our lives.

The martial arts offer many venues to follow; as their are many ways to contend with our personal struggles. This is true no matter if you prefer striking, kicking, ground grappling, throwing or weapon arts to find solutions that fit with your personality with these encounters. I understand that everyone has their preferences and this goes to our selection in martial art styles, author, musicians and even songs. I know that on certain days a partial song reaches me and on other days I can take it over leave it; after all their is no accounting for taste.

I became seriously interested in both pursuit (martial arts and writing), about at the same time and I had some mild success in each field straight away. The martial arts success began with changing my body dues to starting out with doing 100 and shortly thereafter 200 repetitions of various calisthenics every day. That was an average of 1200 push ups alone at the end of each week. My writing had a immediate success as well. As a writing assignment our homeroom teacher gave us a challenge to come up with a one page story about what we wanted for Christmas. The winners would have their story read to the class but everyone would have to guess the name of the author. The only thing I asked for was a chance for the teacher's two handed paddle (lovingly nick named Charlie), to get to dress up as Santa for Christmas.

Charlie was famous in our school when kids acted up in class our teacher would generally only have to asks if the student wanted to go out in the hall to have a talk to Charlie to get the classroom in order. Oh, by the way did I mention that early on I had the dubious honor of being the only kid from my class that had achieved this recognition of my talents. This recognition by one of my teachers was for my ability to find myself in a paddling situation on a daily basis. In fact the honor was that when I arrived at school I got one paddling and I was good for the day; no matter what transpired. All this was weighing heavily on my mind when I wrote this story do to an early situation.

It had begun one day when a kid said that Hitler had the right idea in reference to a statement about my Jewish neighbor who also was our family doctor. I was pleased to find I did not in fact receive an extra swat when I pushed the guy  halfway out the third floor window backwards in the ensuring fight. At first the encounter started with me kindly asking him to take it back what he had said. But when he grabbed my throat all conversation and civility stopped. I know normally this kind of behavior was frowned on in class but I had a tendency to stick up against bullies.

The guy was bigger than me and we both had hands around each others throats and he might have won except for due to the still warm weather a window had been left open. This coupled with me tilted him out backward over the window sill was a point in my advantage. That is when he let lose of my throat and grabbed a hold of my arm with both hands. I had found this fighting tactic worked so well I used it again several times whenever the situation called for it.

Well that was my motivation and as it was my story won, the part about the paddle getting decorated that is and nobody guessed it was my story. The class had liked the story so well the teacher had me write several more chapters to it before summer break. He even had dressed the paddle in a red and black construction paper suit with a white cotton ball beard. The best part was he didn't have the heart to take off the paddle's suit after Christmas. He told the class he had tried it but he thought Charlie looked naked without it. So the faded suit was left one till school was out. In the mean time the teacher went back to using just an ordinary single hand paddle and I never got another swat, not that I stopped standing up for other people. I still get into trouble for that every so often.

In the tradition of writing what you know about I have filled my books with example of situations I have taken from my life and from martial arts. Sure, the names, dates, people, times and places have been altered and often blended together as many of these situations that lead to confrontation overlap. As to the no accounting for taste; it always surprises me how many martial arts have written and told me that they like my book "Chopsticks and Applesauce" (some first steps for acquiring an unfettered mind). It is my least favorite of all my books, it had been ripped in half at the last minute to fit a format and never seemed quit right to me afterward. Many of the people who love that book don't seem to care for the book "Enlightenment Kicking and Screaming" but I have found that senior martial artist tend to lean toward it. Then of course "The Path", and the series of the Dream Walker saga appeals to others.

My stories are about martial arts adventures that are intertwined with paranormal or supernatural events. The following links are to the Kindle version books from the "Dream Walker” series. Our adventurers find themselves on a quest where they are confronted with both conspiracy and mystery. Their challenge is to unite their mind and body skills together utilizing what they have learned in the martial arts with the transcendental power of dream mediation. They attempt to do this while they are trying to make a life for themselves and elude those that seek to use and control them.

Conversations with a Sage (Book 1 of the Dream-Walker)

Conversations with a Sage: This explores Xander Davidson's early encounters with the mysterious fog like Dream Walking martial art sages. He ponders if they are real or if they are only remnants of his dreams. He mainly keeps this secret world to himself as he tries to copes with abuse, growing up without support or guidance and the mystery of his family's past. 

Xander and the Assassins Gift (Book 2 of the Dream-Walker)

The Assassins Gift: Xander Davidson struggles with the conspiracy of his family and the group that is actively trying to manipulate him to join them or die. The young Dream Walkers learns an early lesson to be careful about whom they let into their circle.


Warriors of Perception (Book 3 of the Dream-Walker)

Warriors of Perception: Xander Davidson and his band of friends embark on a mission to free themselves from their oppressors. They bravely face the challenge all the while vying for the right moment to turn the tables.

Jace Lee The Shift (Book 4 of the Dream-Walker)

Jace Lee The Shift: We find a new apprentice, Adam, that is fighting for his life. He is struggling to understand the amazing skills of his mentor, Jace Lee; a younger man that has trained under Xander Davidson. All the while his mentor attempts to reconcile the fact that his skills do not match up with the other Dream Walkers.


Jace Lee No Agenda (Dream Walker Book 5)

Jace Lee No Agenda: Jace Lee attempts to find himself on a self-imposed vision quest of sorts. Instead he finds himself being stalked by the same group that had previously sought after his teacher, (Xander Davidson). Instead of mastering his odd Dream Walking skills he finds love and the potential loss of his powers.

Jace Lee and the Tutelage of Ming Wu: Dream Walker 6 

Jace Lee The Tutelage of Ming Wu: Jace Lee rejoins his teacher Xander Davidson as they cope with a possible combined threat (the mysterious), Ming Wu and the Council that has continuously monitored the Dream Walkers.