Operation eBook Drop Founder's Blog

Just posted a new article "How to Adopt an Aircraft Carrier" on Operation eBook Drop's Founder's Blog

Ed Patterson

Relaunch fo Cutting the Cheese

I'm happy to announce that Cutting the Cheese has been completely revised and re-released. And out of respect for all those readers who have purchased a copy on the Kindle or for other eReaders, for the first 2 weeks (until January 31,2010), I am offering this novel for FREE, so copies can be replaced and new readers can add it to their stacks.

FREE on Smashwords - Cutting the Cheese
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/92
use Coupon Code FB57N upon check out (be sure to download the 2010 version).

Thanks to all
Edward C. Patterson

My Message to the Militay Members of operation eBook Drop

To the Military Members of Operation eBook Drop:

As a veteran and a citizen I want to thank you all for your courage and sacrifice to keep this world safer and my liberties intact. Without our brave men and women in the coalition forces, all citizens would be shackled to their fears and sleep the sleep of the restless. I appreciate what's a stake here and know that a gift of a mere book is a small contribution to ease the hours you spend away from home and family, but I am glad to make it, as insignificant as it is compared with the gift that you have given me and to all the citizens of the countries that you represent.

I hope to hear from you, telling me if my fictional world intrudes upon your real world and if it has added some comfort to your magnificent service.

May this message find you healthy and safe. May you be blessed beyond all measure and find some joy within each other and with the many who pray for your safe return.

Happy Holidays
Edward C. Patterson(formerly SP 5 Ed Patterson US Army, 6th Batallion, 60th Artilery (1966-68)

Operation eBook Drop Update

Operation eBook Drop has astounded me. If anyone would have told me that after three months nearly 290 authors would be participating offering a huge library to the troops, I’d have said — go away!

Here’s the genesis for the program, which was never conceived as such. While in the Amazon discussion groups, I was following the posts of a soldier who was stationed in Iraq. He was helping another customer through the steps to download eBooks through a router to their Kindle. On impulse, I offered this soldier (Joe Terry) a copy of my thirteen published works, if he wanted them. He did and, through our correspondence, I learned just how important reading is to the troops. I should have known this, because I’m an Army veteran (1966-67) — the lonely hours away from home and overseas are real. Wow, I could have killed for a Kindle then.

Operation eBook Drop started on the cuff and replicates that initial gift. I created an Amazon thread to ask if any other deployed troops had Kindles and wanted my books. There were a few nibbles. I then surveyed Indie authors that hung out on Kindleboards.com. The survey results were positive, but soon I had twenty authors asking to donate their books — then thirty — then . . . well, the word went out across the Internet. Within a week, I had an email from Mark Coker, CEO of Smashwords.com. Smashwords is a premier on-line eBook distributor, converting Indie books into various eBook formats. Smashwords is also global. Mark Coker decided that Smashwords would back the project, opening up their author network to come aboard. This facilitated eBook delivery, because a link to the page on Smashwords and a 100%-Off Discount code. The long of the short of it, after a month we had over 60 authors participating and the troops were lining up also.

Operation eBook Drop is still off the cuff, and that’s the key to its success. There’s no central site, communication blog or layers of organization. It simply replicates my interaction with Joe Terry. I maintain a list of troops and authors. When a new author opts in, I email them the troop list and they’re responsible for sending the links and code(s), their own welcome email and, in turn, receive feedback directly from the troops. The troops get what they love most — access to a reading library in a shower of emails. I didn’t want to hog the good feelings, so each author has communication responsibility. They blog, post, network, and even go into print.

The program is only twelve weeks old and we have 290 participating authors, 7 publishing site in the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand and over 70 Troop points of light, including families preparing Kindles for their sons and daughters. We’ve adopted a submarine, the eBook Marine Special Forces program, troops in Iraq, Korea, Afghanistan, Japan, Kuwait, Djibouti, Gitmo and at sea (including the Nimitz). I’m astounded by the success, but why should I be? Independent authors brim with generosity. They know struggle and make their own decisions when it comes to their books and who gets them. They’re in control. Personally, I’m stand in awe of them and urge readers to support them by buying their books. It’s my estimate that the Indie authors of Operation eBook Drop have made available 20,160 copies of eBooks to the troops on the program (and that’s a low estimate as some of the authors have multiple titles and offer them all). The troops choose what they want to read and use the coupons as they see fit, downloading eBooks and porting them to their eReading device.

As for the troops — what can I say? Their sacrifice for our freedom is a better gift than any book I could write. However, because of that freedom, I can author my books as they assure my freedom of speech and the air I breathe. It’s a small donation to fill in their hours away from home and, perhaps in those hours I can provoke a smile or a tear or an escape. Small price to pay for heroism. I salute these brave men and women and hope that no one ever forgets their contribution and sacrifice.

Here are some links for further information on Operation eBook Drop:

For information on joining (authors, deployed troops or their families): http://blog.smashwords.com/2009/09/smashwords-supports-operation-ebook.html

For information on Operation eBook Drop authors: http://tinyurl.com/ygk8u5o

For the Operation eBook Drop Kindleboards forum: http://www.kindleboards.com/index.php/topic,13352.0.html

And come join the Operation eBook Drop Fan club at Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Operation-EBook-Drop/172002003420

Edward C. Patterson

Veterans Day

Today is Veteran's day and I wish to thank all those who have served bravely to protect our freedom and to remember those who perished preserving our liberties.

Today I published an article for RedAdept on her Kindle Review Blog:

http://redadept.wordpress.com/

Thanks to all the Operation eBook Authors for supporting our troops.

"I believe that human courage must be matched by our very best efforts. As authors we may not be luminaries, but we all have a light to stand tall beside those who protect our right to be creative in ways not allowed universally. In that, we pay their courage forward with our creative thanks."

Edward C. Patterson

Operation EBook Drop now has 190 Indie Authors

Operation EBook Drop is nearing the 200 Indie author participation level. The program donates eBooks via links and coupons to our brave deployed coalition forces throughout the world. For further informtion on the program or to join, go to:

blog.smashwords.com/2009/09/smashwords-supports-operation-ebook.html

Operation EBook Drop

New initiative started by grass roots and supported by major eBook distributor.

I started a little project over at Amazon gifting ebooks to deployed military troops with ebook readers, which in five days has mushroomed to over 20 Indie authors contributing their ebooks for free to our deployed brave men and women in the Armed forces.THEN, it got so big, so fast, Smashword's president, Mark Coker, approached me to get it on a firmer footing and as of today they have thrown their full support into the program which we call Operation Ebook Drop.Here's a link to all the information and I hope that authors who read this will participate and any one who can get the word out to the military services (I'm working on some agencies) will do so (the information is also on the mashword blogsite. here's the link.

http://blog.smashwords.com/2009/09/smashwords-supports-operation-ebook.html

my email address is on the blog at Smashwords

And today I did a Guest Blog on Books on the Knob promoting Operation Ebook Drop, which is mushrooming daily

http://booksontheknob.blogspot.com/

Books on the Knob is also available as an Amazon Kindle Subscription Blog, so words of this project will now be delivered to Kindles nationwide.

Edward C. Patterson
formerly Spec 5 E. Patterson, USArmy 6th Batallion, 60th Artillery (1966-68)

A New Review of The Dragon's Pool

I recieved a nice 4-star review last night for The Dragon's Pool:

Review by Todd A. Fonseca (Minneapolis, MN)

After saving the world and fulfilling the warrants in The Third Peregrination (Book 2 of the Jade Owl Legacy Series), Rowden Gray welcomes a more traditional domestic life. Expecting his second child and preparing for a new display as curator at the museum, all seems well. Yet Rowden's dreams foretell a future adventure and he wonders why it is the gifts of telekinesis and telepathy bestowed upon him by the now silent artifacts remain. For Nick Battle however, these are more than just questions but a curse. Blessed with similar gifts, Nick dons a mask and cape living out his nights as a vigilante attempting to right the worlds wrongs one incident at a time. Around the world, the other China Hands are once again inexplicably drawn to one another to not only save loved ones from the clutches of time but complete a new warrant involving an even greater power than they had previously encountered or expected.

In this third installment of the Jade Owl Legacy, Edward C. Patterson once again delivers on an intriguing fantasy. Whereas the first two books focus around the relics which drive much of the story, this book takes a moment to fill in the back story for the main characters. Patterson weaves a complex and detailed tapestry of families, legend, history, destiny, politics, love interests, and conspiracy all with an international flair including the requisite destinations of San Francisco and China with substantial time also dedicated to Italy. This book brings back some of the strongest characters from the first book including Nick's partner Simone and many of the others who were either not mentioned or had small parts in the second offering. As usual, Patterson's descriptions, characters, and cadence bring great texture to a very unusual, educational, and engaging story.

While the first two books could likely be read independently, I think this book is best enjoyed if the previous books are read first. Also, a companion series (the Southern Swallow Series) provides readers with additional information explaining the origins of the relics and the references to the key characters referenced throughout the Jade Owl Series.

Patterson has truly created an expansive and epic series with the Jade Owl Legacy. Though all warrants appear closed at the end of this installment, Patterson throws in a unexpected twist at the end leaving the door open for the next adventure"

=====================================================

Edward C. Patterson
The Jade Owl Series:The Jade Owl http://www.amazon.com/dp/1440447977The Third Peregrination http://www.amazon.com/dp/1441456724The Dragon's Pool http://www.amazon.com/dp/1442170999also on the Kindle, mobipocket and smashwords (soon to be B&N)
http://tinyurl.com/ncb88t

Writing for Just One Reader

As an author, I have a mighty responsibility. I must engage a reader, who has taken his or her time to invest in my story. Therefore, any story I write must be relevant and find its way into a reader’s imagination. The world bustles around us and reading is an escape.

Therefore, all my books have an element of fantasy, and like all fantasies, they must deliver the truth encapsulated in lies. Whether I take the reader to ancient China, a gay bar in Greenwich Village or a suburb in the wilds of New Jersey, they get there in the minds and hearts of my characters, who provide a view of my world through my eyes.All my novels have a gay theme. However, they are not gay books. Sometimes I explore current and past gay community issues, and every novel has gay characters, but while I am gay, my reader is ... a reader.

I make no assumptions that my audience is gay and looking for hot steamy sex scenes or political discussions or equality discourses. When it comes to creating a novel, I’m only seeking a reader.

Enough of the abstract. My novels are about the human condition, reality as I see it ~ in short, like any author, I’m a liar. I have a scholastic background in Chinese History. Therefore, I write Chinese fantasy works filled with drag queens, Cherokee warriors and wacky paranormal relics. I have written historical novels based on 12th century, homosexual Chinese scholar-officials.Then there’s a suite of gay-themed social novels ~ the usual stuff. NOT. A gay murder mystery mixing an original edition of Moby Dick and internet strippers (of course); a Boyz in the Band-esque gay activist gathering that dissolves into a general round of back stabbing; a stint in the U.S. Army before Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell; a little tale about a ghost and a priest and a computer programmer; a domestic drama about teenage love and widowhood. The usual mix. NOT.

My latest work takes on the AIDS crisis of the 90’s from Act Up to the NAMES Project. In short, I write on a range of topics that transcend genre, but I guarantee you this. All are written for that one person out there looking for hours of engaged reading and who doesn’t mind seeing the world ... through my eyes.Question: Which Edward C. Patterson novel has a whale’s tail depicted on the back cover? Visit http://www.dancaster.com to find the answer!

Review for Look Away Silence at Rainbow Reviews

Received this review for Look Away Silence from kassa at Rainbow Reviews (4 1/2 stars)

This is an intensely emotional story about a young couple that falls in love, only to face the AIDS crisis instead of matching pink rockers on the porch. At a time when the government was refusing to acknowledge the crisis and the immortality of youth cast a protective pall over young gay men, this couple must cope with a horrible disease and the ramifications within their family and larger community. A very intensely moving story that packs an incredible punch, the last half left me crying all the way through it and beyond for some time. This is not a light-hearted tale but combines several important themes and a deeply romantic and fulfilling, yet heart breaking relationship that will resonate and stay with the reader for some time.

Martin Powers meets Matt, a shy blue-eyed cowboy on Christmas eve and although Martin expects the relationship to barely last to New Year’s, it turns into a permanent partnership. Their happiness in each other create a small bubble around their love and world that is all too soon popped when the horrible specter of Matt’s dead lover and the crisis of AIDS invades their world. All of a sudden Martin is confronted with issues and problems he has never imagined and struggles with the intense emotions that come along.

The book is divided into four parts. The first depicts how Martin and Matt meet and the first year and a half of their relationship followed by the second part dealing with the AIDS crisis and how it becomes personal and affects their happy world. The third part covers Martin and Matt as they cope with illness and the intense emotions that impact both men and their friends and family. The final fourth part is an epilogue. Each of these is moving and intense as the story is told in first person narrative from Martin’s point of view. The writing is instantly engaging and engrossing as Martin’s character is likable and relatable. The pacing is well done and the book is incredibly easy to read, even for all the intense emotion elicited.

There are numerous technical errors in the writing unfortunately. The names Martin and Matt are confused several times and punctuation is sometimes misplaced or dropped. There are also a few misspelled words and misused words. These are noticeable and sometimes distracting but don’t take away from the emotional connection and impact of the story, which for me is the best part. The choice of first person narrator makes the story intimate and engrossing, as the reader is able to connect with Martin through his humor, whimsy, fears, and later strength. Although this leaves the other characters with less of a well defined characterization, most notably in Matt, Martin is a strong and sympathetic voice.

Martin is a wonderful character as he is first introduced through his love of laundry and cleaning attachments through his surprising affection and love for a small, blue eyed cowboy that loves snow. Martin’s maturity, humor and intelligence are at odds with his young age, only twenty years old. Martin is not perfect and struggles through the story with his jealousy, fears, manipulation, and selfishness. His dysfunctional childhood has changed the way he views relationships and although he can look back on his faults, he makes numerous mistakes. However, for all his faults he truly and deeply loves Matt and that love is returned, creating the first solid and meaningful relationship young Martin has ever had. As Martin matures and finds strength and courage where he fears none exist, it’s easy to forget that he is only twenty three by the end of the story, and Matt was only twenty five. These are incredibly young men who should have been able to grow old together but instead live a full, loving life as best they can.
Woven into the romance between the men are multiple themes about the gay community and the impact AIDS has upon the country and various individuals. Several couples from past works by the author make brief cameos in this story, although the focus never waivers from Martin and Matt. Martin slowly becomes aware and involved in activism and a support group for AIDS caregivers and patients. There are several brief but moving stories told from strangers as they deal with the impact this devastating epidemic had at that time. The supporting characters from both families, their friends, and the perfect stranger all give context and help both men understand the far reaching impact beyond their tragedy. Along side are the realistic concerns about money, insurance, hospital bills, drug costs, jobs, and the reality that life almost stops to care for someone debilitated with AIDS. Although this is fiction, it easily is a depiction of so many couples.

This is certainly not an easy book but undeniable emotionally masterful. The depth of the characters and their story is an important tale that transcends gender and race, highlighting a time that had and continues to have devastating effects. The title is so appropriate and fitting to the characters and the topics, even if I hate the cover. Be sure to have some tissues handy as Martin’s story is sure to move you to tears numerous times while also giving laughter, love, joy, and happiness beside the sorrow. This is one story that will resonate for a very long after the incredibly beautiful final page.

Look Away Silence http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1448651921 (Paperback) http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002HRER5S (Kindle) also for Mobipocket and Sony Reader, Pdf and other formated a www.smashword.com

Edward C. Patterson

Alan Chin Interviews Edward C. Patterson in the Examiner

Alan Chin interviewed me for the Examiner in conjunction with the release of my new novel, Look Away Silence. I would like to invite you all to visit the site and give it a read:

http://tinyurl.com/mp793n

Edward C. Patterson
Look Away Silence is schedule for release on July 24th, but is already available for the Amazon kindle http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002HRER5S

Look Away Silence Press Release

PRLog (Press Release) – Jul 14, 2009 – Edward C. Patterson's latest novel, Look Away Silence, will be published. It is a romance set during the height of the AIDS crisis in the gay community and encapsulates the author's experiences in volunteer AIDS services during the 1990's. It is dedicated to the Hyacinth AIDS Foundation and the NAMES Project.

Look Away Silence:

Martin Powers wanted an ironing board for Christmas. Instead he got . . . Matthew Kieler, a non-returnable gift, but a gift that kept on giving. Chance encounters are sometimes the ones that most change our lives. He sold Matt a tie, but got more in the bargain — more than most people would want and more than anyone deserved. Although these lovers may not have had the pink American dream, they had it better than most, even as they faced a crisis that would change us all.

Look Away Silence is a romance set in the time of AIDS, when ignorance could spell trouble and often did. It encompasses the author’s experiences in volunteer community service and personal friendships during a tragic period in American history. The novel is dedicated to the Hyacinth AIDS Foundation, the NAMES Project and to the author’s own fallen angels. “Mothers, do not shun your children, because you never know how long you have to revel in them.”

complete release: http://tinyurl.com/mc54wu

Stacey Cochrane at OnLine Book Reviews.org Interviews Edwad C. Patterson

I gave OnLineBookReview.com's Stacey Cochrane an author interview today. Come visit and comment. I discuss The Jade Owl Legacy series, Indie Publishing, the Kindle and the future of book distribution as I see it.

http://tinyurl.com/l8b9qm

Edward C. Patterson

New Review on Turning Idolater

Got a nice 4-star review for Turning Idolater ($ .99 on the Kindle) from Lila Pinord.

"Never a Dull Moment

Mr. Patterson defines his characters so well, we feel we know them personally. Phillip Flaxen was the Golden Boy of his job as an Internet Stripper who made dates on the side. This job barely kept him in lunch money and he was lucky to eat once a day! Then he meets a fascinating older man who truly loves him and he helps change Phillip's lifestyle. He acquires a decent job that pays better and he loves working with rare books. His ex-roommate, his friend "Sprakie" who took him in during the worst time of his life is quite the character too. His favorite phrase, "Jesus Marie", is enough to drive his friends up the wall. The who-dunnit that winds its way throughout the story is captivating, and we never know who the culprit is until the very end. There's never a dull moment in this book! Good job, Mr. Patterson. Herman Melville and Charles Dickens would be proud."

Edward C. Patterson

Visit my Amazon Authors Page http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B002BMI6X8

New Review for The Academician

Todd Fonseca gave a new 4-Star review for The Academician (Edward C. Patterson).

"12th Century China - Graduating with the highest honor at the academy, Li K'ai-men is charged by his great teacher and master Han Lin with carrying out a number of warrants both public and secret. Designated as the new superintendent of Su-chou, Li K'ai-men restores order and beauty to this chronically neglected area and proves he is more than an academic. However, Li is not perfect and his errors in judgment only serve to build his character; soon his talents are recognized by the Emperor and K'ai-men finds himself tutor to a royal prince. But political unrest and war soon come and China quickly finds itself in turmoil. Not only must Li K'ai-men protect his prince, but also the secret warrants associated with the Jade Owl relics.

In The Academician, Edward C. Patterson takes the reader into the heart of 12th century China and the historical events that unfold. Patterson masterfully weaves in the fictional fantastic elements of the Jade Owl and the character of Li K'ai-men during the sweeping changes in China's dynasties centering around the great painter but ineffective Emperor Hui and his family. Fans of Patterson will once again find a story strong in character development and steeped in ancient Chinese culture and events of the day with hints of the fantastical elements that are sure to build in later installments.

Told from the perspective of K'u Ko-ling - Li K'ai-men's faithful though occasionally acerbic servant - each chapter begins with a 1st person account of events detailed in the remainder of the chapter. In this way, Patterson is able to avoid too much exposition while still conveying the richness of the history woven into the story. Reminiscent of James Clavell's work but injected with even stronger character development with the addition of the fantastical elements, Patterson creates an engaging and enlightening read.

Fans of the Jade Owl Legacy will find the beginnings of this relic and its associates. Much like the back-story extras on a good collector's addition of a DVD, the Academician provides that detailed background into what would later drive Rowden Grey and Nick Battle into the quest of a lifetime. I'm looking forward to the next offering in the Southern Swallow series."

Edward C. Patterson
The Academician - Paperback
The Academician - Kindle

Driving out Plot and Getting Into the Zone

by Edward C. Patterson

Authors are a sharing lot. They want to reach out and touch someone, specifically a reader. However, if you ask any author how they do that, you will get a variation on a theme — some responses filled with passion, while others chock full of hooey. They will disagree on basic aspects. Some feel that novels should be plot driven, while others favor characters. Some like spare writing, while others favor a detailed revelation of their research. Sometimes the genre dictates the approach. Sometimes not. In any event, there are as many approaches as there are reader preferences. Once an author settles into a style, that style can develop into a brand that permeates a bookshelf at a hundred yards.

I am not peculiar in this respect. I have been writing for over fifty years and authoring for over forty. Through trial and error and exposure to the masters and the wannabees (editors, agents and publicists), I have developed a flexible style in creating a story that reaches out to touch someone. I believe a story sits at the base of a novel and is developed, not plotted. In fact, the word plot is a misnomer. It emerges when an author builds a strict set of tracks for the readers, the characters and the story to follow. This comes from outlining, and in many cases, over development. Plot is a misnomer because overdevelopment of plot usually underdevelops a novel. Characters are constrained or forced to arc by the author’s command rather than by their natural inclination. Readers are constrained, their imaginations dampened by the one-way street of plotting instead of the two-way street of creativity. Dialog forwards plot and not character. Description is anchored to one or two senses (usually sight, and occasionally touch) instead of the five that make the story vibrant. Narrative becomes a matter of point A to B, instead of an opportunity to engage the reader with humor and irony. Story is the product of character, settings and events, and all the interaction between these. The author is a conductor, waving a baton over a score of knowledge and sturdy craft, orchestrating that time frame when the elements come together and resonate into a story. The finished product is the sum of that time frame (the Zone) and several revisions whereby the author polishes the whole with a gemologist’s skill.

The final result — the part that reaches out and touches the reader, is an amalgamation of draft, revision and refinement. If the reader is lucky, much of the draft — the heart and soul of the work, will remain and not be whittled away by the necessary cuts, the logical balance, the thematic implantation and the grammatical corsetry that revision and refinement entail. The draft is born in the Zone, and if some of the Zone touches the reader, there will be a heightened sense of allegiance to the work. However, and this is unfortunate, no matter how hard authors try, the reader can never experience the Zone.

The Zone is a place where true authors dwell. Getting there is a journey. It is where the story world becomes so real that the characters write their own dialog and rain can be felt and the sea can drown you. There is an accentuation — a narcotic, if you will, that allows the mind, heart and soul to unite and slay page after page with the rich cream of virtual reality. In fact, virtual reality is the closest I can think of to describe the feeling. Authors use different methods to get into the Zone (and we don’t always get there in every writing session). Stephen King uses heavy metal music. Jane Austen used isolation. Hemmingway used hard alcohol. I use classical music, isolation and . . . well, no alcohol, but cookies, preferably Veronas (Apricot) and Milanos. Most authors that I know prefer isolation or a special place. I can write anywhere, and have gotten into the Zone without the music or the Milanos, but the experience is different, akin to being on the edge of the forest, peeking in rather than frolicking with the flora and fauna. A good sign that an author is in the Zone is that we speak in the voices of our characters. Dickens did a mean Sarah Gamp. I do a wonderful drag queen.

So if you should pass by my window while I’m in the Zone, don’t report me as being some Son of Sam crazy, who hears voices commanding me to write novels. It’s just a symptom of the art and thankfully, it’s incurable. However, as much as I try to reach out and touch readers, I, like my fellow authors, jealousy guard the gates to the forest, where our children are born and the stories gush from the rocks and rills without plot. We are not gods and goddesses after all, but mere artists high on music and chocolate covered cookies.

Edward C. Patterson

Visit my Amazon Authors Page
Dancaster Creative

Dancaster Creative's Website has been Redesigned

I am happy to announce that Dancaster Creative has revised its website to better accomodate the visiting experience. The site now contains full details for Edward C. Patterson's 12 published novels, plus links to excerpts and free articles on writing.

Come visit and explore, then come back to Amazon and explore some more.

Edward C. Patterson
Dancaster Creative

Striving to Engage the Reader

My approach to authoring books is not unique, but I believe it is lost in many quarters. Many times books are conceived as the author’s self expression, disregarding the reader. Readers become outsiders looking in, fishing around for ephemeral meanings and significant themes. At other times, authors attempt to pander to reader’s likes and dislikes, setting quotas on sex or violence, creating plot-driven sequences meant to fill in rainy Tuesdays. There’s nothing wrong with this approach. It’s just not my approach.

I strive to engage the reader, challenging them to think. Not only should they put one word in front of the other to achieve an end, they should collaborate with me and complete my thoughts; escape to a world that we both share. I do not aim at a mass audience, or even a gay audience. Although all my books have gay characters and many have gay themes, I write for just one reader and don’t care about their sexual orientation. I present that reader with living, breathing characters, who stick in their mind and lodge in their cares. Story is almost immaterial. The journey is the thing; a path that glues the reader to the page as they turn and turn and turn . . . An escape — a refuge.

Into this stew pot of authoring, I inject my experiences. I have degrees in Chinese History and have traveled extensively. As such, my longest works, The Jade Owl Legacy series is China-themed; and The Academician is a tale of 12th Century China. I have an affinity for fantasy, so alternate realities play a role in my books. As a gay activist with many years in service to the cause, books like Turning Idolater, No Irish Need Apply and Cutting the Cheese are gay-dominant, although you might be surprised that these have been embraced by the non-gay community. I feel ambassadorial. Bobby’s Trace spans both the gay-themed and the fantasy worlds; and as a gay-veteran (1966-68), I have a military tale based on my experiences in the U.S. Army in 1967 (Surviving an American Gulag).

My latest work is the third installment of The Jade Owl Legacy series, called The Dragon’s Pool. Like its two predecessors, it revels in the nexus of the modern and ancient world; and continues the epic of a band of characters that have been well received by readers of the series. I am currently working on two new works — the second installment of the Southern Swallow series, entitled The Nan Tu (The Southern Migration), an historical fantasy recounting the bifurcation of the Sung Dynasty during the early 12th Century. It will continue to explore the contours of human sexuality in medieval China. The other work is a romance in the time of AIDS, entitled Look Away Silence, a work that channels many of my own experiences as an AIDS service volunteer and takes a side-glance at the Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses (GALA).

My motto will continue to be — Write with your heart, edit with your mind, instill the work with poetry and humor, and the book will author itself. From my mind to your imagination . . .

An excerpt from The Dragon’s Pool can be read at author’s den http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewwork.asp?id=33323.
A complete list of my novels can be viewed at my website, Dancaster Creative http://www.dancaste/com

Rainbow Reviews Gives The Dragon's Pool 5-Stars

The following 5-star review was received from Rainbow Reviews for the latest installment of the Jade Owl Legacy Series, The Dragon's Pool.

"The Dragon's Pool continues the riveting tales begun in the first two volumes of this exciting paranormal/intersexual series. With Rowden Gray settled into the coveted position of Curator-General of the San Francisco Museum of East Asian Arts and Culture, married to his beloved Audrey and father of a toddler daughter and a new child due soon, life is sweet and often serene. The Jade Owl has been hidden away ~ far, far, away from Nick Battle, son and cultural heir of the famous "Old China Hand" John Battle, whose artifact collection the Museum houses-but the Jade Owl is not the only supernatural entity about to disturb the peace of the Museum and of Rowden, his family, and friends.

Each preceding volume of Edward C. Patterson's extensive series The Jade Owl Legacy has been a marvel of convoluted plotting, supernatural venue, finely delineated characterization, and heartwarming romance, love, and attachment, set in the subcultures of archaeology and the gay community of San Francisco. The series records a paranormal legacy stretching from ancient China to contemporary San Francisco and back across the oceans to China today, with characters who each elicit the reader's empathy as their lives unfold, and unusual and unexpected events run the gamut of the supernatural continuum of probabilities. This reviewer enjoyed particularly both the paranormal excursions and Mr. Patterson's cleverly delineated revelations of San Francisco's multi-layered gay subculture. In any event, as with the two preceding entries in The Jade Owl Legacy series, The Dragon's Pool is another not-to-be-missed novel from accomplished and prolific author Edward C. Patterson."

- review by PermaFrost

Press Release: The Dragon's Pool to be Released on May 11

Press Release: May 1, 2009.

Edward C. Patterson's, The Dragon's Pool, Book III in The Jade Owl Legacy series will be published and available on May 11, 2009. This third installment of the five book series brings this epic tale mid-crest. The first two books are The Jade Owl and The Third Peregrination, both available at Amazon.com and eBook (Kindle, Sony Reader and Mobipocket).

The Dragon’s Pool

The Third Book in the Jade Owl Legacy Series.
A shadow stalks the lanes and streets, from Gui-lin to San Francisco; from Florence to the Dragon’s Pool. In its wake, Rowden Gray and his China Hands follow a course to right the wrongs of time. The relic is hidden, but stirs in the soul and archaic rituals long since forgotten, but never lost. Some books are closed. Others are open, giving up their secrets. And in the darkness, ancient terror awaits. A barrren field yields up its magic and . . . the comets return to earth.
The Dragon’s Pool, the next installment of an adventure like none other, looms across the landscape giving even the stouthearted pause to reflect. The stalwart characters of The Jade Owl and The Third Peregrination are back, and joined by new players and helper bees and . . . yes, villains. It is time for the Tien-xin Rite. It is time to close history’s fissure. It is time to complete the prophesy that dwells beneath Her Majesty’s hem. It is time to count the teeth that emerge from the Dragon’s Pool.

Edward C. Patterson has been writing novels, short fiction, poetry and drama his entire life, always seeking the emotional core of any story he tells. With his eighth novel, The Jade Owl, he combines an imaginative touch with his life long devotion to China and its history. He has earned an MA in Chinese History from Brooklyn College with further postgraduate work at Columbia University. A native of Brooklyn, NY, he has spent four decades as a soldier in the corporate world gaining insight into the human condition. He won the 2000 New Jersey Minority Achievement Award for his work in corporate diversity. Blending world travel experiences with a passion for story telling, his adventures continue as he works to permeate his reader's souls from an indelible wellspring.

Published Novels by Edward C. Patterson include No Irish Need Apply, Bobby's Trace, Cutting the Cheese, Surviving an American Gulag, Turning Idolater, The Jade Owl (Jade Owl Legacy Series Book I), The Third Peregrination (Jade Owl Legacy Series Book II and Southern Swallow Series (Book I – The Academician). Coming soon: The Dragon’s Pool (Jade Owl Legacy Series Book III), Southern Swallow Series (Book II – The Nan Tu; Book III – Swan Cloud; Book IV – The House of Green Waters), Look Away, Silence, Belmundus, The Road to Grafenwöhr, and Green Folly. Look also for The People’s Treasure (Jade Owl Legacy Series Book IV) and In the Shadow of Her Hem (Jade Owl Legacy Series Book V). Poetry books available are The Closet Clandestine: a queer steps out and Come, Wewoka - and - Diary of Medicine Flower. Also Are You Still Submitting Your Work to a Traditional Publisher?

Press Release