Other early writings

When I was in fourth grade, I wrote my first book. Yes, fourth grade. And I think I violated copyright law. But maybe not. Today, what I wrote could be called fan fiction; it's not as if I tried to sell the book or anything.

It's title is "James Bond in: The Search for Research II." The plot was about James Bond and another spy, a guy I made up named Ron Stenburg, and their mission to find out who sunk a British science vessel, Research II. Along the way they fight all kinds of bad guys, get captured, Ron has a love interest with a girl named Julie and they come face to face with the world's most notorious hitman/villain, a guy named Stepi Rolls (boy, could I pick character names back then). When it's all over, lots of bad enemy agents are dead, Ron retires with Julie and Bond returns to England for whatever his next mission would be. Oh, and I drew pictures every 10 or so pages.

It's inspiring stuff, I'm sure.

My second novel, "Mafia Massacre," was also a rip off. I wrote in in 6th grade, and it was a book about the Executioner, Mack Bolan, and his war against the mob. I don't remember as much about this book, other than it starts with Mack having a nightmare about his days in Vietnam.

One thing I've always found surprising is the level of the writing from fourth the sixth grade. There's actually quite a bit of improvment, though I guess that's to be expected.

And I still have these two books. I wrote them in notebooks, and they're stuffed away in a box in my bedroom. Every few years I'll break them out to glance at them and remember a little of my youth.