Introduction

I'm told that every author needs a blog. Well, here it is.

Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Jeffrey Evan Brooks, author of Shattered Nation: An Alternate History Novel of the American Civil War. I was born in Richmond, Virginia, and grew up in Dallas, Texas. I now live in Manor, Texas, just outside the state capital of Austin. I'm married to my amazing and wonderful wife, Jill, and have a beautiful baby girl, Evelyn. My day job is teaching life skills to students with special needs at Anderson High School in northwest Austin; I'm still amazed that I get paid to do something so fun and so emotionally fulfilling. All things considered, I live a truly blessed life and am one of the happiest people I know.

I'll use this blog to keep interested readers apprised of my writings. I'm about to publish a follow-up novella called Blessed are the Peacemakers, which will serve as a sort of bridge between Shattered Nation and its sequel. I'm hard at work on that sequel, which will be titled House of the Proud. I'm ambitiously planning more writings - short stories, novellas, and full-length novels - dealing with the alternate history created by Shattered Nation. In addition, I have irons in the fire for writings about Ancient Rome, the Second World War, America in the 1790s, and a world in which the First World War did not take place. I'm in my mid-30s, but don't expect to live long enough to write everything I want to write.

I suppose I'll also use this blog to randomly blather on about things I'm interested in. I love wine, having become a certified sommelier in 2009. I love good food. I'm a devoted fan of Chelsea Football Club. I get annoyed by things, like people who don't put their shopping carts back in the cart return areas or intrusive TVs in restaurants and airports. I love reading history and will probably review books here; I'll only review books I like, since I don't see why I should waste time with books I don't like.

Anyway, this will be my blog. I hope everyone enjoys it.