“Retired combat soldier and award winning author of nine books who does shows and book signings at book stores and senior living communities.”
At 86, I'm an almost famous author. With my journey from battlefield to bookshelf, I encourage and inspire teens to seniors to write their stories. Tank Gunner is my pen name. I am a retired combat cavalry trooper, Senior Parachutist, and Jumpmaster awarded a Combat Infantry Badge and decorated with a Silver Star, three Bronze Stars – one for Valor – and a Purple Heart. I served my nation with pride and honor for more than a quarter-century as an enlisted soldier and officer. An award-winning author and speaker, I wrote and published Prompts a collection of stories (including two award-winners), at age 76; Prompts Too another collection of stories (including two award-winners), at 77; Cookie Johnson, a Vietnam historical fiction novel of love and war, at 78; Palomino, Tank's immensely popular WWII historical fiction novel about three German POWs living and working in a small rural Texas town during the summer of 1943, at 79; Porky Baycann, a coming-of-age, adolescent friendship, and WWII historical fiction novel – and companion to Palomino – at 80; The Redeemer, a powerful drama of love, conflict, and redemption on the eve of WWII – connected with Palomino and Porky Baycann – at 81; Reverend Ripple$' Building Fund, an historical fiction story of a thief, ex-con, and pretend preacher coming to Marshall, Texas for a fresh start, at 82; Rigors of Revenge, the tale of Colonel Grady Allen, a retired soldier with PTSD, harboring revenge for 50 years, returning to Vietnam to find and kill NVA Captain Vo, a murderous enemy, at 83. At 84, Lucinda Jones, the story of a spunky redhead on her way to college to finish her journalism degree, coming to work for two weeks in the Palomino Press at the onset of the Korean War, in June 1950. Lucinda uncovers secrets, challenges stubbornness, defies injustice, wins trust, finds her strengths, suffers weaknesses, and delights in the excitement and serenity of true love and is faced with the decision to go off to college or stay in Palomino for love. Palomino Dénouement, set in 1968, is the story of Captain Grady Allen, fresh from his first Vietnam combat assignment, coming home to Palomino as burial escort and agrees to an interview by Lucinda Jones in Miss Bobbie Jo's Dairy Queen. There, in the Dairy Queen, he learns the fate of many memorable characters who lived, loved, left, or died in the final chapter of Palomino, and faces the reality of strong opposition to the war, to which he is about to return for a second combat assignment, at age 85. Palomino Dénouement is my fifth novel in the town of Palomino, connected with The Redeemer, Palomino, Porky Baycann, and Lucinda Jones. I bring entertainment and discussion about writing, and as a creative writing coach and student I encourage others to write their stories. I am comfortable with sticky questions and opposite points of view. I'm an award winning speaker and award winning author. I can tell war stories, real stories, true stories, and some stretches of truth. My WAR STORIES of an ARMED SAVAGE blog has 200 non-fiction stories with 350 photos, graphics, and images. I do a PowerPoint show and book signings at senior living communities, book clubs, Veterans' groups, associations, and schools. I've done hundreds of book signings at 16 local book stores. My wife and I live with Cody, 100 miles southwest of Palomino.
