C. J. Coombes

About me.

I was born in San Francisco, California. I was son to a brilliant father, who lost a leg in an accident at Camp Swift, Bastrop, Texas, after returning from Europe at the end of WW2. Handed crutches, and given a year to live, my father scrambled to support his new wife and child. With a hopeless future before him, he pursued a career in graphic design as an artist. He was the first class president of Kendall School of Design, now a branch of Ferris State University in central Michigan. He was instrumental in the formation of my character.

Raised in an environment of art, my artistic talent astonished my grade school teachers, won me an art scholarship in high school, and paved the way for me to follow my father’s footsteps into Kendall. Upon graduation, I was asked to join the artists at Hallmark Cards, but instead entered the army as a graphics designer during the Viet Nam era. I did not see action in Viet Nam, but served my time at the NATO headquarters in Naples, Italy. I was part of the support staff for CINCSOUTH (Commander in Chief Southern Forces Europe), and was heavily involved in the development of presentations made to many of the world’s ambassadors and dignitaries. Ironically, my mother was an Italian war bride. Her family welcomed me with open arms.

After being discharged with honors, I worked in the graphics field for a number of years as a designer, photographer, printer, and art director before entering into what was at that time the cutting edge of computerized machining technology. It amounted to a 180 degree shift in careers. For my Italian mother, my decision amounted to nothing less than cultural suicide, a betrayal to her sense of greatness. The memory of my mother crying at the kitchen table will go with me to my grave. I never regretted my decision. From my perspective, artists seemed entirely underappreciated, underpaid, prone to disenchantment, drinking, and dying young.

Over time, I moved increasingly distant from visual art and closer toward writing as a replacement for relieving my creative needs. For me, writing proved to be far less restrictive, far more convenient, and a more fulfilling venue for personal expression.

CLAUS was my first serious attempt to write. I let it stand with all the mistakes an untrained writer can deliver. Unlike many authors who are embarrassed by their early works, CLAUS remains my favorite, not my best, but my favorite, as it changed my life. The research broadened my horizons in more ways than I might convey. It also proved to me that I could complete the daunting task of a ten year project (for better or for worse). It is only fitting that CLAUS, my first attempt to write, contains my last attempt to illustrate at a time when art and illustration moved into the digital world of stylus and pad.

I have uploaded two videos relevant to CLAUS. The first video captures my recital of the poem Saralinda on the Sea. It is taken from Volume One, The Child.

The second video captures my singing rendition of Rebecca's Song as presented at the back of Volume One, The Child.

I hope you enjoy both. I hated the idea of these works being buried between the covers of books that would surely be lost to oblivion.

One last thing about CLAUS. Because of size, in paperback, both volume 2 & 3 had to be split into two books each. In other words, the 3 volumes of CLAUS are presented in 5 books. The books are numbered for clarification, but you need to purchase books 2 & 3 together as Volume Two, and books 4 & 5 for Volume Three. Volume One is contained in one book.

After three volumes of CLAUS, an 850,000 word novel, I was desperate to experience anything other than historical fiction. I turned my sites toward science fiction. I elected to write a piece that reflected my concerns about humanity's disregard for the planet in a scenario that pitted land developers against environmentalists. It was titled FULL MOON STO.

After FULL MOON STO, I challenged myself to write a suspense thriller, and delivered The JACK CREEK Horror. The novel intended to force thought about invasive species in the Great Lakes and watershed of Michigan.

My last release, ONE WAY, is presented as a mind game. I focus on the soul of a miserable mortal now faced with finding its way to salvation. The read is dark and entirely different from my earlier work.

Near completion is my current novel, CHIMES. This is a lighter read, an adult suspense thriller intended to be age appropriate down to middle teens. It was written out of necessity to fill requests by young adults, who having read JACK CREEK wanted something more from me. Like JACK CREEK, CHIMES is light on foul language and sex out of concerns for mothers who watch what their children read.

Among other projects, I continue to play with CATBLACK, a work in high demand by those who know the premise and are familiar with the main character. No date has been set for its release.

In closing, I insist on acknowledging my readers and friends that have supported me in every way. Their encouragement gives me reason to continue. Thank you, one and all.

C. John Coombes