John Swantek
John was born in South Troy, NY, in a year which makes him a Boomer. He grew up in a third floor walk-up in a tenement much like the Row of "The Cockroach Express." And, yes, it was home to millions of cockroaches.
John learned to love books at the Troy Public Library, having read just about everything in the children's section by age 10. The lack of money doesn't stop a little boy or girl from traveling other worlds and having wondrous adventures through the magic or reading. The kindly librarian (in the days before electronic cards and swiping equipment) pasted up a special card for John with an accordion-like paper strip so she wouldn't have to constantly type new cards. A few months later, he was allowed into the adult stacks. He didn't read everything there but he tried.
John has earned a living with words since the age of 19 when he became a U. S. Navy enlisted journalist on the admiral's staff of Operation DEEP FREEZE. He spent half of each of the next four years "on the ice" of Antarctica. His job was to write articles and take international press visitors on tours of the frigid frontier.
"It was a lot cooler than Vietnam in every sense of the word," says John who worked as a newspaper reporter, editor and columnist after his discharge from the Navy. He has also been a public relations exec, museum director, entrepreneur and patent-holding inventor.
"But I have always identified myself as a writer," he says. When asked as a small child what he wanted to be when he grew up, he said "a book writer." He has been telling stories since he learned to talk. "I used to sit on the stoop and make up stories for my friends. They seemed to enjoy them and ask for more. I made up stories for my two boys. Even as men now they can still remember some of them."
John honed his craft, as have so many other novelists, under the pressures of a daily newspaper deadline. He wrote millions of words, learning to edit on the fly, writing leads to breaking news stories as he raced back to the newsroom. "In my opinion, " says John, "it is one of the best training grounds for writers. You learn not to fear the blank page. You learn to get the words right as they go on the paper."
John is married to the lovely Anita. He has two grown sons and two grown step-daughters. They have four grandchildren.
"The Moon Cursers," an historical novel set in the American Revolution, was John's first published full-length work. It is packed with incredibly detailed real-life historical facts as well as mystery and suspense.
"The Cockroach Express," the first of the five books in "The Row" Series, a cross-over YA/adult work, is set for publication in August 2015. The second book of the series, "The Booger Mask," is written, edited and set for release at the end of 2015. The third book is mostly complete and in final editing. Release will be sometime in mid-2016.
For something completely different, check out "golflyns in America" to learn the true secrets of the game of golf. There may not be golfing gods but there are golflyns and they can be even harder to please. Arnold Palmer calls "golflyns in America" a fun read for all ages.
