Books and eBooks I've Worked On:

Dance with the Devil by Bernie Lau—9x6 paperback. Imprint: Bernard Lau Media. (Editor)

   This autobiography of ex-undercover narcotics agent Bernie Lau begins with his birth in war-torn France, and continues through his upbringing in a Chinese famiy in Hawaii, his experiences as one of the first Caucasians to be allowed to learn aikido, his terms of enlistment as a submariner and navy diver during the Cold War, and his career in the Seattle Police Department as an undercover vice and narcotics agent.

Dance with the Devil—Collector's Edition by Bernie Lau—8x10 paperback. Imprint: Bernard Lau Media. (Editor)

  This is the deluxe edition of the autobiography of ex-undercover narcotics agent Bernie Lau, from his birth in war-torn France up to his retirement from the Seattle Police Department. The Collector's Edition includes historical photos from the early days of aikido in Hawaii as well as Bernie's navy career, including Vietnamese president Ngo Dinh Diem inspecting the U.S.S. Bluegill.

Perish Your Publisher by John Spiers—9x6 Paperback and Kindle editions. Imprint: Seattle Teachers' College Press. (Editor)

      John Spiers, international small business trade expert and self-publishing author of How Small Business Trades Worldwide, shares his experiences and observations on the synergy of writing and teaching and the potential for profit. He also sets forth an integrated publishing/marketing plan that includes detailed instructions on how to have your book printed abroad and imported into the U.S. As part of his "Perish Your Publisher" methodology, John eschews POD and maintains an inventory of his books. Read the book to find out how he eliminates the risk of unsold inventory! 

The Yakuza Mistress by Alexis Kim—9x6 paperback and Kindle editions. Imprint: Okamehachimoku Media. (Editor)

      This fiction paperback is about a poor girl from a rural area in the Philippines who goes to Manila to seek her fortune. Her journey takes her to Japan, where she works as an entertainer and becomes involved with the Japanese underworld. Can she hold on to her moral values while awash in the materialism of Japan's nightclub scene? This is the first book from author Alexis Kim who has lived in Japan and seen Japanese society from the Filipino point of view.  

Ted Van Doorn—A Memoir by Ted Van Doorn and Christopher Upton—Kindle edition. Imprint: Robot X Books. (eBook conversion)

     Ted Van Doorn's autobiographical memoir relates his experiences growing up half-Dutch, half-Japanese in early Showa Japan. At the beginning of WWII, he was drafted into the Imperial Japanese Army and sent to Manchuria. With Japan's defeat in 1945, he was captured by Soviet forces and sent to a gulag in Siberia for several years. After repatriation, he immigrated to the United States.

     This private book, published by Robot X Books, is one of the greatest page-turners of its kind I've come across so far. Anyone interested in Japan will certainly enjoy reading it.

The Taste of Kyoto—A Guide to Dining and Sightseeing in the Old Capital by Richard Opheim—9x6 paperback and Kindle editions. Imprint: Okamehachimoku Media. (Author) Out of Print

     A guide to 89 tourist attractions and 55 conveniently-adjacent shops featuring various styles of Japanese food, but concentrating mostly on Washoku. If there's one place you ought to go on your trip to Japan, that's Kyoto. As the capital city from 794 to 1869, Kyoto became the repository of the lion's share of Japanese art and architecture and was the scene of most of the important developments in aesthetics. 

     A tourist would be hard put to visit all of the tourist attractions mentioned in the book in less than a month's time—it would not be a leisurely undertaking. And while in Kyoto, it would be a pity not to sample another of the city's treasures—traditional Kyoto-style Japanese cuisine. The main purpose of this guidebook is to facilitate the busy tourist's access to good, traditional, not too expensive, but authentic Kyoto-style Japanese cuisine.

Conga Oriental: Traditional Parade Music of Eastern Cuba by Richard Opheim—8½x11 paperback and Kindle editions. Imprint: Okamehachimoku Media. (Author)

     The conga oriental is the version of the conga that exists traditionally in Guantánamo and Santiago de Cuba. Part I of this book describes the instruments of the conga oriental. Part II introduces ensemble playing and covers such diverse topics as entradas, efectos, marching order, tempo, and ensemble tuning. The conga ensemble is known principally for playing the eponymous conga toque, but some additional toques are examined: toque masón and concierto. Finally, there is a chapter on how the conga is played by professional folclórico groups. Part III is a short essay on the songs of the conga. Short histories, ensemble scores, and other information about the ten principal congas of Guantánamo and Santiago are presented in Part IV. Part V concerns itself with information about the milieu in which they function, including most importantly the Carnavales of eastern Cuba, and a brief resumé of the history of the conga oriental.

The St. Louis Drouins in History, Vol. 1 by Richard Opheim---8½x11 paperback and Kindle editions. Imprint: Okamehachimoku Media. (Author)

     Beginning with Jean-Louis Drouin (b. 1737) and Marie-Louise Dufour dit Latour (b. 1741) in 18th Century Canada, this book compiles, reproduces (when possible), transcribes, and translates all extant historical documents that mention the couple or their descendants up to the year 1804. Commentary on the meaning and significance of the historical record is provided. 

     The Drouins emigrated from Montreal in the British Province of Quebec to St. Louis in the Spanish Province of Luisiana around the year 1778. Jean-Louis and his sons were members of the Saint Louis militia in 1780 during the Battle of St. Louis. Their descendants were boatmen who took part in the fur trade and the early development of what is today St. Louis, MO. Volume 1 contains extant citations from the colonial era up to the time of the Louisiana Purchase and absorption of the Louisiana Territory into the United States.