Christian James Joyce had only one mission in life; to be free of himself and get clean. Christian is a young musician, scarred by drugs, awash in self doubt, fleeing from the temptations of the jazz scene in the '50s. Alone, on the road, leaving Montreal and his family behind, he escaped first to Chicago, then south to the Islands. Befriended by an ex-marine who was also on the run, but not from himself, Maartyn St. Jacques, son of a Delta whore, had the swagger and cockiness that was guaranteed to get them into trouble. But not before they landed on Andros Island, where Christian met Renee, a sophisticated Bohemian from Paris, who taught Christian about free love in the sand with a dose of Jean Paul Sartre and Allen Ginsberg. The mob grew and the parties increased until Christian was again swimming against the tide of self abuse. Christian escaped again to Cuba where he settled in a shabby but quiet fishing village on the west coast, far from the rumblings of the Cuban Revolution. Or so he thought. It was a dangerous time to be in Cuba. A young revolutionary named Fidel Castro, had inflamed the people to rise up against the tyranny of Fulgencio Batista and his cronies. A young Canadian in a black barrette could be mistaken for a mercenary infiltrating Cuba to join the revolution. For a brief time Christian was content to hide out in his rented villa above the pristine beach, play music, fish for his food and learn to live clean with the help of his oddly attentive houseboy, Miguel. There was something odd about everyone he met in the village that seemed asleep in the Cuban sun. Then the mob began to find him. Maartyn arrived without warning and then Renee. Christian thought that his erstwhile friends and poverty were the biggest problems he would have to deal with that Christmas Season in 1958 while the Revolution remained distant thunder in the Sierra Maestre far to the east. But he hadn't yet been seduced by Juanita or threatened by Don Escobar.

Tired of corrupt politicians and big business running the show? So is El Monte Slim and he's doing something about it Featuring a whacky, absurd and endearing cast of characters, "Bring Me The Head of El Monte Slim" follows an eccentric philosopher's quest to save the world from a massive corporate takeover. Full of hubris and humility, El Monte Slim is a nose-thumbing anti-authoritarian who speaks his mind as often as he puts his foot in his mouth. But can he expose The Council and their evil plans in time? Join El Monte, his trusty sidekick Pancho and Annie Price on a coast to coast comic odyssey as they battle pharmaceutical hit men, suicide bombers, professional wrestlers and gay Native American bikers all out for the bounty on El Monte's head. Meet Buck Nekid and his Big Band, Farmer Dave and Chief Two Dogs as they help El Monte thwart his adversaries in his quest to save the world

Some things last. No matter what. Even when we expect them to fall apart and break away from the supports and nails that bind them. The old wooden chair is one of those things. I'm sitting in that same chair today. It's made the move with me from Saint Paul, to Alpena, to Detroit, and back again to Alpena. THE CROOKED STEEPLE is another of those things. It's been with me for many years. It's taken me a while to put it together. Part of that has to do with my creative process. Something that happened thirty years ago could finally come to life as a story today. The other part has to do with the fact that it's taken me a while to find writers worth publishing that I believe have what it takes. To tell a good story. And to make it last. So here is THE CROOKED STEEPLE. A collection of literary fiction and two poems. Writing that has hit my sweet spot. Give it read. Take a shot. Spread the word. Best to you and yours. ~ K.J.