Why I built Book Factory Café
Author of 68 books · El Sobrante, California
I published my books on Amazon until Amazon tried to tell me what to write and how to write it. I was not going to let a store decide that. The account was closed, and the books went with it. For a while this site was about that. I had an axe to grind.
I am done grinding it. What I took from it is simpler.
I think every writer should have that same freedom. Freedom of speech is a big part of why I live where I live. So I built my own store. Every book I have written is here or on its way here, and the first chapter of every one is free to read or to hear before you spend a dime.
How the books get made
I write with AI. I pick every subject, I direct every draft, and no book goes on sale here until I approve it. That is how one person ends up with 68 finished books. I would rather tell you that up front than have you guess.
The store is open to other writers too. If you want to publish without asking permission, you can do it here.
Who I am
I have eaten pizza in Rome, danced merengue in the Dominican Republic, and drunk more than a pint at Oktoberfest. I have climbed the pyramids of Guatemala, surfed El Salvador’s rugged coast, and swum with whale sharks off Isla Mujeres. And yes, I may have smoked marijuana in Amsterdam, but like a former president once said, I didn’t inhale.
I have solo backpacked the John Muir Trail, built igloos in the backcountry, sailed open water, and four-wheeled to nearly every natural hot spring in the American West.
Before the books there was a decade in the carpentry trade and a decade as a senior IT technician. Then real estate, which I still do: I am a Realtor in the East Bay, and most of my clients are families in the middle of something hard. I am a father. I am clean and sober, and I speak openly about the long road it took to get there.
My life and my writing are shaped by a deep respect for smart, strong women. I have had the good fortune of marrying more than one. I have zero tolerance for racism, ignorance, or cruelty, and I bring that clarity to every page.
I write with grit, depth, and unfiltered honesty. My books don’t sugarcoat life. They shine a light through it.
I believe in lifting people up. Paying it forward. Telling the truth. And helping the next generation rise stronger.
Where else to find me
For real estate, I am at Roger Grubb Real Estate (Security Pacific Real Estate, DRE# 01845823, licensed since 2008). For help getting an estate in order, I write Plan Your Passing, which is free.
Elsewhere: Review Tales, Google Books, Audible, Amazon, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn.