Freelance Writer
Hundreds of published articles — from product reviews to self-defense — with roughly 90% of the photography shot by me.
The first thing ever published for me was my book “Practical Kung Fu: How to Stop an Attacker in Five Moves or Less”, published by Triumph Books out of Chicago, Illinois — the sports publication division of publishing giant Random House.
I was approached to write it in 2007 and had a total of 90 days to complete it from start to finish; to say it was a rushed project would be an understatement. The book released in 2008 at bookstores everywhere, and the first major order came in at launch — BORDERS BOOKS ordered 2,500 copies. My mind was blown. After all, I was not a writer — I could barely type. In hindsight, if I’d had six months, it would have been so much better.
Around 2009, I wrote freelance pieces for Inside Kung Fu Magazine, Art of the Warrior magazine, and a self-defense blog for Laura Burgess Marketing. These were in my comfort zone — I could write about martial arts and fighting all day long. My grammar and editing weren’t perfect, but I’ve always been lucky to work with great editors.
I accepted the challenge, we became great friends, and I began receiving steady freelance work from several national firearm, knife, and survival industry publications. To date, I’ve written hundreds of articles ranging from product reviews to self-defense pieces — roughly 90% with self-produced photography.