New beginnings and rambling thoughts.

I’ve written a blog before. On my first deployment, I created one and wrote about a dozen entries. You could probably still find it on the internet if you looked hard enough. I hope you don’t—eighteen years later, it’s almost certainly mortifying. If you do find it, you’ll likely be only the second person to read it, right behind my mom. (Thanks, mom.)

Anyway, I’m hoping this blog gets slightly more attention—mainly because I have high hopes for this next chapter.

On this September 11th, 25 years after the attacks in 2001, I’m especially reflective. There is plenty of memorializing commentary and solemn remembrance surrounding this anniversary, and this isn't meant to compete with that. I simply wonder what all those who lost their lives during and after that day would be doing if they were standing in my shoes today.

A friend of mine from the military remarked today that if it weren’t for 9/11, there’s little to no chance we ever would have met. A few silver linings on an otherwise heavy day. I am deeply thankful for those military friendships—and for the opportunity to do what comes next.

I am officially 123 days away from military retirement. After 21 years, I intend to walk away from the only constant in my adult life. Sounds scary. It is. The notion of losing your institutional identity is a tough pill to swallow, and it makes the transition difficult for anyone hanging up the uniform.

When people learn I’m retiring, the first question is always: "Do you have a job lined up?"

My answer is always the same: "I’ll get a job when I’m bored enough to want one."

I have no doubt I’ll work again, but I’ve come to realize this transition is a rare window of absolute freedom. It’s an opportunity to take a chance on myself and see where the road leads. Unlike my time in the military, failure here is an option—and one I’m fully willing to entertain.

I’m embarking on a journey to launch an independent publishing imprint: Blood & Treasure Publishing LLC.

The goal is twofold: self-publish a handful of novels I’ve drafted over the past eighteen months, while simultaneously building a brand that helps other military veterans interested in writing gain real visibility. The average first-time self-published author sells between 50 and 250 copies. By building a focused, veteran-centric imprint, we can pool our audiences, reach readers who want authentic, military-adjacent storytelling, and move the needle together.

Sounds easy. It isn’t.

But the opportunity cost is low. If this turns out to be an incredible waste of my time, I’ll have merely wasted time I would have otherwise spent doing equally unproductive things during my transition. I’ve already learned a massive amount about the publishing industry, so it isn't truly wasted anyway.

Despite the lack of existential threat, I still don't intend to fail. I know there are plenty of people who would love to have the luxury to risk failing at something they actually enjoy doing.

Like I said—I have high hopes.

Follow the Journey:

Blood & Treasure Publishing LLC is currently preparing its launch catalog, featuring dark dystopian satire, veteran fiction, and unvarnished storytelling. Sign up for our newsletter on the Contact page to be notified of new blog posts, and get behind-the-scenes updates on our upcoming debut release, Prisoner of Fate.