As a freelance writer, James D. Brewer has contributed articles and stories to national magazines for more than forty-five years. In addition to writing about history, sports, human interest, self-defense, crime prevention, and business, Brewer has authored five novels in the critically acclaimed Masey Baldridge/Luke Williamson Mystery series (Walker & Company), as well as three non-fiction books: The Danger from Strangers (Plenum, 1994) and The Raiders of 1862 (Praeger, 1997) and Tom Worthington’s Civil War: Shiloh, Sherman, and the Search for Vindication (McFarland, 2000). His original two-act play, a southern romance entitled Daintzen, was produced by Jackson State Community College in November 2000. A frequent guest speaker, and a much-in-demand teacher at writing seminars, Brewer travels widely in the conduct of research and interviews for his upcoming books. A retired U.S. Army cavalry officer, Brewer has worked as Editor-in-Chief of a national magazine, and he served as an Assistant Professor of English at the United States Military Academy, West Point, New York. Mr. Brewer retired after 30 years of service to the nation as a Department of the Army soldier and civilian, having trained widely in combat weapons and martial arts. His last position before retirement was Chief, Requirements & Integration Division, US Army Training & Doctrine Command’s (TRADOC) Capability Manager for Live Training at Fort Eustis, VA. Brewer is a member of the musical group, The High-Road Ramblers, where he plays guitar, banjo and mandolin and writes original songs in the traditional acoustic sounds of 1950’s & 60’s folk music, bluegrass, old-time country and rockabilly music. Mr. Brewer has spent the last 50 years training in and teaching a variety of martial arts, including kung-fu, karate, judo, hapkido and taekwondo. Mr. Brewer is married, has two children and seven grandchildren, and he currently resides in Florida, where he serves as an adjunct professor of English Composition and Writing at Polk State College. He is currently writing the three-book Choctaw Parker Mystery/Adventure series.