Adam K. Watts

Adam K. Watts was born in Santa Clara, California and was raised primarily in the heart of "Steinbeck Country" in Salinas, California. He has always been an artist and has made forays into writing, painting, composing, dancing, performing arts, and digital photography. As a child, his mind was caught by the poetry of Robert Frost; the words from "Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening" and "The Road Not Taken" resonated with him. The ideas of looking into the woods with longing to enter and turning away out of duty and responsibility, and the desire to travel a path few have seen, have lent his soul the aspect of the seeker. This aspect has been reflected in many of his works; images that bespeak of places that call, of paths that make you want to walk them, and corners that beg you to come to look and see what is just around them, or the enticing caress of the wandering wind asking you to walk with her for a brief interlude.

He was also shaped at a young age by Man of La Mancha, a musical play inspired by Cervantes and Don Quixote. Tilting windmills is a metaphor for pushing back against the machinery of civilization advancing at the price of beauty and the human spirit. He believes that advancement can and should be achieved, but the cost should not be valor or honor or justice. An impossible dream? Perhaps.

Podcast Interview on the Scribing Block

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LitMatter

My Fantasy


Tales of the Misplaced: A splintered portal spell strands a teenage girl in a magical fairy realm where she is befriended by a sprite assassin and almost eaten by goblins. Sixteen-year-old Mira must survive a world callously ruled by the Sidhe with revolution of the downtrodden races looming over her head. Eventually, Mira has to decide whether their plight is as important as getting home. Tales of the Misplaced is an ongoing story that progresses through each of the books. Be sure to read them in sequence!

*Book 1 ~ Heir to Magic:* The beginning of Mira's story. Mira finds herself in a different world and has to quickly learn and adapt to her new situation. In the process, she discovers that many of the problems of her old world are in her new world as well. Maybe here, she can do something about it!	*Book 2 ~ The Merchant Prince:* Mira's story continues as she works against the slavers of Pokorah-Vo; a task she must turn over to Rispan so she can travel north to Shifara and present her case to the Rider Council. The problem is, her case will likely br challenged and she will have to defend it in trial by combat, and that will include magic!	*Book 3 ~ The Maelstrom's Heart:* Mira has been through so much, but her struggle is not yet over. Rispan has to deal with riots breaking out in Pokorah-Vo, and the fate of the world rests on what Mira will do next.


*Book 4 ~ Sword of Light:* Mira finally returns home only to discover that her sister is missing. Meanwhile, Nora is stranded on another world from the same splintered portal spell that took Mira to Daoine. While Mira continues to look for her sister, Nora tries to come to grips with her newfound magical abilities as she struggles to deal with her own legacy.	*Book 5 ~ Dreams of the Sleeping Gods:* After narrowly missing Nora in the lost city of Tyr nya Lu, Mira has to delay her search to make sure that Jack and Emma are safe as Kartahn Zeg’s army continues its bloody march of conquest across Danu. Meanwhile, Nora learns more about the secrets of her dreams and the source of her nightmares as she is plunged into the heart of a revolution. The people of the Kajoran Archipelago struggle to regain their independence from the Félbahlag and Nora’s help is enlisted against her will. All she has to do is find where the Noélani are sleeping. And wake them. But the Noélani are the gods of the Kajoran people and they haven’t been seen in over a thousand years, if they ever existed at all!	*Book 6 ~ Rise of the Vanquished:* All Nora wanted to do was give Luana back the Heartpiece of the goddess A'iwanea, but instead finds herself embroiled in political intrigue and in-fighting in the Félbahlag capital of Iyoké. Meanwhile, Kartahn Zeg's army expands across Danu and threatens to spread to Daoine and Earth. Mira works to help the Andé Dannu and Wyl-Dunn defend their people while she deals with her own problems and tries to find Nora. If Mira can't prevent Zeg from raising an army of dead gods, the long-vanished Uthadé and their enemies, nothing can stop him from conquering the three worlds.


*Book 7 ~ A Heritage Unbound:* The grand finalé to the Tales of the Misplaced! Mira and Nora had been frozen in stasis for twelve years after Kartahn Zeg's war had spread to Earth. During their absence, the shockwave of magic being real had profound impacts on cultures all over the world, spawning controversy and conflict. One group has taken the lead in monitoring and policing magic and the influx of races from other worlds, but everything is not as it seems. Lilli and her small gang of street rats discover a secret that could help Mira and Nora unravel the mystery of what really happened to their biological parents, and why.

The Chronicles of Sélanados: The Chronicles of Sélanados is a series of stand-alone books that all take place on the fantasy world of Sélanados and can be read in any order. The first book takes place primarily on the continent of Valikara. Other stories will vary in location, from the southern continent of Raldoon to the floating sky-city of Zarwad'n and to other continents as yet undiscovered. Valikara is also the origin for the common-tongue or trade-language of Valikari used in my other series.
	Coming Soon!
*The Flames of the Phoenix:* Brian Elliot was no one special; an ordinary cook in an all-night diner. Yet, he finds himself transported to another world where he is persecuted by an unknown enemy and occasionally aided by a mysterious ally. In a world filled with magic and strange, mythical creatures, Brian must find a way to survive a situation he doesn’t understand. Fortunately, he befriends a mercenary along the way who helps him to stay alive while he struggles to unravel the mystery. But how can he find the answers when he doesn’t even understand the questions? Is he just a pawn, or does he have a more important role to play?	*Secrets of Zarwad'n:* After several years of self-imposed exile, Mefano flies his giant blue heron, Mala, back to the floating city-state of Zarwad'n only to discover his beloved home is losing altitude. Can he discover why and save the city? It might be easier if he hadn't been secretly arrested by an old rival who has moved into a position of power in his absence.

Valikari: Explore and use the fantasy language of Valikari. It is available for open-source use under specified (and quite reasonable) limitations.

Note: Valikari is the language from the land of Valikara, introduced in The Flames of the Phoenix. This novel is with my publisher and will shortly be available. Meanwhile, we can utilize the language created for it. It is also used in my other stories and is usually referred to as the common tongue or trade tongue.

My Science Fiction


Max Carbian Mysteries:
Blood on the Dragon (AKA Licensed for Hire): Max Carbian is an out of work writer turned security guard turned private detective in Northern California in the 2130s. The entire San Francisco Bay Area has become one sprawling metroplex. Max was just being a Good Samaritan and found himself in the middle of a murder investigation. The prime suspect? According to the BAPD, that would be Max Carbian!	Chains of the Dragon: A local restaurant owner goes missing and Max Carbian is on the case. Max survives being drugged and beaten and goes down the rabbit hole of Chinese organized crime and international human trafficking. When one of the local cops investigating the case also turns up missing, Max is under the gun to come up with answers. The problem is, he can't even remember his own name.	Off Duty: Detective Emily Yee of the BAPD has to take some time off when a family member in Shanghai gets tangled up with the wrong people. When things start to get difficult, she calls Max in as back-up. But will this be a rescue mission, or revenge?

Other Explorations

General

Alpha and Beta Readers: What are they and what do they do?.

Dancing: Instruction, Coaching and Choreography in American Smooth and Rythm dances.

Photography and Art

Visual Profile

Clarity Communications: Technical writing and web design. This was the original site.

Unpleasant US History not Taught in Schools

Secession of the Southern States: A quick reference for the history curious to the sequence in which states seceded from the US and the exact reasons given for this at the time. These reasons are typically glossed-over in discussions of the subject.

Tulsa Race Riots of 1921: A brief overview of the horrific destruction of Black Wall Street in the Greenwood area of Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1921. [PAGE COMING SOON! Further reading here.]

Sand Creek Massacre of 1864: A brief overview of the murder and depravity committed by the "unbloodied" Third Colorado Cavalry against the Cheyenne and Arapaho who were peacefully following the instructions of the US government. [PAGE COMING SOON! Further reading here.]

Note: This site is undergoing a transformation to a new vision, which is still a bit nebulous. If it looks unfinished, consider it a metaphor for life.

Artist