Writing                                                            Personal Links

       I'd like to thank my readers for the great success of Kokopelli's flute.  Selling over 10,000 copies of this book has given me great appreciation for everyone who chose to share in the adventures of Peter Beard. 

        One of my cigar smoking buddies has taken to postulating who could take Pete on, such as "Do you think Pete could beat Rocky, or Dr. Doom?"  I guess when I invented Pete, I never saw him taking on such a surreal group of adversaries, but I would have to say he's a bit more down to earth than that.

        I write at least 3 hours a day.  Many days longer.  I do my research both online and in the field.  This may mean a trip to a locale or a stop at the library. (Yes they still exist)  I have discovered a great deal of inspiration in places I would never have imagined. 

       I spent a decade working in IT Technology, immersed in technical detail. Returning to left brain activities was a surreal experience.  My muse is friendly, familiar faces; people from all walks of life.  I have developed the ability to write in noisy environments, such as bars or restaurants.  However, I still spend a great deal of time writing in the privacy of my office, with a great view to the west if I need a quick moment to recover.

       Several of my favorite sites for staying in touch with the writing community are included in the links page.  I encourage you to share your ideas and helpful sites with me. 

       I am currently working on the sale of my second novel, Deep Lies and the third novel in the Beard series, Deadly Waters, as well as two additional novels and a reference book.  I have completed the second manuscript and am searching for support and assistance with the second novel. 

    The first book, Kokopelli's Flute, can be purchased at  www.amazon.com or many popular book stores.

Investigations

    I enjoyed my life as an investigator.  Moving from police and undercover work to private investigations was a trial at first, but the breadth of types of investigation that opened up made it more rewarding than the former.

    Private Investigation is a serious business, filled with professionals.  It is not something to be taken lightly.  There are real dangers to the industry and consequences to your actions.  I miss the life, and realized that much of the doing of an investigation is the chase.  I encourage anyone seeking this line of work to take it seriously and seek out professional training in law, research and library science and a judicious application of the physical sciences.  These are crucial tools.  A second on that is the patience and physical fortitude to sit for hours and just be bored. 

    I get to practice investigations every time I sit down to write about Peter Beard.  It's nice to know I still got it.

JPS

Biography

    John Serra was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota and currently lives in Plymouth Minnesota with his wife of 28 years.  He began writing stories while attending college in southern California.

    John spent 20 years in San Diego, 17 of those in law enforcement and investigations, running a successful investigative agency.  During his years as an investigator, he worked with many talented investigators, including the Charles Small Agency, Hall Investigations and Hal Lipsett of Watergate fame.

    John's adventures rival those of Peter Beard, his book's popular character.  John has been a boat pilot on Mississippi, canoed in the boundary waters in Northern Minnesota, hiked the badlands of South Dakota and driven most of the highways in the United States.  He served in the Viet Nam Conflict in submarines.  He has climbed mountains across the southwest and been an avid four-wheeler.

    His law enforcement duties included police officer, undercover officer, bounty enforcement agent and private investigator.  He has worked in both public defense and criminal prosecution, and provided protective services for clients in Southern California. 

    John's travels have taken him to Mexico, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Southeast Asia, Malaysia and the North Pole, along with other exciting locales.   He studied English, Journalism and History, later focusing on Technical Project Management in industrial systems and computer science. 

    John has had several articles and short stories published in local San Diego publications, and has been developing the Peter Beard series over the past 20 years. 

Kokopelli’s Flute is John’s first novel.