About the Author

Dragon’s Reach is my fourth novel. I assumed writing would get easier -- I was wrong. But over five years, I poured my heart and soul into this novel, overcoming the most challenging project I’ve ever faced. The journey was tough, but the reward was immense, and I hope it inspires you to tackle your own challenges with determination. 

So, departing from thrillers, I set out to produce a work written in female first-person. My editor’s and Beta and Alpha reader’s reactions were, “What? Why? How?” After all, they pointed out that this novel would not be a simple project; women would find it hard to believe that you—a man—could pull it off. 

“You’ve done well with your first three novels; do more of that. Or, at least, write this book under a female pseudonym. Let’s face it, men cannot write female first-person.” 

You know that. 

This was the advice I received. But I chose to defy these stereotypes, and I hope it empowers you to challenge preconceived notions and embrace new perspectives.

What I do know from personal experience is the stereotypical male scratches their head and wonders and blunders as they reason what a woman wants – what are they thinking? Only to toss their hands in the air and say, “Why bother? She’ll feel or want something differently in a few minutes.” 

But that’s my point. 

If we all put just a smidge more effort into understanding ourselves and our fellow humans, this would be a better world overnight. Perceiving the world from different perspectives has been an exercise and a blessing in better understanding others and me. It is also a vital skill in writing. I want to feel their apprehension, witness how people overcome their fears, and face their doubts. I hope it encourages each of us to be more empathetic and open-minded in your own interactions. 

When I became a parent, entering a world of forced routine, my thoughts lost the playful colors of childhood. Then, the greys faded into black and white. I lived in a strict mental state of right and wrong, which only fed the fires of fears and anxiety – live or die – ours versus theirs. As I grew up with my kids, I realized I needed to change – they needed me to add those light-hearted colors back into life or risk becoming another bitter person who laments the good old days and resists anything outside my box. I’d end up watching some endless news program, shaking my head, and sometimes my fist at other views. I wondered why today’s youth believed they were entitled, as I demanded my reward for living this long. Where’s the world they promised me if I just worked hard?

Writing this novel, I wanted to accomplish the impossible and improbable. To me, gender isn’t the trickiest – it’s writing across socioeconomic class and generational culture shifts that can make me shudder and shake. After I double, triple think – dare I say, feel -- my character’s disparate personalities and experiences, I want to curl into a thumb-sucking fetal position. But to keep going. I feel the fear, and I want to do it anyway. That’s an accomplishment. And when I thought I wrote myself into a corner, I’d tell myself, “You’ve gone too far to turn back now. Figure it out.” 

Many male authors, such as Robert B. Parker, have written well in the female first person. 

So, I set out on my quest to slay this dragon. Armed with the arrows of experience, the spears of determination, and while holding the shield of belief. I devoured books by male and female authors who wrote in the female first-person. Over the past five years, I’ve changed direction in the plot of this book as my female protagonist, Marley Sutter, grew from a lost teenager into a woman who must be reckoned with. This novel incorporates my popular Byron Vogt novels into a tale about and for the fairer, brighter side of our species. Through all the edits and all the rewrites, I became so astonished that I sat back and wondered where some of these ideas came from. What a fantastic journey.

I thought I knew who I was, but there was more. Limitation is only fear. Behavior is a product of the past. Our world is not black and white, not the Yeng and the Yang, not all colors or no color -- we’re a moving target, somewhere in between the extremes. Shifting pronouns. So, we’re all human regarding good and evil acts. Society believes women are the more caring, nurturing gender. But history is rife with scary female leaders, pirates, and criminals. 

I hope you enjoy your journey with Marley through this novel and my epic project. I’ve read that Mary Shelley believed Frankenstein’s monster became a metaphor for her book, as her writing took on an uncontrollable life. I looked to her for inspiration; Mary was 17 when she began writing her story on a dare. With no formal education, that young woman produced one of the most enduring and popular tales ever written. Whether it was confidence, belief, or just naïve stubbornness – she did it!

Now, it’s time to return to work and slay the next dragon in my quest. For friends, it’s the journey, the process that’s most rewarding. Thank you for allowing me to write, entertain, and feel other people’s emotions as I take you on fantastic journeys.

I’m so grateful.

Roger G. King was born in San Antonio, Texas. He is a proud father and Papa, a not-so-good golfer, lawn mower, maker of paper airplanes, teller of bad dad jokes, and able to leap toys in a single careful step. 

He devotes at least 25 minutes daily to writing—every day, weekend, holidays, and vacations. Sometimes, the minutes turn into hours; other times, the clock doesn’t seem to move as frustration builds.  

My message to all aspiring creators is simple yet powerful: Keep creating. Your unique gift has the potential to enrich the world in ways you can't even imagine. So, don't hold back. Share your creativity with the world. 

Locked doors and family secrets – these action thrillers will keep you guessing until the last few pages. 

His best-selling debut novel, Affirmative Action (Insurrection Day), has been described as “prescient”—it predicted future events like the Capitol Riot.

Having entered the writing world with a bang, Roger quickly followed up with Cross Reference, a sequel to Insurrection Day, continuing to move the nation’s focus from offshore enemies to the real dangers in our backyard. With the timely subject matter and fast-paced plots, he blends reality with storytelling to reimagine the modern world -- weaving cautionary tales through these novels, some of the what-ifs have come true.

Changing Gear, his 3rd novel, Transcendence Island, is a mystery thriller and stand-alone novel. Walter, “don’t call me Wally,” Allister Bowen III -- is a coming-of-age privileged young man. His family Yacht is lost, his best friend is missing, and he’s alone floating on a deck chair in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Losing hope, modern-day pirates find him adrift and almost dead from exposure. “Wally’s” gratitude for being saved turns to horror as the ruthless crew forces him through one ordeal after another. He discovers he’s entitled to nothing aboard this modern ship that follows century-old codes of conduct.

Book four is the third in the Byron Vogt series. 

Coming soon. Dragon’s Reach.

Texas Ranger Byron Vogt and his team are back in this non-stop mystery thriller. They’re hot on the trail of a deadly home-grown eco-terrorist group when they find themselves on a collision course with a two-century-old dynasty and uncover a disturbing crime that tears at the fabric of the soul. 

In Dragon’s Reach, Roger G. King weaves a captivating story of the famous Mason Sutter and his new wife, Marley. After his first marriage, which ended tragically in his wife’s suicide, Mason is ready to start over. But his new bride comes with a dark trauma that left its imprint on her character. Never wanting to be in the spotlight, she’s not the kind of girl who fits comfortably in upper-class settings. A bright and socially awkward young woman with informed opinions isn’t too practical to be swept off her feet by a charming scion of Californian winemakers. She’s friendly to the staff and arrives at the estate with one nice dress and a strong desire to hide in her books. But she’s not a hapless pushover either; circumstances have victimized her, but she’s not a victim. And while she doesn’t understand everything happening, she quickly notes and points out when her new husband fails to stand up for her. Rarely is a character like Marley so effectively calibrated to get the reader on their side. 

You'll love these books if you like Catherine Coulter, Steven Coonts, James Rollins, Tom Clancey, Lee Child, or David Baldacci.