Gregory Shepherd spent his early years in New Jersey, London, England, New York City's Lower East Side, and Honolulu. He lived in Japan for four years studying Zen Buddhism at a temple in Kamakura and was the recipient of a fellowship from the Japanese Ministry of Education for the purpose of researching contemporary Japanese music at Tokyo University of Fine Arts and Music. He is fluent in Japanese. While a research fellow he traveled regularly to Seoul where he smuggled democracy literature into the country to a group of Catholic nuns and priests who were actively seeking free and open elections. His interest in North Korea dates from that time during which he learned through contacts that the situation north of the 38th parallel was actually far worse than in the south. Sea of Fire is the culmination of that experience as well as voluminous research on North Korea -- an unimaginably bleak, brutal, sometimes quirky and always a captivating place.
Praise for 'SEA OF FIRE':
Gregory Shepherd's SEA OF FIRE, a super-charged thriller about big trouble in North Korea that could result in a nuclear war--hits the bulls-eye on multiple levels: the writing is swift and sometimes even brutal, the situation is right out of a New York Times headline, his deep knowledge of the Korean language, customs and politics is authentic, and the believable characters he builds brick-by-brick pulls you by the collar into their troubled world. His is a new, important and entertaining voice on the thriller scene. Hat's off for a fine read!
-David Hagberg, author of the Kirk McGarvey series
SEA OF FIRE is unstoppable. A geopolitical thriller that gathers speed like an avalanche."
-Timothy Hallinan, author of the Poke Rafferty and Junior Bender series
Gregory Shepherd's SEA OF FIRE is a magnificent novel, a real page-turner to the end. The plot is a great mixture of the protagonist's struggle with his demons, love interest, east and west, nasty villains and conflicted heroes that keeps the reader engaged and guessing up to the last minute.
-Michael Breen, author of "The Koreans" and "Kim Jong-il, North Korea's Dear Leader"
Gregory Shepherd’s SEA OF FIRE is a timely and marvelous novel. Taking place after the death of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-il, it is timely as the world waits to see what his successor will do with his father’s legacy. It is a marvel in the meticulous research required to give the novel the details that bring the story and characters to life. Shepherd’s writing is also brilliant, setting mood and emotion with a deft and sure hand. He never shies away from giving us the truth of the danger and cruelty at the hands of North Korea’s sadistic henchmen. And yet, Shepherd also gives us a sweet romance that matches the intensity of the thriller’s main storyline. You will find that you will not want to put this novel down as the main characters, covert agent Tyler Kang and his friend-turned-enemy Patrick Featherstone, must save each other, if not the world.
-Todd Shimoda, author of "The Fourth Treasure"
Hold on for a wild ride! If you like fast paced spy thrillers filled with high-powered suspense you'll love SEA OF FIRE.
-John Wehrheim, author of "Bhutan: Hidden Lands of Happiness"
Advance praise for 'RINGS OF FIRE' (appearing in February, 2021):
"Gregory Shepherd's RINGS OF FIRE is a powerhouse of a thriller and a stunning look behind the border walls of North Korea. For fans of Clancy, Brad Thor, and Vince Flynn, RINGS OF FIRE is a novel not to be missed."
-Mark Greaney, #1 New York Times bestselling author of One Minute Out
"Fast-paced and exciting, Gregory Shepherd’s RINGS OF FIRE is everything a thriller should be! His expertise on the Far East shines through on every page."
-Ward Larsen, USA Today bestselling author of Assassin’s Run
"In RINGS OF FIRE Gregory Shepherd has created an enigmatic, engaging and thrilling portrait of the Far East, a tsunami of a thriller. No one writes thrillers set in Japan better."
-Alex Shaw, bestselling author of Cold Blood
"Once again Gregory Shepherd pens a gripping and action-packed counter-terrorism tale set against the backdrop of the Olympics in Japan. You can taste the grit and hear the rifle's crack as JSOC sniper Patrick Featherstone uncovers a twisted plot to kill. The clock ticks down to another unforgettable adventure in RINGS OF FIRE, the MUST READ of the year."
-Lt. Col. Hunter Ripley ("Rip") Rawlings, New York Times bestselling author
"Unstoppable. RINGS OF FIRE is a geopolitical thriller that gathers speed like an avalanche."
-Timothy Hallinan, author of the Poke Rafferty and Junior Bender series
"Freshly Fierce! A uniquely crafted thriller chock-full of rich Asian cultural nuances and hard hitting JSOC mission execution."
-JT Patten, Author, Task Force Orange series
Praise for Gregory Shepherd's memoir, A STRAIGHT ROAD WITH 99 CURVES:
"Deeply involving, instructive, and capable of touching any reader who cares about the search for meaning."—Mitch Horowitz, author of Occult America
"In being so frank about his own struggles and fantasies, Shepherd's personal tale becomes something more universal."—David R. Loy, author of Money, Sex, War, Karma: Notes for a Buddhist Revolution
"His portrayal of his brash younger self is a fresh and intensely human portrait compared to the perfect, innocuous paragons of peace ordinarily presented in Zen texts. . . . Shepherd's memoir transcends its subject matter and serves as a poignant reminder of something more fundamental to the human condition: the continual search for validity and meaning."?Publishers Weekly
"Dug your book, Greg. Dug your version of the '99 curves'. It's shone light on mine."—Jeff Bridges, actor
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