"After 20 years in the trenches, I have decided to retire from competitive writing at the end of 2022. However, I did finish strong. After a six-year journey to completion, I finished my most exhausting and emotional project: Winds of Discontent. In the spring, a short story I worked on grew into a short novel I thought would be a nice ebook, although we also created a trade paperback: Some Don't Come Back. Both books are now available. I have also re-tooled an older novel, my very first manuscript, into an updated and refreshed story, which I have posted on the Stories+ page of my web site. Of course, this does not mean I will stop writing. In fact, earlier this year I set up the Stories+ page on the site, where I have posted several shorts, essays, and articles I had created over the years for everyone to view and enjoy. As other stories or essays develop in the future, I will simply post those to the site without hesitation. Thank you for your support over the years and I hope you check back often to see what's new."
Don Is the author of six novels, A Vietnam Memoir, several short stories, a number of essays and a couple of articles, details of which can be found throughout the site. Please take a moment to look around, you might find something you like.
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Winds of DiscontentHistorical Fiction
A coming-of-age saga set against the backdrop of the French Indochina War years that follows the chaos of their defeat up to the American take-over and the creation of South Vietnam. Sinclair Langdon, in an act of youthful rebellion against his American mother and British father, arrives in Haiphong Harbour post war 1945. Langdon is quickly recruited to make a delivery only to find out afterwards that he has delivered a load of guns to a rebel force. He is introduced to a besotted British newspaperman who offers him a job as an investigative reporter hoping to get stories from his gun running adventures. In a chance encounter, he meets Yvonne, an exotic beauty of French Vietnamese mix, who sets in motion a torrid forbidden love affair that will entangle Langdon on his journey. Initially running guns to survive, he slowly hones his skills as an investigative reporter covering the historical events of the times, right up to those fateful days in November 1963 when everything changed forever... Interview with Don Meyer on Winds of Discontent by N. N. Light's Book Heaven |
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Some Don't Come BackFiction
What if you met the woman of your dreams, but she lived 100 years ago? In a moment of crippling despair, Jack Slater is given the opportunity of living the year 1920 to experience what life would have been like compared to 2020. While there, he interacts with a woman. A woman he could not possibly have imagined would ever have anything to do with him. They fall in love and spend an incredible year together. Their love growing by the day. However, he must return to the present on New Year's Eve 1920. Could he return? Would he leave knowing he would never see her again? Jack Slater must face that decision. Will he come back? Or will he stay forever in 1920? |
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The Kittridge ManuscriptHistorical Fiction
Recent widower Jeff Morgan never expected the treasure he would find after receiving a call from an attorney informing him that a fellow soldier from his Vietnam days has died. His old combat buddy willed Morgan a project--a manuscript containing details about a Civil War event. It was the soldier's dying wish that Morgan complete the manuscript. However, there are others who are interested in preventing the manuscript's completion, those who believe that this manuscript might expose an incident from the Vietnam War that must not see the light of day. Placing his very life on the line, Morgan pores over the notes left behind by the deceased soldier in an attempt to track down more information about the events described in the manuscript. He discovers along the way that his own latest infatuation might hold the keys. Can Morgan solve the mystery of The Kittridge Manuscript? What he finally discovers could be of far greater value than any Civil War gold |
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the American WarHistorical Fiction
In the spring of 1966, the North Vietnamese Army overran a Special Forces Camp in the A Shau Valley in South Vietnam. Using the valley as a major staging area for the movement of troops, equipment and supplies, the NVA continued to operate unopposed until the American Forces once again challenged their strong hold in 1968. But it was a year later, when in 1969 another drive into the A Shau Valley, would produce one of the most infamous battles of the war, which many consider a turning point of that war - at least in public opinion. In the summer of 1864 the Nation's eyes were focused on two major events; Grants pursuit of Lee, bogged down at the siege of Petersburg and Sherman's eventual "March to the Sea" presently bogged down outside Atlanta. In the midst of these two major campaigns, General Philip "Little Phil" Sheridan, forcefully and effectively marched his army into the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia to take on the Confederate strong hold. An earlier campaign in 1862 by the Federals had turned disastrous when Stonewall Jackson had run them out of the valley. Commanded by Confederate General Jubal Early, the rebels were determined not to give up the valley against any new Federal incursion. Sheridan's mission was to take control of the valley and ultimately stop those rebel forces from moving men, equipment and forage in support of Lee. It was to be an epic battle and most agree, a major turning point of that war. Imagine having been an infantry soldier in one of the helicopters being lifted back into the A Shau Valley... or imagine having been a Union blue coat soldier, marching en echelon into the Shenandoah Valley ... now imagine having been that soldier in both campaigns. |
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Uncle DennyFiction
A Major heist gone bad, one crew blaming the other, a hit man sent to settle the score and somehow all this is about to play out in Sheriff Tom Monason's town, which just happens to be right in the middle of a blinding snow storm. |
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Jennifer's PlanFiction
Jennifer Cerriety, working a summer internship, steps out of the office to observe the real world and finds herself thrust into an unimaginable situation. Harold Seaweather worked late to make a few extra bucks to help out his family, but then has to find his way home later than he should... later than is safe. On this night, perhaps by chance, but more likely by design, Jennifer Cerriety and Harold Seaweather are thrust together and will need each other to get through the night and the next day. For this night, they are at the mercy and whim of Big Jim Colbert and his boys. Surviving the ordeal, Jennifer faces the real possibility that there will be no justice, nor can there be. She calls in the only man she knows that can help. Not sure what he can do, she just needs to know he is there with her. |
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The Protected Will Never KnowVietnam Memoir
Entering the Army in June of 1969 and "In Country" by November, there began the journey. Vietnam was more than just a war. Vietnam was also the oppressive heat of the jungle, the bugs and mosquitoes, the snakes, the swamps and rice paddies, the monsoon rains and the constant grind of "Humping the Boonies." But surviving Vietnam was more than dodging a bullet, it was about surviving your Tour of Duty with your mind and body still intact. To learn more about the battalion and guys I served with please feel free to visit: www.currahee.org |
The story of the overwhelming journey I took to create what became my novel: Winds of Discontent, and the decisions I had to make to get it published.
The discovery of the body, a woman, naked, frozen solid, outside the cabin, hands pressed against the glass of the oversized center window looking in, ultimately leaves Sheriff Joe Redfield with more questions than answers.
Edited out chapter from my novel: Winds of Discontent
Edited out passage from my novel: Winds of Discontent
Stickman always helped out the guys, and did one last time.
A lighthearted look at a bout of constipation.
A confession, disbelief, and a call to action.
A found suitcase, woman's clothing. Oh, the possibilities.
Excerpt from My Vietnam Memoir contributed to An Anthology.
A women recovers her life at a motel left behind by the new highway.
A love story interrupted.
Mac and Al always try to one up each other, but this time it turns serious.
My overwhelming attempt to interest a literary agent for Winds of Discontent.
[Previously posted as a Guest Post at N. N. Light's Book Heaven]
My first novel and I have often been asked the question: How. Why.
A look back to a non-technical childhood.
A curious note left by my late wife with a surprising ending.
My late wife's courageous battle against an aggressive cancer.
I became curious to discover what the Game of Faro was.
One more nightmare from my Catholic School days.
A review of what can — should — be done before the writer ever considers sending the work out for editing. I did a presentation on this subject at a writer's group.
The pain and suffering of having had to type out my early works on a manual typewriter and how the computer has changed it all, but maybe not for the better.
The importance of getting the story on paper (or word document) without regard to formatting, design, or construction, basically starting somewhere. Although, never published, I did do a presentation on this subject at a writer's conference and again at a writer's group.
An overview, history, rules of the game, the many terms used and commentary, with a illustration, of "the layout." [54 pages of information]
