About John Schwartz

John’s first novel In The Shadow of Babylon rose to the top of Amazon Kindle’s Action/Adventure list on its initial release.

In reviewing this fictional novel, KIRKUS Reviews wrote…

“… an epoch-spanning thriller. The prose is something to behold… the author deftly weaves the romantic experiences of a pre-historical shepherd into an extended homily in the best page-turner fashion… evocative… lyrical, mystical and shocking… A wonderfully written, provocative novel.”

John has lived and worked in the USA, Latin America, Asia, Europe and Fiji. He was one of the first American businessmen to enter China after the Cultural Revolution. In the early 1990’s John and his family established a highly successful English/Chinese language publishing company based in Hong Kong.

John’s poem Bank of China, which appears in his book Bullets for Boomers, placed #1 in the 71st Annual Writers Digest National Writing Competition. His winning eleven-line poem was not about love, broken hearts, or death... but about the building of a skyscraper in Hong Kong.

Robert Pinsky (U.S. Poet Laureate 1997-2000) reviewed the poem and described John’s writing as —

“… vivid … gritty ... vigorous.”

John will be the first to tell you that he has lived well, loved often, cried frequently, hated little, cherished the present, ignored regrets, and often lost sight of the destination while relishing the trip. Here’s a message he choses to live by…

“Do what thy manhood bids thee do, from none but self expect applause; He noblest lives and noblest dies who makes and keeps his self-made laws. -Richard Francis Burton

John and his wife, Jill, currently reside in Oregon.