Welcome to the official site of author Walter Knight...pimpresario of science fiction, and writer of the "America's Galactic Foreign Legion" 20 book science fiction series.
I am Walter Knight, and I wrote the humorous 20-book military science-fiction series "America's Galactic Foreign Legion," published by Penumbra Publishing. AGFL is available online at www.Amazon.com in paperback and E-book. I am proud to report that Kindle book sales of "America's Galactic Foreign Legion" are a modest 35,000+ (see Amazon Kindle book sales ratings).
I'm also pleased to announce that I'm branching into the humor/horror genre with the release of VAMPIRE IN THE OUTFIELD.
Please cruise all six pages of my web site. I am always adding something new, including free sample chapters and cover art. Check below for updates on the latest and greatest news...
AMERICA'S GALACTIC FOREIGN LEGION features the adventures of compulsive gambler Joey Czerinski, who was tricked into joining the United States Galactic Federation Foreign Legion by a deceptive-talking ATM who loaned him cash for more gambling. Czerinski did not read the fine print, and when war broke out on the far off colony of New Colorado with spider-like invaders, he was enlisted into the Legion for the duration.
PENUMBRA PUBLISHING www.penumbrapublishing.com will be releasing in print and E-book each of the following books in the America's Galactic Foreign Legion series, so look for them in the coming months: Feeling Lucky, Reenlistment, Silent Invasion, Demilitarized Zone, Insurgency, Culture War, Enemies, Allies, Scorpions, Peacekeepers, Cemetery City, The Ark, Salesman From Mars, and Embassy War. AGFL is a three year project beginning in January of 2010.
 | FEELING LUCKY, the first book in the 14-book series, is available in ebook www.amazon.com. The first nine books in the series have already been published, and as an introductory measure, the price of FEELING LUCKY has been reduced from its regular $2.99 to $0.99 at Amazon's online Kindle store. The paperbacks sell for $9.99 and can be purchased from Amazon and other online retailers including Smashwords by clicking on the link for the print version. My intent in writing the 14-book science fiction series "America's Galactic Foreign Legion" was to use military science fiction, humor, gambling, and human / alien culture clash themes to create a fun read. If you want mystery, chase "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo." If you want lasers and tacheon particles, watch "Star Trek." But, if getting laid by aliens or kicking ass on Evil Empires far far away rocks your galaxy, then "America's Galactic Foreign Legion" is the science fiction series for you. WARNING: This is not your grandfather's science fiction. I sincerely thank the thousands of Amazon Kindle readers who are buying my "America's Galactic Foreign Legion" series. AGFL's great success is both startling and gratifying. See this website's BOOK page for free sample chapters.
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UPDATES...
April 27, 2010: my second book "AGFL - Reenlistment" is available in paperback at www.amazon.com. www.smashwords.com has AGFL 2 in E-book. The cover art and sample chapters can be viewed at the Penumbra Publishing website: penumbrapublishing.com and on page 2 (Books) of this website. In AGFL-2 Czerinski reenlists after aliens destroy his casino during a nuclear attack. Czerinki finds himself adminstrating spider towns and fighting an insurgency after America wins the war.
If you like science fiction humor you will have some great fun following America's Galactic Foreign Legion as they do battle with aliens and take humanity and American culture across the galaxy. Readers can enjoy humorous, action-packed science fiction in the tradition of the Foreign Legion. A friend described my humor as so dry, cactus grows next to it.
July 12, 2010: Cover art and a sample chapter for America's Galactic Foreign Legion - Silent Invasion (Book 3) is now posted on the Book Page. I am excited about book 3. Kindle sales are increasing, and sales momentum is increasing as each new book in the series is published. In AGFL-3 spiders and humans rush North after the discovery of gold. Humanity and spiders are forced to live together, but it's tough. Humor abounds.
August 10, 2010: America's Galactic Foreign Legion (Book 3) Silent Invasion is now available online in paperback and E-book (and Kindle) at www.Amazon.com, www.barnesandnoble.com, and www.Smashwords.com
August 30, 2010: America's Galactic Foreign Legion (Book 1) Feeling Lucky has reached group best seller status among its science fiction/adventure/war peers in the online Amazon Kindle E-book catalogue. I did it! My books are selling as well, if not better, than many of the other better known science fiction authors. WOW!
September 9, 2010: started a readers discussion on Amazon.
October 1, 2010: America's Galactic Foreign Legion (Book 4) Demilitarized Zone is available at www.Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle, and at www.Smashwords.com. To read an excerpt, see my BOOKS page, link above.
November 17, 2010: America's Galactic Foreign Legion (Book 5) Insurgency is published and available at www.Amazon.com
December 11, 2010: America's Galactic Foreign Legion (Book 6) Culture War is published in both Kindle and paperback. The cover art is an alien riding a mule, and drinking a Starbucks coffee through a straw. The alien commander read on the internet that Pancho Villa attacked the heart of the United States Galactic Federation (Texas), and now seeks it imitate the feared Mexican general by riding like the wind on his captured war-mule. "Culture War" is a fun read, and the cornerstone of the "America's Galactic Foreign Legion" series, exploring culture clash issues that develope when aliens and humanity are forced to share the same colony planet of New Colorado. Aliens riot in front of Walmart on Black Friday.
February 4, 2011: America's Galactic Foreign Legion (Book 7) Enemies is now published. Remember, even the paranoid have enemies. Everyone wants to kill Colonel Czerinski: aliens of two species, friends, insurgents, bandits, even his own girl friend is plotting with terrorists, but she is too hot to break up with yet.
February 20, 2011: Penumbra Publishing advises that the "America's Galactic Foreign Legion" series has sold 10,222 books at Amazon.com (mostly Kindle). While that is a modest amount for some authors, it is a great start for me considering I am a new author, and my AGFL series is only half complete.
April 4, 2011: "America's Galactic Foreign Legion (Book 8) Allies" is now published. Also attached is a short story about aliens suing Walmart for injuries during a Black Friday riot.
May 15,2011: "America's Galactic Foreign Legion (Book 9) Scorpions" is now published. I think sales are about 15,000 now. Sales are down from the holiday season, but still averaging over 2,000 per month. That is not a bad beginning, but my AGFL project is not complete yet. Also, I submitted a vampire manuscript to Penumbra Publishing.
 | June 22, 2011: I published "Vampire in the Outfield" today, a novella about a struggling minor league baseball player who discovers he can hit better and make it to the major leagues after he gets bitten by a vampire. He still has a problem with day games. Can the rookie vampire survive playing against the 'Evil Empire' (the New York Yankees)? Maybe. "Vampire in the Outfield" is a fun read, and my first venture outside of the science fiction genre. |
My nephew Thomas Smith-Hurt drew this cool alien soldier after visiting our colony on Planet New Colorado. The alien has issues. He carries an AK-47, drinks coffee, is lighting a cigarette, and wears a NIKE swooshsticka on his sleeve. I will use him for AGFL Book SIX "Culture War." More aliens are on the way.
How about the scorpion aliens on the cover of "America's Galactic Foreign Legion (Book 9) Scorpions?" In case you are wondering, those two scorpions are fighting. Really, nothing else. Just a good dust up. Penumbra Publishing has great artists working on my cover art. Check page two for cover art and sample chapters on all my books.
Write long and prosper.
July 13, 2011: Philip Chen, science fiction author an accomplished cartoonist, drew an Emblem of the Legion you see posted below: An American Eagle carrying in its strong claws a UFO flying saucer and an unhappy E.T. Philip is the author of "Falling Star (The Watchers)" and "There is Strangeness in the Universe (Volume 1)." Philip's cartoon art work is featured on his website at www.strangenessinuniverse.com. Give his books a try. Thank you very much Philip for the Eagle / UFO.
July 16, 2011: The "America's Galactic Foreign Legion" series has sold over 20,000 books. I mention that because milestones are an important measure of success. I plan on selling a lot more. The AGFL series has five more books to be published. It has been quite a ride.
August 14, 2011: "America's Galactic Foreign Legion (Book 10) Peacekeepers" is now published in paperback and Kindle formats. 'Peacekeepers' has been ranked #1 for political humor in the Amazon Kindle catalog. There is not that much politics in "AGFL (10) Peacekeepers," but I am excited to be noticed for the humor as well as the science fiction. I always thought wearing a blue helmet in a war zone was crazy, and had fun writing about how crazy it can be separating aliens who want only to kill or eat each other.
September 7, 2011: "America's Galactic Foreign Legion (Book 11) Cemetery City" is now published. In this latest AGFL tale humanity fakes the discovery of a long lost colonial cemetery to gain title of land inside alien territory so we can secretly mine rare metals needed for our technology. It's a fun read.
September 23, 2011: "America's Galactic Foreign Legion (Book 12) The Ark" is now published. The Legion and spiders tunnel to a lost alien spaceship to tear out its secrets. Meanwhile, the mob is building casinos, and tourists and pilgrims are flocking to see the buried Ark.
October 7, 2011: Military Science Fiction site (MilSciFi.com) interviewed me. See my 'Events/Contests/More' page 4 of my web site for full details.
October 31,2011: America's Galactic Foreign Legion has been added to The Conservative Bookstore www.conservativebookstore.com. I am always looking for free press. Anyone wishing to post my cover art on their website or Face Book wall please feel free to do so.
November 1, 2011: Below are Klingon babes. If humanity ever makes 'first contact' with an alien species, it could be HOT.
November 10, 2011: "America's Galactic Foreign Legion (Book 1) Feeling Lucky" is offered for 99 cents as an introduction to the 14 book series. Most of the 25,000+ AGFL sales are from readers buying deep into the series, so I am happy to provide an introductory glimpse at my work. Kindle ownership is all about economic value for readers, so this type of promotion is a good fit.
November 17, 2011: "America's Galactic Foreign Legion (Book 13) Salesman From Mars" is published, depicting life in America's Foreign Legion from a lowly private's view. The recruit meets all the same characters, and has a rough time of it playing cards, getting transfered to the South Pole, facing combat, arrest by spiders, ghosts, upseting Colonel Czerinski, and more.
December 7, 2011: "America's Galactic Foreign Legion (Book 14) Embassy War" is published. America's Embassy and the Scorpion Embassy go to war in the Spider's homeworld capital after the scorpions eat a Mantidae legionnaire and serve him to the Americans for Thanksgiving dinner. This will be the last book for a while. I am twelve chapters into writing "AGFL-15 Lieutenant Columbus."
December 12, 2011: I added music and video to the last page (links) of this website for your entertainment. Clips include Ballad of the Green Berets (AGFL cover art), Birds of Paradise (Bush War), Mexican Star Trek, Kim Jong Il Show, Heartbreak Ridge, Libyan on a Jet Plane, Dancing Isreali Soldiers on patrol, Mars Attacks, and Kelly's Heroes. If you have more military or science fiction theme video to suggest, please E-mail me. Also, please visit the Penumbra Publishing Blog for updates and comments.
January 8, 2012: Virtual Pulp Press www.virtualpulppress.com did a great interview of me about the "America's Galactic Foreign Legion" series, and about the state of science fiction and the publishing industry. The interview can be viewed at the Virtual Pulp Press website, the "Two Fisted Blogger" www.twofistedblogger.blogspot.com, and on the events page of this website.
February 1, 2012: "America's Galactic Foreign Legion (Book 1) Feeling Lucky" is now part of the Amazon promotion KDP Select, making it available free to certain members. It is all a part of the marketing genius that is Amazon.com.
February 3, 2012: "America's Galactic Foreign Legion (Book 1) Feeling Lucky" got a nice Four Star review on the BigAl's Books & Pals blog. The full review can be read on the Review page of this website. BigAl's Books & Pals is a popular readers blog that just celebrated one million visitors. Usually Big Al does not review science fiction, but I talked him into it with my pushy wayz.
February 22, 2012: All my books are now available to Amazon Prime members. I now market AGFL exclusively at www.Amazon.com because Amazon does the best job, and better promotions. Sales are over 30,000.
February 29, 2012: Happy Leap Year! I took the leap, and have been doing some editing for friends. I'm casting about for projects, and blogging. Military buffs check out 'The Two Fisted Blogger,' where they celebrate the triumph of truth, justice, and automatic weapons, one book at a time. Please leave comments as a morale boost. Fighting the New York publishing establishment is a full time job.
March 29, 2012: I am having fun exploring time travel ideas. America's Galactic Foreign Legion (Book 15) Lieutenant Columbus is on the editor's desk. It's about a time-traveling Christopher Columbus joining future America's Foreign Legion. Also included is a time traveling General Patton, who joins the Legion, too. Patton brings buddies from the Third Army because Legion recruiting quotas were way down.
April 1, 2012: Happy April Fool's Day. Go to the following site if you dare:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=316AzLYfAzw&feature=youtube_gdata_player
May 12, 2012: Today I was interviewed and featured on the Indie book review site Big Al's Books and Pals http://booksandpals.blogspot.com/
May 21, 2012: America's Galactic Foreign Legion (Book 15) Lieutenant Columbus is published. America rewards Christopher Columbus just before his death by restoring Columbus' health and bringing him to the future as a reward and thanks for discovering America. Columbus in disguise joins America's Galactic Foreign Legion. General Patton is brought to the future, too. It's a fun read, and my way of tweaking liberals who hate both these great men.
July 6, 2012: I have co-written two AGFL books with Jim Boedeker. Both books are on the editor's desk. Jim and I write about a legionnaire who fades in and out of reality. Jim writes the unreal and I write the reality. The legionnaire has issues. It's funny stuff.
July 26, 2012: I've finally caught up watching the TV series "Breaking Bad." I love a long series with lots of twists and turns in the plot. The interesting thing for me about "Breaking Bad" is that I do not particularly like any of the characters, but I can't wait to see what happens next.
August 27, 2012: I am having fun putting alien artwork on my Events / Contests / More page. I just completed "America's Galactic Foreign Legion (18) First Contact," and now have three books waiting for Penumbra Publishing to edit. Fun times. My editor wants me to do a zombie book. Does anyone remember the zombie short story I did at the end of "AGFL-10 Peacekeepers" about a zombie trying to eat a talking ATM machine? My zombie book would have that sort of humor.
September 26, 2012: My friend Jim Boedeker was interviewed on 94.3 The Talker, a northern Pennsylvania station, about his book Death Spiral and about his collaboration with me on America's Galactic Foreign Legion 16 & 17. His segment is 9 minutes into the counter:
October 8, 2012: "America's Galactic Foreign Legion - Book 16 - Galactic Disney" about building a giant amusement park on a distant planet is now published. The Legion is charged with security at 'Galactic Disney' and fights off terrorists. It's an exciting and fun read. Jim Boedeker co-wrote the last half about legionnaire Randal Telk going back and forth between reality and fantacy.
Novermber 18, 2012: Everything from Outer Space . . . kill it. This is a great quote from the movie "The Watch." Good science fiction movies are difficult to make. Funny science fiction is even more difficult. "The Watch" is about a group of men who form a neighborhood watch, and discover their town has been invaded by ruthless aliens. "The Watch" is both good science fiction, and funny.
December 22, 2012: If you are reading this, you survived the predicted end of the world on the 21st. Hope you had a Happy Dooms Day. At least one suicide bomber didn't make it. Too bad, so sad.
January 4, 2013: "If you think you can, or can't, you're right." - Coach Ollie Mayfield - R.I.P.
January 14, 2013: My latest work, "America's Galactic Foreign Legion - Book 17 - Randal Telk and the 396 Steps to Sexual Bliss" is published. Co-written with my friend Jim Boedeker, AGFL-17 Randal Telk is about a Legionnaire who fades in and out of reality, and fantasizes about his exotic love Yolanda. AGFL-17 is a continuation of AGFL-16. AGFL-18 is already on the editor's desk, but goes back to the origional format of following Colonel Czerinski and his adventures.
February 21, 2013: I am well into "AGFL-19 ATM" about a talking ATM machine that gets a human body and joins America's Galactic Foreign Legion. I try to write every day. In between, I'm visiting two Amazon forum sites: 'Al's Place Thirty Two/Too/To on the Kindle Forum, and in the U.K. science fiction forum: "I don't want to read silly remarks made under this posting.' I search for kernels of humor everywhere. Some of the best humor are comments by regular people, lost forever.
March 16, 2013: I changed the price for all odd numbered AGFL books to 99 cents to remain competative with better known authors, and to encourage readers to buy deeper into the series. I realize a 19 book series can be a bit much. Initial sales results are brisk.
For fun tonight I watched a two-part DVD movie series called "Atlas Shrugged" about a near future where the government purposely destroys the econemy to gain control over the people. It seemed a lot like what's happening today with global warming and class envy politics. Even Barb liked the movie. I believe you should never be jealous of what others have, but rather should work hard to innovate and better yourself.
Happy St. Patrick's day. Iron Mike at the Rabid Repubican Blog reports that Boston closed the bars early on St. Patrick's Day. It seems Un-American.
April 15, 2013: I've started writing "AGFL-20 Time Machine." Also, I'm looking forward to attending the UFO Festival http://ufofest.com/ in McMinnville, Oregon, on May 17th and 18th. It looks like a fun time with lots of costumes and beer.
May 20, 2013: A reccuring theme in my books is the impact of TV as America takes humanity and American culture across the galaxy. America is a country too big for homogeneity, filled with people from across the globe. What do we all have in common? We all watch TV. It's what America does, a pervasive pastime that cuts through ethnic, class, and cultural diversity. So, it stands to reason that when humanity meets aliens on a shared distant planet, our secret weapon is our culture and TV. Resistance is futile.
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