I write under the pen name L. Barken. By day, I'm a diesel and hydraulic mechanic. By night, I'm an author, illustrator, entrepreneur, and BMI-registered country songwriter building a children's publishing company from the ground up. What started as...

I write under the pen name L. Barken. By day, I'm a diesel and hydraulic mechanic. By night, I'm an author, illustrator, entrepreneur, and BMI-registered country songwriter building a children's publishing company from the ground up. What started as an idea turned into a mission: creating stories that bring families together through imagination, adventure, and real-life values. My books include the fantasy world of Embers and Gears, featuring a dragon named Luma and a robot named Sprocket, and Tools Daddy Kept, a series inspired by the lessons, memories, and traditions passed from one generation to the next. I don't come from a publishing background. I'm a blue-collar worker who spends evenings writing books, illustrating stories, writing country music, building websites, learning marketing, and figuring out the publishing industry one step at a time. My work is inspired by family, hard work, rural values, creativity, and the belief that meaningful stories can come from unexpected places. Whether I'm writing a children's book or a country song, my goal is the same: create something honest that people connect with. I enjoy discussing self-publishing, songwriting, entrepreneurship, blue-collar life, creativity, brand-building, family-centered storytelling, and what it really takes to build something from nothing. If your audience enjoys authentic conversations about perseverance, creativity, family, and chasing big dreams while working a full-time job, I'd love to share my journey.