L.M. Weeks's Blog

Here’s a short clip from my acceptance speech as the 51st Chairman of the :

I am delighted and honored to be the 51st Chairman. Heartfelt gratitude to Baker Bishop for his steady leadership over the past six years, and to this incredible community for trusting me to keep the torch burning. My goals as Chairman are simple:

Keep it clean.Keep it fun.Try to learn everybody’s name. 😉 To Baker.To the Resource.To Poontown.~Mark

The post Stepping Up: My Don Hawley Chairman Acceptance Speech first appeared on L. M. Weeks.

Click to vote for LM Weeks as Author of the Year!

I’m incredibly honored to share that Bottled Lightning has been recognized as a winner in the International Impact Book Awards for its contribution to Adventure, Environment, Mystery/Thriller, and Sustainability.

As a championship international fly-angler, conservationist, and storyteller, this recognition is deeply personal. The heart of Bottled Lightning is about protecting what matters—our natural world, our sense of justice, and the power of standing up when it counts.

Now, I’m thrilled to share one more bit of exciting news:
✨ Bottled Lightning has led to my official nomination for Author of the Year ✨

This award isn’t just about me—it’s about the stories that dare to challenge, uplift, and inspire. And your vote can help Bottled Lightning reach even more readers who care about justice, thrillers with meaning, and our wild, precious world.

🗳 Public voting is open now through April 30th.
Every vote helps amplify the story—and the message behind it.

👉 Click here to cast your vote!
(It takes less than a minute—and means the world.) Please fill in L.M. for the first name and Weeks for the last name. Thank you!

Thank you for being a part of this journey. For reading. For fishing. For sharing. For believing that storytelling still matters.

With gratitude,
L.M. (Mark) Weeks

Click to Vote for LM Weeks as Author of the Year!

The post Bottled Lightning Wins—Now Let’s Bring Home Author of the Year! 🏆 first appeared on L. M. Weeks.

While I’ve been focusing on my next novel, POONTOWN, my debut thriller BOTTLED LIGHTNING is still going strong, winning multiple awards in 2024, and garnering more fantastic reviews. Below is one of those reviews, plus the various book awards seals. Click here for purchase options, and to book your (literary) trip across the globe with Torn and Saya. 📚⚡✈️

Literary Titan Book Awards Review

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Bottled Lightning, by L.M. Weeks, is a gripping legal thriller that seamlessly blends cutting-edge technology, global intrigue, and relentless action. Set in the bustling, vivid streets of Tokyo, the story introduces Tornait “Torn” Sagara, an elite technology lawyer who becomes ensnared in a deadly web of corporate espionage. Torn’s client, Saya Brooks, is a brilliant inventor whose revolutionary lightning-on-demand technology could transform the world by eliminating our reliance on fossil fuels. Yet, its disruptive potential makes her a target for powerful forces willing to stop at nothing—murder included.

The novel wastes no time plunging readers into chaos. An exhilarating motorcycle ride through Tokyo turns violent as Torn and Saya come under attack, thrusting them into a ruthless fight for survival. With assassins in pursuit and conspiracies unraveling, Torn races across borders—from Japan’s neon-lit streets to Russia’s unforgiving terrain. Along the way, he battles not only external enemies but his own inner demons, all while grappling with complicated feelings for Saya. The danger mounts. The stakes rise. And Torn’s entire existence—career, relationships, and life itself—hangs by a thread.

Weeks crafts a story that moves at breakneck speed but never sacrifices depth. The novel’s premise is both timely and compelling: Saya’s groundbreaking invention collides with the dark underbelly of corporate greed and energy politics. The result is a sharp exploration of technology’s promise and the forces determined to suppress it. Saya emerges as an engaging, multidimensional character—brilliant and ambitious, yet vulnerable enough to resonate with readers. Torn, by contrast, is a fascinating study of contrasts: a flawed lawyer wrestling with duty, desire, and the weight of his past. His personal struggles—his fractured moral compass and complex relationships—infuse the narrative with emotional heft.

Weeks offers a masterful portrayal of Tokyo’s culture, the nuances of Japanese legal systems, and the intricacies of advanced technology. These elements ground the story, giving it a realism often lacking in thrillers. Equally compelling is the emotional layer underpinning Torn’s journey. His growing bond with Saya, paired with his internal conflicts, adds depth to a plot that brims with action and suspense.

Fans of thrillers that deliver high-stakes espionage, electrifying twists, and a dash of romance will find Bottled Lightning impossible to put down. The pacing is relentless, the tension unrelenting, and the narrative rich with surprises. Torn’s evolution—both as a lawyer and as a man—provides an engrossing anchor for the story’s pulse-pounding momentum. Weeks doesn’t merely deliver thrills; he offers thought-provoking commentary on technology’s transformative power and its unintended consequences. Bottled Lightning stands as a remarkable entry in the legal thriller genre. Combining dynamic action with layered characters and an intelligent premise, it’s a story that captivates, challenges, and leaves readers hungry for more. This is more than a thriller—it’s a standout experience.

The post New Awards & Acclaim for BOTTLED LIGHTNING first appeared on L. M. Weeks.

Adventure. That is the common theme of both my first novel, Bottled Lightning, and my second, Poontown. Although completely different genres, they are both based on real life pursuits leading to thrilling and sometimes dangerous events. I am very excited about finishing the first draft of Poontown, a novel based on more than twenty years of tarpon (or “poon,” as anglers call them) fly fishing experience, and have already started editing the manuscript. Once I’m done, the manuscript will be off to the real editor and I’ll be off to the real Poontown for the season.

Stay tuned! 🎣📚
~Mark

Read the official press release/pitch sheet here, or see below for the working synopsis.

Poon: a popular nickname among anglers for tarpon.

In a crowded field, only five teams, each consisting of an angler and a guide, have a shot at winning the prestigious Sabalo Cup, a tarpon fly fishing tournament held in a Florida Keys-like never-never land.

The top competitors include Olivia, a Native American and former exotic dancer turned psychologist competing for the first time in a tournament dominated by men, and Greg, a successful trial lawyer who loves her but is ambivalent about their future together.

The competition begins even before the shotgun start for the decades-old tournament as the teams prepare to do battle with the Silver King and each other.

Each angler has his or her own reasons for wanting to win the grueling five-day competition to prove that they are the best tarpon angler in the world. Along the way, they learn things about themselves that only passing through such a crucible can teach.

As the teams strive to outdo each other and themselves to be the best, the hallowed tournament, and indeed the entire tarpon fishery, fight to survive against multiple threats to paradise caused by overpopulation, environmental degradation, and challenges from animal rights activists wanting to shut all of the fishing down.

Cover art and more coming soon!

The post 2024 Book Announcement: POONTOWN Coming Soon! first appeared on L. M. Weeks.

To celebrate the premiere of Shōgun on FX* and some exciting book news coming in March, I’m giving away a signed copy of my award-winning legal thriller, Bottled Lightning, and a special FX poster art hardcover edition of the novel, Shōgun.

One lucky book lover will win this Japan-themed literature package in a random drawing at the end of March. Click here to enter via Gleam, or use the embedded widget below. The more ways you enter through the widget, the more your chances of winning. Good luck, and have fun!

*This independent giveaway is not affiliated with, co-sponsored, or endorsed by FX or HULU.

Bottled Lightning & Shōgun Book Giveaway

The post New Giveaway: Escape to Japan with Bottled Lightning & Shōgun! first appeared on L. M. Weeks.