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Keeper of the Arts: The Story Begins...

by Jackie Grant Miller

280 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #05-2681; ISBN 1-4120-7784-2; US$20.00, C$23.00, EUR16.43, £11.50

A young black belt is ready to test for his third degree. He is told to first explore the history of martial arts. The experience goes far beyond any expectations.

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About the Book

About the Author

Excerpts

Catalogue Information

About the Book

Severe abuse marked D.J. Grant's childhood while he lived with his mother, until he was suddenly sent away to live with an unknown father. His life changed again when he and his father saw a martial arts movie, which influenced him to learn self-defense. Now in his early twenties and a student of Tae Kwon Do, D.J. is excited about a promotion from second degree to third degree black belt status.

D.J. had specialized in one style of self-defense. Now he faces disappointment when, instead of promotion, his instructor tells him to first experience the history of the martial arts world. During a walk home, a brief discussion ensues with two friends. D.J. is inexplicably separated from them and introduced to Nerrot, Master of all Keepers of the Art. This meeting takes place in SymDo, a subconscious, mystical realm existing within the minds of martial arts students and practitioners. For every martial artist, there is a Keeper of the Art who is responsible for maintaining the martial artist's memories.

Nerrot, the Master of all the Keepers of the Arts, has chosen D.J. to replace him as the next master.

Before D.J. can succeed Nerrot, he is pitted against Tarag, a former protégé who was exiled from the Five Sacred Temples of SymDo for stealing a pendant that can be used to control the mystical powers.

D.J. is taken to five countries to experience and learn their martial arts histories. Tarag's interference forces D.J. and Nerrot to physically experience historic events that put their lives at risk. D.J. must complete the experiences, helping Nerrot to save SymDo, while outwitting Tarag.

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About the Author

Jackie Grant Miller was born to a Blackfoot Indian mother and an African-American father on October 5, 1959 in Reno, Nevada. On June 11, 1961, his brother, Mark Edward Miller, joined him.

When Jackie and Mark were very young, their parents separated. Their mother decided that moving from Oakland, California to Sioux Falls, South Dakota would increase her chances of passing as a white woman. Four years later, they returned to Reno.

Helen Cruickshank had a dream that her grandsons were being subjected to violent physical and mental abuse from their mother. She convinced the boys' mother to put Jackie and Mark on a Greyhound bus bound for Oakland and their father.

Jackie and Mark lived in east Oakland for two years. They were always in neighborhood fights for being the new kids on the block and for having light skin, curly hair, and green eyes. One day the boys and their father saw a martial arts movie, "Five Fingers of Death." The action-packed film influenced Jackie and Mark to learn the way of life. Before they could find a martial arts school, a life changing event happened to their father that necessitated moving to their grandmother's home and living with her.

In 1971, Jackie and Mark started training at the Berkeley Wado-Kai Karate Dojo with Sensei Yoshiari Ajari. During his high school freshman year of 1973, Jackie studied with a friend, Doug Jones, in a Chinese Kenpo style from the Al Dacascos school of Kung-Fu.

Later, during his junior college years, Jackie failed to make the school's basketball team, which led to meeting Julius Baker, Jr., who was teaching a Tae Kwon Do class at the junior college. After training with Mr. Baker for four years, Jackie received his black belt.

Mr. Baker also formed a demonstration team known as "Baker's Martial Arts Theatrical Troupe." The concept was to substitute the sometimes-boring display of kicks and punches in formation with dramatically or humorously themed choreographed fight routines, which were performed for audiences in several surrounding states.

Jackie was introduced to Capoeira by a senior black belt, Ken Pitts. Mr. Baker eventually met Mestre Accordion and allowed him to teach the African-Brazilian style at his school.

In 1982, Jackie wrote a stage play titled "Dream Maker," which later became "Keeper of the Arts." Mr. Baker's demonstration team provided the main characters for the play, and the supporting cast consisted of Sensei Bruce Kickstein's Aikido Institute Demonstration Team; Master In-Hyuk Suh's Kuk Soon Won Demonstration Team, featuring Master In-Joo Suh; Mestre Accordion and the World Capoeira Association Demonstration Team, featuring Master Instructor Julius Baker Jr. and 5th Degree Black Belt Ken Pitts; SiFu Bills Owens and the Kasami Vijiti Stick Fighting Demonstration Team, featuring 5th Degree Black Belt Ken Pitts; and SiFu Anthony Chan and the Berkeley Institute of Wu Shu Demonstration Team.

Jackie Grant Miller participated in the first World Capoeira Association's Tournament held in Alameda, California. He also won the middleweight kumite division for black belts at the Kuk Sool Won First Open Tournament held in San Francisco, California, as well as many other tournaments.

With the deaths of his grandmother, Helen Cruickshank, and his father, Jackie Grant Wilkerson, Jackie moved to Southern California. There, he founded a video production called "Cadillac Dreamz," and "H. 'Spanky' Jackson." After working on several filming projects and screenplays, Jackie decided to fulfill his lifelong dream of writing a book.

He presently lives in Southern California and he is the father of two sons. Torren Grant Miller, a.k.a. "Nerrot," is his older son, and Daniel Jackie Miller, a.k.a. "D.J. Grant," is his younger son.

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Excerpts

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