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IOWAN PERSPECTIVE

Webster City native Willis releases new book

Earlier this month, Webster City native Kent Willis — under the guise of Jack Weicz — kicked out a new piece of fiction. His fifth work to be published, it centers on a character who one can see living within the fabric of north central Iowa.

Tilted “Duncombe Gal,” the 78-page novella details the life journey of a fictional woman who was born and raised in Duncombe, Iowa, and experienced the full brunt of the 20th Century as part of “The Greatest Generation.”

“This is my fifth book,” Willis said. “It is a novella about a woman who has reached the last stages of her life and reflects back on the entirety of her life.”

Throughout the story, Ina lives through some of the most defining moments in American history, from the Great Depression to the assassination of John F. Kennedy and all of the technological and social changes, from flight to the internet. Ina also goes through multiple life experiences, such as youth, love and children.

Within the span of 11 years, Willis — as Weicz — has also released “A Year to Remember,” “Border Rules,” and “The Postman’s Final Delivery.”

“I have written four books under the pseudonym ‘Jack Weicz,'” Willis said. “I have written one book under the name ‘Kent T. Wills.'”

Willis also wrote “A Tale of Two Wars: Triumph of the Human Spirit” in 2013.

Willis is a graduate of the University of Iowa, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communications, and earned a Master of Arts degree in Applied Linguistics from the University of Northern Iowa.

He’s pretty accomplished, having been an English professor, along with serving as an Acting and Drama professor, at multiple universities around the globe. His numerous stops included Taiwan, Thailand, China, Hong Kong, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Russia, the Czech Republic, and most recently, Kurdistan in Iraq.

In 1988, Willis had appeared in six Hong Kong-produced movies with Filmark Productions. Those films are “Crocodile Fury,” “RoboVampire,” “Team Force,” “Black Warrior,” “Operation Foxhunt” and “Super Troop.”

Willis currently resides in Czechia with his wife and kids.

You can find Willis and his works through his pseudonym at amazon.com/author/jackweicz. All of his books are available in Kindle and paperback versions.

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