I’m a writer and publisher living in Verona Pennsylvania, just outside of Pittsburgh. My company, Imagin8 Press, has published over 100 fiction and nonfiction books for people learning to read Chinese. Our best sellers are an innovative English translation of the Dao De Jing and a 31-volume retelling, in easy Chinese, of the classic novel Journey to the West.

I’m also a lifelong science fiction fan, and started writing sci-fi seriously in 2024. I am delighted that my first three short stories have all been accepted for publication. “Spaceship of Fools” has been published online by Bewildering Stories, “Mr. Xing’s Science Class” has been published online by Frivolous Comma, and “The Price of Success” is scheduled for a 2026 inclusion in Professor Feiff’s Trans-Dimensional Travelogue. 

My first full-length sci-fi novel, “Ascent to the Sun,” was published in 2025 and has been serialized on Royal Road.

Before embarking on my current career, I was in the software business. I founded and led three successful companies: ServiceWare, which began in my basement and went public on the NASDAQ; Touchtown, which was acquire by Uniguest and, most recently, Tunescribers. I have a degree in computer science from Carnegie-Mellon University, where I taught an undergraduate course in computer programming.

When not sitting in front of a glowing screen, you can probably find me playing competitive pickleball.

Also by Jeff Pepper, in English:

  • The Art of War: A Step-by-Step Translation1
  • Dao De Jing in Clear English1
  • The Journey to the West
  • The Last King of Shang
  • Like a Moth: A Life of Seeking and Software
  • We’re Off to Seize the Wizard

Also by Jeff Pepper, in Simplified Chinese and English:

  • Hulin and the Mad Goose1
  • The Journey to the West1,2, a 31-book series:
  • Rise of the Monkey King
  • Trouble in Heaven
  • The Immortal Peaches
  • The Young Monk
  • The Young Monk
  • The Emperor in Hell
  • The Journey Begins
  • The Monster of Black Wind Mountain
  • The Hungry Pig
  • The Three Beautiful Daughters
  • The Magic Ginseng Tree
  • The Monster’s Secret
  • The Five Treasures
  • The Ghost King
  • The Cave of Fire
  • The Daoist Immortals
  • The Great Demon King
  • The Thieves
  • The Country of Women
  • The Angry Monkey
  • The Burning Mountain
  • The Rain of Blood
  • The False Buddha
  • The Monkey Doctor
  • The Demons of Spiderweb Mountain
  • Great Peng and His Brothers
  • The Thousand Children
  • The Monk and the Mouse
  • The Dharma Destroying Kingdom
  • The Nine Headed Lion
  • The Lazy Monk
  • The Last Trial
  • The Last King of Shang1, a 6-book series based on Investiture of the Gods
  • Learn to Read Chinese1: a 3-book series:
  • Four Folk Tales in Simplified Chinese
  • Six Folk Tales in Easy Chinese
  • Four Love Stories in Easy Chinese
  • The Love Triangle1
  • Mulan, Woman Warrior2
  • San Zi Jing: the Three-Character Classic
  • Twenty-Three Cats,2
  • Ye Xian: the Chinese Cinderella Story1
  • 1 co-authored with Xiao Hui Wang
  • 2 also available in Traditional Chinese

© 2025 by Imagin8 Press LLC, P.O. Box 202, Verona PA 15147 USA