As for my writing pattern itself, when I awaken it’s usually with an urgency to get started. So after coffee and a cigarette, and a quick bite to eat, it’s then on to writing, usually at least eight straight hours, with short breaks and more food as I get hungry — and of course more coffee and a cigarette or two, this process first beginning with a quick review of what I’ve written the day before. I write — involving plenty of rewriting, until my mind gets tired and I know it’s time to quit. On Sundays during the football season, or when Tiger Woods is playing in a televised golf tournament, this pattern is not so stringent. The only part of my writing which determines what type of day it will be is my passion. If my creative process really becomes engrossed in the writing at hand, rendering me oblivious to all around me, my writing can extend way beyond eight hours. My creative process is often still working even as I prepare for bed, finding myself jotting down ideas to pursue the next morning. On occasion, after I’m asleep, I’ll awaken to jot down important thoughts and insights I don’t want to chance forgetting when I begin my writing the next day. This has resulted in some fantastic narrative. When I sleep my creative process doesn’t.

Such gives birth to my novel.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…A native of Flint, Michigan, Gerald Griffin wrote his first short book of fiction while in the 9th grade. Ever since then he has felt compelled to write — his style reminiscent of Frederick Forsythe, with a dash of Damon Runyon and Tom Clancy.

Following several years of private practice, his two sons grown and away, Gerald eased into writing full-time — non-fiction, fiction, and ghost writing, first turning out the published non-fiction work, THE SILENT MISERY — WHY MARRIAGES FAIL. This was followed by his three published novels, THE CORRUPTORS, THE DEATH DISCIPLE, and THE LAST COMING, this last novel written in collaboration with Robin Moore.  After this came his published non-fiction ghost writing works, TRAPPED IN THE LAWYERS’ DEN WITH BLOODSUCKERS and GBI AGENT.

A nature lover, he relocated from Atlanta to the lake scenery of Gainesville, Georgia. He lives in a quaint home, high on a hill, surrounded by inspiring forest foliage not far from the waters of Sidney Lake Lanier; the forest floor a protective canopy for the passing deer.  In this setting, Gerald wrote the novel OF GOOD AND EVIL, followed by its sequel A TIME OF RECKONING.

Nancy Cline, a member of MENSA, said in review of Gerald’s writings: “In this age, yes, there is a nobility of spirit and the courage to preserve and to protect that nobility.  In the field of fiction we have men of great stature… To that list add the name of Gerald Griffin…”

Gerald is a member of International Thriller Writers (ITW). While in practice in Atlanta he was listed in Marquis Who’s Who in the South and Southwest, Personalities of America and Notable Americans.

Visit Gerald’s Author’s Blog at: http://geraldggriffin.blogspot.com.

 Overall, a gripping action thriller with a touch of paranormal and a captivating love story.

Ron Sheffield, an ex-Green Beret discharged from the Army for going crazy, has discovered top secret terrorist documents endangering his life by an unsavory White House political cell, the documents revealing al Qaeda plans threatening the existence of Western civilization. He also possesses uncanny mental talents which enabled him to survive fierce covert battles in the Middle East while the men serving under him perished, these tortured memories leaving him distraught with merciless guilt to the point of suicide—staved off only by desperate “hiding” activities.

This potent mixture of documents, guilt, hiding and uncanny abilities, combined with Ron’s remarkable and irrepressible love affair with Amber Ash—who saves Ron’s life through talents similar to his own—propels the two down volatile paths of relentless danger, troubles and confrontations defining their destiny, including, among other things: sanity-saving killings; Ron having no choice but to become a specialized Mafia hit man; a White House plot on Ron’s life; conflicts with a divinely gifted secret society headed by Amber’s billionaire father; acquiring the specifics of the 9-11 terrorist attacks beforehand, but the attempt at warning ignored; disturbing honeymoon intrigue; devastating discovery of who really orchestrated the U.S. invasion of Iraq; struggles to thwart Bin Laden’s startling scheme of global domination; frustrating hindrances to cornering the most important and dangerous terrorist alive—not Bin Laden, rendering success of the pursuit bleak; frightening dreams prophesying disturbing reality; and a fight against the impossible to prevent the nuclear obliteration of a large American city.

Spine-chilling, with unending surprises. The reader never knows what’s coming next, and is left on edge, unable to put the book down.

• Paperback: 342 pages
• Publisher: Eloquent Books (July 27, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 160976014X
• ISBN-13: 978-1609760144

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A man known as Calculus, an officer at the Russian embassy, has approached the FBI claiming that he has a list of Americans who are selling confidential information to the Russian SVR. In exchange for the list, he is asking for a quarter of a million dollars for each traitor the FBI apprehends. But then Calculus informs the FBI that he has been swiftly recalled to Moscow, and the Bureau suspects the worst: the Russians have discovered what Calculus is up to, probably have access to his list, and will be hunting the traitors to kill them unless the FBI can find them first.

The FBI realizes that it has to keep the operation quiet. Once again, Vail is the perfect man, along with Kate Bannon, who would be anyone’s first pick for help on an impossibly dangerous case. But finding the traitors isn’t going to be easy. In fact, it’s going to be downright deadly. And if the Bricklayer survives, he will have to come up with a few tricks of his own.

Agent X is a heart-pounding thrill ride with an authenticity only a writer who’s an FBI veteran can provide, and Steve Vail—a man Patricia Cornwell calls a “new American hero”—is one of the smartest, toughest, and most compelling new characters to come along in many years. – FROM HARPERCOLLINS

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow (February 8, 2011)
• Language: English

Agent X is a heart-pounding thrill ride with an authenticity only a writer who’s an FBI veteran can provide, and Steve Vail—a man Patricia Cornwell calls a “new American hero”—is one of the smartest, toughest, and most compelling new characters to come along in many years.

The book goes on sale 2/8/2011.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…Noah Boyd is a pseudonym for a former FBI agent who spent 13 months as a Marine in Vietnam before returning to the U.S. and joining the Bureau in 1972.  For twenty years Boyd worked for the Bureau in Detroit, tracking down serial killers including the infamous Highland Park Strangler.  During that time, he took a special three-month assignment in Seattle to work on the high-profile Green River Murders case.

Despite a stellar track record of solving several high-profile murder cases, Boyd clashed with his superiors when he published a book unflattering to the FBI.  After being threatened with suspension for 45 days without pay, he got into trouble again for blasting his boss in a national magazine article.  He retired from the FBI in 1993 and began writing full time.

Boyd works on cold cases when he’s not writing.  He is the father of two grown children and lives with his wife in New Hampshire.

FROM THE BOOK FAERY REVIEWS…TWO lucky commenters will receive a copy of Boyd’s latest novel Agent X. This giveaway runs now through the end of February.

MANADATORY ENTRY: All you have to do is leave a comment below with your favorite TV/Movie FBI agent.

Who’s mine? Oh the deliciously hot Seeley Booth from Bones!

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A copy of the book was provided to me courtesy of HarperCollins. No other compensation was received. All opinions expressed are of my own.

And now that occasion is murder – of Mindi Quintana, an old college flame wanting simply to stay in his past.

Freddy’s crime is major news from the start. Mindi is the beautiful daughter of a renowned Philadelphia businessman whose dramatic fall a few years back captivated the city. A televised trial for Freddy is in the offing. Meanwhile, he is writing the book about his relationship with Mindi -  a remorseless rewrite of her life, his own, and their miserable thin involvement.

As excerpts of his book are published to acclaim, he gives articulate, sympathetic jailhouse interviews, publishes ghostwritten articles on prison issues, and coverage goes national. A new celebrity murderer is taking the stage – a killer with a book, a jailhouse literary sensation.

Freddy’s defense attorney, Phillip, watches as his client builds his fame with the bones of his victim. As a career public defender, Phillip thought he’d seen evil in all its incarnations. He’d lost his outrage, his passion for the law, and his marriage along the way. But as Freddy’s case is a turning point for him – the public’s sympathy for the poet-murderer, the rebel, the killer as greater soul – stirs something dormant in Phillip.

To stop Freddy, and to vindicate Mindi, Phillip will have to violate his oath, even break the law. But with the help of Mindi’s best friend Lisa, he gives Mindi back the truth of her life and death. And he’ll deliver a comeuppance to a killer with a book. – FROM THE BOOK BACK

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…Debut novelist, Jeff Cohen, author of The Killing of Mindi Quintana, is a quintessential Philadelphian, a successful attorney, and a prominent business entrepreneur. In an age of endless fascination with celebrity murderers, his novel delivers what all too often is lost: justice.

FOLLOW THE AUTHOR…Twitter – Website – Facebook

FROM THE BOOK FAERY REVIEWS…It took me some “speed reading” to get through the first 100 or so pages but once past the the novel got more engaging and had me turning page after page. Cohen’s main character Freddy reminded me of some creepy guy us females try to avoid. You know the ones who seem nice and appear everywhere you go  or keep doing things that make you uncomfortable? Then the moment comes and he snaps (figuratively and literally)…that would be Freddy. For a moment I felt like I needed a bath from the disgust I felt towards Freddy a moment after killing her. Throughout The Killing of Mindi Quintana, you watch the main character Freddy change from an “unnoticeable” man to this viscous fame seeking killer who get’s blind sighted in the end.

NOTE to sensitive readers: This novel does contain cursing and some graphic details of the murder.

A copy of the book was provided to me for review. Receiving a copy didn’t persuade my opinions one way or the other.

On the tropical island of Diego Garcia in the middle of the Indian Ocean, the United States has gathered together its most talented geneticists to work on the top-secret Lemuria Project. These secret experiments create a revolutionary new warrior so strong and so valiant that the age of casualties of war would become only a sad and distant memory. Haunted by a dark and dangerous past, Colonel Link McGraw is the officer chosen to train these new soldiers. He understands the rules of engagement and agrees to serve his country, reestablish his professional reputation, and secure his freedom in the process. As a trained and commissioned officer in the United States Armed Forces, McGraw knows what constitutes the perfect soldier: following orders without question. When Egyptian beauty Fala al Shodaha and Israeli Joshua Krantz, scientists in their own right, stumble across the top-secret project, they are determined to uncover its true nature and pursue their quest to Diego Garcia. Tensions mount as Krantz and McGraw clash over the project—and vie for the affection of the lovely Fala. When they discover they aren’t the only ones on the island competing for her attention, shocking truths are revealed that beg the question, Is it too late to save themselves—and the entire human race—from almost certain annihilation? – FROM AMAZON.COM

FROM THE BOOK FAERY REVIEWS…For my first political thriller, this was an excellent one. Fascinating read with science, history, and politics. Enjoyed it and recommend it to others looking for a good scientific military thriller. Since it’s a keeper for my shelves, I give it a 4.

If you’re interested in my sentence tease from the book, read it here. And while you’re here, check out Barry Pollack’s author guest post.

This book was provided to me through the Pump Up Your Book virtual book tour.
Receiving a copy to review did not persuade my opinions of the author’s book.

On the tropical island of Diego Garcia in the middle of the Indian Ocean, the United States has gathered together its most talented geneticists to work on the top-secret Lemuria Project. These secret experiments create a revolutionary new warrior so strong and so valiant that the age of casualties of war would become only a sad and distant memory. Haunted by a dark and dangerous past, Colonel Link McGraw is the officer chosen to train these new soldiers. He understands the rules of engagement and agrees to serve his country, reestablish his professional reputation, and secure his freedom in the process. As a trained and commissioned officer in the United States Armed Forces, McGraw knows what constitutes the perfect soldier: following orders without question. When Egyptian beauty Fala al Shodaha and Israeli Joshua Krantz, scientists in their own right, stumble across the top-secret project, they are determined to uncover its true nature and pursue their quest to Diego Garcia. Tensions mount as Krantz and McGraw clash over the project—and vie for the affection of the lovely Fala. When they discover they aren’t the only ones on the island competing for her attention, shocking truths are revealed that beg the question, Is it too late to save themselves—and the entire human race—from almost certain annihilation? – FROM AMAZON.COM

AUTHOR GUEST POST…I’ve been writing for forty years and have made it a habit to clip articles or record notes about interesting things I read or hear about. They sit about like dormant seeds, ready to germinate if you fertilize them with good characters and plot. One such story I saved was an obituary of Robert Graham who died in 1997. Graham was an American entrepreneur who made millions designing the first plastic eyeglass lenses. He was also a eugenicist, an out of favor theory that suggests that “nature is more important than nurture,” that it is our genes that make us predominantly who we are, not our upbringing. Graham became most famous perhaps for creating what was colloquially called “the genius sperm bank,” a repository of sperm provided by Nobel prize winners. His life story led me to do more research on eugenics, then genetics in general. And, with daily headlines describing a world entangled in an apparent never ending battle with terrorism, I wondered why we couldn’t use genetic engineering to create a chimera, a soldier part animal, part human, to fight our battles and put an end to the atavistic process of bloodying our our best and brightest young people on battlefields. It’s science fiction but not so much a fantasy that it couldn’t soon fall into the realm of science fact. And, then the story unfolded.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…Barry Pollack, who still works in the frontline trenches of medicine as an ER doctor, has a creative life that spans a variety of venues. After a master’s degree in film from Stanford and a fellowship at the American Film Institute, he began as a documentary filmmaker and went on to write and direct two feature films — MGM’s Cool Breeze in 1972 and the Fanfare release This is a Hijack in 1973. In 1980, Pollack graduated from the University of Oklahoma Medical School and began a new career as an emergency physician. However, he never stopped writing. Pollack’s subsequent work includes several prime time television dramas, such as Trapper John, M.D. and Hotel, magazine short stories, several screenplays, and ten years of newspaper columns for the Ventura County STAR in California. Forty-Eight X, his debut novel, was published by Medallion Press in December 2009.

For more information visit www.barrypollack.net

AUTHOR: Bill Scheft

PUBLISHER: Simon & Schuster

PUBLICATION DATE: April 7, 2009

PAGES: 288

Will Pepper, a straight-talking Texan, survive a confirmation battle in the Senate? Will becoming one of the most powerful women in the world ruin her love life? And even if she can make it to the Supreme Court, how will she get along with her eight highly skeptical colleagues, including a floundering Chief Justice who, after legalizing gay marriage, learns that his wife has left him for another woman.

Soon, Pepper finds herself in the middle of a constitutional crisis, a presidential reelection campaign that the president is determined to lose, and oral arguments of a romantic nature. Supreme Courtship is another classic Christopher Buckley comedy about the Washington institutions most deserving of ridicule. – FROM HACHETTE BOOKS

Listen to an Excerpt

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…Christopher Buckley is the author of eleven books, many of them national bestsellers, including The White House Mess, God Is My Broker, Little Green Men, and No Way to Treat a First Lady, which won the Thurber Prize for American Humor. He has published more than fifty comic essays in The New Yorker. In 2002, he received the Washington Irving Medal for Literary Excellence. He is the editor of ForbesLife and lives in New York and Washington, D.C.

You can find Christopher Buckley also at the The Daily Beast.

FROM THE BOOK FAERY REVIEWS…Thanks to Hachette Books, The Book Faery Reviews is giving away THREE copies of Supreme Courtship by Christopher Buckley. THREE will US/Canada (no PO Box) candidates will be randomly chosen on October 1st. To enter for a chance at a copy of this book, please comment below.

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