RUSSIANS, RUSSIANS EVERYWHERE!

That’s the only hint I’ll give you for now!

DEEP SLEEP, book one in the Devin Gray series, is now available on Amazon in all formats (ebook, audio, hard copy).

First, a huge thank you to everyone that took good advantage of the special, early deal offered by my publisher. Even before today’s “official” release, DEEP SLEEP has by far been my most successful book launch to date—garnering more than 4,000 reviews and hitting the #1 spot in the entire Amazon Kindle store. On top of that, DEEP SLEEP has remained in the top 10 sold ebooks at Amazon for the entire month of January. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. 

For those of you who have already taken the leap into my new series, COMING DAWN (Book 2) will hit the “shelves” in late October, wrapping up the core conspiracy. You can preorder it at the very bottom of this post…and take a sneak peek at the cover and story description.

TO GRAB A COPY OF DEEP SLEEP TODAY, and dive into a new world of espionage and sleeper agents, click your country’s Amazon store link below!

—US Amazon members. CLICK HERE.
—UK Amazon members CLICK HERE. 
—CA Amazon members CLICK HERE.
—AU Amazon members CLICK HERE.

Check out what major review outlets and other thriller authors have to say about DEEP SLEEP:

“Techno-thrillers fans will delight in military vet Konkoly’s obvious expertise when it comes to the authenticity and intensity of the numerous action sequences.” —Publishers Weekly

“A lively, roller-coaster thriller that moves like lightning.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Nobody’s better at spy craft, action, and intrigue than Steven Konkoly. Thrilling entertainment from the first to the last written word.” —Robert Dugoni, New York Times and #1 Amazon bestselling author of The Eighth Sister

“Steven Konkoly has blown my mind! Deep Sleep is an intelligent, intense, and completely unpredictable high-concept spy thriller. I’m hooked!” —Theresa Ragan, New York Times bestselling author of Her Last Day

“Fast-paced, suspenseful, and wildly creative. A modern-day masterpiece of spy fiction.” —Andrew Watts, USA Today bestselling author of the Firewall Spies series

“A pulse pounding conspiracy tale in the finest traditions of Vince Flynn and Nelson DeMille…Deep Sleep is a must-read rollercoaster of a thriller.” —Jason Kasper, USA Today bestselling author of the Shadow Strike series

“Devin Gray is the hero we need in our corner. Relentless in pursuit of truth, vindication, and saving his homeland, he is the perfect protagonist for Konkoly’s newest dive into the techno thriller world. Again, he proves his mastery of the genre, drawing from real-world events to create a plausible and frightening glimpse into what’s happening underneath our feet and behind the walls of power.” —Tom Abrahams, Emmy Award–winning journalist and author of Sedition

“Steve Konkoly delivers a conspiracy thriller unlike any other and proves he’s at the top of his game. With a deft hand and an eye for plot intricacies, Konkoly will take you into a web of deceit that will shake you to your core and keep you turning until the very last page. Deep Sleep has set a new bar in the world of thrillers and Konkoly has taken his seat at the head of the table.” —Brian Shea, Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Boston Crime series and co-author of the Rachel Hatch series

“A master of action/adventure, Steven Konkoly has done it again, weaving a tale of high-stakes espionage that’s ripped from today’s international headlines. Plan to stay up very late reading Deep Sleep, as he keeps the pages turning!” —Joseph Reid, bestselling author of the Seth Walker series

“I love a great conspiracy thriller, and Steven Konkoly has conjured one that’s utterly chilling with Deep Sleep. From the high stakes set-up to the explosive finale, there’s barely time to take a breath. Crack this one open and buckle in for one hell of a ride.” —Joe Hart, Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Dominion Trilogy and Or Else


COMING DAWN (BOOK 2) SNEAK PEEK

—US Amazon members. CLICK HERE TO PREORDER.
—UK Amazon members CLICK HERE TO PREORDER. 
—CA Amazon members CLICK HERE TO PREORDER.
—AU Amazon members CLICK HERE TO PREORDER.

“The dawn of an inconceivable act of treason rises. The stakes for America’s future have never been higher than in a gripping novel of suspense by the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Deep Sleep.

When CIA officer Helen Gray died, her son, Devin, a countersurveillance expert, inherited her paranoia—and the explosive evidence that gave it weight: a vast, previously undetected Russian sleeper network has operated in the United States since the Cold War.

The cells aren’t just embedded in every level of state and federal government. They’ve penetrated corporations that supply crucial technology to the Department of Defense and various intelligence agencies. With the network’s true scope still unknown, the only way to drive a stake through the heart of the conspiracy is to dispatch a covert crew to Moscow and eliminate the oligarch bankrolling it.

Russia’s endgame: inconceivable. Devin’s challenge: stop the greatest threat to national security and world peace in history. The margin for error: nonexistent.”

SKYSTORM takes Kindles, Audible and bookshelves by “STORM”

Ryan Decker, Harlow Mackenzie and the gang are back in what will likely be the last Decker novel for a while. Knowing that this might be the last Decker book, I took the plot and action to the next level. Explosive doesn’t begin to describe what unfolds. In fact, when I began the first full edit with Kevin Smith, my developmental editor, I started off by saying…”I have a few more action scenes in mind, but I’m not sure if we should add them. Readers won’t get a break after the first few chapters.” His answer (paraphrased)…”Are you kidding? The more the merrier.” SO, reader be warned. This one doesn’t give you much rest.

But don’t take my word for it. Here’s what a few major review sources had to say about SKYSTORM.

“Explosive action, a breakneck pace, and zippy dialogue.” — Kirkus Reviews.

“Readers seeking a well-constructed action thriller need look no further.” — Publisher’s Weekly

“If you enjoy action thrillers that have both strong male and female characters, then this may be the series for you.” — Mystery and Suspense Magazine. 

GRAB A COPY BY CLICKING ON YOUR LINK BELOW (You’ll find ebook, audio and paper through each link).

United States Amazon Store

UK Amazon Store

Canadian Amazon Store

Australian Amazon Store

A Wall Street Journal bestselling series.

Unmasking a treasonous American conspiracy is a dangerous move in a heart-pounding thriller about greed, power, revenge, and murder.

After covert investigators Ryan Decker and Harlow Mackenzie demolished APEX, a billion-dollar criminal enterprise, a tenuous truce between the two factions suggested the battle was over. But not for Decker’s director, Senator Margaret Steele. She’s uncovered an even deadlier operation—code name Skystorm.

SKYSTORM violates every international arms-trafficking law imaginable. And for the senator, exposing the plot may be a gamble too far. APEX has caught wind of the investigation, and they’ve gone on the offensive. Steele’s warning to Decker and Harlow: we’re all in a no-holds-barred fight for our lives.

With APEX’s scorched-earth tactics now unmistakable, Decker and Harlow pull the trigger on their worst-case-scenario plan and move to turn the tables on their ruthless adversary. With a shadowy mercenary team, Decker and Harlow embark for a war—one that Skystorm’s influential DC backers have no intention of losing. To safeguard their treasonous secret, they aim to bury it, along with Decker and everyone he loves.

FREE BOOKS TO PASS THE TIME IN QUARANTINE OR HOME-STAY (AVAILABLE SUNDAY AND MONDAY 3/22-3/23)

First and foremost, I hope this email finds you healthy and safe—AND I PRAY YOU STAY THAT WAY.  

Like most of you now, I’m stuck at home for an indefinite period of time.The only real difference is that I’m pretty much used to it. As a novelist, I feel like I’ve been training for this for the past several years. With that said, I know this is entirely new to most of you, and it’s not easy. 

TO HELP EASE THE TRANSITION, LEE WEST AND I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER YOU 6 FREE BOOKS AND ONE BOOK FOR $1.99 (Publisher Deal) TO PASS YOUR FREE TIME. That’s pretty much every first in series book I have written. Some of you may not want to read THE JAKARTA PANDEMIC right now, and I don’t blame you, which is why I’ve teamed up with Lee to offer a variety. Also, many of you may have read all or most of my series. I wanted to offer you something outside of mine, so you don’t feel left out.

THE FOLLOWING E-BOOKS WILL BE FREE OR DEEPLY DISCOUNTED SUNDAY (3/22) and MONDAY (3/23) IN THE FOLLOWING AMAZON MARKETS (US, UK, CA, AU). Please Note: I can’t list all of the links for the countries, or spam filters will zap this message. Too many links triggers spam filters. You’ll be able to find these in your respective country stores. Links below are for the US store. 

THE JAKARTA PANDEMIC (Book One in the Alex Fletcher series) — Pandemic thriller focused on a single family trying to survive. I have received hundreds of messages in the past few weeks saying that this book helped them prepare for our current crisis. It’s uncannily similar to what’s going on now. 

ALPHA (Book One in the Black Flagged series) — Black ops/military/political thrillers. 

HOT ZONE (Book One in the Zulu Virus Chronicles) — More of a 28-Days later style virus series. Not a pandemic. 

SURVIVE AND ESCAPE (Book One in the Blue Lives Apocalypse series) — Unique post-apocalyptic story told from the view of law enforcement. EMP related.

MUTINY (Book One in the Reckoning series) — EMP related with a serious twist. You won’t see it coming. 

PRACTICAL PREPPING NO APOCALYPSE REQUIRED — Cowritten by me and Randall Powers, my preparedness guru. PPNAR is a light-hearted, instructional look at practical readiness concepts that nearly ANYONE can embrace–without seriously interrupting your life or draining your bank account.

FOR $1.99 THE RESCUE (Ryan Decker Book One) — For fans of Tom Clancy and Lee Child, a heart-pumping thriller of betrayal, revenge, and conspiracy by USA Today bestselling author Steven Konkoly.

STAY SAFE EVERYONE! AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND READERSHIP. I’M SENDING ALL OF MY GOOD VIBES AND WISHES YOUR WAY!

Steve

WHAT I READ IN 2019 and the first month of 2020

This topic often comes up in conversation, and I often lead with “I don’t read nearly as much as I did before I started writing.” While that may be true, after doing a little back-tracking into 2019, I came up with a fairly healthy list of books that I somehow found the time to read.

I’d like to share that list with you, to include a few words about the titles or series. I’ll also link these titles to Amazon if you want to dig deeper. No affiliate income is derived from these links. I probably missed a few books…as I created the list, I thought of more.

LITERARY FICTION:

  • We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter – Heart wrenching, based on the true story about one Polish-Jewish family’s epic struggle to survive the World War II. Compelling from star to finish.
  • YES…I need to expand this section in 2020!

HORROR:

  • Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay – Modern day, sublime version of The Exorcist…and so much more. The end will blow you away.
  • Disappearance at Devil’s Rock by Paul Trembly – Made me scared to get up in the middle of the night…again.
  • The Outsider by Stephen King – King at his best. Read the book and then watch the HBO series. They compliment each other perfectly.
  • The Institute by Stephen King – Loved this one. Had an epic feel. The end will leave you thinking hard for days to come.
  • We Sang In The Dark by Joe Hart – (Not yet released) This one left me afraid of the dark for a while. Joe has a way of doing that with his novels.

THRILLER (Any subgenre):

  • Recursion by Blake Crouch – Mind-blowing. Just get it right now and take this incredible journey.
  • Don’t Make a Sound by T.R. Ragan – (Not yet released) Takes the revenge thriller to the next level in a gritty and chillingly realistic hunt for a killer.
  • Origami Man by Matthew FitzSimmons – (Not yet released) Hard to beat the first four books in the Gibson Vaughn series, but FitzSimmons does it handily. Highly recommend the series!
  • A Gambler’s Jury by Victor Methos – Underdog, scrappy lawyer caught up in vicious conspiracy. Edgar nomination for Best Novel.
  • The Killer’s Wife by Victor Methos – Serial killers and a haunted prosecutor. Twists and turns galore.
  • Pray for the Girl by Joseph Souza – Edgy, tense…will keep you guessing until the end.
  • The Chain by Adrian McKinty – One of the most inventive premises I’ve read in a long time. Unputdownable.
  • Green Sun by Kent Anderson – A hypnotic cop thriller set in early 1980’s Oakland, California. Couldn’t put it down.
  • The Eighth Sister (Charles Jenkins Book 1) by Robert Dugoni – Flawlessly executed espionage novel and white-knuckle journey through the byzantine world of modern intelligence.
  • The Last Agent by Robert Dugoni – (Not yet released) Book 2 in Charles Jenkins series. Knocks it out of the park with a full throttle cat and mouse spy story.
  • The Killer Collective by Barry Eisler – A mashup of Eisler’s most iconic characters in full-tilt covert operations thriller.
  • Dark Tomorrow (Lisa Tanchik Book 2) by Reece Hirsch – (Not yet released) Cyber-espionage and warfare amidst a high stakes federal manhunt for a murderous sleeper agent.
  • The Spider Heist by Jason Kasper – Not your ordinary bank heist book. Not by a long shot. High octane action and twisty plot.
  • The David Rivers Thrillers (Books 1-5) by Jason Kasper – Gritty, brutal, unapologetic action by a former Green Beret. Burned through these books one after another.
  • Murder Board (Boston Crime Thriller Book 1) by Brian Shea – Brian Shea is the real deal. A veteran detective turned thriller author…It truly doesn’t get any better.
  • The Little Drummer Girl by John le Carre – Classic le Carre. Meticulous. Sets the standard.

POST-APOCALYPTIC/DYSTOPIAN/SCI-FI:

  • Bar at the End of the World by Tom Abrahams – Tom takes a killer premise and builds a dystopian world like you’ve never seen before.
  • Winter World (The Long Winter Trilogy Book 1) by A.G. Riddle – Classic A.G. Riddle. End of the world story that takes reader across space and time.
  • Solar War by A.G. Riddle – Book 2 in the Long Winter Trilogy. Riddle does what he does best…pushes the story to unimaginable places.
  • Our War by Craig DiLouie – A second civil war burns out of control across America. Brilliant rendering of a worst case scenario that feels all too real.
  • Sons of War by Nicholas Sansbury Smith – (Not yet released) As always, Smith reboots the post-apocalyptic genre with a unique story of a societal collapse.
  • The Path Between Worlds by Paul Antony Jones – Epic, saga like potential set in a world beyond imagination, but eerily familiar.
  • Forward Collection (short stories by Andy Weir, Blake Crouch, NK Jemisin, Paul Tremblay, Veronica Roth and Amor Towles) – Take your pick…you can’t go wrong with this powerhouse group of authors.
  • The Second Sleep by Robert Harris – Eerie from start to finish. A slow burn, dystopian masterpiece.

NON-FICTION:

  • Red Notice by Bill Browder – A sweeping indictment of Russian corruption and malice. Fast paced, expertly crafted. A must read.
  • Bad Blood by John Carreyrou – Investigative masterpiece chronicling the rise and fall of Theranous, a nebulous and sinister Silicon Valley startup.
  • The Road to Unfreedom by Timothy Snyder – Hard hitting book. “A stunning new chronicle of the rise of authoritarianism from Russia to Europe and America.
  • The Fifth Risk by Michael Lewis – “Masterfully and vividly unspools the consequences if the people given control over our government have no idea how it works.

THE RAID (Ryan Decker 2) is now available

Book 2 in the Ryan Decker series is now available internationally at Amazon (see links below book cover) in ebook, paper and audiobook formats.

A Border Patrol murder exposes a high-level conspiracy in USA Today bestselling author Steven Konkoly’s explosive thriller.

After exposing and dismantling a deep-state conspiracy that nearly destroyed his life, Ryan Decker finds his covert skills have put him on the radar of influential Senator Steele. Now Steele needs his help. Two patrol agents were killed in a bizarre explosion near the US-Mexico border—and the evidence doesn’t line up with the official story.

Enlisted by Steele to run an undercover, off-the-books investigation, Decker and his partner, Harlow, head to the border town of Tecate. But when they’re caught in an ambush, Decker realizes they’ve stumbled onto something far more dangerous than any of them understood.

The cover-up is rooted deep in the Department of Defense itself. Fearful for their own lives and unable to trust anyone outside their small circle of skilled associates, Decker and Harlow set in motion a risky plan to stop a criminal conspiracy.

US AND INTERNATIONAL LINKS BELOW! Available at AMAZON in ebook, hard copy, hard cover and audiobook form.

CLICK HERE FOR THE U.S. STORE

CLICK HERE FOR THE UK STORE

CLICK HERE FOR AUSTRALIA

CLICK HERE FOR CANADA

THE RESCUE (Ryan Decker Book One) — The #1 Thriller on Amazon during March 2019!

WOW! It has been over a year since I last posted here. Crazy that more than a year has passed since the last Steven Konkoly book. I promise I won’t make you wait that long again. That said, I think you’ll find the long wait to have been well worth it.

THE RESCUE has arrived, featuring Ryan Decker, Harlow Mackenzie and a cast of memorable characters that early readers have thoroughly enjoyed. Don’t take my word for it! Over 600 reviews with a 4.6 out of 5 average speak for THE RESCUE.

US AND INTERNATIONAL LINKS BELOW! Available at AMAZON in ebook, hard copy, hard cover and audiobook form.

CLICK HERE FOR THE U.S. STORE

CLICK HERE FOR THE UK STORE

CLICK HERE FOR AUSTRALIA

CLICK HERE FOR CANADA


THE ZULU VIRUS CHRONICLES PRIMER

WITH LESS THAN TWO MONTHS BEFORE THE PROJECTED RELEASE IN LATE JUNE…I figured it was time to give give you more than just a few teasers about HOT ZONE, book one in The Zulu Virus Chronicles.

Before I go crazy here, I want to highlight an opportunity to be an integral part of the The Zulu Virus Chronicles launch. I plan to provide advanced reader copies (ARCs) of HOT ZONE (and all future books in this series) to a sizable group of readers. I can’t include everyone in this, but for those of you that would be willing to read a free copy of the books ahead of the launch, and possibly share your opinion of the book with the pubic, I will consider you a candidate. I will also form a members only group on Facebook, where we can “hang out,” and I can pass news, launch material and get your opinion on aspects of the story. You don’t have to be on Facebook to be part of this group. If you’re interested in doing this, send me an email at freebooks@striblingmedia.com OR message me directly at my author page on Facebook by CLICKING HERE.  

NOW FOR THE FUN STUFF. What exactly can you expect from The Zulu Virus Chronicles?

Fans of my Black Flagged books will be somewhat familiar with the Zulu Virus, which has been featured in that series. The Zulu Virus Chronicles, however, takes place in a world mostly separate from the Black Flagged series. An alternate reality, so to speak. Black Flagged readers will catch a few “Easter eggs,” but The Zulu Virus Chronicles is a post-apocalyptic thriller saga, with a strong hint of political/government conspiracy. The setting is current day, in a Midwest city—Indianapolis. Much of the action takes place within a thirty minute drive of my house. I’ve driven the routes. Walked the streets. Shopped in the same stores. Visited the locations. I kind of feel bad inflicting this disaster on my new hometown, but it’s what I do. Scarborough, Maine was never the same after The Jakarta Pandemic. I just hope my new neighbors don’t think I’m crazy…too.

With that said, here’s the cover and blurb for HOT ZONE, BOOK ONE. After the blurb, you’ll find several sample chapters, which will introduce you to all of the main characters, and hopefully scare the $#@! out of you. Keep in mind. The weaponized virus you’ll meet in these chapters was not my idea. Minds far more disturbed thought of this first. I just hope they never successfully create and deploy it.

By the pricking of my thumbs,

Something wicked this way comes.

-William Shakespeare’s Macbeth-

SOMETHING INSIDIOUS HAS EMERGED—RIGHT IN THE HEARTLAND OF OUR NATION.

Dr. Lauren Hale, a hospital resident, is nearly killed by a raving mad emergency room patient, in a senseless, unprovoked attack.

Officer David Olson, veteran cop and former Marine, returns from a father-son camping trip to discover that his ex-wife has vanished under bizarre circumstances, and his police department is on the verge of collapse.

Jack and Emma Harper, a young upwardly mobile couple, find their cozy, city neighborhood rapidly descending into madness.

Dr. Eugene Chang, a research scientist for major pharmaceutical company, makes a shocking discovery that might explain the rapidly spreading wave of illness and violence gripping the city.

Eric Larsen, leader of a top-secret, rapid-response unit, circles high above Indianapolis, in an unmarked military transport. Mission still unknown, his team waits to parachute into the night.

WITHIN FORTY-EIGHT HOURS, ALL OF THEIR WORLDS WILL COLLIDE, driving them to join forces to survive the living nightmare that has been unleashed on their city—AND THE NATION.

WELCOME TO THE HOT ZONE!



SAMPLE CHAPTERS BELOW. Keep in mind, these have not been professionally edited. This is a raw, sneak peek into HOT ZONE.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD SAMPLE CHAPTERS IN WORD FORMAT

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD SAMPLE CHAPTERS IN PDF FORMAT

 

MAY DEALS

THE DEALS AND NEW RELEASES KEEP ON COMING! I’ll keep this short, in bullet format, because my wife informed me that I have a tendency to ramble…and she’s the boss.

1.) Both novels in my Fractured State series (near future covert operations and conspiracy thriller) have been discounted by my publisher to $1.99. They aren’t free, but at $1.99 each, you’re looking at a 75% discount for the series. Click the images below to grab a copy from the U.S. Amazon store. Sorry, but the deal is not available outside of the U.S.

 

 

 

 

2.) Long time good friend and fellow author, Lee West, just released Resist and Evade, sequel to the smash hit, Survive and Escape. Lee’s Blue Lives Apocalypse Series focuses on the police response during a widespread EMP event; a unique twist in an overworked genre. At my recommendation, Lee keeps the series at a very affordable $2.99 each. Trust me. These books are a steal at the price. Check out this series if you’re looking for something new in the post-apocalyptic genre. CLICK ON THE IMAGES for the U.S. Amazon Store.

 

 

 

 

 

3.) Bestselling author and good friend, Nicholas Sansbury Smith, has taken the post-apocalyptic genre by storm with his TRACKERS series. Nick rocked the military post-apocalyptic thriller world with his EXTINCTION CYCLE series, bringing that same expertise to the TRACKERS books. THE HUNTED, book 2 in the series hits the shelves (ebook and paper) on May 4. THE STORM, book 3, comes in October 2017. This is a very reasonably priced, rock-solid series of books. The first book is $2.99, a complete steal for this USA Today Bestselling author. CLICK ON THE IMAGES for the U.S. Amazon Store. You can also follow Nick through his newsletter by CLICKING HERE.

 

 

 

 

 

4.) Later this week, I’m going to reveal the full premise of my upcoming series, THE ZULU VIRUS CHRONICLES, to include a few initial chapters. I’m beyond excited about this series—the first book will be available in June 2017.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED READERSHIP AND SUPPORT!

 

A CONSPIRACY COME FULL CIRCLE—THE BLACK FLAGGED LEGACY AND BEYOND

***Post-apocalyptic fans will find some VERY exciting news at the end of this post (new series), so keep reading. Warning: Spoilers ahead if you haven’t read the Black Flagged series***

I’ve led readers on a wild ride through the Black Flagged series, most of that ride centered around a particularly nasty, weaponized virus created by Dr. Anatoly Reznikov, a devilishly unhinged, former employee of the Russian Federation’s State Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology (VECTOR Institute).

REDUX (Book 2) followed Dr. Reznikov to Monchegorsk, Russia, where he infected a city of 60,000 inhabitants with the ZULU Virus—in a twisted revenge plot against the Russian government. Readers saw first hand what can happen to a populated area hit with the virus.

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APEX (Book 3) brought the ZULU Virus to the United States, where it was snatched from the hands of Al Qaeda, by a sophisticated domestic terrorist group that had orchestrated the creation and delivery of the virus from the very start.

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VEKTOR (Book 4) extinguished the bioweapons threat created by Dr. Reznikov, along with the illegal bioweapons research program at the Vector Institute—ALMOST.

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OMEGA (Book 5) brings Dr. Reznikov and his designer viruses back into the spotlight, amidst political turmoil in the United States and a blossoming conspiracy.

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VORTEX (Book 6)—TO BE RELEASED IN 2017 OR EARLY 2018—will marry Dr. Reznikov’s lethal creations to the ultimate conspiracy against the United States.

Excited yet! I am. The conspiracy introduced in REDUX (Book 2) will come full circle in VORTEX (Book 6), which I promise will be unlike anything you’ve read before. I know, that’s a tall order.



Why should post-apocalyptic readers and fans be excited by all of this?

Think The Jakarta Pandemic meets The Perseid Collapse, with a hint of conspiracy. Still not convinced?

CLICK HERE (PDF) to read a few of the hard core post-apocalyptic chapters from Black Flagged Redux to get a taste of what’s to come. This series will not be directly linked to the current Black Flagged books. It is a standalone, post-apocalyptic series based on a worst-case scenario release of the ZULU Virus in the United States.

virus-imageWHAT IS THE ZULU VIRUS? Check out the description of the virus taken directly from the Black Flagged novels. 

“A weaponized form of herpes simplex encephalitis, genetically modified to aggressively attack the brain’s temporal lobe. Left untreated, herpes simplex encephalitis has a high fatality rate. Near seventy percent. Treated aggressively, we can reduce this to thirty percent.”

“If the Zulu virus is released into a public water source, containment of the disease itself will not be our biggest challenge. Physical containment of the impacted community and the management of information will be your biggest priority. Weaponized encephalitis is the ultimate biological weapon.”

“Herpes simplex encephalitis does more than produce casualties…In those treated aggressively, less than three percent regain normal brain function. This can vary from very mild to severe impairment, depending upon several factors. Early treatment with high dose, intravenous acyclovir is the only modifiable factor scientists have identified.”

“If released in a municipal water supply, unknown to the population, it has the potential to affect nearly everyone. Take a small town of twenty thousand people. Even if we discovered the attack immediately after the virus circulated through the drinking water and treated everyone in the town with acyclovir, 95% of them will suffer neurological impairment at varying levels. 19,000 citizens. Neurological impairment will range from full homicidal rage and hyper-aggressive behavior to minor seizures. Brain damage in almost every case.”

Media Report regarding situation in Monchegorsk, Russian Federation taken from Black Flagged Apex—IMAGINE THE SAME REPORT COMING OUT OF INDIANAPOLIS.

“Confirmed news from the area is scarce, but persistent rumors of a deadly epidemic continue to surface. So far, nobody has been able to confirm the shocking and unbelievable footage sent anonymously to Reuters, suggesting that the Russian military is systematically destroying the city and killing its inhabitants. Russian officials have made no comment. One thing is for certain, the Russian government has taken extraordinary measures to seal off the area surrounding Monchegorsk. What is truly frightening is the fact that the world hasn’t seen an emergency government response on this scale from the Russian government since Chernobyl.”

MORE NEWS ABOUT THIS SERIES TO COME! Enjoy this cover reveal. 

THREE YEARS LATER—HOW DO YOU REIGNITE A SERIES?

WITH A BIGGER CONSPIRACY, AND A COMPLETE SHAKE-UP

 

1543-steven-konkoly-omega_2OMEGA: A BLACK FLAGGED THRILLER (Book 5) redefines the characters, organizations and all of the relationships readers have come to known in the Black Flagged series. At the same time, OMEGA introduces a blistering conspiracy perpetrated at the highest levels of power.

VORTEX: A BLACK FLAGGED THRILLER (Book 6—COMING IN 2018) will unleash a disturbingly familiar, but entirely reimagined conspiracy to the American people.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER TODAY AND GET IT TONIGHT AT MIDNIGHT!

“A joint U.S.- Russian Special Forces raid against a hidden laboratory yields an alarming discovery. Anatoly Reznikov, the deranged bioweapons scientist stolen from U.S. custody a few years earlier, vanished minutes before the attack—taking his deadly work with him.

In the United States, Beltway power brokers grapple withTrue America’s surprise presidential win, finding the new administration to be anything but easy to work with. Karl Berg, demoted within the CIA due to the sudden shift in agency leadership, seeks to stay out of trouble, and retire quietly—a task he finds impossible when news of Reznikov’s near-capture unofficially reaches his desk.

Oblivious to the growing threats domestic and abroad, Daniel and Jessica Petrovich finalize their plan to abandon the “Black Flag” business for good, only to have it delayed by close-hitting news. A last minute trip to the United States drags them closer to an unfolding plot in the heart of Washington D.C.

A plot connected to everyone and everything the Petrovich’s have touched. A diabolical conspiracy none of them saw coming—AND ONLY ONE GROUP CAN STOP!”

 

 

 

Behind the Scenes of the Fractured State Series: Part Five—THE UNFOLDING BATTLE OVER WATER

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For those of you who’ve read FRACTURED STATE, you’ve probably guessed that the key conflict of the series revolves around WATER. While the public faces of the One Nation Coalition (anti-secessionists) and the California Liberation Movement (secessionists) fight over the fate of California and the disposition of its natural and man-made resources in Fractured State, a game changing plot has been set in motion that will be exposed in ROGUE STATE. A plot that could potentially undermine the billions of dollars invested by One Nation Coalition supporters to ensure the future of the profits in the Golden State. 

Nathan Fisher’s family, along with David Quinn find themselves at the very heart of a second conspiracy aimed at virtually guaranteeing California’s secession from the United States. I don’t want to give too much away, but I’ll leave you with a few clues.

1.) The image below shows a recent picture of Lake Mead, on the reservoir side of the Hoover Dam. The light colored rock represents the water level several years ago. The drop over the last decade has been drastic, unlike anything seen since the dam’s construction. The continuing drought has dropped the water level of Lake Mead to critical levels. In the 2035 world of Fractured State, the level would be at least four to five times lower,  at the point where water trickles downriver. At that level, no water can be pumped to Las Vegas, or diverted to Arizona. The electrical power plant run by the flowing water has been decommissioned. California receives little to no water from a source that had once provided most of Southern California’s water supply.

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2.) In 2035, the only peaceful way to restore the Colorado River flow would be to either convince multi-billionaire agriculture barons in the Great Plains to stop illegally diverting water, the only way for them to currently water their crops, OR, to convince the U.S. government to stop the illegal redirection of water from the Colorado River. Southwestern states have pursued both options for nearly two decades, but nothing has changed.

3.) Another option exists. Rivers flow naturally, unless they’re obstructed. You can probably guess the rest.

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If you’re interested in digging deeper into the politics,history and controversies surrounding the Colorado River Basin and other major fresh water sources, you can explore this links:

Overview of the Colorado River Basin

The disappearance of ground water throughout the world

Lake Powell slowly vanishing

Lake Mead sinks to record lows

$650 million pump station constructed to draw water from lowest levels of Lake Mead

California continues to draw from Lake Mead water bank despite record low levels

Spoiler article for Book 3. Read the entire article. 

Draining of the Ogallala Aquifer, the largest source of fresh water in the Great Plains.

Speculative article about what happens if the Colorado is denied to California

Dust Bowl days are here again.

Return of the Dust Bowl.

CLICK HERE TO GRAB A COPY OF ROGUE STATE 

Read Behind the Scenes PART 1, PART 2, PART 3 and PART 4

 

 

Behind the Scenes of the Fractured State Series: Part Four—WHAT’S NEW IN ROGUE STATE?

If you missed them, read Part One, Part Two and Part Three of Behind the Scenes of the Fractured State series!

Konkoly-RogueState-21878-CV-FL-V1With the launch of ROGUE STATE (Book 2 in the Fractured State Series) a few days away, I wanted to give readers and fans a look behind the curtains of the upcoming release. I thought I’d go with a TOP TEN list, because it’s early and I don’t have to come up with clever seaways between paragraphs. I have a 10 hour writing day ahead of me, so bear with this streamlined process. What this really means is that 1.) I haven’t had enough coffee yet. AND 2.) I’m getting a little lazier, truth be told.

HERE’S WHAT READERS CAN EXPECT ON JANUARY 10th!

predator-invisible-camo1.) Adaptive Camouflage: Sometimes called “active camouflage,” this fledgling technology today will be fully developed and available to the military and highest bidder in the 2035 world created for Rogue State. You can imagine the tactical benefits of rendering a vehicle or operative invisible to the naked eye or infrared detection. Check out a few links describing today’s efforts to harness this technology. The image to the right is from the movie Predator, I couldn’t resist…the ultimate in adaptive camouflage.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/animals/a11105/behold-the-octopus-inspired-adaptive-camouflage-17108661/

http://www.military.com/video/logistics-and-supplies/military-equipment/new-hi-tech-adaptiv-camo-system/2450498175001

http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2011-01/active-camouflage-system-uses-e-ink-make-tanks-invisible-battlefield

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3072599/US-Army-developing-invisibility-suit-soldiers-say-begin-trials-just-18-months.html

rifle-camera2.) Rifle mounted, goggle integrated cameras: This isn’t exactly something new, but it isn’t routinely fielded today. I got the idea from playing Call of Duty and did some research. Like anything that might provide the modern day field operative or soldier an advantage, companies are putting consider time and money into development. Consider the benefit of being able to stick your rifle around a corner, see a target and shoot it.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2649051/The-app-lets-shoot-round-corners-Smart-rifle-uses-Google-glass-sight.html

https://defensesystems.com/articles/2016/10/31/wireless.aspx

face_recognition_fr_pic33.) Facial Recognition Software is widely, publicly and openly used by law enforcement and government agencies in 2035. A few states have declared it unconstitutional and prohibit the use of FRS technology. This isn’t new either, but as far as we know, proactive, wide scale use by the government hasn’t been implemented yet—OR HAS IT?  Here’s a quick paragraph from Rogue State describing the problem.

“Federal law enforcement agencies devoted significant funding to co-opting municipal and state FRS feeds, posing a significant detection risk. The Department of Homeland Security maintained a massive persons-of-interest FRS database, reportedly tracking the real-time movements of nearly a million people.”

http://www.forbes.com/sites/kalevleetaru/2016/10/20/from-cellphone-tracking-to-facial-recognition-minority-report-is-here/#25840ce6742a

4.) Most of  Texas, the American Southwest and the western half of the lower breadbasket states have become the New Dust Bowl, an area ravaged by drought severe weather patterns. Massive dust storms and firestorms have driven most of the population, in the worst hit areas (Arizona, New Mexico and west Texas) away permanently.

mexi35.) Taking advantage of the population resettlement, drug cartels from Mexico have seized control of most of Arizona and New Mexico. The U.S.-Mexico border no longer exists as a barrier in those areas, and fierce battles rage between well equipped cartel soldiers and National Guard units in key border cities along the Texas border. It’s fair to say that the State Department has issued a travel advisory to Americans thinking about vacationing in Mexico. Much of Rogue State takes place a few miles south of the border or in these lawless U.S. areas.

6.) Social Media Network monitoring provides real time crime and terrorist information for law enforcement agencies and our government. Once again, this isn’t something I imagined. It’s happening today—I just took it to a new level in Rogue State.

http://www.thenewamerican.com/tech/computers/item/7248-fbi-pursues-social-media-surveillance-to-gather-intelligence

https://it.ojp.gov/documents/roleoffusioncentersincounteringviolentextremism_compliant.pdf

i-qyrtdrhisa7.) Mercenaries used by corporations to achieve their “goals.” You already got a good taste of this in Fractured State. CERBERUS is essentially a high-end mercenary outfit retained by corporations to safeguard their financial interests—or create new ones. In Rogue State, you’ll meet a slightly less refined group of mercenaries, comprised of former Russian Special Forces (GRU) operators. They specialize in murder and mayhem, which will unfold spectacularly and gruesomely.

https://informnapalm.org/en/russian-private-military-companies-as-licensed-tool-of-terror/

8.) New Characters: Sounds kind of boring, but trust me, you’ll like some of the new faces that appear in Rogue State. David Quinn’s father, Stuart Quinn plays a key role, along with David’s brother in-law, Blake. The Russian mercenary commander, Chukov, won’t fail to make an impression. He’s a piece of work, and was a pleasure to write. Nissie Keane, a hacker employed by CERBERUS will play an important role in Rogue State and future books (spoiler). Finally, readers will get to know Jose (Nathan and company’s mysterious savior from book one) very well, along with some of his most trusted California Liberation Movement operatives.

9.) Fracking: And not the kind from the rebooted Battlestar Galactica show. I won’t say much about this, because it would be a big spoiler for the rest of the series. Let’s just say that CERBERUS isn’t looking for oil in the California desert.

shutterstock_12301414310.) A Bigger Plot Unfolds: I’ll talk more about this in the fifth Behind The Scenes article, but it will become clear to Nathan Fisher and David Quinn that the California Liberation Movement is far more than what it seems to the public. They’ll face a tough decision when confronted with the full scope of Jose’s plan.

Click here to order ROGUE STATE TODAY for $4.99 and grab FRACTURED STATE for $1.99. 

Check out Part One, Part Two, Part Three and Part Five of Behind the Scenes of the Fractured State series!

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2016 YEAR IN REVIEW (Part Two): Thriller reads

(Click here for Part One-Post Apocalyptic and Dystopian novels)

If you’re read this in the other post, go ahead and skip this paragraph. Instead of the traditional “end of the year review” about what I’ve accomplished as a writer, I wanted to highlight something different this year. What I accomplished as a reader. 2016 was without a doubt my best year as an author from every angle, but it was also one of the best years I can remember as a reader.

2016 introduced me to new writers and firmly solidified my commitment to some of my previous favorites. Below you’ll find my 2016 THRILLER reading list, in no particular order. This is not an all encompassing list by any means. I’ll probably add to the list as the days go forward. It’s also worth mentioning that you should strongly consider checking out the backlists and earlier in series books for ALL of these authors. 

Poisonfeather by Matthew Fitzsimmons

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Dark Matter by Blake Crouch 

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Embrace the Fire by Stephen England

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The Last Girl by Joe Hart

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First to Kill by Andrew Peterson

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The God’s Eye View by Barry Eisler

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Pushing Brilliance by Tim Tigner

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Furious by T.R. Ragan

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Need to Find You by Joseph Souza

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Written in Fire by Marcus Sakey

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Once Was Lost by Matt Iden

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Captive in Chief by Murray McDonald

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Jihadi Apprentice by David Bruns and J.R. Olson

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The Eagle Has Landed by Jack Higgins

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Rules for Revenge by Ian Graham

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Cold Blood by Alex Shaw

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2016 YEAR IN REVIEW (Part One): Post Apocalyptic and Dystopian reads

(Click here for Part Two-Thrillers if post-apocalyptic/dystopian isn’t your kind of story)

Instead of the traditional “end of the year review” about what I’ve accomplished as a writer, I wanted to highlight something different this year. What I accomplished as a reader. 2016 was without a doubt my best year as an author from every angle, but it was also one of the best years I can remember as a reader.

2016 brought some exciting new names to the POST APOCALYPTIC and DYSTOPIAN genres, in addition to plenty of releases from the “tried and true” PA authors of the past several years. Below you’ll find my 2016 reading list, in no particular order. Some of the books are first in a new series. Some are a 5th or 6th in a series. Each author is worth checking out in full! Many have written multiple series. I hope you get as much entertainment out of these as I did.

Survive and Escape by Lee West

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Trackers by Nicholas Sansbury Smith

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Surrender the Sun by A.R Shaw

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Spaceman by Tom Abrahams

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Push Back by R.E. McDermott

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Blood Honor by Russell Blake

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Unexpected World by Chris Pike

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Devil Dog by Boyd Craven

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Canine Plague by Burt Walker

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Cry Havoc by Angery American

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Locker Nine by Franklin Horton

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Hell Divers by Nicholas Sansbury Smith

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Trial by Murray McDonald

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Razor’s Edge by G. Michael Hopf

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Gavin’s Woman 

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99 CENT CHARITY BOXSETS for the holidays!

UPDATE 12/14/16: The THRILLER THIRTEEN boxset raised close to $4,000 for the International Justice Mission. A HUGE THANK YOU to the thousands of readers that supported this cause, and grabbed a great compilation of stories. On top of that, the boxset hit the USA Today Bestseller List! See below:

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SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE HERE! Each boxset on sale for 99 CENTS! The best part? One of my stories is included in each set! Already read my books? No worries. You’ll find novels and novellas by some of the top authors out there.

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UPDATE 12/11/16: THIS BOXSET IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE FOR THE LIMITED TIME OFFER OF 99 CENTS. 

THRILLER THIRTEEN  features novellas and short stories by bestselling authors in thriller, mystery and crime. All proceeds go to the International Justice Mission, an organization dedicated to fighting human slavery and trafficking around the globe. You’ll find ORIGINS: A Black Flagged Short Story in this boxset, which takes readers back to Daniel Petrovich’s early years as a Black Flagged operative. It’s a gritty, brutal look at Daniel’s undercover mission to infiltrate a Serbian paramilitary group during Slobodan Milosevic’s reign of terror in Yugoslavia.

 

KILLS, CHILLS AND THRILLS features a “first in a series novel” from seven bestselling authors that spawned fan-fiction Kindle Worlds. Proceeds will go to Read Aloud America, an organization dedicated to promoting family literacy in the United States. I have contributed The Perseid Collapse to the boxset; a book that has spawned 35 fan-fiction stories set in that post-apocalyptic world. The fan-fiction worlds created by seven authors featured in the boxset have inspired more than 200 stories set in those worlds.

POST ELECTION DAY MADNESS SALE

Update: Due to a small mistake, the deal for The Perseid Collapse books will commence in the UK on Nov 11. I can’t offer the discount on The Jakarta Pandemic in the UK at this time.

Because a relaxing book about SOCIETAL COLLAPSE is just what the doctor ordered after this election. I don’t know about you, but I’m SO GLAD it’s over. 

ALL OF MY POST-APOCALYPTIC BOOKS ARE DEEPLY DISCOUNTED FOR A LIMITED TIME. 

—You can grab THE JAKARTA PANDEMIC  for FREE if you’re a member of Amazon Prime or Kindle Unlimited, if not, it’s half price at $2.99. CLICK HERE FOR THE JAKARTA PANDEMIC

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THE PERSEID COLLAPSE books are $1.99 or less—EACH. OR, you can grab the entire series for less than $7. CHECK OUT THE PERSEID COLLAPSE BOOKS

Book One

Book Two

Book Three

Book Four

 

Behind the Scenes of THE FRACTURED STATE SERIES: PART 2

Fractured State coverBuilding the greater world surrounding THE FRACTURED STATE SERIES was a serious blast, but inventing the details of a near-future world was the proverbial “icing on the cake.” This is the kind of stuff I live for as a writer, and Fractured State was a fertile playground for these details. That said, it wasn’t easy.

Set 20 years in the future, I found myself walking a thin line between advancing technology far enough to create a “wow factor” and keeping it familiar enough to the reader. The last thing I wanted to do was create a new vocabulary for readers.

Here’s a fantastic example of that struggle, with a slightly disappointing ending. What do you call a cell phone/smart phone 20 years from now? The answer isn’t simple, or is it? I got a crazy idea during the developmental edit, based on a suggestion from my developmental editor (I blame David!), to replace every instance of smartphone with the term LINK. We’d discussed the technology upgrades evident in the manuscript and agreed that the device served as more of a communications link, but we couldn’t call it a COMLINK. That term had been coined by the Star Wars franchise years ago, and it didn’t sound right, anyway.

But what about LINK? That’s simple, catchy…hey, 20 years from now, people might be looking back at Fractured State and saying, Steven Konkoly used the term first, now everyone calls their phone a LINK. Communications companies will be paying me billions to license the term…it sounded fantastic, until it didn’t. Actually, it was my editor at Thomas and Mercer that essentially said something to the effect of, “I don’t know. It’s cool and all, but forcing readers to use the word LINK instead of phone throughout the story might get a little annoying.” Too kitschy, so I dropped LINK and went back to phone or satphone. Lesson learned. The device had more bells and whistles, but it essentially did the same thing it does today…let’s you talk to people. Why complicate matters?

But one creative disappointment can’t ruin the creative process for me. NOT EVEN CLOSE. That was ONE device out of hundreds used in the novel, and I had a ton of fun with the rest. Too much fun, probably.

mq-9-reaper_001-ts600If you’ve read any of my books, you probably can guess that I like weapons. From knives to attack helicopters, I don’t shy away from the details, and I like my characters to make the best use of the weaponry available to them. Fractured State gave me the unique opportunity to take systems currently in development, and imagine them in widespread use 20 years from now. Every firearm is more compact and versatile, ammunition is far more lethal, heavy duty weapons systems normally employed by armies are now available to mercenary groups, and the effectiveness of personal protective equipment has increased to counter this new lethality. Take a look at the following links, along with a brief explanation of how I chose to employ that technology in Fractured State.

Guided sniper munitions – Used by assassins in a coordinated attack against a politician at his reinforced mansion. The effect is rather gruesome, as you can imagine.

ge5mcdjxhbxj9sfxla38Color night vision technology – I call it synthetic daylight…heard it here first! This actually presented a bit of a challenge, since describing what the characters see through these goggles is no different than what they’d see in the daylight. At times, my developmental editor couldn’t remember if it was night or day. To remedy this, I added some additional features to the goggle’s display, which measured light intensity and could tell the wearer how dark it was outside.

Liquid gel body armor – This has so much promise for the future in my opinion. Form fitting and reactive, liquid gel body armor can potentially stop any type of munition, evenly spreading the brunt force of the impact to reduce internal injuries commonly seen with solid plate armor.

Dragonskin armor – Recently rejected by the U.S. Army, I see a future for this type of armor. Lighter, shape conforming and effective against armor piercing ammunition…I could see this as standard issue.

Rifle launched missiles – I don’t actually use these in the books, but damn if this isn’t cool.

xm25Smart grenade launchers – I take this one step further, and apply the same range finding automation to an automatic grenade launcher system. The effects are spectacularly devastating…and messy of course.

Hand launched surveillance drones – Nothing new about the Raven, except the newer versions can fly longer and transmit more data. Putting two of these in the air, one of the teams in the book finds a “needle in a haystack.”

See through wall radar and imaging devices – Can you imagine looking at a 3-Dimensional schematic of a building and seeing a live image of everyone inside? It’s not really possible today, but in 2035…

Bullet resistant glass (nothing new, but this video is COOL) – I find some creative uses for glass like this in the series…in ways you might not expect.

Missile firing drones – Over U.S. airspace? You bet, especially when operated by Cerberus International…and to make matters worse, the drones are mostly undetectable.

Active or adaptive camouflage – Can you turn a vehicle invisible? With enough money and 20 years of research and development. Why not?

Converting seawater to energy – This method is energy intensive, but when co-located with a nuclear power plant?

Desalination plants – Reality today, and critical to survival in a drought parched future.

This is a very short list of some of the types of technology upgrades found in Fractured State, and this is just the tip of the iceberg. Everything is slightly reimagined in this series, from sinks that recycle water for rinsing to mandatory  GPS tracking systems installed on every vehicle to measure fuel efficiency and restrict movement. Life has changed…it’s up to the reader to decide if the change is for better or worse.

PREORDER FRACTURED STATE

READ Behind the Scenes Part One, Part Three, Part Four and Part Five

Behind the Scenes of THE FRACTURED STATE SERIES: PART ONE

Fractured State coverWith the release of FRACTURED STATE less than a month away, I thought I’d give readers and fans a look behind the scenes at the creation of the near future, dystopian world supporting the story. As most of you know, I spend a considerable amount of time envisioning and creating the worlds behind my fiction. The process is time consuming, and if left unchecked, can take on a life of its own. I know this from experience. When I started to create the world for my first novel, The Jakarta Pandemic, I reached a point, long into the early stages of development, where I asked myself: “When are you going to actually start writing the story?” I didn’t have an answer, which in itself was my answer. It was time to quit researching the world, describing characters on notepads, creating maps, developing timelines—AND TIME TO GET DOWN TO BUSINESS. I had spent months world building, when I could and should have been writing.

With that lesson SORT OF learned—a few times, I’ve developed a rough world-building process that gets me started and keeps me on the right track.

IMG_13421.) Creating a world to support a series requires me to create a ALTERNATE HISTORY, or in the case of Fractured State, a FUTURE set 20 years from today. Either way, I start out with a TIMELINE OF EVENTS. This is outside of the story plot. For the Fractured State series, I started in 2016 and envisioned the world, national, state and personal-level events that would land the reader on page one. As you can see, this sheet has endured coffee and beer stains, many on-the-fly changes and an accidental “throw away” since I created it in early 2015. It rarely leaves my side while I’m writing.

2.) For the kind of deep background and expansive geographical reach involved in writing a series like Fractured State, I find the use of MAPS to be invaluable. I create them throughout the entire process, starting with big picture world building maps down to individual scene orientation maps. Every complex, action oriented scene likely originated with a sketch.

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First map created

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Map of California’s present and future energy sites

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Motel scene in Rogue State (Book 2)…little spoiler.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.) Whether based in the past, present or future, I also create lists and descriptions of the organizations involved in the story. Past and present is easy…a few clicks on Google and you have a nice organizational chart of the CIA. Future requires a little more work. In Fractured State, I envisioned San Diego County as an entity that effectively absorbed every municipality throughout the current county, providing town administration, resource management, leadership and police functions for the entire geography. San Diego County Police Department (SDCPD) officers patrol the streets of Chula Vista, CA, south of San Diego, just he same as the streets of Carlsbad, CA—40 miles away.

In Fractured State, Nathan Fisher, the story’s main character, works as a water reclamation engineer at the San Diego Water Reclamation Authority, an entity that does not exist today. Since water reclamation is a critical part of Californian’s lives in my story, I gave it an organization separate, but subordinate to the existing Water Authority. Of course, in the resource stressed world of Fractured State, both authorities serve under the San Diego County Resource Authority. Yeah, I have fun with this stuff. Sorry to put you to sleep!

4.) Throughout the creation of the TIMELINE, MAPS and boring ORGANIZATIONS, I’m constantly researching topics related to the big picture to generate new ideas, validate previously envisioned plot points or expand the story.

lake meadFor Fractured State, I spent a lot of time studying WATER sources in California, the rest of the southwest and the Great Plains. While the events in my story are purely fictional, the historic, ongoing drought in California and the U.S. Southwest is REAL. Frighteningly real. California’s current drought started me on the path to writing this series. The more I researched, the more I knew I had the background for an incredible story. What if the drought continued for another 20 years like many climatologists agree is possible? AND what if the effects of the drought were intensified by corrupt group of greedy industrialists and enforced by a ruthless mercenary army on their payroll? Secession? Mayhem? All of the above.

Check out some of the original bookmarked links that I used to get a feel for the drought issues facing California and the nation. It’s scary stuff. All of it. I just listed them as LINK. Click on any or all to give yourself a fright.

LINK, LINK, LINK, LINK, LINK, LINK, LINK, LINK, LINK, LINK, LINK.

ORDER FRACTURED STATE TODAY!

READ BEHIND THE SCENES PART 2, PART 3, PART 4 and PART 5

Introducing FRACTURED STATE

Fractured State coverI’m so excited to get this book into your hands, I barely know where to start. Seriously, I’ve been staring at the same few sentences for the past ten minutes. I’ll make this easy on both of us, and start with an emotionally charged statement.

Fans of my previous novels will absolutely love this book! I know that’s a bold claim, but I really believe it. Fractured State brings the best of the Black Flagged and Perseid Collapse books to life in a fast paced, stylish thriller series. At its very core, Fractured State is a story about an innocent family—inadvertently dragged into the middle of a lethal struggle to determine California’s fate.

I’m going to vastly over simplify the story here, but picture Alex Fletcher and his family ruthlessly pursued through a near future, dystopian southern California, by a Black Flagged-like group with unlimited resources and an unquenchable thirst for murder. Unlike Alex, the new main character, Nathan Fisher, doesn’t have the hard skills required to keep his family alive against professional killers. He’s crafty—the son of a retired Marine Sergeant Major—but he’s in way over his head in Fractured State. Nathan gets help from an unlikely source—a Marine officer thrust into the situation by chance. Together, they fight to stay one step ahead of the shadowy group’s relentless efforts to silence the Fishers. You’re going to love these characters just as much as the story.

PREORDER FRACTURED STATE NOW! (That’s just a suggestion)

For those of you thinking — “Wow, Steve couldn’t describe one of his books to save his own life!” Here is the official description for Fractured State.

“In 2035, the southwestern United States is ravaged by drought, reeling from an environmental catastrophe that has left the landscape a chaotic, depleted ruin. California, still viably inhabitable due to its oppressive social controls, marshals state-of-the-art surveillance technology and totalitarian policies to preserve its fragile hold on rapidly dwindling resources and an increasingly unsettled population.

After a prominent California congresswoman is assassinated for her support of the state’s secession from the United States, Nathan Fisher—accidental witness to a clandestine military-style operation—is drawn into an unraveling conspiracy that reaches the highest levels of power and threatens the lives of Fisher and his family.

Hunted by ruthless killers seeking to ensure his silence, suspected by the authorities, and aided only by a loyal Marine officer with a mysterious agenda, Fisher and his loved ones must somehow stay a step ahead of their relentless pursuers, navigating a ruined world in a desperate search for sanctuary.”

PREORDER TODAY!

Author Spotlight and Cover Reveal: Alex Shaw

The Perseid Collapse Series Kindle World

Author Spotlight and Cover Reveal: Alex Shaw

Alex Shaw An international thriller/covert ops writer by trade, Alex and I have a lot of common ground outside of the post-apocalyptic genre. Like many of the authors writing in the Perseid World, he broke onto the scene with rapid fire, timeline driven thrillers. Hetman, his first novel, received critical acclaim in the UK and has been translated into several languages. Follow up novels featuring Alex’s signature protagonist, Aidan Snow, include Cold Black and Cold Blood. 

Alex  spent many of his earlier years in the Ukraine, teaching and business consulting out of Kyiv. Currently, he splits his time between family in the UK and business development opportunities throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa. When I first spoke with Alex, I was particularly intrigued by his character, Aidan Snow, a former SAS trooper living in Kyiv. Coincidence? Write what you know? I’ll quit speculating now, before I get in trouble. 😉

cover 3 cyanReaders are in for a treat with BLACKLINE. He’s remained quiet about the plot, but I have learned that novella features an SAS trooper “on holiday” in Maine…during August 2019. I know—Bad timing. As you probably guessed, this won’t be a story about sitting around a dark hotel room, parsing food and hoping the lights come on. An unruly group of tourists, with thick Russian accents, has taken residence nearby, and their presence in Maine, on the cusp of the “event,” is not likely a coincidence.

Check out Alex’s website. 

Welcome to The Perseid Collapse Series Kindle World!

1161 Steve Konkoly PERSEID banner

Have you heard about this Kindle Worlds thing? 🙂 I can’t imagine you’ve missed the news at this point. Instead of re-announcing the entire Perseid Collapse Series Kindle World, I thought I would give you some links and a round of basic information.

You will find NINE novellas HERE, with links to Amazon.  Up to TWENTY (total) will be available by mid-March, and that number has been rising weekly. Make sure to check back frequently to catch the latest addition.

Read about the authors HERE, and don’t hesitate to visit their websites. I know you’re going to like what you read in the Perseid Collapse Kindle World, and that you’ll enjoy their wide range of novels. Who knows, you may pick up a new favorite author. My feelings will not be hurt. 😉

Want to write in The Perseid Collapse Kindle World? Seriously. This isn’t restricted to published authors. Kindle Worlds is a form of fan-fiction, with a twist. You get to use characters, elements, plots and the settings found in the original world…and get paid for it. Not a bad deal. If you found yourself reading the Perseid Books, wondering how you would have survived in the post “event” world? Maybe plotting it in your head? Guess what, YOU HAVE A STORY.

START HERE to begin your journey.

QUICK JUMP TO THESE TITLES ON AMAZON!

Tom Abrahams
Tom Abrahams

Tom Abrahams
Tom Abrahams

Russell Blake
Russell Blake

A.R. Shaw
A.R. Shaw

Ian Graham
Ian Graham

Tim Queeney
Tim Queeney

David P. Forsyth
David P. Forsyth

Sean T. Smith
Sean T. Smith

 

G. Michael Hopf Coming Soon
G. Michael Hopf
Coming Soon

Murray McDonald Coming Soon
Murray McDonald
Coming Soon

Author Spotlight: Murray McDonald

The Perseid Collapse Series Kindle World

Author Spotlight: Murray McDonald

ROCKLAND1Murray McDonald has been a long time writer and friend, eventually introducing me to “good scotch” made in a distillery (Glengoyne) just north of the Scottish highland line. This alone was worthy of his inclusion in my Friends Hall of Fame (I just made up that organization). Beyond picking out fantastic scotch, his true talent lies in his writing. He can spin a masterful, international thriller, which is why I was ecstatic to learn that he would write a novella for The Perseid Collapse Series Kindle World.

His novella, Rockland, set in Maine, will shed light on the complex, nebulous Chinese conspiracy leading up to the “event” in The Perseid Collapse—exposing the brutal, human side of Operation Red Dragon. With Murray’s track record of delivering unexpected twists and turns, this is guaranteed to entertain. Look for this soon after the launch!

See what Murray’s doing, and check out his novels here!

Author Spotlight: Tim Queeney

The Perseid Collapse Series Kindle World

Author Spotlight: Tim Queeney

Having Tim onboard for The Perseid Collapse Series World was a big treat for me. Tim is key part of the “thriller” contingent in the Pine Cones Writer’s Group, a diverse, Portland, Maine, based group of writers that meets once a month to critique our latest works. He has an impressive range of writing, honed by years of work as a magazine editor, author and celestial navigation instructor…not sure how navigating by the stars corresponds to writing, but it was too awesome not to mention.

975x1455-Tim-Queeney-The-Borealis-Incident_rgbI’ve enjoyed Tim’s Perry Helion adventure series, which pits his main character, a DARPA (Defense Advance Research Projects Agency) agent, against an array of James Bond level villains. Given the theme of The Perseid Collapse Series Kindle World, I knew Tim could have some fun writing in the world—and he knocks it out of the park with The Borealis Incident.

Set in Thule, Greenland, The Borealis Incident will take you where you least expect. Perfectly tied into the greater Perseid Collapse world, the remote U.S. Air Force base operated on Danish controlled Greenland contains a startling discovery—uncovered, or shall I say, unleashed by a series of events set in motion by the collapse. Part technothriller, part horror…ALL APOCALYPTIC. Make sure to check out Tim’s addition to the world on February 3rd.

Visit Tim’s website to read his entertaining blog and catch the Perry Helion series.

Author Spotlight: G. Michael Hopf

The Perseid Collapse Series Kindle World

Author Spotlight and Cover Reveal: G. Michael Hopf

detachment cover 2Author of the New World Series, G. Michael Hopf is no stranger to the prepped-themed post apocalyptic scene. With four books in the New World Series published by Penguin Press, he brings a powerhouse presence to The Perseid Collapse Series Kindle World, along with a three novella story about a conflicted group of Marines in Boston.

When I first spoke with him about the possibility of a collaboration in the World, I really hoped he’d be interested in writing a story with ties to the Marine battalion featured in the Perseid books. Geoff is a combat veteran of the first Gulf War, having thrived and survived as a Marine infantryman. I couldn’t think of anyone better suited to expand on the story of Lieutenant Colonel Grady’s Marines. We have a lot to look forward to in his story, as he leads a tight knit team of “Jarheads” from one coast to the next in search of a safe haven from The Perseid Collapse.

Check out his books, bio, radio show…all kinds of good stuff at his website.

Author Spotlight: Ian Graham

The Perseid Collapse Series Kindle World

Author Spotlight: Ian Graham

Amsterdam directorateIn The Amsterdam Directorate, Political and covert operations thriller writer, Ian Graham, explores the impact of the Perseid Event, on the dynamics of a township still recovering from The Jakarta Pandemic. Set in rural Virginia, less than 150 miles from the largest recorded land strike in The Perseid Collapse Series, Ian puts his characters in the crosshairs of a natural and manmade collapse. The town of Amsterdam has mostly recovered from the 2013 pandemic, thanks to the directorate, but their hard won independence will be tested by outside forces hell bent on their destruction. 

I’m in the middle of reading Ian’s novel, which I guarantee will please fans of the series, along with SHTF readers everywhere. Ian is no stranger to gritty, no holds barred action, so hang on for a fast-paced ride through a unique post-apocalyptic landscape.

To dig a little deeper into Ian’s world, check out his website.

Political/Covert Ops thriller readers will be pleasantly surprised by his Black Shuck series.

 

Author Spotlight: Sean T. Smith

The Perseid Collapse Series Kindle World

Author Spotlight and Cover Reveal: Sean T. Smith

Patriots cover finalAuthor of the Wrath Series, a post-apocalyptic series set in the aftermath of a collapsed United States, Sean’s Kindle Worlds novella takes readers south to the Florida Keys, at a time when thousands of college students should be descending on the islands for spring break. Obviously, things are a little different several months after the “event.” Unrecognizable might be a better term. 

I’m deep into reading Sean’s novella, which explores the complex and tenuous relationship between the Federal Government’s disaster relief program and the rights of individuals in the Perseid Collapse World. Sean’s experience tackling this topic in his novels shines in The Sunshine Patriots. Sorry, I couldn’t resist the play on words.

Check out Sean’s blog, and be on the lookout February 3rd for his novella.

Author Spotlight and Cover Reveal: Tom Abrahams

The Perseid Collapse Series Kindle World

Author Spotlight:  Tom Abrahams

Tom was the first author to take me up on the offer to write in The Perseid Collapse Series Kindle World, and I couldn’t be happier to have him onboard. I’ve read all of Tom’s work, and can attest to the talent and enthusiasm he’ll bring to the World. Tom’s political thrillers are tightly written, well paced novels, rich in details and cleverly peppered with unexpected twists and turns. Readers are in for a treat on February 3rd, when two of Tom’s three novellas launch with the World.

Here’s a sneak peek at Tom’s stories. I read them back to back, enjoying every second of the ride. In the first novella, you get a few surprise visits from the original Perseid Collapse cast. I won’t say who or how, but it’s a clever tie-in.

abrahams-crossingCROSSING: 

“James Rockwell is on vacation in Maine with his family, when an earth-changing explosion sends them on a race for their lives.

Their first step is escaping an island in the midst of a tsunami, and it only gets more dangerous from there.

Can they find their way home as civilization crumbles around them?

Set in the post-apocalyptic world of Steven Konkoly’s best-selling Perseid Collapse series, CROSSING follows the same timeline of cataclysmic events from one family’s perspective. It’s a bullet-train of a thriller riding on the edge of the rails to the last page.

CROSSING is a novella and is part one of The Pilgrimage Series.”

abrahams-refugeREFUGE:

What happens when a safe harbor isn’t so safe?

The Rockwells have survived the first leg of the journey home against the wake of a reality-bending disaster.

But patriarch James is violently ill.

His wife finds help in a detour to rural Pennsylvania.

As James recovers in a seemingly secure compound, the outside world is plotting violently against them and the well-prepared survivalists who’ve given them refuge.

Set in the post-apocalyptic world of Steven Konkoly’s best-selling Perseid Collapse series, REFUGE follows the same timeline of cataclysmic events from the perspective of new, meticulously hewn characters who fit seamlessly into Konkoly’s work. It’s a page-turning tumble into a dangerous rabbit-hole, where survival comes at a cost.

REFUGE is a novella and is part two of the The Pilgrimage Series

Author Spotlight and Cover Reveal: A.R. Shaw

The Perseid Collapse Series Kindle World

Author Spotlight and Cover Reveal: A.R. Shaw

DRD4 (2)Creator of Graham’s Resolution, a three novel series about survivors navigating the post-apocalyptic aftermath of a super-flu, A.R. Shaw brings a unique voice to the World. In her novella, readers will return to Durham Road, to follow Jaime McDaniels story of resilience and survival. See the novella description below!

I’m particularly excited about this novel, since Durham Road played such a formative role in the lives of The Perseid Collapse Series main characters. The Fletchers, Walkers and Thorntons endured the horrors of The Jakarta Pandemic, emerging as an inseparable team in its aftermath.  

Visit her website to learn more about the Graham’s Resolution series and upcoming work.

“Jamie McDaniels already lost one husband to the tragedy of the Jakarta pandemic six years ago; leaving her a widow with two daughters. She’d remarried to fill the void Matt’s death left in their lives. Unfortunately, Jeff Michaud bore no resemblance to Matt’s good character, to the point where he even abused her and the her daughters. Realizing her mistake too late, Jamie sees an opportunity to rid herself of him when tragedy strikes her neighborhood once again.

When Alex Fletcher sees her ploy to gain information about his plans, he knows Jeff has put her up to no good. She tries to hint in her response, but Alex isn’t cunning enough to see her attempt to gain his trust. In the end, he does her a favor by eliminating the mistake she regrets the most. With this second chance in life, even when the world is at its worst, Jamie returns the favor and stands her ground, never again to fill a void where her sovereign heart now lies.”

Review of Charley Hogwood’s The Survival Group Handbook

Review of The Survival Group Handbook by Charley Hogwood

survival handbook

Disclosure: I was provided an electronic copy of this book for a blog tour.

I’ll start this review with what I would normally say at the end. Upon finishing Mr. Hogwood’s book, I immediately ordered a hard copy version. I could have easily printed the PDF provided, but 1.) I felt that the time, effort and expertise put into creating this handbook WELL merited my money. 2.) I want to have a compact, easy-to-carry version available for reference.

First, don’t let the page count discourage you. When I received my copy, I groaned. 350 pages on Survival Groups? Can’t this fit into 30? Trust me when I say that there’s not a wasted word in the handbook, and that’s coming from a writer known to waste a word or two—here and there. With that said, you can’t expect to read this in one sitting. It’s 1.) Too important of a topic. 2.) Covers every aspect of survival group dynamics you can imagine. This book needs to be read in stages and sections, giving you time to reflect on the subjects presented

Survival group basics and dynamics are an often-overlooked topic in the readiness discussion. Naturally, we gravitate toward gathering gear and preparing our environment for disaster. It’s more immediate and you can easily measure your progress. But if you think about it, you’ll always be in a group, whether it’s with family, friends or neighbors. The principles in this book apply to all of these groups, tailored for each of them…and Mr. Hogwood goes far beyond that to prepare you for larger, more purposeful survival groups.

Here are some of the concepts addressed…I stress the word SOME. There’s a wealth of information and reinforced ideas.

-Being part of a group requires you to ask yourself-What are you willing to give up or trade for the safety and security of a group? This forms the core of the book. If the answer is NOTHING, you don’t belong in a group…period. Mr. Hogwood presents this question early, setting the tone for the rest of the book.

-Group leadership. Which types are appropriate for a group of your size and how do you choose?

-Vetting members, inducting new members and interacting with other survival groups. Balancing the skills a member brings to the group with the supplies.

-Where do you locate your group?

-Different types of groups and the internal dynamics of each.

-Security. No readiness book would be complete without a talk about security, and Hogwood does a fantastic job highlighting the importance of proper security.

-Roles within the group. This section will help even the smallest group, like your immediate family, plan and prepare for an extended disaster. Hogwood lists dozens of roles and their responsibilities. All of these are important and made me think about different aspects of survival within a group.

The Survival Handbook is an easy to read, detailed guide to forming, establishing and maintaining a survival group or Mutual Assistance Group (MAG). While the overall emphasis is on a major, society-disrupting event, Hogwood doesn’t overlook less formal versions of the survival group. The concepts found in the handbook can be applied to regional or local disasters (major storm, hurricane, etc.), just as easily as TEOTWAWKI. Highly recommended, even if you have no intention of starting a survival group. Just having this on your shelf when a crisis strikes could be the head start you need to survive and thrive. Once you read the book, I suspect you won’t wait to put some of the principles to work.

Wayward Pines GENESIS Series finale…

is live on Amazon. 

1082 KW PINES_Konkoly_GENESIS part oneLast Betrayal cover KW1183 KW PINES_Konkoly_SANCTUARYI recently launched two novellas in Blake Crouch’s Wayward Pines Kindle World, completing my planned Genesis Series prequel.

Last Betrayal and Sanctuary are available on Amazon for $1.99 each. Combined, the three novellas span 250 pages, chronicling Adam Hassler’s introduction to the Wayward Pines landscape, along with many other familiar characters. The major backdrop to my series is the construction of the fence…I won’t say anymore. If you haven’t heard of the Wayward Pines series, and you’re a fan of suspense or thrillers with a horror twist…this is your series. Watch the trailer for the upcoming Fox mini-series, but be careful. You might become hooked!

If you decide to give it a try, start with Blake Crouch’s Pines. At the very least read his first book before my series. The twist near the end of his book is epic, and would be spoiled by my novellas. Trust me on this.

Enjoy!

 

Zombies, black helicopters, the government…

I’m not sure which is worse!

1165 Steven Konkoly ebook PRACTICAL PREPPING

In Practical Prepping: No Apocalypse Required…it doesn’t matter! From a snowstorm induced power outage to a full-scale invasion of the United States, Randy Powers of Practical Tactical and I will point you in the right direction…the hills out yonder in case of an invasion. Seriously, the title says it all. There’s something for everyone in this book, written with a little humor and a lot of humility. Don’t be caught off guard by the next disaster, adopt the Practical Prepping mindset TODAY!

Available as Kindle book or hardcopy

Order From Amazon

 

Deadly Straits by R.E. McDermott

Deadly Straights

I had been eyeballing R.E. McDermott’s Deadly Straits for far too long, before I finally jumped in. This is an eye-opening, intense read. High quality all around. I can’t sing R.E. McDermott’s praise enough. If you’re a fan of my Black Flagged series, you’ll sink right into this novel. You can find Deadly Straits on Amazon, at Barnes and Noble and other ebook sites. They are also available as audiobooks through Audible.com or iTunes.

My official review:

“There are few reading experiences more rewarding, than delving into a well-written novel, by an author who is a subject matter expert in the “fictional” world presented. R.E. McDermott’s Deadly Straights justifiably earns a place at the top of my list of rewarding reads. Having served in maritime and petroleum industries for over thirty years, he knows a thing or two about maritime operations, world-shipping trends and the vulnerabilities of sea-lane chokepoints (Strait of Malacca, Panama Canal, Bosphorus Strait)—and it all comes out in crisp detail, providing the framework for an intricately balanced, international thriller.

Deadly Straits introduces the reader to Tom Dugan, a salty maritime executive, who prefers to spend more of his time in the field, inspecting ships, than managing shipping schedules from his desk. He has a quick wit and keen eye for the business—it doesn’t take him long to recognize that something is off with his long time business associate and friend, Alex Kairouz. A self-made ship industry mogul, Kairouz has displayed unusual signs of strain lately, concealing questionable business decisions from his employees and implementing sudden changes to long-standing procedures.

When a U.S. Navy contracted merchant ship is hijacked in the Strait of Malacca, and all evidence suddenly points to Kairouz and Dugan’s complicity, covert government agencies will make him an offer he can’t readily refuse, along with a chance to prove himself and Kairouz innocent. What follows is a roller coaster ride to unravel a conspiracy of epic proportions, with the capacity to cripple world economies and shift power into sinister hands.

R.E. McDermott masterfully combines the macro level details of international politics with an intensely personal story of struggle and desperation. Just the right mix of “chessboard” maneuvering with powerful first person action, as an all too realistic and frightening conspiracy unfolds across the globe.

Several scenes stand out, each well worth the price of admission. The Russian Spetsnaz shipboard assault is unbeatable, by far one of the most realistic close quarters battle scenes I’ve read in years, and the Panama Canal scene? Unbelievably realistic and intense. Only a talented author with an intimate knowledge of ships and the Panama Canal inner workings could have pulled it off.

Deadly Straights is a one of kind book. R.E. McDermott has found an incredible niche, with this gritty maritime conspiracy thriller. I look forward to Deadly Coast, and the continuation of the Tom Dugan’s character.”

National Geographic primer for The Perseid Collapse

American Blackout

October 27th 9PM Eastern Time, set your DVR for American Blackout

Just when I’m about to give Time Warner Cable the boot, I find something like American Blackout—and we’re stuck with 900 channels of cable again!

Sounds drastic, but a one hour special like this can make an immeasurable impact. From what I can tell through show’s website, you don’t want to miss it. It details the possible outcome of a nationwide, 10 day blackout, and its impact on everyday Americans.

The timing of American Blackout coincides with the impending launch of my research based, disaster epic, The Perseid Collapse. You’ll find some frightening similarities between the two stories, except in my novel, nobody gets to flip the lights back on in 10 days. The “mass event” in The Perseid Collaspe is more of a permanent blackout.

Check out National Geographic’s interactive timeline at Survive the Blackout. They take you day by day through the scenario, as the situation deteriorates. I guarantee you’ll learn something that could save your life on the ten pages of this timeline. I’ve been writing research based fiction about realistic disaster scenarios for years, and I took away some simple, “no kidding,” easy to implement tips that could help in any disaster situation. It’s well worth a look.

A blackout isn’t the only disaster scenario discussed on the National Geographic website. I found the killer asteroid scenario interesting.

I wonder what would happen if both occurred simultaneously? The Perseid Collaspe.

Final Cover for The Perseid Collapse

0979 Steve Konkoly ebook THE PERSEID COLLAPSE_2_LJeroen ten Berge has turned the tables on me! He’s delivered an incredible cover design, and I haven’t finished writing the book!  As always, Jeroen scored a bullseye. His design brilliantly captures the core essence of The Perseid Collapse’s sweeping apocalyptic world.

2019. Six years after the Jakarta Pandemic, the United States stands at the brink of a fiscal and industrial resurgence. Stories of prosperity and confidence dominate the headlines, orchestrated to distract the nation from a dangerous current of hostility and fear—running strong below the surface. Nobody has forgotten the horrors of the Jakarta Pandemic. Sickness. Hunger. Desperation. Unspeakable violence.

On August 19, 2019, an unprecedented “mass event” will release a darkness across the United States. A human darkness with a vast appetite for violence and chaos. Alex Fletcher will awaken to this new world, catapulted unwillingly into an frantic odyssey, against overwhelming odds, to save his family and friends.”

The Process…

Six Books Later.

Never before has the process crystalized so clearly, as it has for my sixth book, The Perseid Collapse. The long overdue sequel to The Jakarta Pandemic has percolated in my head for nearly six months (while writing Vektor), which certainly helped smooth the transition, but I credit “the process” for swiftly delivering me to the starting line…the point where I can start writing. For me, the less time I spend in between novels, the better. I find myself lost without a manuscript-in-progress. Putting words into a story eases that feeling.

I often joke around about the”organic” mental process for creating the complex plots in my novels. “Neural Flow” is a term I used recently to some amusement. The Black Flagged series is extremely complicated and deeply nuanced, or so I have been told, and I wish I could keep it all straight in my head. “A Beautiful Mind” I am not. Instead, I rely on a process that appears rigid, but is inherently flexible. Let’s face it, any system based on the placement of yellow stickies on poster board isn’t exactly chiseled in stone. Still, I’ve followed the same process for three novels, which implies a level of rigidity…for the process at least

The rest is fluid and can change at a whim. A random thought while driving (I have more windshield time than I care to admit), a tech article on the internet, YouTube gun video (I watch far too many of those), a ten minute Call of Duty game play with Matthew (son), a sudden discussion about a character with my wife…all of these can change the course of my novel within the flash of a synapse. I’m always thinking about the story, and the story is always changing, slightly…sometimes drastically. This is the neural process, and I can’t really explain it. What I can explain is how I tee up the writing and keep myself on track throughout the three to four months it takes me to strike the words.

I start out with a “talk through.” Basically, I vomit a VERY rough synopsis of the story and expand it over the course of three to five days. If you read it, you’d probably feel like puking. It barely counts as English, but it works. I take this four to five page document and try to identify potential scenes from the scribble.

TalkthPerseid

For the Perseid Collapse, I identified 44 scenes, which translates into a minimum of 44 chapters. I created a yellow sticky for each scene, and added them to my board.

The board takes on a life of its own over time, with stickies moving back and forth, up and down…or into the trash. New stickies arrive weekly. The topmost stickies are labeled to represent individual or group entities in the story. I place scenes involving these entities under the appropriate heading, in chronological order. Books in the Black Flagged series required some creative space arrangement on the board. The Perseid Collapse is a welcome break from multiple organizations and diffuse subplots. Compare the two. Vektor is shown in the first picture.

PBvektor PlotboardPerseid

The last piece of the puzzle was recommended by a fellow Maine writer and the host of my local writing group, Bryan Wiggins. He thought Aeon Timeline would help me keep track of the complex timing involved in the Black Flagged novels…wow has that program saved my ass on multiple occasions. I finished Black Flagged Vektor without it, which was a big mistake. My inner voice told me to take the time and input every scene in Aeon Timeline. I resisted, but quickly relented and spent an entire day inputing the scenes. Without going into detail, let’s just say that I found a few critical timeline errors that my readers would not have missed. For Perseid, I will input the scenes as they are written. The story takes place over a 72 hour period, which doesn’t give me a lot of wiggle room in terms of timeline.

A lot happens to the Fletchers in those three days.

Did I mention the research? I’ll save the details for another post.

Review of Joseph Souza’s Darpocalypse

91HkrU2-5jL._SL1500_I’m a little late getting this review up on my blog. Fans of epic undead action will not be disappointed by Souza’s second installment to his planned trilogy, Darpocalypse.  

Souza reignites The Living Dead series with the blistering second installment of his utterly unique undead saga. The undead plague, previously seen in its infancy during The Reawakening, has exploded worldwide, catapulting society into utter chaos and destruction. Humanity is reduced to pockets of survivors, desperately hanging on under constant threat of extinction. A rare phenomenon develops during these days…the discovery of humans capable of walking among the dead without fear of attack. Called “Ghosts,” their existence may hold the key to humanity’s survival.

The reader is quickly reintroduced to Dar, the unbalanced, teenage zombie-slayer from the first novel. She has taken control of a large group of survivors banded together in Boston, largely thanks to her discovery of Annabelle, one of the extremely rare “Ghosts.” Annabelle keeps the camp supplied, while Dar rules with an iron fist. When I use the term “iron fist,” I do absolutely no justice to the method’s Dar uses to maintain order, discipline and most importantly, obedience in the walled off camp. Think “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome” meets “Conan the Barbarian,” but ten times more brutal and infinitely more entertaining. Souza brilliantly describes Dar’s antics and the fear she generates, to the point where I was cringing when any of the camp’s inhabitants interacted with her. You could never predict what might happen next, and this is part of the tension that Souza builds throughout the book.

The story isn’t limited to Dar’s Boston kingdom. Far from it. Several memorable characters are introduced outside of Dar’s scope, and weaved masterfully into the plotline. A special forces colonel, convicted murderer, and the recently deposed President of the United States all converge on Dar’s domain, in their own spectacular ways, culminating in an insanely spectacular and chilling ending.

Darpocalypse showcases Souza’s strengths as an epic storyteller. Strong character development, combined with carefully converging plotlines delivers a tension building knock-out punch when these lines merge for the finale.

I eagerly await the third installment, which is sure to chronicle the plight of the finale’s survivors and beyond, expanding the world of Souza’s Living Dead Series. Souza’s series blazes a new trail that will satisfy hardcore zombie readers, while delivering an epic story in the tradition of “The Stand.”

Review of R.S. Guthrie’s Blood Land and Money Land

Blood LandI’m going to review two books in one post, mainly because my back is against the wall in terms of getting my next book ready for launch. I read both of R.S. Guthrie’s book several months ago, more or less back to back.  I had downloaded Blood Land to my Kindle at the recommendation of Russell Blake, and let it sit there for weeks, not sure if I’d care for the story. Murder, betrayal and intrigue in Wyoming? It didn’t give me the warm fuzzy feeling I needed to jump right in. Still, Russell Blake’s recommendation stuck with me and I decided to give it a try. I’m really glad I did. There’s nothing better than finding a new author. You can check out R.S. Guthrie’s blog  at www.robonwriting.com or his official website at www.rsguthrie.com

“I was immediately hooked by Guthrie’s sparing prose and the flawless unravelling of an exquisitely layered story. He transported me right into the badlands of Wyoming and planted me firmly in the middle of a slice of Americana I didn’t know existed. You have to read it to believe it, and given the fact that the author grew up in this part of the country, I have no doubt it is authentic. The images and descriptions, all sparingly presented in a style reminiscent of  Cormac McCarthy, left me spellbound, unable to stop the roller coaster ride of twists and turns toward the conclusion. Richly drawn characters, both deeply flawed and stubbornly heroic, with fixed and shifting loyalties or none at all. Guthrie’s protagonist, Sheriff James Pruett, is a character study in contrasts and tragedy, unable to let “sleeping dogs lie” when a murder shatters the tense calm blanketed over Wind River. The results are epic.

Money LandMoney Land, book two in the James Pruett Mystery series takes place on the not so distant heels of the first novel. With Wind River still healing from the shocking conclusion to Blood Land, a new threat arrives bringing murder and mayhem in its wake, forcing the different factions of Wind River to band together in the ultimate showdown against an evil empire hell bent on their destruction…led by the good Sheriff Pruett. In Money Land, the reader is taken deeper into Pruett’s past, which is full of surprises…surprises for anyone threatening the good people (and bad) of Wind River. A captivating read, with international reach, Money Land continues the saga surrounding one of the most intriguing stretches of land I’ve read about in a long time. Isolated, stark, insulated from outsiders, the Wyoming landscape is a mesmerizing backdrop for Guthrie’s no holds barred thriller, Money Land.”

The habit of writing…

is hard to break. 

For those of you that enjoy my books, don’t worry yourselves…I’m not trying to break myself of the habit. It has been two years since I published The Jakarta Pandemic, and I found myself once again reflecting on these years, which is my custom in between novels. I struggled to finish Jakarta over a three-year period, starting and stopping that novel more times than I care to admit. I had carefully ignored Stephen King’s sage advice to carve out a ritualistic writing routine, which is the first, and most important step to taking yourself seriously as a writer. So much has changed since then, and it is hard to believe that I have finished three more books since launching Jakarta in October of 2010. Of course, I almost fell into the same trap that would have everyone, myself included, still waiting for book two.

I started writing the first Black Flagged novel in the same haphazard fashion in May of 2011. By June, I realized that it would take me two years to finish Black Flagged. I decided that this was unacceptable for many reasons.  This shift in mindset was mostly motivated by a thorough enjoyment of writing. I had finally found something that I enjoyed without reservation, and didn’t need to do as part of life’s struggle to survive. However, I’m a pragmatist, so I won’t try and pretend that the success of The Jakarta Pandemic  didn’t also figured prominently in this cathartic moment. It did, and I couldn’t wait two years to launch another book. Self-publishing ebooks came into it’s own that year, and I was well positioned to ride the ebook wave.

I revisited Stephen King’s On Writing, and decided to take his advice to set aside time every day. The same time. Since I don’t function well at night any more, I settled on the morning. I set my alarm for 4:30 AM and slept through it for a few days…at least I tried, and my body started to realize that I might be serious about getting up this early. Within a week, I had established a tentative routine, which had me sitting at my desk, listening to Pandora and writing by 5 AM. By the end of June, I had solidified this routine into a habit, and found myself waking up early on weekends to write. By mid-July, I realized that I would finish my second novel by the end of August (total writing time of three months), instead of the spring of 2013 (two years).

I remember chuckling at portions of Stephen King’s book, especially the part about his writing habits. I couldn’t understand the concept of writing every day, including holidays, until I had finally settled into my own habitual routine….thanks to his advice. I now wake up at 4:30 without the help of an alarm, and find it unsettling to miss a writing session. I wake up early on vacation, on our sailboat…just about anywhere. I find it equally disturbing to be in between novels…and there’s plenty to do between books, especially as a self-published author and a part-time writer. I balance this time between marketing the latest book, writing reviews and setting up the next novel. 

The next book in this case will be Book Four in the Black Flagged series. I had originally planned to take a break from the series (the last novel came in at 170K words, which is twice the size of most self-published offerings) and pursue a post-apocalyptic follow-up to The Jakarta Pandemic, but the Black Flagged story is far from finished. The Russians are still operating a bioweapons development program and Srecko Hadzic is plotting his escape from the United Nations detention unit. Loose ends galore, and lots of opportunity for Sanderson’s Black Flagged group. 

So, did what did I do this morning? You’re looking at it. 

I’ll start writing Black Flagged Vektor tomorrow!

Sample Chapters from Black Flagged Apex

I have uploaded four chapters of Black Flagged Apex, in addition to a sneak peek into the fourth installment of the Black Flagged series, Black Flagged VEKTOR. Apex will be available in early to mid December. VEKTOR’s release date is unknown, since I may write another post-apocalyptic book after Apex’s release. Enjoy!

Black Flagged Apex Chapters 1-4 PDF

Black Flagged Apex Chapters 1-4 Word Doc

Black Flagged VEKTOR PDF

Black Flagged VEKTOR Word Doc 

In defense of our nation’s service academies…

against a surprisingly ill-informed source.

For those of you that know me from my Academy days, I think this response will hold a ton of merit. Those of you that know me from my fleet days will appreciate and understand my “retort” even better. I have my own way of doing things, and neither the “Fleet” nor the United States Naval Academy made much of a dent in that mentality. If anything, they provided fertile ground for me to further hone that “talent.”

Though I often found myself at odds with either establishment (often at the same time), I firmly respected both of them. I never felt disillusioned at Annapolis, or while on active duty. This came after resigning my commission, as I watched politicians send our nation’s finest young men and women to war in Iraq, and then proceed to bungle the war at great cost to our society…but that’s a different story.

Professor Bruce Fleming’s opinion piece in the Chronicle of Higher Education didn’t strike a single chord with me. Maybe that’s not altogether true. Some (few) of his points bore validity to my life as a midshipman, but viewed from an outside context, after years of maturity in the “Fleet” and civilian life, his assertions and theories hold no water. As a 25 year professor of English at the United States Naval Academy, he has locked himself into the mindset of the “Perpetual Midshipman,” as my classmate very cleverly stated, and as such, is condemned to continue his masquerade. 

You can view Professor Fleming’s article immediately below. I recommend you read it before delving into my response. This blog post is a significant departure from my usual topics, but I feel it is important. Professor Fleming raises a debate that strikes at the core of our society, and is worth exploring…

Professor Fleming’s Article: The Few, the Proud, the Infantilized

My response:

Oddly enough, for someone that writes full-length novels, I can’t seem to craft a coherent response to Professor Fleming’s opinion piece. I blame this on his article—“a jaggedly disjointed compilation of sophomorically uninformed, elitist observations, hastily drawn together and crafted into a self-serving diatribe against the institution he claims to so wholeheartedly to support.”

First, let me start with this. Professor Fleming’s article left a bad taste in my mouth, but not because he missed the mark about the overall academy experience and its value to our military. I was disappointed in the overall elitist tone of the article, and his repeated suggestion that accolades and academic performance (before and during school) are the measure of a successful Academy graduate. These may be the “window dressing” of a successful career in academia, but have little to do with the challenges faced by military officers in the real world.

Furthermore, quantifying the impact of service academies on the quality of our military, in the interest of comparing them to other programs, is no easy task…and Professor Fleming doesn’t scratch the surface in his attempt. His opinions, based on misrepresented data and jilted “conversations” with a limited number of disgruntled midshipmen (and cadets), stands little serious scrutiny.

He starts out with what he considers to be a rational, numbers based approach to his premise that the academies produce the same results as other commissioning programs (which he neither proves nor disproves) and quickly degrades into an emotionally charged, purely opinion based treatise on what’s wrong with the United States Naval Academy.

Our nation’s three-tier program for commissioning officers provides a well-rounded influx of new officers, from varied stages of life and backgrounds. Service academies and dedicated military colleges (VMI, Norwich, The Citadel) provide officers that made a significant, early commitment to the military, by living in that environment for four years. ROTC officers chose a balance between civilian college and military study. OCS candidates enter an abbreviated course to become officers, after completing college or professional training. The three-tier system is designed to provide this variety.

Could the numbers change? Should we graduate more from ROTC and OCS, shifting away from the service academies to save money, but continuing to acquire officers from all three sources? This is the true debate, which Professor Fleming has bypassed in favor a passionate plea to modify the service academies to suit his mistaken notions of the real world our nation’s officers face.

Below, you will find my point-by-point discussion of Professor Fleming’s comments.

No data suggest that ROTC officers are of worse quality than those graduating from the academies, who are frequently perceived by enlisted militaryas arrogant “ring-knockers” (after their massive old-style class rings).”

True, no data suggest or ever will exist to show this. It’s impossible to quantify, and attempting to do so with statistics is an exercise in futility. Furthermore, I never heard the word “ring-knocker” used in my eight years on active duty, by either an enlisted sailor/marine or officer. Rarely, did I hear the complaint that USNA officers came across as arrogant. This kind of complaint was typically applied to “officers” across all commissioning sources. The concept of “ring-knocker” style arrogance has long been purged from modern vernacular, and shows the beginning of Professor Fleming’s outdated notions and impressions of “The Fleet,” which are perpetuated throughout his article.

“The academies evoke their glory days by insisting that many more admirals, say, come from Annapolis than from ROTC. But that is no longer true. Between 1972 and 1990 (these are the latest figures available), the percentage of admirals from ROTC climbed from 5 percent to 41 percent, and a 2006 study indicated that commissioning sources were not heavily weighted in deciding who makes admiral.”

The number of flag officers sourced from ROTC has drastically increased, by percentage, since 1972, across all service academies. This is a good trend for our military in general, but meaningless as a statistic defining comparative excellence, as Professor Fleming would suggest. However, if Professor Fleming is keen to throw out statistics, I’m happy to keep them accurately portrayed. For the United States Naval Academy, the picture is strikingly different. In the same study cited by Fleming, a subset of data showed that current flag ranks were sourced 65% by USNA graduates versus 19% for ROTC (and 16% for OCS). This is a statistically significant difference. Explainable? Not by traditional metrics, but Professor Fleming used his percentages to show that ROTC was “catching up,” and academy officers no longer showed an advantage. By his logic, the United States Naval Academy is superior in terms of flag rank achievement, and therefore superior in the quality of its graduates. I don’t agree with this, but it’s hard to argue with his logic, especially when it makes USNA graduates look that good.

“Another officer-production pipeline is Officer Candidate School, which is about as large a source of officers as the academies. It gives a six- to 12-week training course for mature enlistees and college graduates who paid for their educations on their own (that is, did not participate in ROTC), and it costs taxpayers almost nothing. It could be expanded by pitching it to college students who might want to become officers when they graduate.

OCS is a fantastic option for a mature enlistee, who has spent significant time as a follower and a successful leader within the military structure. It is also a fantastic option for military officers headed into medical, legal and support specialties, where the intensive military training of a four-year program may not be necessary. The course teaches the basics of military discipline, customs, leadership, physical training and a variety of service related topics, in a closed environment. Still, I have never met a Navy OCS Line Officer (Surface, Aviation, Submarines, SEAL) during my time in the Navy. Every OCS officer was a doctor, lawyer, or a nurse (and a few others). My wife attended OCS as an attorney and would attest to this observation. For other services, OCS is different. The Army relies heavily on OCS, due to low officer retention (likely due to the two wars we’ve fought), to solve a short-term problem. For the Navy, OCS may not be a viable option to source a large quantity of line officers, which constitute the vast majority of commissioned positions.

“So the service academies are no longer indispensable for producing officers. Their graduates now make up only about 20 percent of the officer corps in any given year.  It’s clear that we don’t need the academies in their current form—versions of a kind of military Disneyland.”

This is Professor Fleming’s version of logic? Cite a few statistics out of context and draw a conclusion…then move on to the real crux of his article and hope nobody realizes that he failed to meet any burden of statistical proof. Nice try, but you’ll have to do better than that. Didn’t you defend a thesis or two in your day? And Military Disneyland? I’ve been to Disneyland, and the only two things the two locations have in common are 1.) Cleanliness and 2.) Efficiency

“Most of what the Naval Academy’s PR machine disseminates is nonsense, as midshipmen quickly realize, which diminishes their respect for authority. We announce that they’re the “best and brightest” and then recruit students who would be rejected from even average colleges, sending them, at taxpayer expense, to our one-year Naval Academy Prepatory School. (About a quarter of recent entering classes over the last decade or so has SAT scores below 600, some in the 400s and even 300s. Twenty percent of the class needs a remedial pre-college year.)”

 This is an interesting observation. I will be the first to admit, this was a hard pill to swallow as one of the “non-remedial” plebes, but his comment is deceptive. “Twenty-percent needs a remedial pre-college year.” Of that 20%, the vast majority are sent to highly ranked, prestigious prep schools in order to bring them up to speed for the rigorous science and math based curriculum required of all midshipmen during their first year. All midshipmen receive a Bachelor of Science, regardless of major selection. I’m one of few national college graduates with an English major in a B.S. program, which means that I studied Romance Literature and Electrical Engineering side by side. Naval Academy selection has never been fully based on “academic achievement,” though average SAT test scores and traditional measures of high school achievement are high at service academies. Prospective students are selected on the basis of a wide range of characteristics, academic and non-academic. The booster year required of many students is not a remedial action. Candidates seen as having great potential to succeed at USNA are sent to boost their academic foundation. Remember, we come from a vast cross-section of society, where academic opportunities (sadly) are not uniform. Personally, I never noticed a quality difference between the prep school midshipmen and the “non-remedial” group…and I’m not just talking about grades…I’m talking about the whole person, which defines success at the academy and in the real world.

“Although free time is granted or withheld based on GPA, an atmosphere exists in which studying isn’t “cool,” and freshmen, or plebes, aren’t allowed to take the afternoon naps that would allow them stay awake in class. (Sleep deprivation is used to “teach” students how to stay awake on the job—except there is no evidence that working while sleep-deprived is something you can get better at.)”

 Since when is a nap required to prevent sleep-deprivation. I haven’t napped since graduating from USNA, and I now maintain the same hours, working a real job. Students stay awake when they are engaged in class, so I’m going to throw this one back in the Professor’s lap. As a freshman at USNA, I was asleep by 10PM and up at 5:30AM. 7 ½ hours of sleep? Sleep deprivation? Granted, plebes have many demands on their time, and I was frequently exhausted from dawn to dusk, non-stop schedule of military duties, athletics and studying…but I don’t remember an active campaign of sleep deprivation to teach me a lesson. We balanced a full day of responsibilities and didn’t have the option to “sleep in,” when we didn’t feel well. All great preparation for the realities of military service.

The academies’ focus on physicality is largely lip service as well. We claim to promote fitness but then refuse to throw out students who repeatedly fail to pass physical tests. Gone are the days of “shape up or ship out”: Nowadays we “remediate.”

 My recollection is that these exceptions were confined to a handful of individuals and nowhere close to the norm that Fleming portrays.

“We also claim that students are “held to a higher moral standard,” which suggests zero or low tolerance of wrongdoing. But the current emphasis on reducing attrition means that, as many midshipmen have told me, students get one “freebie,” such as a DUI. Held to a higher moral standard? The students know that’s a joke.”

Have they done away with the discipline system at USNA? Or the Honor Code? I seem to remember taking this stuff VERY seriously during my years, and seeing few exceptions made for any student. I served on the Honor committee for all four years, and saw very little leniency applied in that regard…if anything, I thought it was applied overzealously.

“What else justifies our existence? Our most consistent justification is that we teach “leadership.” We even make students take classes in the subject. Midshipmen roll their eyes. Leadership can’t be taught, it can only be modeled.”

The entire USNA experience is a modeled, leadership laboratory, where you can take as little or as much out as you desire. Some midshipmen failed to see this. Others took a break from it at times (I’m guilty as charged). Most embraced this concept.

“The central paradox of the service academies is that we attract hard-charging “alpha” types and then make all their decisions for them. Students are told when to study and when to work out, whom they can date (nobody in their company), and when they can wear civilian clothes. All students must attend football games and cheer, and go to evening lectures and cultural events (where many sleep in their seats). The list goes on.”

Professor Fleming makes a great point here…about how closely USNA resembles active duty service in the Fleet and LIFE! Right now, my day is packed with “stuff” I’m told to do…well, I’m not specifically told what to do, but the consequences for not doing them is REAL. I show up for work, I drag kids to activities, I help them with homework, I exercise, I eat (roughly the same time every day), I hang out with my family, then I hang out with my wife. Then, I spend about ten minutes per day doing what I want to do. I have NEVER been blessed with as much free time as I had at the Naval Academy. Life is different at a civilian college, but I could easily argue that civilian college life is the ultimate “Disneyland.”

“The academies are the ultimate nanny state. “When are they going to let me make some decisions?” one student asked in frustration. “The day I graduate?” This infantilization turns students passive-aggressive, and many of them count the years, months, and days until they can leave.”

We all counted the years, months and day…are you kidding me? Who didn’t? Trust me, it’s not because we felt like infants. We felt empowered to start exciting careers in naval aviation, surface warfare, submarines, special warfare, supply corps, medical corps…the list goes ON! I was ready to move on by that point, and with a known destination in sight, I couldn’t wait.

“Decades of talking with students at the Naval Academy have convinced me that most dislike academic work because it is one more thing the students have to do.Why should they be interested? They’re not paying for it. And Daddy isn’t either, at least not more than any other taxpayer.”

This argument holds little merit. Daddy paying for college is not a motivator for academic success. I don’t even need to look up the statistics to refute this fanciful comment. I’ve lost track of the number of people I know who spent a few years in college on Daddy’s dime, only to drop out (and become very successful in many cases). Attending college is the expected and often necessary thing…I didn’t apply to USNA to attend college. I applied so I could serve as an officer in the U.S. Navy or Marine Corps. The college degree happened to be part of that program. The professor is placing way too much emphasis on the midshipman falling asleep in his classes.

“The military side of things suffers, too. Inspections are announced and called off at the last minute, or done sloppily.”

 Like on active duty!

“After all, everything is make-believe.”

Not like on active duty! See the trend here. Everything we do at USNA seems to resemble what actually happens in the fleet. The strictest inspection I endured on active duty paled in comparison to the easiest inspections at USNA. This comment by Fleming requires perspective.

“Students aren’t motivated to take care of their own uniforms or abide by the rules because they realize it’s all just for show. Administrators want to make sure nobody gets hurt to avoid negative publicity, and as a result students are not pushed to their limits. They resent it. They come expecting Parris Island, but they get national historic landmarks where tourists come to feel proud of nice-looking young people.”

 Even at Parris Island, drill instructors go to extreme lengths to prevent recruit injury. It makes little fiscal sense to injure students. Do they push recruits to the limits deemed necessary to meet the standards of service in the Marine Corps? Absolutely. Those standards are vastly different for the Navy. Furthermore, I would argue that midshipman are given plenty of “time” to exercise on their own and push themselves. I service selected SEALs upon graduation, and based on the standards expected of me in SEAL training, I pushed myself…constantly and unremittingly. My case was very different than most graduates, and therein lies the reality of leaving USNA. Most graduates do not have a Petty Officer to follow them around and scream at them to “hit the surf” and do pushups after graduation. They’re on their own to meet the standards established by the Navy. Guess what? Failing the PRT in the Fleet has serious consequences, and nobody is going to push you to bump up your run time.

“Is there anything good about the academies? Absolutely: the students, by and large. You won’t find a more focused, eager-for-a-challenge, desperate-to-make-a-difference group of young adults (whom we proceed to infantilize) anywhere. Some catch on quickly about the hype and don’t let it bother them. They pragmatically view the academy as a taxpayer-supported means to an end they desperately want. And we have some bright students: About a quarter of entering freshmen have SAT scores above 700 with grades to match (but that is a far smaller proportion of high scorers than at the Ivies). A handful are high performers.

High performers in what regard? Did that student struggle on this path, or was he a naturally gifted athlete with raw intelligence? We all need a little perspective here to follow your assessment. Performance isn’t simply measured by accolades…or is it, Professor Fleming? I’m starting to detect a highly elitist tone in your article, buried in a weak premise…supported by nothing more than your years of “talking” with disgruntled midshipman who seem to have plenty of free time and choice to linger around Sampson Hall.

“One of my students last year was a varsity swimmer, an English honors graduate in the top 5 percent of his class, and the “honor man” (single best performer) in his SEAL class at the famously brutal Basic Underwater Demolition training. That is gorgeous stuff, the ultimate combination of brains and brawn the academies say they produce. But how rare at Annapolis!—or indeed, anywhere.

Another of my students, a systems-engineering major, was in the top 1 percent of his class and is now doing graduate workat the University of Oxford. He also won, as a sophomore, a competition sponsored by Harvard’s Kennedy School for his essay on how to filter out arsenic from Ganges Delta water by running it through fern leaves. At the reception given after his lecture, he was too young to drink the chardonnay. The following weekend he returned to Boston to run the Boston Marathon with the Naval Academy team. It’s true, America: The service academies really can enroll outstanding students. But such students are the exception.”

Elitism at its pinnacle! Sorry if not every midshipman is a Rhoades Scholar, triathlete, SEAL honor man, who discovers the cure for cancer on the weekends at USNA. The two you describe as your role model midshipmen are unbelievably exceptional people, but 99% of military leadership doesn’t fall into your mythical notion of outstanding (and never has)…yet somehow, we get the job done…and do it well.

“To open up more seats, academies should throw out students who fail to live up to academic and moral standards. The academies should stop recruiting below-par students who use academy prep schools as back doorways into their freshman years. These students fill slots for which better-qualified applicants are rejected. Our affirmative-action programs reject better-qualified white students in favor of unqualified nonwhite students”

This paragraph is unforgiveable. Sorry USNA doesn’t fit the elitist, Ivy League mold necessary to elevate your own status…and apparently isn’t “white” enough for you. Don’t think for one second we didn’t catch your comment about all of the “white” kids who had to sacrifice their places at the academy for less qualified “non-white” kids. Admissions are relatively simple math (not really, but for diversity purposes, it should be). X% women in fleet, X% at USNA. Y% of African-Americans in the fleet, Y% of African-Americans at USNA…and so on, for every other minority, so that the leadership cadre of the fleet best resembles and represents the diversity of our fleet.

“End the practice of awarding military pay and benefits to students at both military prep schools and the academies. ROTC students don’t get those advantages”

Fact check 101. ROTC scholarship students receive a monthly stipend that increases with each year of participation, starting at $100 and ending at $400. My $500 “pay” was raided by USNA to pay for uniforms, my computer, books…all of the stuff supposedly paid for by Uncle Sam. I guess it was his money after all. I didn’t see $100 per month until well into my sophomore year…barely then.

“For me, at the Naval Academy—where I have been teaching for 25 years—what hurts the most is that the average midshipman has no respect for the institution.”

This is a fantasy statement fueled by the disgruntled few he cares to listen to, or respect (as he stated earlier) and perpetuated by his bias against the military aspects of military training. I think most graduates and midshipmen would not agree with this statement. We all have our moments of doubt at USNA, and I’m one of the most cynical, sarcastic people out there…but I have nothing but the utmost respect for my academy, and all of the academies…just like I have the same respect for anyone leading sailors, marines, airmen and soldiers, regardless of their commissioning source.

Review of Russell Blake’s SILVER JUSTICE

Silver Justice showcases Russell Blake at his best. I’m not going to lie. When I heard that the protagonist for Blake’s newest release would be a divorced, single woman, juggling between duties as a senior investigative FBI agent and struggling mother…I was skeptical. I will never again doubt the literary capabilities of this prolific author.

Blake’s latest thriller combines all of the aspects he does best into one story. Fans of Blake’s conspiracy undertones will not be disappointed, however, Blake has matured in the way he injects his patented, research-based conspiracy theories into the story. Though the conspiracy weighs heavily, it propels the story from behind the scenes. Always present, but never overwhelming. In this story, the characters drive the drama…speeding along at breakneck pace. Silver Justice delivers plenty of action and suspense, but at its heart, this is a rock solid police procedural thriller.

Focused on tracking down a serial killer terrorizing Wall Street high rollers, Agent Silver Cassidy has her hands full. Her task force has no leads, a contract has been put out on her head, her slimy ex-husband has just filed for full custody of her daughter…and that same daughter isn’t making matters any easier on her. Add to all of this a subtle dimension of sexual discrimination/glass ceiling syndrome, and Agent Cassidy can barely keep her head above water. But she does….and Blake captures her essence masterfully. He kept me fully engaged in her character from start to finish.

Beside Silver Cassidy, there are several memorable supporting cast members: an intelligently humorous “consulting” agent, a sadistic biker gang leader, a nefariously wry Russian mafia boss, and my favorite, Agent Heron. I cheered every time he showed up. You’ll quickly understand why…if the FBI had one agent like this in every major city, crime would slow to a trickle within a week.

Blake clearly took his time with this one, shifting his focus and skills from the insanely paced, explosive Assassin series, to this thoughtful, exciting thriller.

Grab a copy today!

Review of Richard Stephenson’s COLLAPSE

I’m a sucker for Apocalyptic Fiction, if you couldn’t already tell, so when Richard Stephenson offered me the opportunity to read an advanced copy of COLLAPSE, I couldn’t resist.

Richard Stephenson’s debut novel held me in its grip from start to finish. Based in the not so distant future, the background for Collapse is a frightening projection ripped from current headlines. In the context of today’s Western financial crisis and Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Stephenson’s dystopian setting does not come across as a far-fetched fictional ploy, but rather one of several worst case scenarios developed by Beltway think-tanks.

The year is 2027. The war with the new Empire of Iran is not going well. America’s heartland resembles a scene from Mad Max, with the newly formed Unified National Guard barely keeping control on the streets. The unemployment rate is no longer a relevant measure of the economy, because the employed are in the minority. America is still a super power, but that distinction is fading rapidly.

This is the backdrop for a fast paced, character driven story that explores the best and worst of humanity. The reader will be introduced to a host of characters, all with a role to play in the outcome of this sweeping apocalyptic tale. Character development is one of Stephenson’s strongest skills, bringing each character’s motivations and background to light at the right time, in the right place. You won’t find cardboard cut-outs in this story, but watch out…the author often spends time developing characters that meet an untimely fate.

Most of all, Stephenson tells a riveting tale that starts with a bang and doesn’t lose momentum. There is just the right amount of “telling,” where you learn about the background leading up to the war with the Empire of Iran or American’s financial collapse. Most of the story is told from the characters’ perspective, where you will find them battling through incredible circumstances…eventually winding up on the same journey. Stephenson effectively employs the popular, yet often poorly executed strategy of alternating between characters in different settings. The tension escalates in each of his scenes, culminating in several mini-finales. I found myself reading with rapt attention, but constantly looking forward to getting back to the other main characters’ stories.

I would give Stephenson’s debut 4.5 stars. My only complaint was that some of the technology available to one of the main characters seemed unrealistic for 2027. The character is Howard Beck, the wealthiest man in the world, and likely the most intelligent. Stephenson’s incredible imagination shines brightly here, but I found myself slightly distracted by the disparity between what I found inside his compound and outside. In retrospect, I understand what the author was trying to accomplish. In the face of abject dystopia, Beck’s wealth and genius has allowed him to keep pace with the world that “could” have developed. Likely far exceeding it. Perhaps it would be like walking into Bill Gate’s house today, which would be an experience nearly unrecognizable to most of us.

If you like post-apocalyptic scenarios, this story will fully satisfy your hunger for gritty, unapologetic “end of the world” literature.

The Jakarta Pandemic’s LOST SCENES

Actually, they were never really lost. I cut 60,ooo words from the first draft on purpose…to save you from reading a 200,000 word novel. Think Stephen King’s THE STAND length.

21 months after The Jakarta Pandemic’s launch, I have brought about 30,000 words back to life in a re-release. I reformatted and added this material to the end of my book as bonus material. Of course, I don’t expect previous readers to buy the new version. You can download the material right here: BONUS MATERIAL PDF or BONUS  MATERIAL MS Word

What made me decide to resurrect this material? Reading The Thin White Line by Craig DiLouie.

I’ll explain. Most of the material cut from my novel consisted of imbedded news reports, television interviews and radio show segments. Since the story is told solely from the main character’s point of view, there is no omniscient presentation of information about the world pandemic situation. The reader learns about the pandemic through Alex Fletcher eyes and ears. Since I did a ton of research for the novel, I was over eager to “share” volumes of this information with my audience. Not the best idea when you are trying to move a story along and maintain tension. The virtual editing floor was littered with cuts made on the reader’s behalf.

Craig DiLouie’s self-published book, The Thin White Line, is a painstakingly researched, fictional account of an avian flu pandemic in 2012. Presented on a more clinical scale than The Jakarta Pandemic, he tells the story from multiple perspectives within a beleaguered healthcare system and collapsing civil structure. He masterfully details every academic aspect that I cut from The Jakarta Pandemic and more. Way more. Read together, I believe The Thin White Line and The Jakarta Pandemic redefine pandemic fiction.

To complete the ultimate pandemic experience:  Check out The Thin White Line at Craig’s website.

YOU CAN DOWNLOAD IT FREE! for now, so don’t miss out on this great opportunity.

For those of you unfamiliar with Craig DiLouie’s work, he is a well established writer within the apocalyptic horror genre, featuring several wildly popular titles, including Tooth and Nail (which I reviewed on this blog) and Infection. His most recent work, The Killing Floor (a continuation of Infection) was just released by Permuted Press to an eager fan base.

Have you “heard” about the imminent Pandemic…

AUDIOBOOK?

The Jakarta Pandemic? What’s that? Admittedly, my first novel has been flying on autopilot for several months now. I haven’t done much to support the book, beyond track sales, answer reader emails (which keeps me busy…believe me) and respond to a few Amazon reviews (I know, according to the “writing” world, I’m not supposed to do that, and I pretty much abide by that rule).

So, it’s with great pleasure that I announce the release of The Jakarta Pandemic in audiobook format.

Professionally produced by Gregg Savage of Sunny Day Audiobooks, and masterfully narrated by Joseph Morton, the final product is a brilliant rendition of The Jakarta Pandemic. I’m listening to it in my car, and there is something truly incredible about hearing the story brought to life.

I want to extend a special thanks to Gregg, for reaching out to me with the offer to produce the audiobook. In all reality, my role in the process was to simply provide the manuscript and wait. A worthwhile wait for sure.

THE JAKARTA PANDEMIC AUDIOBOOK at Amazon.

Black Flagged Redux and the Wounded Warrior Project

FINAL TALLY  $1700 Raised For Wounded Warrior Project

Black Flagged Redux will be available to readers on Friday, May 11th.

Continuing in the tradition of giving to our nation’s heroes, I have chosen to donate the proceeds from my next charity book launch event to the Wounded Warrior Project. With Memorial Day right around the corner, May is the perfect month to honor veterans who carried the war back with them from the front-lines, facing challenges at home that few of us can possibly imagine. The Wounded Warrior Project helps these brave men and women tackle their unique challenges head on, with a variety of services designed to assist and empower .

The charity campaign surrounding Black Flagged raised over $1700 for the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) organization. I hope to double that amount for the launch of Black Flagged Redux.

With that said, here are the details:

Stage One: The Launch Weekend

1.) Starts whenever the book goes live on Friday May 11 and ends when I check the number of sales on Monday morning.

For each Kindle sale: I will donate the entire purchase price of the e-book and match that price with my own funds. I am offering the book at .99 for the weekend. Every sale will generate $2.

Purchase Kindle Book  OR  Purchase Hardcopy OR Purchase NOOK Book

Don’t have a Kindle? Really? Just kidding. The book will also be available in physical form on Amazon. I’ll donate $2 per sale over the weekend and the rest of the month. Other ways to enjoy the ebook and be part of the weekend rush? You can  Download the Kindle for PC program onto your PC  OR Download the Kindle App for iPad OR Download the Kindle App for PC.

If you don’t have an Amazon account, I’m not going to pressure you into that. If you’d like, I’ll accept a donation in exchange for a signed copy of the book. It costs me $8 to put the book in your hands ($6 for discounted copy + $2 media rate mail). Email me at skonkoly@earthlink.net and we can work out the details

Stage Two: The Rest of May

1.) After the weekend, I will raise the price to $3.99 and donate $1.00 from each sale.

2.) Like last time, you can track the progress daily on my blog. I’ll keep updating the numbers.

What You Can Do to have the biggest impact?

1.)  Buy the book from Amazon over the weekend: Purchase Black Flagged Redux eBook OR Purchase Black Flagged Redux Hardcopy

2.) I’m obviously encouraging the e-book route, as this makes the biggest impact on Amazon’s sales rankings algorithms, which will keep the momentum flowing for the rest of the month.

Spread the Word.

Forward this blog post, send the email forward…get the word out to the masses. My goal is to double the amount donated last November.

Review of Russell Blake’s Revenge of the Assassin

As a loyal reader and fellow author, Russell provided me with an advanced copy of his newest release, Revenge of the Assassin. How do I repay his trust? By taking forever to finally get around to a review. I did have a vacation to Scandinavia to enjoy…that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it. Check out my review of Blake’s follow up to the smash sensation, King of Swords. It goes without saying that I continue to be impressed by Russell Blake’s offerings. I know you will too.

“Russell Blake continues the blistering, “no holds barred” saga of El Rey in his smashing sequel to King of Swords. Demonstrating his unmatched versatility as a writer, he once again shifts gears and delivers a gritty, unapologetic look at the dark side of the Mexican drug war and its most feared instrument, El Rey. As a reader familiar with Blake’s works, I anticipated nothing less than an engaging thrill ride for this follow up to King of Swords. Blake clearly delivers more. Rarely has a sequel exceeded my expectations like Revenge of the Assassin. As I clicked past the last page on my Kindle, I said to myself…”@#!% if he didn’t do it again. Even better than the last one.”

As with every Blake novel, the description, settings and detail bring you right into the book. I hate to be repetitive in my reviews, but I felt it was worth mentioning again. Whether you are witnessing the stark brutality and ugliness of the drug cartels’ day to day “business” on the outskirts of a border town or sipping cold beers with the leader of the Sinaloa cartel at a plastic table overlooking a quiet cove on Zihuatanejo Bay, you’ll be immersed.

Where Blake raises the bar in this novel is the way he fully fleshes out the cat and mouse chase between El Rey and Captain Cruz. He builds on the history established between the two characters in King of Swords to bring the tension to new heights. For fans of Forsyth, Captain Romero Cruz is Claude Lebel…methodical and obsessed with bringing his assassin down against nearly insurmountable odds. Beyond this, I particularly enjoyed the behind the scenes politics between Mexican federal agencies, which adds another layer of complication for Cruz to navigate.

Blake’s Assassin series occupies a prominent place in my e-bookshelf, and I eagerly await the next installment…which is rumored to be close at hand. If your a fan of relentless action, unpredictable twists and immersive writing, this series is for you.”

The finish work…

All of the pieces are falling in place for the imminent launch of the second book in my Black Flagged series, Black Flagged Redux. The editing process is finally complete, a few extra chapters have been added at the request of my editor, ebook formatting is in progress and I just returned from an exhausting research trip to Europe. Actually, it was a family  vacation, but I did get to visit a street address that is very important to Black Flagged Redux. More on that in another post, along with pictures.

One of the final pieces fell into place while I was on vacation. Despite the fact that I had written more than 120,000 words to create the novel…and likely rewrote most of them at some point…I never feel like the book is real until the cover is finished. I feel like a child waiting for a toy to arrive in the mail…but in this case, I kept checking my email. Once the file arrived…Black Flagged Redux was done!

Check out the cover Jeroen ten Berge created. It’s a brilliant continuation of the themes present in the first cover.

Give me one more week to pull it all together!

Groundbreaking Interview with Critically Acclaimed Author, Russell Blake

It’s with genuine pleasure that I bring you this interview. Russell Blake has the distinct honor of being one of the first Indie authors to firmly establish my faith and trust in the true potential of self-published books. I know this sounds insane coming from an Indie author, but until I stumbled onto his first book, I honestly hadn’t taken many chances on self-published titles. Russell’s books ushered me into a new era of reading, and have kept me busy…to say the least.  Firebrand and agitator extraordinaire, Russell is a blast to engage on any level. Check out his blog after the interview, to go deeper into the genius mind of Russell Blake. russellblake.com

Without any further ado, I’d like to welcome Russell Blake, who has graciously emerged from hiding in Mexico to answer some burning questions.

Steve Konkoly:   Russell, you’ve had quite the prolific writing year. I read your first book in July, and I’ve sort of lost track of how many I’ve read at this point. I do recall that each book has been better than the last. Can you shed some light on how you manage to produce one solid thriller after another?

Russell Blake:   Well, Steven, as you know, it’s really all about balancing the powerful recreational drugs and the alcohol… Seriously, though, I’ve been blessed with an active imagination and a love of language. So I try to surpass myself with each effort. And I have a strong work ethic. I do this like a full-time job, in spades – typically, ten to twelve hours a day. I’ll have written fourteen books by year-end, twelve of which I’ve released, one of which I shelved, and one which is a work in process. That’s an exhausting workload, but it’s quickly built a hell of a backlist.

SKIf you haven’t already commented on this, what does a typical day resemble, when you are deep in the throes of writing?

RBI wake around seven, grab a bite, chug some coffee, attend to all the social media obligations, and then start writing. I’ll break for lunch for maybe 15 minutes, then dive back in until nine at night, sometimes later. Depends on whether my vision’s blurring by then or not. I shoot for 7500 words a day, at a high quality level. I put in a solid ten hours, so I’m not all that fast. I just clock a lot of hours. I keep telling myself I will only do that through the end of 2011, but it does get a bit addicting. I tend to write for couple weeks, and then rest for a few. That avoids burn-out.

SKYour plots are airtight, which leads me to believe you have a patented process for mapping the story out in advance. I’d love to hear more about your process for taking an idea, and turning it into a workable story line.

RBOn some of the early books, I did a crude algorithm, drawing out a kind of schematic. Then I tried winging it with just a summary paragraph or two, and single-sentence chapter summaries. That’s how I do it now, but I’ve reduced the sentences to just a few words. Not much of a process, I’ll admit. I just don’t see a lot of point spending weeks to chart out the plot. Either it’s a hell of a story and I race to get it told, or it isn’t, and it likely will feel wooden when I write it. I may change my mind at any point on this, but for now, it’s a paragraph or two, some words to guide what should come next, and then writing.

SKI’m glad to hear that I’m not the only writer than takes a pass on the four-week long, build your plot, arts and crafts project. How about characters? You’ve created some memorable characters throughout your books, and admirably, they’re all strikingly different. I haven’t once felt that I was reading about the same character, dressed up differently and cast with a phony foreign accent. How do you create a character?

RBAgain, I have no process. I just dream up the character, and they tend to gel in my head as I begin the first few scenes. On rewrite, I’ll adjust little inconsistencies so they’re harmonious. But I hate vanilla characters, so I try to imbue mine with as much personality and humanity as possible, and rather than telling the reader about them through exposition, try to offer glimpses of their qualities and internal narratives through actions and dialog. Which is a verbose way of saying I try to show, not tell.

SKI assume you are answering these questions from one of several safe-houses along in Mexico, since your recent thriller, King of Swords, uses the deadly drug cartel wars as its primary background. Did you have to get permission to write this book? Seriously, how has your experience living in Mexico shaped this story? Frankly, I felt like I was on the streets of Mexico while reading the book.

RBGood. That was the goal. I wanted the reader to get a feel for the totality of the genuine Mexican experience. Living in Mexico has strong positives, and negatives. I’m fortunate to live in a safe area. But I’m still exposed via the news to the epic drug-related violence and brutality that’s the norm for Mexico. I’ve been here coming up on a decade, and I have to say that I don’t think King of Swords or Night of the Assassin would be nearly as compelling if set in Prague or Bolivia. I wanted to do something I haven’t seen done before, namely to write a novel set in modern Mexico told as it really is – not the saccharine, stereotypical Mexico of mission bells and sombreros, but rather the diverse melting pot that is the true state of the country. There’s a large, burgeoning middle class, as well as the very poor and the wildly rich. The richest man in the world is Mexican – Carlos Slim. Mexico isn’t about burros and cactus anymore. Hasn’t been for a generation or more. I wanted that to come through.

SK It certainly came through for me. While King of Swords is a thriller like your other books, there is a level of grittiness, pacing and detail, that suggests a different style of book for you, or perhaps…your true style or “stride.” Does this statement resonate with you?

RBIt does. I think the Assassin books, as I think of them, will be the grittiest and fastest paced, because I’m aspiring to a breakneck velocity in those efforts. I wanted to write a series of books that would define that high-velocity approach to the contemporary thriller novel. I can’t immediately think of any I’ve read that move faster, or have as many unexpected shocks and disturbing scenes. I think the imagery works because it’s not just violence or blood, but rather situations that are so vivid and real they seem true. I want my readers to have problems sleeping and tell their friends about a scene or two in each book, or have them going, WTF! There are actually a few in Night of the Assassin that I second-guessed and almost cut – they’re that disturbing. On rewrite, I was disturbed. But my editor said they should stay in, as they collectively define the experience. If readers can read these books and not be affected, I failed in my job. But to answer your question, yes, I suspect KOS and Night of the Assassin solidify that “Blake” style. It’s the one I’m most comfortable writing, and that I most enjoy reading.

SKNight of the Assassin is a prequel to King of Swords. What’s in store for readers in the prequel?

RBNight seeks to explore the making of the monster, and explain, if explanation is possible, how the beast became what he presents as, fully formed, in King of Swords. I was fascinated with that El Rey character when I finished King, and literally started writing Night just a few days after finishing King. Readers should expect the most racing thriller they’ve ever read, on steroids, in a Ferrari at midnight with the stereo cranked, 150 MPH on black ice. If that sounds over the edge, it’s because with Night I tried to redefine what an edge even was, much less where it sat.

SKWell, I certainly hope sales from this book and its prequel, will allow you to upgrade the armor plating on your SUV, or at least hire a bodyguard.

RBI was thinking tequila sponge baths with twins, but hey, you may have a point. Although it does leave you feeling somewhat bulletproof and invisible…

SKHey, what happens in the Mexico, stays in Mexico. All of your books so far, have involved some heavy-duty, big government conspiracies. Do you start with the premise of a conspiracy, or do they grow into your stories?

RB I start with the conspiracy. In my experience, governments all over the world lie early and often. In the states, the conceit is that we’re above that, but in the end, it’s just not so. Witness Cheney on Fox recently admitting to giving the order to shoot flight 93 out of the sky. All the news clips of “Let’s roll!” and the rest were pure invention. So I just assume that the government, any government, is lying the moment its lips move. In Mexico, it’s accepted the government lies and is corrupt. Same in Europe and South America. And I believe there’s a shift going on in the U.S. as well. I think as the 2008 financial crisis played out, and it has become obvious to even the dimmest that fraud and larceny were endemic at every level in looting the country, that people are waking up. I think I differ in that I readily see how power can corrupt and cause conspiracies to develop – one of the key techniques of any fascist state is to dismiss any differing take on reality as being treasonous, or lunacy. If you can convince the populace to dismiss things without question, you can mold what they believe. That’s the basis of all conspiracies – to portray up as down, black as white, and to build an illusion to hide the underlying reality. I like to think my books jar the endemic, comfortable complacency and afford a view of what is possible, as an alternative, fictional explanation to the status quo.

SKNow I’m starting to think you might need more than just an up-armored SUV.

RB Armored Jacuzzi? Kevlar sponges? I’m open.

SKSounds like security might continue to be an issue as long as those twins are still involved. So, what is your theory about the JFK assassination? This is optional…I think you have enough people watching you at this point.

RBYou really want them to be lining up for a bite of me, huh? Three possibilities. First is that the military/industrial complex wanted him gone. Second possibility is that the financial system wanted him gone, but that’s far-fetched given that his dad was one of the biggest scammers on Wall Street; so it’s more likely he was rubbing shoulders with the money boys than fighting them. Third is that the mob wanted him taken out. I tend to think the latter or the first are the two likeliest scenarios.

SKSafe answers for the most part. I see you have a Trilogy in the chute. The Delphi Chronicle. Can you give us a brief rundown of this Trilogy, and when it will be available?

RBBook one is already out. Just released. Book Two and Three will break around Xmas. It’s the editor holding things up, but in all fairness, I sort of buried him with KOS, Night and Delphi. Between all of them it’s probably close to 300K+ words to edit from end of November to Xmas. That’s a lotta words. It’s  serial trilogy like Zero Sum, meaning that the story’s told across the three books. Delphi is my most shocking conspiracy yet, positing a NY literary agent getting an anonymous manuscript that contains the most damaging allegations ever leveled at the U.S. government – drug running, murder-for-hire, extortion, all going to the highest levels. It’s a big set of books, in the sense that it’s an epic, disturbing story that spans decades and countries. I’d say the conspiracy in Delphi is the most troubling I’ve ever conjured up – even I was scared to write about it. Let’s just say it smacks a little too closely of the truth, to my ear, as I researched its plausibility. The writing’s more lyrical than KOS and Night, in the sense of the pacing, but it scares the crap out of me to read because of the content. I’m sure I’ll get a lot of flack for it, and be condemned for being anti-American or whatever, but in the end, I tend to say, hey, if it is that plausible, don’t blame me for inventing a story that rings true. Look inward.

SKJust released? Son of a @#&%$! I like troubling conspiracies, and as for Anti-American? As long as your book doesn’t threaten my way of life, I’m good. Are you going to take a break from writing soon? It’s not in the readers’ best interest for you to stop, but I know you’ve been working hard over the past few months.

RBI keep swearing I will, but I get bored really easily, and I have multiple story ideas knocking around my noodle at any given time. Right now I’m writing The Voynich Cipher, which is a Da Vinci Code-esque sequel to Zero Sum, and features Dr. Steven Cross in a multi-faceted treasure hunt. It’s a complete departure from my other work, which keeps it interesting to me. But very research intensive. Then after that, I want to do Revenge of the Assassin, about a rematch of the protag and villain from King. Then another prequel, this time focusing on the making of Cruz, the protag in King. And I’ve got three more concepts, two sequels to Delphi and yet another sequel to King I want to get out…so the answer is, you might see seven to eight more novels out of me next year. Although a few months ago I swore I’d only do three or four. So who the F knows? I figure that while the muse is dancing the tango, you’d be stupid to stop.

SKIf you did take a break, I assume you’d do a little pleasure reading. Who are your “go to” authors nowadays?

RBBesides you? Note the subtle lotion job there. Hopefully that will work and you’ll continue to read my stuff. I like David Lender’s work I’m currently reading Vaccine Nation. I usually, when I have a chance to read, will go back to old favorites – Grisham, King, Forsyth, and lots of David Foster Wallace. I recently re-read The Magic Mountain, and it still holds up as vital. And I read a book by a first time author, Gae-Lynn Woods, I enjoyed a lot – very well written debut. But the sad truth is that with the schedule I keep I rarely have time to read other than at the gym, so it takes me weeks to plod through a book.

SKVery subtle. I’m glad you’re not sitting next to me.  Any parting words of wisdom?

RBFor writers, there’s no substitution for practice. I’ve clocked my ten thousand hours of writing, and gotten better because of it. If you expect to get good, expect to write a lot. They go hand in hand. Practice a lot, early and often. And demand the most out of yourself. If a little inner voice is telling you it’s crap, it probably is, and you’ll do everyone a huge favor by shelving it and writing something better. For readers, give indie authors a shot, but demand the same level of skill as the big names. Life is too short to read dross, and you shouldn’t have to. If you start groaning during a book, lose it and find something worth reading. And never trust clowns. They’re generally alcoholic pedophile cannibals – not to generalize, of course.

SKRussell, thanks for sharing some of the magic behind the curtain. If you like thrillers, and haven’t read on of Russell’s books, I implore you to try any of his books. You won’t be disapointed.

Take a spin through Russell’s world, at his award-winning blog:  russellblake.com

And check out my reviews of his books: King of Swords review, Zero Sum review, Geronimo Breach review and Fatal Exchange review.

Breaking News! Rare photo of Russell Blake unearthed! I still think this is part of his plan to stay incognito, but then again, I’m also into conspiracy theories.


Book Review of Russell Blake’s “King of Swords.”

Russell Blake does it again! I can’t tell you how thoroughly impressed I am with King of Swords…well, I can try. Grab a copy, and lock yourself in the house.

“Russell Blake is no stranger to the thriller genre. His previous thrillers have turned the headlines inside-out, with gritty, no-holds-barred, edge-of-your-seat plots. With King of Swords, Russell Blake has clearly taken the best of his previous novels, and combined them into an honest, often brutal, heart stopping thriller, that left me gasping for air, and squirming on my couch. I know this sounds overly dramatic, but in reader-speak…this book kept me glued to the Kindle screen.

In King of Swords, the reader is taken on a journey through drug cartel ruled Mexico, where violence often trumps hard cash, as the dominant cultural currency. Blake clearly draws on his own knowledge of the political and cultural climate in Mexico, to present a realistic and stark backdrop to a thriller in the fast-paced, intelligent tradition of Frederick Forsyth’s “Day of the Jackal.”

The reader is quickly introduced to El Rey, the king of assassins, whose mysterious ways, and dramatic, unprecedented success as an assassin, has catapulted him to a legendary status on par with Carlos “The Jackal.” It has also increased his contract fee to exorbitant levels, only affordable to the ruthless Mexican drug cartel leaders…and maybe a few omnipresent government agencies that we’ll leave unnamed for now. Yes, a Russell Blake novel would not be complete, without the nefarious meddling of forces well beyond the scope of everyday Mexican life. Blake’s conspiracy angle is brilliant and believable at every level in King of Swords.

Following closely on El Rey’s heels, is veteran “narcotraficante” hunter Captain Romero Cruz, who has dedicated his life, at great personal cost, to dismantling what he sees as the greatest threat to Mexico’s future…the drug cartels. A seemingly futile, thankless task, that has cost him nearly everything. A spectacular raid early in the book, results in the capture of a high level cartel leader, who makes a boast that Cruz can’t possibly ignore. El Rey has been hired to do the unthinkable, and the deeper Cruz digs into the possibility of the truth, the more frightening and devastating the consequences of El Rey’s “final” contract appears.

In a race against time, and a cunningly ruthless assassin, Cruz and his admirably brave task force, take on nearly impossible odds to stop an assassination that could change the landscape of North America forever. I’ve read all of Mr. Blake’s novels, and feel that he has truly “hit his stride” with King of Swords.”


Interviewed by critically acclaimed author, Russell Blake

Check out this fantastic interview, featuring yours truly, at Russell Blake’s BLOG.  Russell has become my favorite indie author, having written three smash hits over the past year. He is a prolific and engaging writer, that has kept me glued to the pages. I felt honored to be interviewed one his BLOG.

This interview reveals more than I have ever revealed about the process of writing my novels. I hope you enjoy it…there are some new pictures there too!

Steven Konkoly, author interview

Donation Campaign for Disabled Veterans

UPDATED 11/20/2011: Two weeks into Black Flagged’s launch, and the total amount raised for the Disabled American Veterans organization (DAV) exceeds $600 (including corporate matching gift). Thank you all very much! There is still time and opportunity. One more day for all proceeds from sales to go to the DAV, and I’ll match these proceeds. $2 per hard copy will go to the DAV for the remainder of the month, and I’m hosting a book launch party at the very beginning of December. All proceeds from this charity event go to the DAV, and will mark the unofficial end to the Donation Campaign for Disabled Veterans. I will finalize the tally, and cut a check to the DAV, which my employer will match. Keep spreading the word, it’s not over yet!

UPDATED  11/13/2011: Thank you for a great launch week! So far, the total raised for the campaign is $253.50. Simply fantastic. I am extending the matching donation campaign one more week. All proceeds from sales for this next week will go to the Disabled American Veterans organization, and once again, I will match them. Spread the word! Early holiday gift?  

Purchase from all sources here: www.blackflaggedseries.com

Check out this sample: Prologue

Chapter One

Every time I  futz around with my blog or any of my book sites, I learn something new. Yesterday, I learned that Amazon provides me with a separate e-store for selling the hard copy versions of my novels. So what? My thoughts exactly…until I started to set up the sales channels for my new novel, Black Flagged. I discovered that a sale at the e-store site pays me more than the same sale at Amazon’s regular Amazon.com storefront. Interesting. Maybe less bureaucracy at the e-store page? I have no idea. I can even track which sales go through the e-store, and which come from Amazon.com. Pretty cool, and it got me thinking…which is usually a dangerous thing. Not this time.

I’ve decided to give the difference (roughly 2$ for Black Flagged and $3 for The Jakarta Pandemic) to the Disabled American Veterans organization, a non-profit that has served disabled veterans for decades. It currently serves the needs and interests of over 200,000 disabled veterans, and I can’t think of a better way to repay our nation’s disabled service members. As a veteran myself, I understand the value of DAV’s advocacy, and hope you’ll chose to order your book through this portal (if you are looking for a hard copy version). It’s the same price to you, so why not?

I will post updates at the top of my blog, regarding the amount achieved, and will likely be able to double the amount through my employer’s matching charitable donations program. Thank you in advance for your support of our veterans. You can use the links to the right, under the Book Store heading, to reach the e-store portal.

Check out the Disabled American Veterans website too, if you get a chance.  www.dav.org

Stalling

For those of you who haven’t figured it out yet…yes, I’m stalling. I’m eagerly awaiting the cover art for my new book, having arrived at the finish line a little earlier than expected.

I had contemplated writing a post about the dumbshit tailing me (5 feet back…not kidding) along Interstate 95 for twenty minutes…I used cruise control to slow my car down to 48 mph before he finally broke out of his iPhone haze, and realized he was moving along 25 mph slower than the rest of traffic on 95. I didn’t care. I figured if anyone was going to get rear ended, it would be him. Just in case your curious, I did this to him twice. I sped passed him when he finally went around me (head buried in iPhone), and again slowed him to 49mph in a gradual five minute attempt to drive him crazy. No such luck. Twitter must have been engrossing. I was about to take a picture of his car and license plate for a chat with the state police, but I realized my use of the phone would have broken Maine’s new “no texting” law (prohibits any use of electronic devices for anything but phone calls), and I would have been incriminating myself. Instead, I passed him, and hoped for some sign of an explosion in my rear view mirror. Nothing. Oh well.

Since everyone is being extremely patient, I thought I’d post a sample from the next book in the Black Flagged series, Black Flagged: Beginnings. Preliminary name, so don’t get critical just yet. I have a rough map of how the book will play out, but not enough to ink a story line.  This scene is a flashback, more background depth into Black Flagged’s main character, Daniel Petrovich (aka Marko Resja). I’ll reach back in this book and show you how he was recruited and trained…more importantly, you’ll see exactly what the Black Flag program trains it’s operatives to endure and overcome. Not for the weak heart.  Enjoy this bonus sample, as I try to figure out what else I can do to stall at 4:30 in the morning.

Black Flagged Beginnings

Heads Up “Lawmakers,” this one is gonna sting a little…


 

This is my second installment in the “Heads Up” series.

My son made an interesting comment the other evening over dinner. We were discussing a new law passed in San Francisco that requires cell phone retailers to include a warning about radiation emitted by cell phones, when I made a rather bitter comment about how the law will get crushed once enough lobbying money is mobilized by the wireless phone industry. My wife added a comment about how several European studies linking cancer to cell phones will not be enough to jolt our populace past the lobbyist funded media cloud, “assuring” us that cell phones meet acceptable federal safety standards. I replied, “who do you think paid to set those supposed safety standards.” My son, 11, put his fork down, and said, “I can’t believe we live in such a corrupt country.”

Well, this wasn’t exactly the response we expected, or wanted. Both my wife and I spent the next five minutes assuring him that we live in a great country, and explaining how lawmakers and lobbyists work. We sort of glazed over the money aspects, and I’m not totally sure my son was convinced that we fully believed what we were saying. He’s heard our take on dozens of similar issues, from small things like cell phones to Wall Street. He’s heard us discuss how life might be a little less marred by nonsense in New Zealand, and ponder if it was possible to relocate before “it was too late.” I have no idea what “too late” means, but my son has been listening. We’re not happy with the direction of affairs in our great Republic, and guess what? I don’t think we’re alone.

Right now, you’re probably convinced we’re liberal activists. Not really.  Yeah, the move out of the country theme sounds very Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins-esque, but I assure you this isn’t completely the case. I don’t like to typecast, because this evokes expectations and a silo approach to thinking. Too many of us are stuck in silos, liberal or conservative…you can’t see very much outside of your silo. Independent? Another label, unfortunately. So, where do we fall on the spectrum? Who cares. I care about issues, and how they affect my family. Sounds selfish, but oddly enough, I haven’t come across many challenges that can’t be served by this litmus test, or any greater societal issues that wouldn’t be well served by it. Some examples?

I don’t want to pay more taxes (sounds conservative)…not because of a deep-seated political belief, but because I don’t want to lose more money from my paycheck. Who does? I feel like I pay enough right now, and I haven’t yet felt the sting of paying self-employment taxes on royalties for my latest novel. 15.3% (12.4% for Social Security and 2.9% for Medicare) on top of federal and state taxes…not a bad deal for Uncle Sam. I wake up at 4:45 every morning, and write for a few hours, so our government can pay off their loans to Wall Street. Or is it the other way around. Nobody is quite sure. I would, however, pay more in property taxes to fund the new intermediate school proposed for our town…because we really need it.  Convince me that any tax increase will go to infrastructure building or initiatives designed to wean us off foreign oil…and I’ll gladly pay a little more. Though I suspect there is plenty of money collected each year to pay for these things, if our “lawmakers” could achieve a competent level of “lawmaking.” On the flip side, I see a war brewing with Iran, and a relatively futile decade old conflict in Afghanistan, that I don’t care to fund with my taxes (now I’m a liberal hippie).

I would love less government (conservative), and less regulation (very conservative)…because I think all of our lawmaking apparatuses are hopelessly compromised by big industry money (liberal?) and I don’t trust them to serve the people’s best interests. Sad? Very sad…that I am at the point where I every time I see a politician’s face or name in the news, I shake my head and mutter something to the effect of “criminal” under my breath. I no longer see a difference between Wall Street CEO’s and politicians. It’s really depressing that I don’t trust our legislative branch anymore, at all. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t believe that all politicians are essentially corrupt (despite what my kids might hear me say). Some are, most aren’t. Just like in any organization or group. The system is corrupt, and when you operate within a corrupt system for long enough, it’s hard not to start walking like everyone else.

I don’t know the solution to bring back my faith in Legislative Branch, but here are a few suggestions that might be a step in the right direction:

1.) Vote Independent. Yeah, I know it’s a wasted vote, for now, but I’m not going to be influenced by this line of thinking anymore. If there’s one thing I can guarantee you for the upcoming 2012 election, it’s that I won’t be voting for a democrat or republican. The two-party system is broken beyond repair, and adding a viable third-party would be the number one step toward restoring some honesty to our capitol. Pressure from each side is overwhelming, and stifles any dissent outside of party thinking. Junior members of the House and Senate don’t last very long if they fail to toe the party line. See the quotes from John Adams below, his thoughts on the development of two powerful political parties were amazingly prescient.

2.) Hold your representatives accountable. Communicate frequently. I don’t do this, but with the internet, it’s as simple as a few mouse clicks. Ideally, I’d love to see a system where we can vote on major expenditures just like on a community level. Want to fund the new intermediate school in my hometown? Vote directly in November. If it passes the popular vote, guess what? The school is funded. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could do this on some level with national decisions? Imagine having to rush out to your local high school or precinct location to vote on an emergent national issue? You’d feel a little more important and invested. Electing a representative to do this work in a compromised political environment isn’t really working for us anymore. At the very least, we should all have the ability to “cast” a vote/opinion on issues, and see if our representatives are even close to representing their direct constituents. I think the results would be surprising.

3.) Involve your children in this discussion, at some level. And I don’t mean that you should teach them that America is corrupt. I feel bad about my son having this impression, but there is value to understanding why the system has some flaws. The sooner they learn that the “status quo” might not be the best thing for our country, the sooner it will change. Trust me, I can’t quit my job and rally full-time against Wall Street or Washington corruption (or even part-time). I have soccer games to attend, kids to shuttle around, a sailboat to enjoy. A full life modeled around what I considered to be the American dream. It’s pretty nice, and I’m not complaining. The kids are the key to affecting change. Republican or Democrat, the breakdown of Washington resonates. Let them in on the secret a little earlier, it may have a profound effect.

4.) Invest in an earpiece for your cell phone…it’s the least you can do for yourself, unless you trust the FCC to look out for your best interests. Guess who shapes their thinking?

“However [political parties] may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion.”

“There is nothing I dread so much as a division of the Republic into two great parties, each arranged under its leader and converting measures in opposition to each other.”

JOHN ADAMS

Final Cover Blurb for Black Flagged. Mid-Late October Release!

BLACK FLAGGED – “Classification given to an agent or intelligence officer who is to be interrogated and summarily killed if apprehended”

“A graduate of the Department of Defense’s experimental Black Flag program, Daniel Petrovich carries a secret he’d rather keep buried. A secret his government has hidden in the deepest vaults of the Pentagon. Unfortunately for Daniel, some secrets carry a debt that can never be repaid, and certain acquired skills will always hold their value. Someone is trying to raise Black Flag from the dead, and bring Daniel back with it. Someone who knows all of his darkest secrets.

In exchange for the promise of a clean slate, and a chance to keep the life he has built with the woman he loves, he agrees to carry out one final mission. Now Daniel has an even bigger problem. The assassination of Mohammed Ghani, a wealthy Muslim importer, wasn’t the uncomplicated mission he had been promised. Seven other prominent Muslim businessmen are killed on the same night along the East Coast, suddenly extinguishing Task Force HYDRA, the most significant counter-terrorism investigation in recent FBI history.

Daniel’s life is about to disintegrate, as he becomes the focus of a relentless FBI manhunt, and the target of a vengeful CIA agent. To survive, he’ll be forced to release a dark side he fought for years to keep suppressed. A dark side with few boundaries, and even fewer loyalties.”

Meet the key players in Black Flagged here:  Cast of Characters

#SampleSunday New Chapter of Black Flagged

The summer ended, the kids are back to school, I survived another round of layoffs at a pharmaceutical company to remain unnamed, and….I FINISHED BLACK FLAGGED! Yesterday to be precise. Now begins the editing process. First a quick self-edit, before I fire this off to editor extraordinaire, Felicia. Then, I wait patiently. I have a few pre-readers selected, and a few of them have already received rough copies to read. I’m really shooting to launch this by mid-October. Until then, I plan to put out a few more sample chapters.

Here is Chapter Three of Black Flagged

Measurable progress…

As I prepare to briefly step away from writing, Twitter and every other little nook or cranny that fills my spare time, I wanted to quickly show you how close I am to finishing Black Flagged. On June 3rd, I wrote a blog post titled, The Structure of a Plot, and showed you the most complicated and unreadable chart outlining my book. Unreadable because I didn’t want to give the whole thing away. Since then, I have made more progress than expected. By writing every morning from 5AM to 7AM, I wrote close to 60 thousand words in two months, which is not bad for a part time writer. At this point, I think I might be 90% finished with the rough draft…though it’s hard to tell exactly what will happen at the end of this book. Take a look at the two plot charts side by side. I took the second photo two weeks ago, so most of the boxes are checked at this point.

I’ll still be scribbling on my sailboat…I don’t think I need the chart anymore.

Book Club review of Russell Blake’s FATAL EXCHANGE

If you like thrillers…don’t miss this one. Fatal Exchange by Russell Blake

Fatal Exchange is a gritty,”edge of your seat” thriller by first time author Russell Blake. The author cleverly combines a well paced, CSI styled crime thriller, with a “no holds barred”, plausible international conspiracy. The story centers around Tess, a spunky, misplaced bicycle messenger, tirelessly working the Manhattan courier, who becomes entangled in both conflicts. Set squarely in the sights of an elusive serial killer and pursued doggedly by a ruthless, clandestine interrogation/murder team, Tess weaves her way through both worlds, as everyone around her starts to fall victim to the two very different, yet equally deadly threats. Detective Ron Stanford is stuck in the middle both conspiracy. A youngish detective assigned to a “special homicide” investigative unit, he initially meets Tess through his investigation of a set of serial murders targeting bicycle messengers, and soon becomes enmeshed another set of bizarre murders popping up throughout the city, all linked to a mysterious transaction completed by Tess’s father.

I felt like I was reading two parallel novels, each feeding into the other seamlessly. Even if you’re not a fan of detective fiction, you will thoroughly enjoy this book. The international conspiracy aspect is equally represented, and the two genres blend beautifully. I never once felt tired reading this book, and the only time I found myself skipping ahead, was to find out what happened next, then I’d go back and fill in the details. The story is seriously compelling, and the characters are well developed…just don’t get too attached.

Fatal Exchange is not for the squeamish. A demented serial killer and two Myanmar black ops agents that go to extremes to extract information from their victims…will leave you grimacing at times. However, there are plenty of breaks from the intensity, as Blake develops his characters and delves into their psychology and background. Even the killers are given human dimension, although disturbing. You will not find any cardboard characters in Fatal Exchange, which was a rare break from other books in these genres.

I can honestly say, that if I could find more books like Fatal Exchange, I would be left with absolutely no reason to read some of the “Brand” name authors on the market today.

Book Club review of Bob Mayer’s DUTY, HONOR, COUNTRY

Duty, Honor, Country is a must read for any historical fiction fan…and not just military historical fiction. This is an epic account of Westpoint’s influence on our early military leaders, from the Mexican-American War to the American Civil War. At it’s heart Mayer tells a compelling story about family, torn apart against the backdrop of two early major American wars. War takes center stage in the story, but the center is supported by rich character development and a well paced narrative.”

Bob Mayer’s recent foray into the historical fiction genre is not to be missed. The story starts during the early years of West Point, and follows the military careers and personal lives of several prominent figures who would play pivotal roles during the American Civil War. Mayer richly brings these characters to life, through their experiences at West Point, Mexican-American War exploits… all ultimately leading to a showdown between classmates at the start of the Civil War. The story paints a particularly interesting and stark picture of each characters’ family ties and loyalties,Union and Confederate, which are inevitably challenged as the Civil War escalates.

Mayer attention to detail regarding the historical aspects of each setting is impressive, and the painstakingly realistic battle scenes are experienced first hand through the characters, in a fashion unique to this genre. They can only be described as staggeringly authentic.

Overall, this is an epic, sweeping story of family loyalty and loss in time of war, with carefully woven conspiracy and intrigue at every turn. From beginning to end, I eagerly turned the page, and the book never disappointed me. The plot is carefully constructed, and every detail eventually comes into play during the incredible finale at The Battle of Shiloh.

If I had one complaint, I would ask Bob Mayer to continue the saga beyond Shiloh. It is simply a fantastic, well crafted story, that tops the military historical fiction genre.

Book Club review of Paul Antony Jones’ TOWARDS YESTERDAY

Here is a hidden gem that I would probably have never found on my own…which would have been a true shame. Towards Yesterday by Paul Antony Jones. Towards Yesterday is an apocalyptic, science fiction thriller, that kept me sneaking away to read my Kindle for the entire Memorial Day weekend. Engrossing, thought-provoking, filled with lasting, vivid imagery, the story gripped me early, and didn’t let go through the very last page. Based around a future scientific experiment gone terribly awry (apocalyptic level destruction and death toll), the story ties together several strangers, as their post “event” paths collide, with potentially even deadlier consequences for humankind.

If you like post apocalyptic books, you will love this read. My only complaint about the book? It ended. Towards Yesterday is a relatively quick read, which will both satisfy and leave you yearning for more.

I highly recommend it! And at 99 cents…you can’t go wrong. Additionally, this is a self-published title that contains few, if any, of the grammar errors or typos that some earlier readers of MY book would have encountered. A fantastic first effort…I look forward to reading more of Paul’s work. You can find the link to his book under Book Club Links.

Book Club review of Blake Crouch’s RUN

Blake Crouch isn’t kidding with his title. Imagine if the entire United States descended into a state of emergency, where seemingly ordinary people are murdering their neighbors, police are opening fire on the elderly at nursing homes and all you can hear at night is the sound of gunfire and screaming. Madness has overcome the public, and now they’re reading names off on the radio…names of people that need to be killed. While you’re listening, you hear them read your name and address. What can you do, but RUN!

If you’re a fan of relentlessly paced horror, this book will consume your day. I found many parallels between Crouch’s book and my own, which is probably why I liked it so much. Actually, I would have loved this book before I started writing. Think Stephen King and Cormac McCarthy, with a dash of David Morrell. It gets gruesome at times, just a warning, but overall, I found the book to have a nice balance. At it’s core, RUN is a family survival story (on several levels) propelled forward by a chilling “event.”

Like the big rides at Six Flags…you might want to sit this one out if you have a heart condition. Check out the Book Club Link to the right.

The Culprit

Not sure how this will look on my blog…this is my first mobile posting. The vessel in the picture is the reason I have written a grand total of two pages in two weeks. Painting, waxing, buffing, varnishing, washing…more waxing. Leaving town for Memorial Day weekend didn’t help either.

Vessel Name: Dolci (Italian for candy or sweet). She certainly is a sweet boat, and well worth the distraction. Thanks to April showers, she’s almost three weeks late reaching the water. Today is the big day.

One more excuse for a low word count…but can you really blame me?

Don’t characterize my characters…just yet.

Good plot. Immersing detail. Popular genre.  Quick tempo. All the trappings of a worthy read…right? While these qualities in a book might draw you in, and keep you there for a spell, nothing, in my humble view, detaches the reader quicker than hollow characters. I’ve read the reviews (not on mine thankfully…yet). “Cardboard, one-dimensional, flat, undeveloped, unrealistic…” The list goes on.

Unrealistic?   Now this description captures my attention the most, because it reminds me of something Stephen King said about writing good stories. I am paraphrasing at my worst, but he said something to the effect that an interesting story pits normal people against extraordinary circumstances, not extraordinary people against normal situations. Realism defined? I don’t know, but I like reading stories about characters that have to struggle to overcome an extraordinary problem. Is James Bond one of these characters? At first you’d probably say “no way!” I might agree, but I’d argue that he is an extraordinary person pitted against insanely extraordinary circumstances. It’s the same formula, just presented in a higher octane fashion, which is why it works…more so in the recent Bond films.

Ever read a book where the protagonist is an unstoppable, unbeatable hero? Mentally or physically? It’s fun for a while, but falls flat very quickly, because ultimately, there is no real drama. You know the protagonist will come out on top. It might be fun getting there, but on some level I get bored…really quickly. If the protagonist’s success is in question, or he/she takes a beating along the way…even though I still suspect, or know it’ll turn out alright, I’m pulled along.

Another aspect of a realistic protagonist is their moral stance. I think a little moral complexity is critical for a realistic character. We don’t all help old ladies cross the street…sometimes we’re in a hurry and don’t want to stand two more places back at Starbucks. Sorry. Moral complexity can vary across the spectrum, which can become confusing, so traditionally, we think of categorization in terms of good vs. evil, or some form of this. It’s a simple recipe for conflict, which usually drives a story along.

In my first novel, The Jakarta Pandemic, the moral ambiguity was a little hazy. The structural “good guys vs. bad guys” dichotomy was fairly simple to process, and I’ve received little feedback to suggest otherwise. However, since the book’s release, I still eagerly wait to hear from the camp of people who think that Alex Fletcher was a terrible person, and could not associate with them at all. I built a subtle stage for this into the story (maybe not so subtle), and so far, nobody has walked up onto it for a solid rant against them.

My next story won’t be so easy for most of you. Although most of you will like the protagonist from the start, and turn the last page with the same sentiment intact (mostly)…the ride may leave you with an uneasy feeling. You might find yourself not so eagerly clinking champagne glasses with this character, as you sail away into the sunset.

What kind of protagonist keeps you reading a story?  What kind makes you toss the book aside?

Enduring the next epic disaster

Does the current situation in Japan qualify as an “epic” disaster?

I don’t know, but the unfolding drama at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant will cast the final vote.  All eyes are focused on the crisis, but what exactly are most of us seeing…and learning?

As a writer that recently launched a novel centered around an “epic” human disaster…The Jakarta Pandemic, I saw frightening similarities between the research driven scenario I had created for my story, and the media stories spilling out of Japan. I admit, there is a big difference between the instantly devastating impact of an earthquake/tsunami hit, and the slower burn of a gradually worsening pandemic disaster. However, I wasn’t thinking in terms of the immediate blunt physical impact.  I really focused on the after-effects.  Stories of evacuation, refugees, food and supply shortages…and not just for the immediate victims, but everyone ultimately affected, even as far away as Tokyo.

I especially considered the citizens forced to evacuate the 12 mile radius around the Fukushima plant.  What did they bring with them? How much did they have to bring? What about the people in the next distance ring, who were told to stay indoors? Do they have enough food, water and supplies to stay put for an extended period of time?  Or would they be forced to flee due to lack of necessities. Where are all of these people going?

I wondered if the individual families had ever planned for this type of disaster?  I know you can’t devise a plan to thwart a thirty foot high wall of water, but did people immediately head away from the coast after the earthquake? They certainly didn’t have much time to react.

I thought about the concept of what survivalist/preppers call a Bug Out Bag (BOB)…actually, they have an entire lingo (Bug Out Vehicle, Bug Out Location…etc).  A BOB is a conveniently located, pre-packed bag designed to get you (and your family) through the first 72 hours of an emergency that requires you to leave your home.  I won’t get into detail about the contents, but you get the idea.  If the tidal wave alarm sounds, or you experience an earthquake (and you live close to the ocean)…you can throw this bag into your BOV, start driving inland, and rest assured that you have the basics covered (cash, clothes, first-aid, food, water…more).

There are some basic preparation steps that can make an immense difference, whether you are stuck in your residence with no way to resupply essential items, or are forced to flee (immediately or with plenty of time)  a disaster zone.  Many of these preparations overlap, and can serve you well during something as minor as a nasty winter storm.

How much thought have you put into some of the more likely or unlikely disaster scenarios for your area?  (Even a two day power outage)