Here is the cover artwork for the 3rd installment in the James Maguire series: Bishop's Gate
Check out the not-so-subtle clues for a hint at what will be in the next book.
The e-book version should be available on Kindle next week, while the print version should be out by the end of the month.
If you haven't read the first two books: Perfect Pawn & Queen's Gambit, you'd better get caught up before this ride begins.
Thanks again for your interest, and please remember to follow me on Facebook and Twitter for the latest information.
Friday, February 13, 2015
Update on the new James Maguire novel: Bishop's Gate
First, I would like to say that this evening I will be doing
the cover reveal for the new book, Bishop’s Gate, which is scheduled for
release next week. I hope that you will check back and let me know what you
think.
If you are a first time visitor here, you can stay connected through this website, or via Facebook
and Twitter.
As I close the book, literally, on the new James
Maguire novel, I am left with a feeling of sadness. It is hard to explain,
but it’s like being on a wonderful vacation with friends and then having to say
good-bye. I know that I will see them again, but that doesn’t do much for the
moment.
However, as I did my proof read, I was struck by something
that was kind of shocking to me and I wanted to share that with you. As you
read this book, I want you to understand that the premise behind the story was
drafted last February. That is going to be significant as you read the story.
It hit me that I am either extremely prescient or we live in a world that is stuck
on stupid, inclined to keep repeating mistakes. Whether it is the threat of
global terrorism, political scandal, or race / class warfare, we never seem
learn.
It is amazing to me how a story, which I dreamt up in my
mind over a year ago, would be so timely. Hopefully, when I sit down to do the
draft for the next one, I can again channel that insight.
For now, it is time for me to move on to the next story,
which will be a sequel to the Alex Taylor novel, Small Town Secrets. I have the
luxury of having most of that one done, and I am hoping for a shorter release
time, toward the end of Spring.
Till then, I hope that you continue to enjoy my stories, and
I welcome your feedback.
Thursday, February 12, 2015
Update (Winter 2015)
Well, I am sure that a great many of you have imagined that I fell off the face of the earth. Actually, that probably would have been a bit more relaxing. Truth is, it has been nothing short of chaotic around here.
What was supposed to be a Fall launch for the next book in the Maguire series unfortunately got pushed off, due to a variety of different factors. First, one of our son's was diagnosed with MS back in September, which kind of put us in a take-spin. It's not the type of news you'd expect, but you just have to learn to deal with it and move along.
Next we undertook a re-publishing effort for our dear friend, Larry Wilson. Larry is a paranormal investigator who is currently writing his third book on the subject. Over the course of the last few months we re-edited and updated his two prior books: Chasing Shadows and Echoes from the Grave. If you are interested in the paranormal or just like to be scared, you'll find both books quite interesting. For his part, Larry has continually asked me to accompany him on one of his investigations, but, as I informed him, "if I can't shoot it, I don't want any part of it."
It's bad enough that he has forever scarred me and ruined any chance of me ever traveling within a hundred miles of Villisca, Iowa or Atchison, Kansas. Heck, I'm considering a full-on embargo of those two states, as should HE !!! Larry will understand !!!
Although, he did mention a haunting at an old Irish pub..................
That being said, I do have some exciting news to share. While our lives have certainly been a bit busy, and I have been a bit re-miss about engaging in my social media responsibilities, that doesn't mean that my writing has taken a break. No, far from it. I am happy to say that the 3rd Maguire book, Bishop's Gate, will most likely be released on Kindle next week and in print by the end of the month. While it has been a long time coming, I believe that you will enjoy the book and see that it has certainly been worth the wait.
In addition, I am nearly done on the 2nd Alex Taylor book. For those of you not familiar with this character, I suggest you run over and check out Small Town Secrets.
Stay tuned, because in just a little while, I will be doing a cover reveal for Bishop's Gate.
Happy Reading, Folks !!
Remember to follow me on Twitter: @Andrew_G_Nelson
What was supposed to be a Fall launch for the next book in the Maguire series unfortunately got pushed off, due to a variety of different factors. First, one of our son's was diagnosed with MS back in September, which kind of put us in a take-spin. It's not the type of news you'd expect, but you just have to learn to deal with it and move along.
Next we undertook a re-publishing effort for our dear friend, Larry Wilson. Larry is a paranormal investigator who is currently writing his third book on the subject. Over the course of the last few months we re-edited and updated his two prior books: Chasing Shadows and Echoes from the Grave. If you are interested in the paranormal or just like to be scared, you'll find both books quite interesting. For his part, Larry has continually asked me to accompany him on one of his investigations, but, as I informed him, "if I can't shoot it, I don't want any part of it."
It's bad enough that he has forever scarred me and ruined any chance of me ever traveling within a hundred miles of Villisca, Iowa or Atchison, Kansas. Heck, I'm considering a full-on embargo of those two states, as should HE !!! Larry will understand !!!
Although, he did mention a haunting at an old Irish pub..................
That being said, I do have some exciting news to share. While our lives have certainly been a bit busy, and I have been a bit re-miss about engaging in my social media responsibilities, that doesn't mean that my writing has taken a break. No, far from it. I am happy to say that the 3rd Maguire book, Bishop's Gate, will most likely be released on Kindle next week and in print by the end of the month. While it has been a long time coming, I believe that you will enjoy the book and see that it has certainly been worth the wait.
In addition, I am nearly done on the 2nd Alex Taylor book. For those of you not familiar with this character, I suggest you run over and check out Small Town Secrets.
Stay tuned, because in just a little while, I will be doing a cover reveal for Bishop's Gate.
Happy Reading, Folks !!
Remember to follow me on Twitter: @Andrew_G_Nelson
Monday, January 12, 2015
The Face of Evil: Taking up the fight against Terrorism
In my book, Queen’s
Gambit, one of the central themes is the threat that we face from terrorism.
It is a topic that I dealt extensively with during my time with the NYPD.
Back in the 90’s I was part of a unit that provided
dignitary protection and conducted threat assessments, both for individual
security as well as commercial and residential sites. It was a difficult task,
one that was made ever harder when we encountered resistance from the people we
were trying to protect.
A case in point was in 1997, after the Centennial
Olympic Park bombing in Atlanta, Georgia. I was sent to a major sporting venue
and asked to evaluate their security and make recommendations. I spent several
days going through their facility assessing the risks and taking notes. On the
last day, I sat down with the senior members of the organization, and made my
recommendations.
I instructed them on tightening perimeter security,
establishing designated areas where spectators and packages could be searched,
etc. It was nothing that I would consider overly egregious. It took about five
minutes before I realized that I was just wasting my breath. I vividly recall
one of the execs commentating that they couldn’t search attendees because their event didn’t draw that type of person.
I closed up my folder and wished them luck.
Not long after that, an individual was apprehended inside
the venue by officers assigned to the event. This person had a large carving
knife in their possession, something which would have been picked up long
before the individual had entered the facility. A tragedy was avoided only by sheer
luck.
It is the way I feel about the times that we are living.
As we have seen in the recent terror attacks in Paris,
France, coupled with those in Ottawa, Canada, and Sydney, Australia, terrorism
is alive and well. The real problem is not that terrorism exists, but our
unwillingness to properly address it.
To be certain, the outcome in Paris was a failure, not a
success. The minute the terrorists began their killing spree inside Charlie Hebdo we lost. In essence, we
became reactive to the situation, attempting to put an end to it, when in reality;
we should have been proactive and kept it from happening in the first place.
My aim here is not to play Monday morning quarterback, but
to instruct.
Think of terrorism as a tool, like a hammer. It is used to
bring about a particular response; it is the reason why you hear it referred to
by different names: political terrorism, narco-terrorism, biological terrorism,
and even eco-terrorism. The real threat however is the person wielding that
tool. In order to properly address the threat, you need to know the mindset of
the person.
The immediate threat that we face today is one driven by a
religious zealotry to the nth degree.
That is a statement of fact which simply cannot be ignored. If you want to be
politically correct, and bury your head in the sand, then you better pray that
you are just as lucky as those sporting executives were and pray that law
enforcement, or the intelligence communities, catch them before they do
whatever it is they are planning.
Those who subscribe to the religious tenants of radical Islam have no desire to sit down
and discuss their animus toward you. They believe in only two things:
conversion or death.
Amazingly, there is a certain segment of society which
believes that ‘we cannot be like them’. As if by simply doing nothing, we will
somehow convince them to lay down their swords to join us in some utopian global
citizen fairytale.
It sounds quite naïve to decry the use of non-lethal interrogation techniques,
such as waterboarding and sleep deprivation, when your enemy is only interested
in killing you. If you don’t understand this fundamental difference, you are
part of the problem.
For starters, when it comes to the basics of Islam, most are
woefully uneducated. The majority of folks couldn’t tell you what the difference
was between Sunni or Shia, or the many other denominations of Islam. Not that I
can blame them, as many struggle with defining their own religious beliefs let
alone a complex religion like Islam. The issue I have is that, if you are
uneducated, you shouldn’t be interjecting yourself into the conversation.
George Bush, and enhanced
interrogation techniques, did not create the problem of Jihad, it has been
around for over a thousand years. We are not in a traditional war, but a
religious one. Our enemy cannot be appeased with money or land; they seek only
to spread their brand of religion, opposition to which means death.
The French are going to have to come to terms with a monster
that they helped create. In an attempt to be politically correct, they allowed
their core principles to be modified. The first time they surrendered, they set
in motion a practice that has brought them to the brink.
There are now an estimated 750 Zones Urbaines Sensibles, or No-Go Zones, across the
nation of France. These are areas where the government has simply raised the
white flag, allowing the local community to take over. As a result, these areas
are not governed by the laws of France, but by Islamic Sharia law. In many
instances the police or other public safety, such as fire and ambulance
services, will not even go in to these areas.
This is not isolated to France; this is also seen in growing
areas of the United Kingdom and Sweden. Even in the United States, there are
burgeoning Muslim communities in places like Dearborn, Michigan, where locals
are calling for the equivalent of No-Go Zones and the institution of Sharia
courts.
What the French failed to realize is that terrorism is not a
criminal problem. Islamic terrorists, like the Kouachi brothers and Amedy
Coulibaly, are at war. Treating them as if they are a common criminal, who can
be rehabilitate and returned back to society, is ludicrous. In fact, lax prison
rules have allowed them to become a prime recruiting location.
Amedy Coulibaly converted to radical Islam while in prison
in 2005. It was during that prison stint when he met Cherif Kouachi. The two men became devoted followers of Djamel
Beghal, a French-Algerian man with ties to al-Qaeda, who was convicted of
plotting in 2001 to blow up the U.S. Embassy in Paris. Coulibaly tried to
break another militant Islamist, Smain Ait Ali Belkacem, out of
prison in 2013. Although he was convicted and sentenced to five years in prison,
he served only several months before he was released early.
This is the mindset that believes that a terrorist is a
criminal and a prison sentence administers the proper amount of justice. It is
a mindset that we are seeing here in the United States as well. Western
civilization seems loath to accept the fact that this is a war we are fighting;
choosing to believe it is a criminal justice issue.
Imprisoning people like this serves only to keep them isolated
for a finite amount of time until they are once again released to the
battlefield, a fact we have seen replayed when Gitmo prisoners have been
released. In their minds, they are prisoners of war and their duty does not end
till they die or the war is won.
Whether you like it or not, this is the reality we now face.
Yesterday, over forty world leaders participated in a march
in Paris denouncing terrorism. It was the largest assemblage since the
Americans liberated that city during WWII. Unfortunately, absent from the scene
were representatives of this administration. Yes, the American Ambassador was
there, somewhere, but when you have
the representative heads of France, Israel, England, Germany, and so many other
nations, the least the administration could have done was send the
vice-president.
However, this administration does not want to address the real
threat posed by radical Islam. It wants to paint a narrative that terrorism is
on the decline, not the upswing that we are witnessing with our own eyes. They want to view it as a simple criminal justice problem and mete out
sentences in civilian court. What could go wrong with that?
After all, we saw how well it worked out for France.
The photo at the top of this article is the enemy that we now face. It speaks to the contempt with which they view us. The glint of orange fabric at the bottom was just the latest victim, but, to be sure, they envision each and every one of us in that position.
It's our choice to decide whether we try to reason with the devil or fight back.
Thursday, January 8, 2015
Terror Attack at Charlie Hebdo: the lie of Je Suis Charlie
Newspaper headlines across the world repeat the motto: Je Suis Charlie, or I am Charlie, in an apparent
show of solidarity with those lost during the terror attack at the
publication, Charlie Hebdo.
But is this really true?
I vaguely knew of the paper, because they
were the subject of a bomb attack back in 2011. I tend to stay on top of terror
related activities, an old occupational hazard that I haven't been able to
shake.
I have to admit that Charlie Hebdo is not
my cup of tea, so I can't really offer much in terms of in-depth commentary on
their content. From what I have heard / read it was pretty much a left-leaning
and anti-religious satirical publication, which seemed to enjoy poking fun at
just about everyone, from pope to prophet.
I don't enjoy this type of boorish
behavior. I've seen it too often in the form of pseudo-intellectuals who like to attack others simply
because they choose to have a belief system. I tend to look at it this way: if
they are right, and there is nothing after we die, then I don't lose anything.
However, if I'm right,..... Well, that's not a very pleasant thought.
Don't get me wrong, as an American; I am a
firm believer in the 1st Amendment. I don't have to like what you are saying,
but I respect and will protect that right. It's why I wore a uniform for over
two decades and allowed folks, who probably liked the type of satire found in
Charlie Hebdo, to call me vile and disgusting names. I just wish those same
folks would realize that it is a two-way street and accord me the same respect.
The bottom line is that I am not one of
those people who get their kicks from picking on others, hiding behind the
guise of satirical humor. It's not hard to tell what you are going to get from
a paper whose official slogan was that they were 'dumb and nasty'.
Some like that, which is why I guess
Charlie Hebdo, had a modest circulation. I will say that the paper did one
thing that the majority will not, and that was that they chose to mock
everyone. The mistake they made,
which cost several of them their lives, was that they didn't realize the
principal of Newton's third law
which states: For every
action there is an equal and opposite reaction.
I don't say this trivially, but as a
matter of fact. The left seems to believe that the war on terror is a joke.
That somehow the real issue at the core of the unrest in the Middle East is
about oil or 'nation building'. They have no clue as to the underlying politics
or religious issues, and that is extremely dangerous. Unfortunately, for them,
the folks at Charlie Hebdo found that out.
To be sure, what happened in Paris was a
tragedy, but one that was preventable. Even in the old world, the Court Jester
sometimes paid with his life, for satire that failed to amuse the king.
Now, as I watch the aftermath, it appears
to be Avant Garde to hold up a sign that reads Je Suis Charlie, as if the
world is really one with them.
That's naive.
If you really wanted to be like Charlie
Hebdo, then you would hold up signs mocking Islam and the Prophet Mohammed.
That would show real solidarity, not some kitschy phrase that someone is probably
looking to trademark and profit off of, even as I type this.
That won't happen though. People like
solidarity, when they can do it from relative safety. It reminds me of the
recent police protests across the US. They act like fools, espousing criminals
and calling for the retaliatory deaths of cops, because they know that they are
relatively safe from harm. Yet, I never see them marching in places like
Brownsville or Englewood because they know they'd get beaten or worse. It is
something they do to make themselves feel good, but at the end of the day it is
a contrived response.
As for me, I'd rather show my solidarity
with the men and women of the French Police Nationale who lost three of
their brothers and sisters, allowing those at Charlie Hebdo to engage in their sophomoric
behavior.
Follow me on Twitter: @Andrew_G_Nelson
3rd Police Officer Killed in Paris, France
A female police officer was shot and killed, following the execution of two other officers yesterday during the terror attack at the Charlie Hebdo newspaper.
The officer, and a city employee who attempted to intervene, were shot just south of Paris by two men who fled from a motor vehicle accident involving a car that match the description of the one used by the terrorists.
Once again, we are reminded of just how dangerous law enforcement can be.
Our hearts and prayers go out to the Police Nationale who must continue the hunt for the terrorists, while mourning the loss of their brothers and sisters.
The officer, and a city employee who attempted to intervene, were shot just south of Paris by two men who fled from a motor vehicle accident involving a car that match the description of the one used by the terrorists.
Once again, we are reminded of just how dangerous law enforcement can be.
Our hearts and prayers go out to the Police Nationale who must continue the hunt for the terrorists, while mourning the loss of their brothers and sisters.
Wednesday, January 7, 2015
Terrorist attack in Paris kills 2 police officers
My heart goes out to the Police Nationale in Paris who mourn the loss of two
of their officers, executed during the terror attack that targeted the
satirical newspaper, Charlie Hebdo,
where several members of the staff were also killed.
The brave men and women of Paris' police force cannot even stop to
mourn their lost colleagues as the manhunt for the killers is on-going.
An amateur video shows the moment when the terrorists execute one of the officers, as he is lying on the ground wounded, his hands up in the air. It is an act of utter ruthless brutality which shows the dangers that the men and women of law enforcement are exposed to each and every day.
In light of the recent killings of police
officers here in the United States, it stands as a stark reminder that the thin
blue line that protects the innocent, extends, not just nationally, but around
the world.
May God bless the men and women who risk their lives to protect ours.
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