Today, I have a military fiction novel in our cover reveal spotlight.  Check out Against All Enemies and learn about author Thomas M. Wing!

Military Fiction

Date Published: October 13, 2023

Publisher: Acorn Publishing

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When the People’s Republic of China unleashes a devastating attack on the United States, newly appointed Naval Commander Bill Watkins and his crew are suddenly alone, deep in the enemy’s backyard, and unable to communicate with naval or national leadership.

At home in Washington, the president is detached from reality. Survivors of his cabinet contend with military leadership for control, some to save the nation they serve, others in pursuit of personal power. As America becomes alienated from her allies, Russia begins a campaign that creates heightened fears of nuclear annihilation.

Bill must navigate a political minefield to find friends among China’s neighbors, while undertaking a role that demands he take unimaginable risks and wrestles with the question: What losses are acceptable in order to win?

 

About the Author

 A Naval Academy and Naval War College graduate, Thomas M. Wing retired after thirty-two years as a Navy Surface Warfare officer. He served in guided missile destroyers and frigates, as well as with destroyer squadron, cruiser destroyer group, numbered fleet, and Joint Task Force staffs, where he planned and executed real-world joint operations at the operational and strategic levels of war. He also participated in naval combat during Operation Praying Mantis in the Middle East in April, 1988. He has taught Coast Guard licensing courses and has held a variety of sailing licenses, including Master and Master of Sailing Vessels, Upon Oceans. As well, he founded and served as Executive Director for the Continental Navy Foundation, which conducted experiential education at sea for young people 13-17 years of age. He also commanded the Foundation's tall ship, the brigantine Megan D.

His novel, Against All Enemies, resulted from a random thought during a period of political tension between China and the U.S. What if that political tension included cruise missiles flying in from the sea to strike the San Diego waterfront?  Thomas M. Wing resides in San Diego with his wife and daughter, two cats, and a dog. He still spends whatever free time he has on the water.

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Today, I have a military / science fiction novel in our book spotlight!  Check out FNG, learn about author Benjamin Spada, & be sure to enter for a chance to win a prize in the book tour giveaway at the end of this post.

Military/Sci-Fi

Date Published: September 6, 2022

Publisher: Acorn Publishing

 

 

FNG: noun. informal. Military term, “F****** New Guy”: a person just out of training or newly transferred into the unit, who either hasn't proved their worth or doesn't know how to operate properly due to lack of experience. 

“Welcome to Black Spear.” With these four words Cole West is immediately thrust into the shadowy world of the military’s most deadly black-ops program. No warning. No training. No choice but to buckle up as Black Spear conscripts him to fight against a paramilitary group of renegade veterans known only as “Terminal.”

Terminal is no ragtag militia but a veritable private army of disgruntled soldiers with one mission: Stop at nothing to topple the government they think failed them. Armed with a highly volatile bioweapon capable of absorbing the properties of other contagions, they plan to wash the country clean through an ocean of blood.

It’s up to Cole West and Black Spear to prevent Terminal’s terrorist attacks and stop the insurrection before it can happen. To survive in Black Spear, West will have to prove himself. But even on day one, there are no second chances…

 

Read an Excerpt

 

His shoulder-length dark brown hair was slicked back and his full beard, though long, was clean and well-maintained. Abraham Jackson, known simply as Abe to his friends and Jax to his troops, was a born leader. Jax honestly believed that in a thousand possible lifetimes, he still would’ve found his way into the military. Service was often referred to as a calling; it was one he’d eagerly answered when he’d come of age. From the second he’d enlisted, he’d felt that he’d truly found his niche in life. While other men oftentimes grew discouraged with military life and frequent deployments, he’d thrived on it.

Jax had cut his teeth in Iraq, he’d done his time in Afghanistan, and despite how skilled a warrior he was he’d been passed over for promotion until the end of his contract. Four fucking years of back-to-back combat tours, spilling blood in a sandbox nobody gave a shit about, and all without ever strapping on a second chevron. Since he’d never picked up rank beyond Lance Corporal, he was denied reenlistment.

He was a “Terminal Lance”; one of thousands of Marines every year who simply hadn’t managed to get promoted before their time was up. “It is what it is,” is what he’d been told by countless superiors who appeared sorry to see him go, yet not concerned enough to raise a finger about his dismissal from the Corps. His entire chain of command watched as he’d been forced out. “Thank you for your service, now you’re on your own.”

Jax understood the importance of putting a group before the individual, but he also had enough perspective to know that deeming him unworthy was a mistake. That thought had put a brand on his soul that even now hadn’t healed. Pain can drive a man to great things.

When he’d been forced out, Jax had felt lost for a time. He was a warrior through and through. Yet he’d been considered worthless by the very organization that had become his family. After a time Jax grew sick of his own self-loathing and used it to fuel a new goal.

Upon a suggestion from one of his friends, a fellow Terminal Lance he’d served with named Rob Batson, Jax had formed a support group for veterans like himself. He’d called it Terminal; it was a cheeky joke that drew in a particular demographic. Originally, Terminal had been geared towards deterring suicide and unemployment through outreach. Build the community in order to build the network of support. However, what started as a tight-knit few quickly grew into a sizable organization. Spurred on by Jax and Batson’s influence, Terminal had blossomed into their very own military outfit.

By associating with military humor pages and other similar social media groups, Terminal was able to expand its recruitment efforts to an even larger pool. The convenience of digital networking had played a pivotal role in finding the veterans they needed.

Disillusioned. Disappointed. Frustrated. Most importantly: trained. In the military there was a position for every job you could think of. There were trigger pullers, wrench turners, armorers, logisticians, communications technicians, medical personnel, and even meteorological specialists. Each year thousands of military personnel were processed out of every MOS (military occupational specialty). Some were discharged voluntarily; others less so. Terminal didn’t discriminate against the circumstances.

In the beginning Jax personally handled recruitment. Each and every man had been approached one at a time. Now, he had an entire team going off of a nearly foolproof script. One of their members with a Master’s in psychology had even helped Jax perfect it. He had his men sitting behind computers pushing out private messages over Facebook, trolling the lobbies of VA centers, rubbing elbows and buying drinks at the local VFW, and even doing house calls. They’d gotten recruitment down to a science. It always started casually. Looking for work? That disability payment late again? Wife left and took the kids? Not everyone responded eagerly, but that didn’t matter. Eventually those who were interested got the final message: “You should meet Jax.”

All it took from there was one all-expenses paid bus ticket to meet the man himself, and Terminal’s numbers grew - one by one.

  About the Author

Born and raised in California, Benjamin J. Spada has had a lifelong passion for storytelling. Benjamin, a self-described “Professor of Batmanology,” is a dedicated taco aficionado,  and proud Fil-Am and lumpia enthusiast who has served in the United States Marine Corps for the past decade. He has taught martial arts , operated as a section leader in the Wounded Warrior Battalion for our nation’s wounded, ill, and injured, and served overseas to help train our foreign military allies in defense against chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons. He has trained Marines, sailors, federal agents, and other friendly forces in individual survival measures. Despite these grim assignments, he has carried on with equal amounts of sarcasm and stoicism. When out of uniform, Benjamin is an avid sci-fi and horror movie fan, tattoo collector, comic enthusiast, and two-time holder of the Platinum Trophy in Elder Scrolls: Skyrim. FNG: a Black Spear Novel is Benjamin’s debut novel. Benjamin lives with his wife Jacqueline and their three daughters, Elizabeth, Isabella, and Alexandra, in Oceanside, California.

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Twitter: @spadaben

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This morning, I have a military / Sci-Fi novel in our book blitz spotlight!  Check out FNG, learn about author Benjamin Spada & enter for a chance to win a prize in the book tour giveaway at the end of this post.

 

Military/Sci-Fi

Date Published: September 6, 2022

Publisher: Acorn Publishing

 

 

FNG: noun. informal. Military term, “F****** New Guy”: a person just out of training or newly transferred into the unit, who either hasn't proved their worth or doesn't know how to operate properly due to lack of experience. 

“Welcome to Black Spear.” With these four words Cole West is immediately thrust into the shadowy world of the military’s most deadly black-ops program. No warning. No training. No choice but to buckle up as Black Spear conscripts him to fight against a paramilitary group of renegade veterans known only as “Terminal.”

Terminal is no ragtag militia but a veritable private army of disgruntled soldiers with one mission: Stop at nothing to topple the government they think failed them. Armed with a highly volatile bioweapon capable of absorbing the properties of other contagions, they plan to wash the country clean through an ocean of blood.

It’s up to Cole West and Black Spear to prevent Terminal’s terrorist attacks and stop the insurrection before it can happen. To survive in Black Spear, West will have to prove himself. But even on day one, there are no second chances…

  About the Author

Born and raised in California, Benjamin J. Spada has had a lifelong passion for storytelling. Benjamin, a self-described “Professor of Batmanology,” is a dedicated taco aficionado,  and proud Fil-Am and lumpia enthusiast who has served in the United States Marine Corps for the past decade. He has taught martial arts , operated as a section leader in the Wounded Warrior Battalion for our nation’s wounded, ill, and injured, and served overseas to help train our foreign military allies in defense against chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons. He has trained Marines, sailors, federal agents, and other friendly forces in individual survival measures. Despite these grim assignments, he has carried on with equal amounts of sarcasm and stoicism. When out of uniform, Benjamin is an avid sci-fi and horror movie fan, tattoo collector, comic enthusiast, and two-time holder of the Platinum Trophy in Elder Scrolls: Skyrim. FNG: a Black Spear Novel is Benjamin’s debut novel. Benjamin lives with his wife Jacqueline and their three daughters, Elizabeth, Isabella, and Alexandra, in Oceanside, California.

Connect with the Author

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Facebook

Twitter: @spadaben

Buy the Book

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This morning, I have a military ops novel in our book blitz spotlight!  Check out The Prequel, book one from The Phoenix Force series, learn about the series and author Susan Horsnell!

 

This morning, I have a military thriller in our book blitz spotlight!  Check out Bishop's War and learn about author Rafael Amadeus Hines and the Bishop series!

 

Bishop Series, Book 1

Thriller, Action-Thriller, Military-Thriller, Crime Thriller

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This fast-paced and action-packed suspense thriller introduces us to Special Forces Sergeant John Bishop, decorated war hero, and nephew of crime boss, Gonzalo Valdez.

After returning home from Afghanistan John’s hopes for a peaceful future are quickly shattered when he is catapulted back into the global war on terror through a succession of life-threatening events and corrupt intrigue. He battles against terrorist operatives in New York, a powerful Afghan warlord, and a psychopathic billionaire with powerful White House connections. When John’s uncle gets involved, he proceeds to treat John’s enemies to a bitter taste of mob vengeance. From that point on the ride speeds up and the reader will have to hold on for dear life. This is a thriller not to be matched for intensity and breathless excitement—not for the faint-hearted.

 

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Other Books in the Bishop Series:

Bishop's Law

Bishop Series, Book 2

In his debut novel, Bishop’s War, author Rafael Amadeus Hines delivered a knock-out punch! The international bestselling action-thriller introduced us to former US Special Forces Sgt. John Bishop, his Spec Ops team, and John’s crime boss uncle, Gonzalo Valdez, as they united to take on terrorists, contract killers, a psychotic billionaire, and Afghan warlords. In the eagerly anticipated sequel, Bishop’s Law, the nonstop action continues with Bishop and his team battling against ISIS terror cells, a family of Pakistani assassins, and the Russian mob. Hang on for an action-packed and suspense-filled thrill ride! Once again—not for the faint-hearted.

 

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About the Author

 

Rafael Amadeus Hines is a native New Yorker with Panamanian, Jamaican, and Irish roots, who was born and raised on Manhattan's Lower East Side. Dipping into his early Alphabet City memories, he loosely based many of the characters in his first novel, Bishop's War, on the gangsters, cops, and combat veterans he grew up with, and adapted many of his own experiences into the book as well.

Rafael is a former Jazz club owner and restaurateur, and has worked in the financial and energy markets for over twenty years. On 9/11 he watched his office along with all the others in the Twin Towers come crashing down and, like many New Yorkers on that day, he anticipated follow up attacks to take place throughout the city. Years later he envisioned a lone citizen soldier preventing these attacks and the hero Sgt. John Bishop appeared on paper.

Rafael is the father of three and still lives in the New York neighborhood where he grew up. A voracious reader of suspense thrillers, his writing career was inspired by legendary artist-authors Elmore Leonard, Vince Flynn, John Sandford, Stephen Hunter, Walter Mosley, James Lee Burke, and Tom Clancy. He is currently working on the third novel in the Bishop series.

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BookBuzz

 

This morning, I have a military romance novel in our book spotlight.  Check out the book, learn about the author & enter for a chance to win a prize in the book tour giveaway at the end of this post.

Date Published: 2015

“Fate hunts us down in our sleep.” Clay Conover, retired Marine officer turned corporate trainer has successfully re-careered and has a long-term plan. A plan grounded in a sense of duty, loyalty, and tempered by clear-eyed realism. Unfortunately, Clay’s plan doesn’t account for the hiring of Sheera Prasad. Young, hungry and ambitious, Sheera has an agenda of her own.

In the collision of wills that follows, Clay is confronted with a choice that will define him, not simply professionally but personally. Will he take the ethical high road, or opt for self-serving rathionalization? West of Tomorrow is an intelligent romance, laced with corporate intrigue, betrayal and the undiscovered phoenix living in all of us.

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  About the Author

Dirk came within a cat’s whisker of never publishing. Through two frenetic professional careers first as a Marine officer and then as a corporate trainer, he started way more stories than he finished, until full retirement left him with the focused attention he needed. West of Tomorrow, his first novel draws on his experience with the military, corporate America and the unpredictable nature of life.

Since then, he has published Best-Case Scenario, Act I of Nyra’s Journey a New Adult romance, Through the Windshield, Drive-by Lives an anthology of short stories and Tier Zero, Vol. I of The Knolan Cycle. He currently lives in Laguna Niguel where he surfs,  snow skis in the winter and facilitates an author’s critique group. 

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