When a prominent land developer is brutally murdered on the U.S.-Mexico border, it’s not just another cartel killing to journalist Kyle Dawson. The dead man is his father. Dawson, a veteran war correspondent, vows to uncover the truth. To do that, he must confront the ghosts of his past: including his cousin and confidant, DEA special agent Raoul Garcia; his former high school sweetheart, Anita Alvarez; his mystical Mexican-Indian mother; and … [Read more...]
PAPER WING’s Les Abend On How He Became A Pilot and Writer
Even though Mom would like me to sing my own praises, it’s not my style. But I’m often asked about the opportunities I’ve been fortunate enough to be afforded. Here’s one of my scripted responses for “How did you get that gig?” Answer: “I am grateful for low standards.” Although my reply might appear glib, it’s genuine. I am surrounded by folks who appear eminently more qualified than me in both the professional pilot vocation and the writing … [Read more...]
Behind The Scenes Of BORDERLAND
The U.S.-Mexico border is land of lore and legends buried deep in the American psyche. This rugged and arid region has proved to be fertile ground for memorable literature by writers such as Cormac McCarthy and his border trilogy, among others. I was first introduced to the border as a young college student traveling from Ohio to Mexico City for a semester of immersion into Central and South American language, culture, and history. We changed … [Read more...]
Les Abend On His Characters For PAPER WINGS
The old adage of, “Write about what you know,” is certainly applicable to “Paper Wings.” But beyond the story itself, the adage is also applicable to the characters. As is true for most, life experience dictates our perception of people and their personalities. In that regard, many of the characters are a composite of the personalities I have been fortunate... and unfortunate... enough to encounter. Novels that I enjoy reading include a … [Read more...]
The Somerville Times Reviews Margo Nash’s THE POLITICS OF MURDER
The Somerville Times has recently reviewed attorney Margo Nash's new true crime book, THE POLITICS OF MURDER, that details the possible wrongful imprisonment of 15-year-old Eddie O'Brien. The article praises Nash's retelling of the story and shows support for Eddie's case being accepted for re-evaluation by the Innocence Program. Despite lack of evidence, "twenty-seven months after the murder, Eddie was sentenced to life without the … [Read more...]
“The Cannibal Cop” Gil Valle On Receiving Internet Death Threats
Raw Deal was released last week, and it is off to a great start. The book touched the #1 spot in four best seller categories on Amazon.com. Thanks to everyone out there who has been interested enough in this important criminal case to buy the book to help me storm out of the gates. I am very grateful, and all of this is very exciting for me. A special thank you is owed to everyone who has taken the time to look me up on social media and offer … [Read more...]
EXPLAINING THE DISAPPEARANCE OF MALAYSIA AIRLINES FLT 37O: The Most Incredible Aviation Mystery of the 21st Century
It’s hard to believe that three years has passed since Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 disappeared. The Boeing 777-200, carrying 239 passengers and crew, literally vanished from radar screens in the early morning hours of March 8, 2014. But just how did one of the world’s most sophisticated airliners become invisible—never to be seen again? There are a lot of theories out there about what happened to MH 370, some of them reasonable, others just … [Read more...]
Readers Need To Fasten Their Seatbelts For Les Abend’s Aviation Thriller PAPER WINGS
When a boat and its grisly cargo are found adrift off Fort Lauderdale ... ... the investigation leads to more than “just” murder. In fact, the evidence points to a connection of an in-flight emergency that resulted in passenger fatalities and forced a diversion of Patriot Airlines Flight 63 to Bermunda. As the accidents investigation chairman of the pilots’ union, Captain Hart Lindy will find himself reluctantly drawn into the National … [Read more...]
RAW DEAL Receives Excellent Review From Crime Feed
WildBlue's new true crime book by Gil Valle and Brian Whitney, RAW DEAL: The Untold Story Of NYPD's 'Cannibal Cop', just received an excellent review from Crime Feed! RAW DEAL is the memoir of Gil Valle, more commonly known as "The Cannibal Cop." Readers are able to see Valle's side of the story, from the thoughts that landed him in prison to his eventual exoneration. This book raises the question of when does a thought cross the line and become … [Read more...]
A Note From The Publishers Of RAW DEAL: The Untold Story of NYPD’s “Cannibal Cop”
At what point do we want law enforcement to spy on us and at what point do we want them to act? When Gil Valle and Brian Whitney approached us about publishing RAW DEAL, we were told that Gil wanted to tell his story “his way.” Our concern was that “his way” included graphic descriptions of the sexual fantasies that landed Gil in hot water in the first place and included the abduction, torture and murder of women, as well as cannibalism. As … [Read more...]