Jack Current had a plan. Just not a good one. And ending up in the river with the woman who may or may not be his soulmate certainly wasn’t part of it.
In First Date, the darkly humorous follow-up to Mark E. Scott’s debut novel, Drunk Log, readers witness the immediate aftermath of Jack’s failed attempt at ending his life and follow him as he spends the next 8 hours getting a free ambulance ride to the hospital, being watched by the deputy who tased him, avoiding a psyche exam and maybe falling in love with the bartender responsible for his second chance at life, love and redemption.
It all began on a dark and snowy night, when Jack executed his plan to take his own life without knowing Aria was right behind him. Instead of dying, they find themselves shivering on a riverbank, having survived a fall from a suspension bridge into the currents and debris of the Ohio River. Lucky enough to slam into an anchored barge, they emerge from the water stunned, bruised and still somewhat drunk. Now, they must work their way through the muck of the riverside to solid ground. Fully intent on ending it all just minutes before, Jack finds himself clinging to Aria for dear life — a life he feels just might be worth living after all.
First Date is a story of individuals haunted by suicide, remorse and unanswered questions: questions whose answers are not to be found in the bottom of a bottle. Secrets are revealed and souls are bared, but answers are still elusive. For now, they only have each other, a dollar store notebook and a teddy bear.
First Date is the second installment in Scott’s three-part, Day in the Life series, in which the unexpected, twisted saga of Jack and Aria unfolds over a combined period of 24 hours. Book One, Drunk Log, was released in 2022 and traces the first eight hours of Jack’s unsteady march toward his intended demise.
About the Author
Born in the small manufacturing town of Galion, Ohio, author Mark E. Scott lived in various burgs in Ohio and Michigan before joining the Navy and spending four years traveling the world aboard the USS Mount Whitney. Upon returning home to southwest Ohio, he enrolled at Miami University and completed a degree in Education, only to become a banker soon thereafter. Scott now lives happily in a condo in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood of Cincinnati. In his free time, he enjoys writing, finding new and creative ways of tricking his children into answering their phones, and anything related to travel and outdoors, of late including tumbling down snow covered mountains while dragging otherwise perfectly good skis behind him.
In the real world, “espionage is not a tuxedo and a martini,” quipped prolific author Jeffrey S. Stephens, who has written extensively about missions involving CIA operatives and national security.
“They work in the shadows. They’re in danger,” he added. “There’s so much that goes on that we don’t know about — so many near misses that we can never hear about for obvious security reasons.”
His latest book, The Handler, pays homage to those who “work in the shadows” to protect the people of the United States with a chillingly realistic plot centered on the revival of Al Qaeda and its efforts to pull off a large act of terrorism.
The book features Nick Reagan, an abundantly confident CIA operative and American hero who will go to any length to protect the country he loves. And in The Handler, Reagan and his team travel to the ends of the earth to locate an anonymous terrorist determined to unleash a series of unholy attacks on America. Can their mission succeed when they don’t even know who they’re looking for?
Readers first meet Reagan as he traces a trail of clues to China in search of the Ghost Chip — a new technology that turns cell phones into detonators and renders them untraceable. In the hands of terrorists, the Ghost Chip would be catastrophic.
When the CIA uncovers details of a violent assault planned in New York City, Reagan and his partner, Carol Gellos, are assigned to prevent it — facing long odds and danger along the way.
As events unfold, it becomes apparent the incident in Manhattan was only the first in a series of intended terrorist strikes within the United States. Even worse, Reagan discovers that the man behind this onslaught is further along in his preparations than anyone in the intelligence community anticipated.
The anonymous ISIS handler behind these assaults is using new technology, as well as information gathered from three American scientists kidnapped in Pakistan, to coordinate his plans. The result will be a gruesome fate for thousands of innocent people … unless Reagan can stop him.
After deciphering the code being used by the Handler to plot his bloody scheme, Reagan races against time, needing help as never before from his group of talented associates, including his lover, top CIA analyst Erin David.
Throughout The Handler, the author toggles between perspectives, giving readers a chilling look inside the minds of Islamic terrorists hellbent on carrying out heinous acts in the name of the Koran, while simultaneously, Reagan risks his life to thwart the awful carnage.
BestThrillers.com calls The Handler, “A taut terrorism thriller that mesmerizes with a dizzying global conspiracy and believable stakes,” and The Real Book Spy calls it, “Jason Bourne for the new millennium.”
About the Author
A native of New York City, Jeffrey S. Stephens is a successful attorney in private practice, admitted in both New York and Connecticut. Stephens has lived for more than 30 years in Greenwich, which is where he and his wife, Nancy, raised their two sons, Graham and Trevor. Stephens is the author of the Jordan Sandor thrillers, Targets Of Deception, Targets Of Opportunity, Targets Of Revenge and Rogue Mission, as well as the Anthony Walker murder mystery Crimes And Passion and the Pencraft First Place Award winning novel, Fool’s Errand.
For more information, please visit www.jeffreystephens.com, or follow the author on Facebook (Author Jeffrey Stephens), Instagram (jss50) and Twitter (@j_stephensbooks).
In the important new children’s book, Bad Touching, author and retired OB/GYN Dr. Tiffanie Tate tackles the difficult topic of inappropriate touching in a way that young minds will understand.
The 32-page picture book uses simple language and lyric rhyme to tell the story of two young sisters, Lillie and Linda, who just want to make every adult happy. They live alone with their mother, and when she gets a new boyfriend, he helps take care of Lillie and Linda. He is nice at first, but that changes. Lillie and Linda learn that there are times when making everyone happy is not a good thing if it hurts them in the process. This story helps children understand and identify abusive situations and provides directions on how to seek help.
Bad Touching is Dr. Tate’s second book and is based on her personal experiences as a child. She did not disclose her abuse until she was an adult, she explained.
“My desire is to educate children about safe people they can confide in,” Dr. Tate said. “My hope is that this book will help children who are affected by abuse know they are not alone and let them know that it is all right to tell. I don’t want them to feel afraid or scared to talk about what is happening to them and wait for decades like I did.”
Then, amid her activism to help others, Dr. Tate was “badly touched” in a medical provider’s office while receiving care on January 24, 2023.
“It was a trigger that was traumatic, but instead of waiting like I did before, I immediately reached out and got the help I needed,” Dr. Tate said, adding that she reported the event to the office manager, filed a police report, and that the individual is in the process of being held accountable.
“There is still a lot to do,” she added, “but I want to be an advocate for women and children.”
About the Author
Originally from Compton, California, Dr. Tiffanie Tate is a Christian, mother, servant, listener and medically retired medical doctor. Her interest in becoming a physician began when she was in middle school, while volunteering with her church to help the homeless in Los Angeles. She saw people who were both hungry and sick. She wanted to do more than serve food. She wanted to help them in meaningful ways, so she became a physician.
Both of her biological parents were addicted to drugs. And while she never met her father, she had heard that he was homeless, and she couldn’t help but wonder whether he was one of the homeless she and her church were helping. With the loving support of her maternal family and, specifically, her maternal aunt who raised her (known as “Momtee”), Dr. Tate received the love, support and stability she needed to thrive and achieve her professional goals of becoming a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist. An injury led to her medical retirement, which inspired her to pursue her second passion: writing.
Dr. Tate is also a veteran of the U.S. Navy and served during the Global War on Terrorism. She believes in giving back and currently teaches residents by providing lectures on subjects in obstetrics and gynecology.
She is also the author of FloweTry: A Collection of 108 Poetic Flows on Life, Love, and Liturgical Issues, and the upcoming release, Little Engine Mia Sings, a children’s book that teaches about bullying and how to discourage it.
Bad Touching Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing ISBN-13: 979-8886850093 (paperback, 32 pages) Available from Amazon.com, BN.com and iTunes
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Reviews, photos, links to previous interviews and Q&As are available upon request.
(This press release may be published in part or entirety by any print, broadcast or internet/digital media outlet, or used by any means of social media sharing.)
Christian author Gracie Lynne explores themes of rejection, self-doubt and, ultimately, forgiveness, in her powerful, relatable story of a young woman going through a difficult divorce and parenting three young children in her award-winning book, The Shattered Vase.
In it, the author shares the story of a soon-to-be single mom, Susie, whose idyllic life is shattered when her husband leaves her for another woman. With three children, a small home in the country and no job, Susie is pushed to the brink of suicide, and that’s exactly where the army of evil wants her to be.
But Susie isn’t alone in this fight. Hope, Faith, Joy, Grace, and Mercy surround her with their compassionate embrace, and as Susie draws closer to the wisdom of God, her destiny is revealed.
The Shattered Vase is a compelling story of divorce and trauma, spiritual warfare and how to win at life. Reviewers have called it, “insightful, cleverly written” … “something we can all relate to” … “packed with wisdom from the friends that help the character process through the battles.”
“Some people think that spiritual warfare is about demons and angels,” Gracie Lynne said. “But what if it is more than that? What if it is about life and how you live it?”
About the Author
Gracie Lynne was not a born writer; her God-given writing skill was born out of adversity. The Shattered Vase is her debut novel and received a Firebird Book Award and was nominated for best Christian Fiction by the Christian Literary Awards.
The Shattered Vase ISBN-13: 979-8986153902 (paperback) Available from Amazon.com
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Reviews, photos, links to previous interviews and Q&As are available upon request.
(This press release may be published in part or entirety by any print, broadcast, or internet/digital media outlet, or used by any means of social media sharing.)
Son Gets Second Chance to Know His Father in Compelling Family Story, Fool’s Errand
(This press release may be reprinted in part or entirety by any print or broadcast media outlet, or used by any means of social media sharing.)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
If you could spend one day with anyone at all — past or present — who would it be? For those who’ve lost a parent, the answer is obvious. This popular, introspective ice-breaker was the inspiration for Fool’s Errand, a clever blend of humor, mystery and complex family dynamics from award-winning author Jeffrey Stephens.
In it, a straight-arrow son uncovers an enigmatic letter left behind by his father, who passed away six years ago. In life, his father, “Blackie” Rinaldi, was a charming rogue with ties to the mob, and the younger Rinaldi has been doing all he can to avoid the pitfalls of his father’s chosen path. The letter hints at a cache of stolen money, but at its core, it represents an opportunity worth more than any treasure: a second chance for Blackie’s son to journey through the past, reconcile it with the present and finally get to know who his father really was.
Blackie’s son embarks on an international quest, following a series of clues from his father’s letter. He travels from the mean streets of New York to the Las Vegas Strip, and ultimately to the South of France. Along the way, he is confronted by dangerous mobsters, dishonest relatives, suspicious friends, a mysterious woman, and the risks of a journey his father may or may not have planned for him.
With surprising twists and relatable characters, Fool’s Errand offers a masterful balance of humor and heart, adventure and romance. Ultimately, it’s an entertaining, fast-paced story of family ties and a parent’s never-ending influence that will keep readers guessing as each new secret is revealed.
Author Jeffrey S. Stephens lives in Greenwich, Connecticut. He is also the author of the Jordan Sandor espionage thrillers, beginning with Targets of Deception and, most recently, Rogue Mission. He is also the author of the recent thriller, Crimes and Passion, the first in a planned series featuring Lieutenant Robbie Whyte.
Fool’s Errand: Treasure Hunt Filled with Surprising Twists Offers the Perfect Escape
(This press release may be reprinted in part or entirety by any print or broadcast media outlet, or used by any means of social media sharing.)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The love between a father and a son can be both complicated and captivating, especially when the father is a charming rogue. “Blackie” Rinaldi had ties to the mob, and his only son has done all he can to avoid the pitfalls of his father’s chosen path. But when an enigmatic letter hinting at a cache of stolen money surfaces six years after Blackie’s untimely death, the younger Rinaldi is forced to confront his father’s colorful past.
An international treasure hunt ensues, with surprising twists and engaging characters. Fool’s Errand from Jeffrey S. Stephens, author of the popular Jordan Sandor series, is an entertaining story of family ties and a parent’s never-ending influence.
Blackie’s son follows a series of clues from the mean streets of New York to the Las Vegas Strip, and ultimately to the South of France. Along the way, he is confronted by dangerous mobsters, dishonest relatives, suspicious friends, a mysterious woman and the risks of a journey his father may or may not have planned for him.
With the ideal balance of humor and heart, adventure and romance, Fool’s Errand features compelling, relatable characters and a fast-paced narrative that will keep readers guessing as each new secret is revealed.
Author Jeffrey S. Stephens lives in Greenwich, Connecticut. He is also the author of the Jordan Sandor espionage thrillers, beginning with Targets of Deception and, most recently, Rogue Mission. He is also the author of the recent thriller, Crimes and Passion, the first in a planned series featuring Lieutenant Robbie Whyte.
Fool’s Errand: Treasure Hunt Filled with Surprising Twists Offers the Perfect Escape
(This press release may be reprinted in part or entirety by any print or broadcast media outlet, or used by any means of social media sharing.)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The love between a father and a son can be both complicated and compelling, especially when the father is a charming rogue. “Blackie” Rinaldi had ties to the mob, and his only son has done all he can to avoid the pitfalls of his father’s chosen path. But when an enigmatic letter hinting at a cache of stolen money surfaces six years after Blackie’s untimely death, the younger Rinaldi is forced to confront his father’s colorful past.
An international treasure hunt ensues, with surprising twists and engaging characters. Fool’s Errand from Jeffrey S. Stephens, author of the popular Jordan Sandor series, is an entertaining story of family ties and a parent’s never-ending influence.
Blackie’s son follows a series of clues from the mean streets of New York to the Las Vegas Strip, and ultimately to the South of France. Along the way, he is confronted by dangerous mobsters, dishonest relatives, suspicious friends, a mysterious woman and the risks of a journey his father may or may not have planned for him.
With the ideal balance of humor and heart, adventure and romance, Fool’s Errand features compelling, relatable characters and a fast-paced narrative that will keep readers guessing as each new secret is revealed.
Author Jeffrey S. Stephens lives in Greenwich, Connecticut. He is also the author of the Jordan Sandor espionage thrillers, beginning with Targets of Deception and, most recently, Rogue Mission. He is also the author of the recent thriller, Crimes and Passion, the first in a planned series featuring Lieutenant Robbie Whyte.
