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 his gripping, eye-opening memoir, Wuhan Unleashed: The True Story of Bio-Weapons and the Start of the Pandemic, Ron Fleming recounts his experiences in Wuhan, a city that is synonymous with controversy, terror and fear.
“At the time of my fateful trip, I was one of the first Americans to visit this now-infamous laboratory,” Fleming writes in the book.
His unforgettable story begins in the 1990s when, as a young trade representative eager to travel the world, he embarks on an internship with the United States Foreign Commercial Services — but quickly finds himself at the center of a global conspiracy.
As the British hand over Hong Kong to China, Fleming is one of the first to visit mainland China to promote U.S. products for a monumental construction project. Little does he know that this adventure will lead him deep into the heart of a tyrannical regime and a clandestine laboratory.
As Fleming shares his amazing journey through China, readers will discover “a country that is strikingly beautiful with a rich history that is beginning to open to the world and at the same time is run by an oppressive regime that strips innocent people of their freedom, hope and in some cases, life itself.”
However, it is in the city of Wuhan where the plot truly thickens. A chance encounter with the “Elderly of Wuhan” leads Fleming down an unexpected path, exposing the presence of a deadly unknown virus within the region. With his diverse background in science and technology, along with a relentless curiosity, he ventures into the contaminated depths, uncovering what he calls the Wuhan Institute of Virology’s sinister secret — it was operating as a dual-purpose lab, engaged in gain-of-function research and bioweapons experimentation.
“This discovery put us in danger and resulted in a fascinating yet terrifying adventure throughout China, as we avoided the Chinese Communist Party and Chinese military to make a quick exit from the country,” Fleming added.
Readers should brace themselves as they delve into the pages of Wuhan Unleashed, where the author’s shocking secret could forever alter the course of history, leaving a profound influence on both current and future generations.
About the Author
As a U.S. trade representative, Ron Fleming was one of the first Americans to visit mainland China after the British returned Hong Kong to China. Here, he promoted U.S. products for Chinese construction projects, and later on, other U.S. products as he became a trade representative for the state of California. Eventually, he started his own international trading company.
With a background in business, science, technology and international trade, Fleming was uniquely qualified to see and confirm what was happening at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Through writing Wuhan Unleased, Fleming’s goal is to shine a light on the truth of how the pandemic and Covid-19 really got started.
Command Sgt. Maj. U.S. Army (retired) Bart E. Womack shares the gripping true story of the March 23, 2003, unprecedented deadly terrorist attack against the men and women of the 101st Airborne Division in his book, Embedded Enemy: The Insider Threat.
Told second by second in his firsthand account as a survivor, Embedded Enemy is a potent reminder of the need for situational awareness, no matter the circumstances.
“This event shocked the armed forces, America and people around the world,” Womack said. “It forced everyone to consider more carefully whom we really trust and to begin to digest the idea that threats to our personal safety might now come from the inside. Twenty years later, the entire country has no idea how this event actually took place.”
As the book details, shortly after deploying for the war in Iraq, the Bastogne Brigade was staged at Camp Pennsylvania in Kuwait where they prepared for combat against Saddam Hussein’s Baathist regime.During the eerie, pitch-black, early morning hours of March 23, 2003, a fellow American soldier, Sergeant Hasan Akbar, executed the unthinkable and unlikeliest of scenarios by launching a terrorist attack against his chain of command as they slept in preparation for war.
The wicked aftermath killed two officers and wounded 13 others. Despite the tragic deaths in the most unfathomable way, the Bastogne Brigade received movement orders to cross the border into Iraq just 48 hours after the attack.
“This story is about how the soldiers bonded together to rescue, treat and evacuate their brothers in arms in the midst of darkness, massive explosions, gun fire, suffocating smoke, body ripping shrapnel, and complete and total chaos and confusion, while simultaneously searching for a ruthless killer that had taken the same oath to defend the Constitution of the United States against foreign enemies,” Womack said. “Little did they realize they would meet the most improbable of adversaries — one of their very own — an ‘Embedded Enemy.’”
The soldiers and airmen killed and wounded in this attack never received the Purple Heart as casualties from an enemy of the United States. On January 9, 2023, the award was denied by the Secretary of the Army and the Secretary of the Air Force.
“I remain steadfast in pursuit and will continue to fight until they are recognized by the award of the Purple Heart that they so truly deserve!” Womack said. “These medals won’t bring back those killed or heal the bodies of those wounded. It will, however, serve as a testament that the United States of America recognizes their sacrifice and officially calls the attack a ‘terrorist attack.’”
Akbar was sentenced to death and currently awaits execution at the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.“No profession, level of education, ideology or religion is above reproach,” Womack added. “There is no profile. The Insider Threat is closer than you think.”
About the Author
Command Sgt. Maj. retired Bart E. Womack served the United States Army with distinction for over 29 years and contributed immeasurably to the readiness of the armed forces and the security of our great nation. Highlights of his distinguished military career include Sergeant of the Guard at Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, his career culminating in dual roles as Commandant and the 101st Airborne Division Command Sergeant Major. An Army Ranger combat veteran with two Bronze Stars, one for valor, he is also a Distinguished Member of the Regiment for the 3rd and 327th Infantry Regiments.
Post military, Womack helps veterans enhance their careers and excel. He sits on the Board of Directors for Veterans Media Corporation, is an Executive Producer for The Veterans Channel, and an actor and military technical adviser. In recognition of his selfless service and initiatives, Womack was invested as a Knight into The Order of St. George, Grand Priory of Canada & the Americas in October 2020.
Embedded Enemy: The Insider Threat Publisher: Inspired Forever Books ISBN-10: 1948903393 ISBN-13: 978-1948903394 Available from Amazon.com
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Reviews, photos, links to previous interviews and Q&As are available upon request.
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Could ‘Unknown Factors’ in Schools Stop Active Shooters in Their Tracks?
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While politicians wring their hands and debate complex gun control legislation, military expert and historian Dr. William R. Forstchen offers a strategy that could be implemented in time for the upcoming school year.
“We arm some teachers,” Forstchen said in a recent interview. “We should select people who are ex-military, ex-law enforcement. Train them, train them, train them. Compensate them. Put them in the schools, armed. They become the ‘unknown factor.’ I think this could make a major difference.”
Besides exhaustively vetting and evaluating these chosen members of the school faculty, anonymity is paramount. In fact, Forstchen added, “If they ever tell anyone or boast, ‘oh gee I’m armed now,’ fire them. You want these people to be anonymous.”
Forstchen’s perspective is informed by his 45 years of teaching and by the Beslan school siege in 2004 — an Islamic terror attack against a Russian school that left 333 people dead, including 186 children.
He believes that arming teachers could serve as a deterrent, or at the very least, a way to stop school shooters in their tracks.
“They would be the ‘unknown factor’ in every single school,” Forstchen wrote in a recent opinion editorial in The Washington Times. “They would be the men and women who, in those first precious seconds, would react rather than hide, be it against a lone killer or even a trained team of killers. They could buy time for other responders to rush in, rather than wait outside while mayhem runs rampant within.
“They would be the ones who would willingly put their lives on the line … but would be the surprise factor in a school that would fight back when seconds counted. They might not stop, but they would at least slow down an aggressor and buy time for a swift response … In so doing, they just might prevent a Beslan massacre from happening here.”
The Beslan incident also prompted Forstchen to write the book, Day of Wrath, which presents the unsettling scenario of ISIS-inspired teams launching a coordinated attack on schools — a threat he views as all-too realistic.
William R. Forstchen is a New York Times bestselling author and holds a doctoral degree from Purdue University with a specialization in military history and technology. He is a noted expert historian and public speaker and has been interviewed on FOX News, C-SPAN, and Coast to Coast on topics ranging from history to technology and cultural issues, to space technology development, to security threats.
Cult Survivor Tells Her Chilling Story, andIt Sounds Eerily Familiar
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For a quarter of a century, Radhia Gleis willingly followed the teachings of a narcissistic sociopath known by many names: Michel, Andreas, The Teacher or Reyji. He was the leader of a cult called the Buddha-field, and until Gleis escaped the psychological prison of that life over a dozen years ago, she says she willingly joined scores of others who gave up “their will, their sense of right and wrong … their moral compass and family ties for a person or an ideal.”
Now a nutritionist, biochemical analyst and educator, she felt compelled to confront her emotional scars and tell the story that must be told, especially in light of the current political climate.
She says her post-traumatic stress, forever entombed in her psyche, is repeatedly triggered by the characteristics of current political and cultural leaders, prompting her to explore her past decisions through a much broader lens that sheds light on the blind spots — and dangers — of groupthink.
The timeliness of her story is told in the full title of her new book: The Followers: “Holy Hell” and the Disciples of Narcissistic Leaders: How My Years in a Notorious Cult Parallel Today’s Cultural Mania. The Holy Hell reference is a nod to the 2016 Buddha-field cult documentary film of that same name, in which she appears.
The Followers lays the groundwork by skimming Gleis’ upbringing in Hollywood and tracing the steps of her adult life when, at the age of 30, she fell under the influence of the charismatic leader of the Buddha-field.
She draws striking parallels between her devotion to a cult leader whose damaging behavior and influence she willfully ignored, and the followers of other authoritarian leaders, both past and present.
Gleis weaves together her personal experiences with reflections on a number of thought-provoking topics, including the search for a higher truth, cults, groupthink and mind control, authoritarian leaders, malignant narcissistic personality disorder and sociopathy, the American schism, and how an intelligent, well-educated person may find herself under the control of a narcissistic sociopath.
Author Radhia Gleis has been a Certified Clinical Nutritionist, CCN, MEd. biochemical analyst and educator for over 33 years. She has appeared as a featured guest on numerous radio and television shows including Fox News, Austin. She hosted The Health Revolution and Let’s Get Healthy on Talk 1370 AM, KLBJ, and The Wellness Connection podcast on Voice America. She was the host and executive producer of three YouTube series: Wake up America; How the Body Works; and The Natural Way. She was featured in the internationally viewed movie, Holy Hell, which was broadcast on CNN and named one of Sundance Film Festival’s and Netflix’s top 10 documentaries. It can now be viewed on Amazon Prime.
For more information, please visit www.radhiagleis.com, or follow the author on Twitter (@radhia_gleis).
The Followers: “Holy Hell” and the Disciples of Narcissistic Leaders: How My Years in a Notorious Cult Parallel Today’s Cultural Mania Publisher: Sage Card Publishing ISBN-10: 1737125803 ISBN-13: 978-1737125808 Available from Amazon.com, BN.com and Audible.com
Trish Stevens D.S. Scott Ascot Media Group, Inc. Post Office Box 2394 Friendswood, TX 77549 [email protected] www.ascotmedia.com 281.333.3507 Phone
Humane Policing Outlines Groundbreaking Approach To Widespread Police Reform
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The days since George Floyd’s death have simultaneously united and divided communities all over the world. “I can’t breathe” has become a battle cry; 8:46 an unsettling reminder of how long Floyd struggled for air. Is there any way to rebuild a system that has collapsed under the weight of its own power?
Former marine and one-time sheriff’s deputy Darron Spencer offers hope for police departments and the communities they serve. His revolutionary approach to law enforcement, called “humane policing,” aims to help officers diffuse dangerous situations, induce cooperation, preserve lives, and ultimately enjoy long and fulfilling careers protecting and serving the public.
Spencer’s book, Humane Policing: How Perspectives Can Influence Our Performance, shares his insightful, experience-based techniques for those in law enforcement while also enlightening the public about the complexities of the job and the balancing act undertaken by the men and women in uniform every day.
The book demonstrates — through real-life-inspired examples — how self-control and understanding can mitigate potentially dangerous situations and save lives.
Humane Policing explores the changes that law enforcement needs to make, chronicles the experiences that shaped Spencer’s personal perspective, and offers life-changing tools to help officers everywhere better serve their communities.
Author Darron Spencer worked in a patrol division for just 20 months before a debilitating condition ended his career. As a deputy, Spencer oversaw more than 250 cases that resulted in 40 felony and 74 misdemeanor arrests. He assisted in four death investigations and booked in more than 150 pieces of evidence. He was awarded Deputy of the Year and received the Ribbon of Merit.
He achieved tremendous success gaining cooperation from individuals, suspects and even career criminals while investigating cases. In fact, 90% of those he arrested actually thanked him for his service. When Spencer’s police work was cut short, he sought a new avenue to public service.
Now he travels the country to meet with local police departments and share his approach to policing. His goal is to improve the relationships between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve and ultimately the public image of law enforcement officers on a national scale.
For more information on Spencer and his approach to humane policing, please visit www.humanepolicing.com.
Trish Stevens Ascot Media Group, Inc. Post Office Box 2394 Friendswood, TX 77549 281.333.3507 Main/Office 832.334.2733 Cell [email protected] www.ascotmedia.com
(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)
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Clues Surrounding Six-Day-War Ambush Start To Surface In Blood In The Water
On June 8, 1967, the USS Liberty, an unarmed intelligence ship reporting to the Joint Chiefs of Staff under the auspices of the National Security Agency, was ambushed by unmarked jet planes. Rockets and machine gun fire erupted, napalm hit the deck, and a torpedo blew a 40-foot hole in the starboard side of the vessel. Lacking any means of defense, the sailors were powerless. In the end, 34 American sailors and translators lost their lives and another 174 were wounded — many for life. Israel confessed to the attack but called it an “accident” and a “mistake.”
Blood in the Water: How the US and Israel Conspired to Ambush the USS Liberty by investigative writer Joan Mellen presents evidence suggesting complicity between US and Israeli intelligence in the attack on Liberty and the more than 50-year-long cover-up.
Using interviews with more than 40 survivors, knowledgeable political insiders and even some CIA officers who refused to be complicit in the cover-up, along with Soviet archives of the period, Mellen details the intensity and horror of the sustained attack and the “deliberate targeting of Liberty’s antennae and satellite dish, undermining any credibility that Israel’s aggression was not intentional.”
Through exhaustive research, Mellen aims to unearth answers to questions that have lingered for more than 50 years: What were the underlying motives for the attack? Was this a false flag operation conducted in the midst of the Six-Day War? Is it conceivable that Israel initiated the operation without a green light from the US?
For the sake of justice, truth and the murdered and surviving sailors, Blood in the Water is a must-read that shares compelling evidence of a horrifying truth.
Joan Mellen is the bestselling author of 24 books, including A Farewell to Justice, her biographical study of Jim Garrison’s New Orleans investigation into the Kennedy assassination. She has written for a variety of publications, including The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, and Baltimore Sun. Mellen was a professor of English and creative writing at Temple University in Philadelphia before retiring in 2018 after 50 years. She lives in Pennington, New Jersey.
Blood in the Water: How the US and Israel Conspired to Ambush the USS Liberty
Publisher: Prometheus Books
Released: December 2018
ISBN-10: 1633884643
ISBN-13: 978-1633884649
Available from Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com
