Read Havana Dawn - International Spy Thriller - Excerpt #1

Introduction to Chapter 1, Serialized

You are in store for a treat!

Make sure you catch the first chapter of Havana Dawn, my debut international spy thriller, serialized right here every two days. 

By sampling all of Chapter 1, you get a good feel for the rest of the novel. 

If you want to download the first two chapters of Havana Dawn FREE, go here.  

Please Tweet your friends about this post.

Check out the first scene of the first chapter that takes you to Rock Creek Park in Washington, D.C., the location of the murder linked to espionage. The who-dunnit, however, is only one thread of the plot leading to an exciting finish.

Chapter 1, Havana Dawn, Excerpt 1

Rain poured in buckets as a set of headlights pulled into the muddy plot that served as a makeshift parking spot on the way to Rapids Bridge off Beach Road. 

Get your copy today.

Rock Creek Park in Washington, D. C., a patch of sanity nestled among some of the most powerful office buildings in the world, makes one’s troubles seem so far away, even on a chilled October night.

“Are you ready for this?” Barbra quizzed the driver of the spitfire red Mazda 626 now caked with leaves, and other gunk from the howling swirl of steady rain.

“At least it’s not lightening yet,” Frank replied cutting off the motor.

“Oh, but that makes me even hornier.” With that, Frank felt a little more revved up smiling ear to ear at his coworker. “Race you to the clearing!” Barbra bolted out of her seat towards the inky thicket of trees ahead.
 
Frank abandoned any inhibitions and chased after the brunette bombshell who had lured him into such a crazy adventure on such a foul night.

Unbeknownst to the couple, a black Jeep without any headlights also entered into the lot.

Stay Tuned: Excerpt 2

Excerpt 2 will soon follow. Subscribe to the RSS Feed of the blog to make sure you don't miss any future parts of the story.

Please Tweet your friends about this post so they can start reading Havana Dawn as well.

 

Top 5 International Security Notes - AUG 29

Introduction

[Read the following International Security Notes here]

The digest of International Security Notes for August 29 covers:

• European immigration
• the fate of the Iran deal in the US Senate
• Taliban gains in Afghanistan
• Russian naval strategy and armaments
• an update on the Saudi-Yemen conflict.

Each Tuesday and Saturday you get a roundup of the most important news items related to war and peace. Of course, you get some commentary mixed in for some needed flavor.  

Subscribe to the RSS feed to stay informed.

Welcome to the A J Phelps Author Blog

Introduction

We live in heady times for both an analyst and author (fiction) about international affairs. 

The tapestry of world history is not pretty, and each day challenges grow for those who value pluralism, economic freedom, and a stable global order.

Ghosts from the past and new tensions create fissures and pressure points in the global security arena from the continuing Korean Conflict at the DMZ to the reshaping of the Middle East in the very lands where human history began. 

The A J Phelps Author blog is of two minds: 1) furnishing helpful information  about global security affairs in the Top 5 International Security Notes published every Tuesday, and 2) following trends in the publishing arena as a self-publishing fiction author.

International Affairs

Fluent in Spanish, I also do research in French and Portuguese. Not all news about international affairs resides in English. 

Therefore, the Top 5 International Security Notes every Tuesday and Saturday at times features articles drawn from other languages.

Make this blog a part of your weekly reading to stay informed! 

Subscribe to the RSS feed and Follow me on Twitter.

Fiction Author

What an exhilarating  feeling to combine contemporary global affairs with the world of fiction for a cocktail certain to satisfy the reader.

Havana Dawn - Novel

From presidents to dictators and invasions to ballistic missiles, daily international news is fertile ground to create characters and plot stories to entertain and engage enthusiasts for international political thrillers.

My debut novel is a prime example - Havana Dawn. 

Conclusion

Join me on this venture to inform, entertain, and engage each and every week on the A J Phelps blog!

Here's a simple, easy way to keep up to date -  Subscribe to the RSS feed and Follow me on Twitter.

Top 5 International Security Notes - Aug 25, 2015

Information overload confronts many of us every day. Stop!

When it comes to global affairs, turn to the International Security Notes every Tuesday to be informed.

You get the top 5 most important stories in the global politico-economic-military security arena.

Culled from open sources in English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese, expect a dynamic brief on the news you can use to be informed of the dangerous world around you.

The following notes are not in any particular order. Each deserve careful consideration in the calculus of global security affairs. 

 Top 5 International Security Notes - Aug 25, 2015

1. Leaders of Berlin, Paris, and Kiev Discuss Eastern Ukraine
Sources: Global Security Insights, Bloomberg

The crisis in Ukraine continues to simmer on the minds of European leaders. The stakes are high in the nature of the relationship Paris and Berlin expect to maintain with Moscow. The US made its position clear when Ukraine was told to "stand down" on the Russian invasion of Crimea.

2. US F-22s Deploying to Europe
Sources: Defense News, Jane's , CNN

F-22 Raptors are off to reassure US allies in Europe, given Moscow's increasing bellicosity. In July, the candidate to be the next Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff called Russia the "greatest threat" to US security in his confirmation hearing.

3. Syrian rebels: Turkey tipped al Qaeda group to U.S.-trained fighters
Sources: The Hill, MClatchy DC

The US only trained 54 Syrian opposition rebels to fight ISIS, and 35 have already been captured al Qaida affiliate Nusra. Turkey's double game in a region of "frenemies" is not surprising. The US-led effort of 21 allies has been ineffective as well, according to the Congressional Research Service.


4. A China, como nova potência marítima global
(China, new global naval power)
Sources: Jornal de Defesa, The Diplomat

Portugal's Jornal de Defesa reports on China's bid to unseat the US a global naval force. One asset used could be the AG00 Water Dragon aircraft which will become China’s largest amphibious airplane capable of landing and taking off on water (and land).

5. Brazil Releases Economic Figures – the Results Won’t be Good
Sources: Global Security Insights, Pew Research, Reuters, Reuters (2)

Presidenta Rousseff narrowly won re-election and victory for the ruling Worker's Party in 2014 despite evident economic, political, and social stagnation amid grotesque graft. Her socialist economic policies have continued to drive Latin America's top economy into despair in the difficult context of depressed commodity prices.  Her 8% approval rating hobbles her ability to lead, like most political functionaries devoid of charisma or vision.

Follow A.J. on Twitter.
_________________
A. J. Phelps is a pseudonym for an analyst of global affairs and author of international thriller fiction. Check out his debut novel, Havana Dawn.