Tag: mystery
It’s Official. Nomads No More!

It’s Official. Nomads No More!

By |

In this issue:

  1. Settling Down in Minnesota
  2. Literary Works in Progress

It’s been a while, kids. Sorry ’bout that. Lots going on. So here we go….

1. Home is Where Home Is

Yep, it’s official. We’ve purchased a townhouse in Rochester, Minnesota, and we’ve sold our beloved bus. It was just as hard turning custody of our motorhome to its new owners as it was saying goodbye to the good ship Sojourn 15 years ago. Big change is always a challenge. But when one door closes….

We’ve been busy hanging pictures, getting electrical stuff the way we want it, as with plumbing (new toilet and seats), insulation (in the ceiling of the garage–the walls were already insulated), furniture (new and used, including one new bed and another “re-purposed” bed and end tables, etc.), a new TV and home theater, getting our stuff from storage in Florida, etc.

Geek alert! For those of you more technically-minded readers, I discovered a bonus after we bought our new townhouse–an RO system under the kitchen sink! Huh? Reverse Osmosis (RO) water filtration systems generate the purest drinking water imaginable. Here’s how it works. RO works by applying pressure to water, forcing it through a semi-permeable membrane that allows only (small) water molecules to pass while blocking larger contaminants like salts, bacteria, and other impurities. This process results in purified water on one side of the membrane and a concentrated waste stream on the other. But there’s a downside. RO water is SO pure it even removes beneficial minerals from the water. So, the dedicated water faucet on our kitchen sink generates on-demand RO water to which I add a pinch of pink Himalayan salt. The result is very pure water that benefits from the 30 or so trace minerals in this salt (NOT white table salt!) and tastes great (I can’t really detect any salt taste it’s so diluted). Is that cool, or what? The only other interesting artifact of this process includes a water dribbling sound coming from the kitchen for several minutes as the RO system feeds a new supply of purified water to its storage tank (also under the kitchen sink) and purges the waste products from the process. Kay likes the sound of a water fall. No additional charge!

We’re sandwiching all of this new house stuff between various doctors’ appointments, Kay’s and my surgical procedures, and even a little socializing (very little for a while, I’m afraid). But we’re thankful that we’re staying in one place while we get this medical stuff handled. That was always a challenge when we were relocating every few months, especially follow-up appointments or procedures.

And I gotta tell ya, I’m having a blast with a garage again! Check out my workbench project. While our garage is a double, it’s not overly large at only 21 feet square. So, any workbench I’d build had to be very space conscious. But I also wanted a full-service workbench, including a miter saw, table saw, bench grinder, peg board and drawers for a TON of storage. I found a space-saving design in Family Handyman magazine that required only 24″ along one wall of my new garage. But it’s been an ambitious project, and now it’s almost done (whew).

Check out my progress so far:

When not in use, my table saw doubles as an end table in the “man cave”.
18 drawers for small parts storage is mounted on a panel with full-extension slides for easy access, but tucks out of the way when not in use.
Pegboard for tool storage extends the entire 21′ of one garage wall above the 15′ workbench surface and beyond. Notice all the new electrical outlets on the wall, including a dedicated circuit for a fridge/freezer and switched circuits for shop lights.
Storage! And all in 24″ from the garage wall when none of the integrated features is deployed.
One of 3 40+” wide drawers on wheels constructed of 3/4″ plywood.
These drawers utilize floor space normally wasted.
Notice the three drawers on wheels for heavy tool storage.
Miter saw shimmed to be level with the workbench surface
A heavy pop-up worktable when I need it.
Table saw swung out with swing-up work surface for ripping longer pieces. Complete with dust bin and accessory storage underneath
Table saw swung under the workbench via two strap hinges.

I’ll include photos of the townhouse in my next post (different from the ones I posted last time). It’s coming together!

2. Literary Works in Progress

Okay, so writing progress is a bit slow going as we get the new house up and running, plus we’re having fun spreading our domestic wings! But I continue to make steady progress on two projects:

  1. an outrageous memoir, and,
  2. my next (4th) Aubrey Greigh Mystery.

So, about this memoir. My current working title will give you a clue as to its theme: “The Trouble With Thinking – Confessions of a Compulsive Believer.” Yeah, it needs work. It’s about 60% complete, so I thought I’d share with you a draft of its foreword:

You now hold in your hands a collection of stories and experiences I squeezed from the life of an ordinary kid. He was raised on “the wrong side of the tracks.” According to some, he was thrust into extraordinary circumstances, time, and time again, as he matured and aged, and then reveled in his immaturity once more. The theme of this story revolves around how this lunatic developed and now maintains his belief system, many of which are unconventional, even blasphemous according to some. He now flourishes in the aftermath he’s characterized as “the trouble with thinking.” 

Sorry about referring to myself in the third person. I don’t mean to sound pretentious. Sometimes it just happens. The ego still requires regular care and feeding. Yes, I remain a work in progress, even at age 76. 

I will punish you with some painfully personal vignettes, including a few scintillating successes built upon a whole lot more miserable failures. I’m taking this risk with you by putting myself out here like this. Be prepared for a gaggle of unvarnished disclosures, kids. My sincerest hope is that you will find the account of my ongoing journey of survival and fulfillment a fun read. Maybe more. No doubt you’ll keep asking yourself, “Was he really that stupid?” Or, “How did he survive that?” Or, “You gotta be kidding me!”

I am proud to say I served my country with honor and suffered a lifelong disability while saving lives. Others fared much worse. In short, I’ve:

  • repeatedly defied death… voluntarily,
  • been shot at, robbed, stalked, threatened with the death of me and my family (and my dog),
  • contemplated suicide for about a nanosecond,
  • even been beaten bloody—but just once,
  • had friends who were cult members whose beliefs in their causes came and went. Some of those friendships and beliefs persist to this day. However, many did not survive,
  • witnessed corruption and redemption as a follower, leader, and concerned citizen, 
  • experienced altered states of consciousness—still do regularly—and fell prey to chronic life-threatening addictions. Yes, I still struggle with a few of those.
  • Over the years, I’ve been a:
    • professional dishwasher,
    • hippie, 
    • cross-country hitchhiker,
    • dope smuggler, 
    • skydiver, 
    • scuba diver, 
    • water and snow skier, 
    • racing and voyaging sailor,
    • electrical engineering technician, 
    • marine law enforcement officer, along with search and rescue responsibilities,
    • audio recording engineer, 
    • advertising executive, 
    • hotel manager,
    • long-term high-functioning alcoholic, 
    • touring motorcyclist, 
    • frequent international traveler,
    • successful international business executive, and, 
    • itinerant vagabond living on the road.  
  • My commitment to each of these (mis)adventures further shaped my future and who I would become: an artist, published author, and full-time traveler.

It’s been an interesting ride so far, and my beliefs shaped every one of my endeavors at the time in what was possible, ethical, affordable, legal, or otherwise. For a kid with no pedigree, I still found a way to snag an advanced degree from a great school. Yet I’ve never been saddled with a single dollar of student debt. It’s likely I trust in the art of what is possible because of all this wondrous life texture. 

Until a few months ago (as I write this), my only home was a 20-year-old 43-foot bus shared with my soulmate of 56 years. But we are not without means. Remember the old saw, “All those who wander are not lost?” We lived this life by choice. This was right at the time. In 13 years of living part time in a boat and another decade in a bus most of the time, we reduced life to its essentials. All while living a life most only dream of. We have been committed to this itinerant lifestyle, but now we’re ready for the next chapter. 

I assure you, I am not merely some aging hippie stuck in the sixties, even though that was my street alma mater. I am a retired middle manager—a 32-year veteran of a high-tech multinational corporation. Armed with BS and MS degrees from the University of Minnesota, an adequate pension, and many passions. These include traveling and the arts, including music, painting, and writing. 

Now a veteran author with 21 published titles—including 14 novels—under my ever-expanding belt, I labor under the somewhat-delusional residual self-image of a fit young man. This old dude ain’t all that smart, but I simply refuse to give up. Ever. 

With all of this as my canvas, it is with some pride I can report I find great joy in life, a thrilling belief in the basic good and evil within others and within myself. I sit here typing away after completing my morning exercise and meditation rituals. Eagerly anticipating the pre-dawn of each new day, I celebrate life and everyone’s desire to seek their own passions, including me and mine.  

Fair warning. Within the coming pages you will witness my most personal confessions during pivotal moments of a long and edgy life. I’ve only recently exploded in what seems like spontaneous fulfillment bursting from within. Corny? Possibly. But true. Most days, anyway. 

After seven-and-a-half decades of living large, I’ve reduced my life to its essentials, and not just physically. My beliefs—and means—led me to this well-sharpened point. My journey might amuse, annoy, delight, or confuse you. I might even piss you off. But I will not bore you.  

This book does not suppose to offer guidance, only personal experience and perspective. Perhaps it will open an entertaining window into a dark room where you just might find yourself staring back at you from the shadows. 

I am a compulsive seeker of truth—the impossible dream. The importance of critical thinking, and the seeming epidemic of a lack thereof, consumes me at times. So, I travel and ask questions of friends and strangers in order to expand my own understanding. But only of those whom I consider credible sources. 

If you seem less than credible, I am not shy about crying foul. Even if critical thinking is not your strong suit, read on. Because you won’t believe some of the shit that I got myself into over the years in search of wisdom. Yeah, wisdom… largely a fictional pile of crap most people avoid stepping into. Turns out I had it within me the whole time, but we’ll get there.

It could be this journal will only offer you a few incredulous laughs, and that’s okay by me. Or you’ll offer a nod to similar predicaments of your own. I try to stay objective about why I made certain decisions throughout my checkered past. It is not my intent to alienate anyone; however, certain biases are likely to reveal themselves. Feel free to skim over these heart flowers (or turd blossoms, depending on your perspective). Regardless, I take comfort in knowing we all share more similarities than differences. 

Obviously, you dare not just take my word for anything. I will cite credible sources for all of my conclusions whenever possible. From my own experience, I will also offer meager explanations (excuses?) for each of my possibly self-delusional beliefs (at the time), and why I sometimes still struggle—my trouble with thinking. Either accept or reject my reasoning. 

So, hang on to your butt cheeks, kids. Let’s go!

What do you think?

Now, about my next Aubrey Greigh Mystery. Working title is “Exodus Road – A Remarkable Journey.” I expect to publish either later this year or early 2026, depending on how many delightful distractions cause me to stumble.

Allow me to share with you a draft of this uplifting story’s synopsis:

Shane Greigh is a gifted nine-year-old Romani boy thrust into the whirlwind of his new life in America. An unusual couple—police detective Chance “Q” McQuillan and best-selling author Aubrey Greigh, who also works as an Interpol investigator—recently adopted him. Upon arriving at his new parents’ luxury apartment, Shane uses his extraordinary observational skills to uncover Q’s early pregnancy—a shocking revelation. Yet adapting to his new surroundings proves challenging. He feels out of place amidst his youthful American peers.

No sooner does Shane start attending his new elementary school in the city than his razor-sharp intuition and mature outlook, not to mention his well-rounded wit, distinguish him. He soon notices subtle but disturbing signs of a sinister plot—suspicious interactions between adults and students, unusual vehicles lurking nearby, and patterns that others dismiss or don’t notice at all. While his adoptive parents chalk up his subtle observations to adjustment anxiety, Shane is undeterred and embarks on a relentless investigation, meticulously documenting every suspicious occurrence. Yes, he is an old soul in a young body and sharp mind.

Armed with a photographic memory and exceptional puzzle-solving skills, Shane encounters dubious acquaintances who  reveal pieces of a chilling large-scale human trafficking operation. A smirk here, an inadvertent whisper there, or a new friend’s worries that he’s being watched, Shane sees an obvious pattern. Is the boy psychic, neurodivergent, or just hyper-observant?

As Shane consumes local news and events with a voracious appetite, he engages in conversations with Greigh and Q about how to wield his gifts without alienating those around him. Social integration remains a struggle, but he forms a tight-knit circle of trusted friends at school who appreciate his abilities and help gather crucial information, leveraging their own unique and curious skills. Their schoolmates call them The Freak Squad. 

The stakes rise as Shane and his crew uncover concrete evidence of a trafficking ring—photographs, overheard conversations, and documented suspicious behaviors. When a fellow student goes missing, Shane can no longer keep his findings under wraps. Shane shows Greigh and Q his collection of evidence. The depth of his work stuns them, transforming them from skeptical but compassionate parents into staunch believers in their son’s discoveries and champions for justice.

Parenthetically, a secondary story line introduces us to a compassionate doctor and his family as they orchestrate their escape from a violent El Salvador, arguably one of the most corrupt and violent South American nations. 

We follow the Curazco family’s endearing story as they flee the city of San Salvador, where the beloved Dr. Diego Curazco is a respected ER and community medicine physician. He is mercilessly persecuted by a corrupt government and their “muscle”—a paramilitary force known as Fuerza Armada —as he provides free health care to government undesirables. Dr. Diego, his wife, and two teenage children flee to America via Ecuador, Columbia, Panama, and Mexico. They are at the mercy of human traffickers during their perilous journey. It gets even worse after they arrive in the city of Chicago, a popular destination for this human trafficking cabal. 

Ultimately, the plight of the Curazco’s beautiful 13-year-old daughter, Kalilah, intersects with Shane and his friends as she is forced onto the streets of Chicago by her captors. They learn of Kalilah’s plight from her younger brother, Balbo. 

Together, as an immediate family of sleuths, Greigh and Q leap into action with Shane to investigate his shocking findings. Shane’s unique perspective sheds light on a dark underground network as they race against time and powerful enemies to unveil the full extent of the trafficking operation and the damage it has already caused to both those trafficked and those extorted. 

As clues reveal themselves, Shane’s new extended family from previous Aubrey Greigh Mysteries in this series also joins the fray. They include Q’s partner detective, Mac, Shane’s new Uncle Rocko, MT, who is one of Rocko’s gumshoes, and Shane’s biological grandfather and Rocko’s boss, the influential Signore Gaspari Copolla. 

Each member contributes their expertise and influence while remaining vigilant to protect Shane and his youthful friends from escalating dangers as the criminals become aware of their pursuit and bring increasing pressure to bear. As a result, victims of this ring apply their considerable influence to keep their sins from the pubic eye by attempting to bury  Shane’s revelations. Time is running out. 

Tensions further escalate as the investigation reaches a perilous climax, with Shane facing increased threats from shadowy figures surveilling him, his family, and his friends. He worries about them all. Quite the burden for a nine-year-old, but he is no stranger to living in fear from his years as a gypsy youth living in camps across the countrysides of Hungary, Croatia, and Northeastern Italy. 

Greigh and Q grapple with the challenge of keeping the boy and his friends safe as they reluctantly allow Shane continued involvement in the case while retaining some semblance of a normal life. As if they could stop him!

Ultimately, their combined efforts lead to the exposure and dismantling of the multinational trafficking ring, bringing justice to at least some of its victims. But only after crossing swords with powerful politicians and law enforcement officials who have everything to lose if exposed by the Greighs and their friends—both official and unofficial. 

In the aftermath, Greigh, Q, and Grandpa Gaspari, who is also a storied philanthropist, reveal the truth about Shane’s biological parents to him, including his father’s murder, his mother’s imprisonment, and their shared gifts for extraordinary observation and deduction. To their surprise, Shane already knows much of his family’s history. Of course he does.  

The victors celebrate their triumph and newfound understanding of one another, paving the way for Shane’s thrilling journey as a budding young investigator, and perhaps, as another mystery author—like dear new dad.

Embracing both his inherited abilities, his experience from this case, as well as the accompanying encumbrance of not to reveal them to just anyone, Shane begins planning future investigations with his team of young “irregulars” with zeal. 

That’s it. I like how the narrative is unfolding itself to me. Watch this space!

Hey, don’t forget to listen to a free preview of my very special theatrical audiobook edition of Rogue’s Gallery, as well as the eBook and paperback editions!

Here’s what listeners to the Rogue’s Gallery theatrical audiobook edition are saying so far:

  • “Your performance of the story in the audiobook edition engulfed me.”
  • “The music and sound effects blended into the story so well it was as if I was listening to a movie, but better, because my imagination completed my vision of the story. So cool!”

So, until… and wherever… or maybe just in Southeastern Minnesota now….

Gene (and Kay)
New Release & New Life!

New Release & New Life!

By |

In this issue:

  1. The Latest Sam Travis Adventure!
  2. Giving Up Life on the Road?

1. New Release! Lethal Catch: Crossing the Line

Try a gut-wrenching environmental adventure on for size!

Sam Travis’ adventures continue. I am beyond excited to announce that Tom Kasprzak and I have put the finishing touches on the fourth Sam Travis Adventure, Lethal Catch: Crossing the Line. You won’t believe my friend Tom (as Sam Travis—his alter-ego in the book) survived this case in real life!

The Kindle edition is available NOW. The paperback edition will be orderable from Amazon Saturday July 19th, and both elsewhere shortly thereafter.

But order soon as prices will be going up, unfortunately.

Even though this is the fourth Sam Travis Adventure (all based on true stories from Tom’s case files as a Massachusetts state environmental police officer), the books in this series can be read in any sequence. They’re all riveting (humble opinion).

Order your copy of either edition for beach or campground reading this summer!

And watch for its audiobook edition in the future.

Synopsis:

Massive shipments of pure uncut heroin are invading North America in 1989. So, Sam Travis of the Massachusetts State Environmental Police infiltrates the crew of a suspect sword boat within the commercial sword-fishing fleet that plies the waters off the Atlantic coast of Canada and the United States. 

Though federal drug enforcement is not his job, Sam feels compelled to help crush this elusive smuggling ring. He and the U.S. Federal Drug Enforcement Agency battle a cabal of cunning, well-funded, and ruthless international criminals who value money above all else. But they care nothing about human life. Least of all, his. 

If this deep undercover mission fails, this insidious ring could incite a multi-national security threat—an eastern seaboard drug-induced epidemic. Or worse. 

Check out what a few of our pre-publication readers thought of this latest environmental adventure:

  • “I looked forward to picking up the book each day. And since I was so engrossed in Sam’s fate, I didn’t spend too many days reading; I wanted to find out how he gets out of this one alive.” 
  • “I found the book to be a gripping tale of smuggling, murder, fishing shenanigans, and adventure at sea.”
  • “You keep the tension high throughout without it seeming forced.” 
  • “It held me until the last sentence.” 

2. Giving up Life on the Road (Full-Time, Anyway)?

This has been our home for much of the past 10 years.
Our new home! If we don’t sell the home on wheels by this fall, we may still run for Arizona in January for a few months.

Remember when I predicted last March in Arizona that a relaxing retirement lifestyle might “take” any day now? Well, that day is finally approaching 15 years after retiring! Some of us are slow learners. So what does this mean?

We bought a (town)house in Rochester, Minnesota, our home town, even though we haven’t spent much time here in the last two decades.

We’re both excited and a bit uneasy about another major change in lifestyle. But the family, old friends, and world class medical care (Mayo) are powerful draws. So be it. Nothing lasts forever. It’s time for a new and different adventure!

Hey, don’t forget to listen to a free preview of the very special theatrical audiobook edition of Rogue’s Gallery, as well as the eBook and paperback editions!

Here’s what listeners to the Rogue’s Gallery theatrical audiobook edition are saying so far:

  • “I looked forward to picking up the book each day. And since I was so engrossed in Sam’s fate, I didn’t spend too many days reading; I wanted to find out how he gets out of this one alive.” 
  • “I found the book to be a gripping tale of smuggling, murder, fishing shenanigans, and adventure at sea.”
  • “You keep the tension high throughout without it seeming forced.”
  • “It held me until the last sentence.” 

So, until… and wherever… or maybe just in Southeastern Minnesota now….

Gene (and Kay)
Party Like It’s 2025!

Party Like It’s 2025!

By |

In this issue:

  1. Tucson Festival of Books
  2. Countdown to Relocating (Again)!

First, FYI: TWO Audiobook Editions of Rogue’s Gallery Coming (Regular & Deluxe)!

——> watch this space, and look for another Sam Travis adventure (#4) soon, too! <——

As you might already know, I recently published my latest (third) heart-pounding Aubrey Greigh Mystery, Rogue’s Gallery this fall in Kindle and paperback editions.

In my last post, I mentioned I was seriously considering something that is not business-as-usual in audiobook production: a “theatrical” edition that will feature not only a stellar narrator performing the script (me!), this edition will also feature tasteful, scene-specific background music, with cinematic sound effects as well.

I see this as an attractive niche to provide a more engaging listener experience. So, I am indeed producing this theatrical audiobook edition as an option for Rogue’s Gallery. I think you’ll love it.

I’ll be looking for a few reviewers to provide feedback in the near future.

So if you’re interested in a FREE edition to listen to and provide a few observations, please contact me at gjurrens@gkjurrens.com. But hurry, and only if you can dedicate the time to listening and reviewing! I will only have a limited number of U.S. & U.K. promo codes!

Yes, I’m still having an absolute blast mixing and producing this. It’s about 75% complete. Won’t be long now, kids!

1. Tucson Festival of Books Report!

If you’re not aware, this is the TFOB:

  • The 2nd largest book festival in the country (in the world, maybe?),
  • Typically >100,000 attendees (free admission) over one weekend,
  • Dozens of ticketed venues (presentations & moderated panels),
  • Millions of dollars raised for the community (non-profit),
  • More than 200 year-round volunteers.

This two-day festival took place this last weekend at the University of Arizona campus in Tucson just 13 miles from where we currently park our home on wheels.

TFOB was particularly special to me this year for several reasons which may be of most interest to you authors or aspiring writers. For example:

  • I’m not sure how many independently published (“indie”) authors wanted to participate in signing and selling books at TFOB (there is always a wait list – I was on it for last year’s festival), but only 200 of us were accepted this year. That’s determined by the amount of space available. The committee still accepted me even after reviewing my bio, two of my recently published mystery manuscripts, the entire list of my 21 published works, website/blog, and the gist of my rather opinionated social media accounts. This process started last July. So, yeah, this is a big deal for me.
  • Of the 200 authors that “got in,” they selected only 13 authors to be “presenting indie authors,” that is, those of us selected to participate in panels across various genres before a ticketed audience.
  • Of those 13 authors, 3 of us were accepted to participate in a panel within the mystery genre.
  • Even though our session was scheduled at the very same time as the inestimable Maureen Dowd, world-famous opinion columnist for the New York Times, we still drew a standing-room-only crowd in a room whose seated capacity was 110.

My insatiable ego needs this sort of periodic nurturing, y’all, and yes, I am still a work in progress.

The perks available to presenting authors also impressed me (great job, indie committee!):

  • On Friday, the day preceding my panel, the committee provided me with a coveted Second Street Garage parking pass, adjacent to the U of A Student Union, the venue for our panel on Saturday. This may not sound like a huge deal, but when “schlepping” maybe a hundred pounds of books, a banner, my point-of-sale terminal, and about a gallon of drinking water in my collapsible canvas wagon around this huge campus, proximity was my friend. And did they ever scrutinize my parking pass before allowing me and the Jeep entry! You’d think I was trying to cross the border into the U.S.!
  • I was to proceed to “Author Hospitality” where my credentials were checked. I offered my birth certificate, but that was unnecessary. I’d meet my panel moderator for the first time and/or my volunteer guide to direct me to our speaking venue, also in the huge student union (close by).
  • Author Hospitality? Very nice, indeed. Complimentary coffee, tea, pastries, boxed lunches (even vegetarian!), a secure place to store my inventory while I explored the festival a bit, or sat on the patio people watching. I texted one of my fellow panelists, also a mystery author: “Look for the olive drab Fedora atop a ghost-white goatee. I’ll be on the patio.” Like we were undercover! Nancy (see below) even knew what a Fedora is (old-fashioned brimmed hat for you youngsters)!
  • I was indeed delighted to meet Nancy Nau Sullivan, one of my fellow panel members. She is a fascinating author of cozy mysteries. I know we will continue to be friends. She uses a publisher, and offered me several valuable tips, both there in Author Hospitality, and later Saturday night at a Happy Hour. Say what, Mr. Recovering Alcoholic and vegetarian? Nancy, we must talk more about your Peace Corps experience in Argentina, Mexico, Viet Nam, and… Ireland? ¡Disfruté mucho pasar tiempo contigo, mi nueva amiga!
  • I also very much enjoyed meeting another indie author from our panel, Chris Jansmann, an extremely articulate author who writes in the first-person narrative with aplomb. After the panel, we discussed its pros/cons versus my third-person narratives. Plus, his rather unique penchants for Olympic swimmer training and model railroads as a basis for his mysteries? Dude, you rock!
  • Yes, this is the very first year of what’s being called the “Re-imagined Indie Author Experience” at TFOB. For the first time ever, select indie authors were invited to present as part of genre-specific panels, and presenting indie authors were invited to a happy hour hosted for all authors, including some hard-core veterans of the industry. I didn’t collect names, just pointers, sentiments, etc. An awesome experience for this little fish in that big pond in the desert! I drank or ate nothing. Too busy mingling, talking, and most of all, listening.
  • Kudos to Hilary Hamlin, Nancy Thompson & Pamela Clarridge, indie author co-chairs for the festival, for being crazy enough to select this uber-opinionated scribe! Hilary & Nancy, I especially enjoyed getting to know both of you this weekend! Also, thanks to Jo Perry, our panel moderator. I had never met a noir author before. Jo, you did not disappoint. I still wanna find out how you know Eric Idle!

Oh, did I mention I was approached by a German publisher who is looking to expand their portfolio into U.S. mysteries? Just in passing, but she took my info. We’ll see.

I am so glad to have participated in this event. Overall, three exhausting but exhilarating days of possibilities!

Author Hospitality!
Not glamorous, but the little wagon got the job done hauling inventory!
My credentials.
Honored to be honored!
Happy Hour on the rooftop patio of Gentle Ben’s

2. Countdown to Relocating (Again)!

We’ve enjoyed our stay in Tucson since the beginning of the year, and we’re not quite done here, yet.

Later this week we move the rig to Tucson Freedom RV (again) for some final pre-road preventative maintenance.

We also plan to see our dear great-niece, Hannah, who now lives here, having relocated from Lakeshore Drive in Chicago.

And I’ll be winding down my Spanish studies as Kay finishes up physical therapy after her shoulder replacement. She’s making great strides on range of motion and recovery pain management.

Then, we start a near-month-long trek northward to Minnesota, stopping in New Mexico, Missouri, and Iowa along the way to visit friends and family.

We don’t dare venture too far north too soon, however, as RV parks “up there” keep their water turned off until the threat of freezing passes. Without water they don’t open. And we like our full hook-ups (power, water, and sewer), “fer sher, dontcha know.”

If you haven’t yet heard, after almost ten years “most-timing” in our beloved bus with her being our only home for the last few years, we’ve lived in some 40+ states for a few weeks to a few months each stay, returning to our favorite haunts. We’re now seriously contemplating “coming off the road.” Yep, that means shopping for stix ‘n brix again, as they say. We’ll be house-shopping once we return to “the Mothership.”

That’s Rochester, MN, our home town. But perhaps as significantly, that’s also the home of the Mayo Clinic, our primary healthcare provider. We now find ourselves increasingly outrunning our healthcare while we’re in perpetual motion.

Plus, let’s be honest, we wish to be closer to family, old friends (after running away for a couple of decades), and I miss a garage, okay? There, I’ve said it!

Kay, however, is like the Energizer Bunny. It seems she could continue scurrying about North America indefinitely. At least that’s her story, and she’s stickin’ to it.

But for now, we’re looking forward to another three weeks here in lovely Tucson.

Now, I really gotta get back to work. Books to be written and edited and formatted and recorded! Plus, covers to design! I think a relaxing retirement lifestyle might “take” any day now (not)!

So, until… and wherever…

Gene

P.S. For those of you who are new to the party, this is our only home (for now):
Oh, No! Oh, Yes!

Oh, No! Oh, Yes!

By |

In this issue:

  1. Dark & Cold?
  2. New Audiobook Edition in Progress
  3. My Appearance at the Tucson Festival of Books

Dark and Cold? What Happened?

Last Monday, doctors at Banner University Medicine in Tucson, Arizona replaced my wife Kay’s right shoulder. On Wednesday night—actually at 2AM on Thursday morning—thankfully, sleep eluded her. She shook me out of a sound slumber. “Gene, we have no power!” Oh, crap. It was thirty-nine degrees outside, and our heat, both electric and diesel, depends on either external resort (“city” or “shore”) power or our motorhome’s battery power.

I scrambled out of bed at the rear of our forty-three-foot bus and headed toward the cockpit to diagnose the problem. Stumbling out of my sleepy stupor, I noticed the panel said “low battery.” Warning lights flashed. So did an instant headache. We were likely less than an hour from draining (and probably ruining) about two-thousand-dollars worth of deep-cycle “house” batteries that power the entire coach.

That’s when I remembered the screw-up that caused this situation.

NEVER

ALLOW

THE FOLLOWING

TO HAPPEN

IF YOU LIVE IN AN RV

(OR ON A BOAT)!

The previous afternoon, I prepared a late lunch. It was chilly outside. Even though we’re in the SW Arizona desert, we’re at almost 3,000 feet of elevation here south of Tucson. So, the temps are only in the forties and fifties during the day here in January, and a lot colder at night.

Our diesel boiler (furnace) provides central heat (and hot water on demand). It is powered either by “shore” power (110VAC) or our house battery bank (12VDC). It was too cold for our two rooftop heat pumps to be effective. They’re powered by either shore power or our diesel generator, but that requires battery power to get started, too (although separate unaffected “chassis” batteries).

We often run an electric space heater, too (also driven by shore power or generator) to ease the burden on the far more costly diesel boiler. Plus, the boiler burns about a liter of diesel per hour during the coldest times, which we use instead of propane for heat.

We were nice and cozy that previous afternoon. I toasted a ciabatta bun in the kitchen’s electric toaster oven. At the same time, I reheated a wonderful vegan pasta dish in the microwave. The power flickered. Oops! I then realized I was operating three very power-hungry 110VAC appliances all at the same time. Dumb! In an RV, anyway.

But after a brief flicker, like a momentary brown-out, all appeared to be okay. I immediately turned off the space heater to finish heating my lunch. I figured our automatic (electrical) load-shedding feature on our electrical management system just did its thing with only a slight hiccup. NOPE! But on we went with our lives.

What really happened? I had blown an obscure breaker, and instead of then providing all the power in the coach (one fridge, two freezers, lights, TV, home theater system, space heater, humidifier, etc.) from resort or shore power, which is normal, all now depended on our bank of house batteries for their power! That’s fine for short durations like a few hours when necessary, when shore power isn’t available, but longer term, like last week? The bus gobbles batteries dry and sends them to the scrap heap!

Our inverter normally translates 12VDC battery power into clean 110VAC household power from either shore power or battery power. Our 110VAC (household) appliances didn’t care where the power was coming from.

It wasn’t until 2AM Thursday, when our batteries had been drawn down to dangerously low levels, did I realize my mistake. So, I trundled outside, shivering in my pajamas and slippers, with my trusty headlamp to locate the breaker on the inverter itself in the “basement” (a storage compartment underneath the motorhome), pushed the emergency breaker to reset it, and everything came back online as it was supposed to.

STUPID! I will plan to hear about my mistake from now to eternity. I deserve it.

I checked the fluid levels in the batteries the following day to ensure I did no permanent damage. They’re okay, but another hour or so of drawing them down into oblivion? That would have made for a very expensive battery replacement fiasco. As soon as I had reset the inverter’s breaker, the battery charging system automatically started pounding a recharge into the four huge depleted house batteries.

Catastrophe averted! Narrowly. Such is “la vita!”

FYI, TWO Audiobook Editions of Rogue’s Gallery Coming

I’m seriously considering something that is not business-as-usual in audiobook production.

From my last newsletter, you’ll recall I’ve just published my latest heart-pounding Aubrey Greigh Mystery, Rogue’s Gallery this summer in Kindle and paperback editions. I’m now narrating its audiobook edition, and hope to publish and distribute it to Audible, Amazon, and Apple by early this summer. But here’s the thing.

What would you think of an “enhanced” or “theatrical” version of this audiobook mystery? I envision offering such an edition separately in addition to the straight narrated version. This enhanced edition would include selected sound effects and music. I think such an edition might offer a more engaging listener experience, and would really appreciate hearing what you think of this idea.

Allow me to illustrate. Below is an audio sample of what I call a “theatrical” edition (do you have a better name for such an offering? I’m all ears!):

Enhanced audiobook track (Chapter One of Rogue’s Gallery):

I really would like to know what you think. Would an extra offering like this enhanced audiobook edition be of interest to you? To other audiobook aficionados, do you think?

Besides, I’m having an absolute blast producing this!

Personal Appearance at TFOB (Tucson Festival of Books)

If you’re not aware, the TFOB comprises:

  • The 3rd or 4th largest book festival in the country (in the world, maybe?),
  • Typically >100,000 attendees (free admission) over one weekend,
  • Dozens of ticketed venues (presentations & moderated panels),
  • Millions of dollars raised for the community (non-profit),
  • More than 200 year-round volunteers.

This two-day festival takes place in the middle of March each year and sprawls across the University of Arizona campus in Tucson. This year, I am honored to have been invited to speak as part of a moderated three-member panel of mystery authors on Saturday, March 15th.

So, if you’re in the ‘hood, you’re invited. Tickets are free, but advanced reserved tickets are advised and are available one week prior. See the festival website for more and schedule info HERE.

On the next day, Sunday the sixteenth, I’ll be participating in the festival’s “Indie Pavilion,” that is, a meet and greet of independently published authors, where I’ll be selling and signing my sixteen published books for all you mystery fans and aspiring writers. This will be fun.

I’m not sure how much I’ll be speaking during the moderated panel, so I thought I’d use this forum to try out a few talking points. Care to weigh in on which ones you think I ought to prioritize?

My front line comments: “I love writing mysteries that are entertaining, authentic, and socially relevant. My mysteries are inspired by events that have occurred to me during my life. And I’ve been blessed with a pretty darn interesting one. Yes, this is most certainly driven by my passion for the allure of the obscure. I like to think I offer something in the pages of my books that readers are not likely to have personally encountered, like I have, nor maybe not have encountered in other mysteries.”

I plan to ask for a show of hands, and I ask you now:

  • How many of you grew up on the wrong side of the tracks and yet worked near the top of a hundred-billion-dollar multinational tech corporation for a time whose boss got indicted for insider trading?
  • How many of you have had your life threatened and were stalked for months after reluctantly firing 422 of your 1,013 employees? I’m not a fan of firearms, but I borrowed a loaded shotgun from a neighbor that I kept at my bedside that summer. We moved out of state, just in case. After that, I retired at age fifty-eight after thirty-two years with a full pension. I was not the guy I had become.
  • How many of you have relatives and close friends who have been members of the US intelligence community, including one high-level executive at the NSA and another who was an “air pirate” who flew “farm equipment” (wink) and “support personnel” (still winking) into third-world countries most of us have never heard of?
  • How many of you have owned a live-aboard sailboat that once was used as a safe house for Soviet defectors during the cold war, one of whom was married on its foredeck in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor?
  • How many of you have strolled the infamous Tokyo fish market in a $600 camel-hair overcoat at 4AM and helped a little fish monger pick up a spilled wheelbarrow of live eels after bumping into him and causing the spill? That coat was never the same!
  • How many of you lived on a boat in the Florida Keys and Eastern Caribbean for years and faithfully listened to the piracy report every morning at 0700 hours on marine radio channel 69, so you knew where not to go next, or only with a buddy boat, for safety?
  • How many of you lived in San Francisco’s Hashbury district in 1969 as a rebel without a clue counseling draftees during the Tet offensive in the Viet Nam war when a thousand kids my age were getting killed each week? That’s when I got my draft notice, by the way, and enlisted in the US Coast Guard.
  • How many of you have had thirteen motorcycle accidents before age 18 and experienced relocating a house’s porch with a big-ass Buick, destroying an entire alley, and running that same car into a tree at 50 MPH in a drug-addled state? Unforgettable… I’m told.  
  • How many of you have almost died in the bowels of a shipwreck at a depth of 120 feet of seawater seven miles off Key West when your SCUBA equipment got entangled in overhead wreckage in a tight passageway?
  • How many of you have experienced a free-fall skydive from 14,500 feet and seen the majestic curvature of the earth splayed out below you?
  • How many of you have traveled in a forty-three foot bus for ten years, living in forty-plus states for a few weeks to a few months at a time?
  • How many of you have smoked a joint with an awkward teenage Bill Cosby long before he became famous (then, infamous), and long before I became a respectable, high-functioning career alcoholic? I’ve now been sober for thirteen years.

This is just a sampling of life experiences that inspire me to write quirky mysteries with flawed characters who entertain you with believable situations that baffle, mystify, or make you laugh or cry. And you’ll wonder, “what if that were me?” I’d love to share at least a few of these anecdotes during my panel discussion, but at least I got to share them all with YOU.

One other important pearl of wisdom I’d share with you? NEVER try to out-drink your Japanese translator starting on the Shinkansen (bullet train) between Tokyo and Hamamatsu and later at the hotel, especially if you’re swilling down ninety-eight-degree (cheap) Saki. You will lose if you are “gaijin” (non-Japanese). No mystery, there.

I am growing excited to meet some new mystery fans at TFOB, and maybe also sell and sign a few books! This festival is one of the reasons we’re in Tucson this winter!

So, until later, and wherever…

Gene

Yes, this photo of ‘yours truly’ is more than a few years old. I’m performing a Native American style flute of my own making–one of my first (and best). But I thought this image befit the background theme of my latest mystery novel: ex-carnival entertainers who, despite their checkered past, like me, have a second chance in life. What they do with it, like the recovering alcoholic in this image, is for you to discover within the pages of this classic locked-room mystery with more than a few weird twists. Enjoy Rogue’s Gallery: Beyond All Reason!
A New Mystery to Solve!

A New Mystery to Solve!

By |

Is this your next read?

Good news for Aubrey Greigh Mystery fans:

Rogue’s Gallery—is now available!

By the way, authors live and die by reviews. So, if you read any of my books, please consider leaving a line or three of what you thought, and don’t forget to give it a star rating (preferably 5 stars!).

I’m celebrating! This is my third book this year. I should say “our” third book. I wrote two of those books (Sam Travis Adventures) with my writing partner, Tom Kasprzak. Plus, you can get Lethal Game as an audiobook (more to come). Still, three books in one year is a personal best. What’s amazing is that they just get better and better (so my pre-publication readers tell me).

Below, I offer you a sample of Rogue’s Gallery: Beyond All Reason. This scene takes place more than a few years in the future in a high-security apartment inside Chicago’s near southwest loop—the scene of a heinous murder:

Detective Chance McQuillan—Q—once more questioned the wisdom of asking her captain for the lead in this case. Was it because of her pathological hatred of anything that smelled like that fake paranormal shit? When she was twelve, a carnival fortune teller scared her so badly, she still remembered that awful feeling. She was an emotional dumpster fire back then looking for… well, she had no idea what she was looking for. Who does, at that age? But that… gypsy, that… man! It was like he made love to his beliefs and tried his damned level-best to seduce her to do so, too. That total creep show had stained her. Forever. And her own bastard of a father dismissed it all. Q hated gypsies and carnies, and knew that to be irrational. That’s where she thought all paranormal shit came from. Only when they’re around. And now this bullshit. It was all crap, anyway.

* * *

Halfway through his second shift the night before, Jerry Hannafin had received an S.O.S. signal from Ms. Schift in 2613. Mac, Q’s partner, kept his mouth shut. She now grilled this oaf at Wolf Point East’s combination front desk and security station. This rent-a-cop desk clerk seemed nice enough, even capable. But he showed obvious signs of discomfort around real cops. Not too surprising. She stared at the summary of this hump’s record on her WristPad. Nothing major. Still, it surprised her they even let this guy carry a weapon. But Wolf Point’s ‘brand’ was security and discretion. They talked as he led the way to the scene on twenty-six.

“All I got, detective. I got the automated call at 10:16 PM. When Ms. Schift mashes that button on her remote, her system also calls you guys. I got up there fast as I could. Pounded and pounded on her door, see. But she don’t answer. And my master electronic key don’t work, either. I get real worried. Then I get a call from Mr. Leibowitz in 2720. Says he heard what sounded like a gunshot. Now, I’m real worried. So I calls the fire department thinkin’… well, I dunno. Ain’t no kickin’ down that door.” He nodded off to his left. 

Q looked him up and down as they stood in the wide hallway outside of Jolina Schift’s apartment. The door was now damaged beyond repair. “Mr. Hannafin, is it unusual for you not to have master key access to apartments in the building?” They entered the apartment as they talked.

“Supposed to work. It’s in the H.O.A. bylaws, see. For situations just like this, ya know? Ms. Schift, she was a real piece a work. Din’t trust nobody. Who’s got three honest-ta-God deadbolts? And the C.F.D. guys find this.” He nodded toward blood pools, spray, and spatters extending from one side of the kitchen to the other, ending with the outline of a corpse near a black luncheon bar. The M.E. had long-since removed the body. A bright yellow numbered card labeled ‘bloody weapon: knife’ lay near the white outline. Jerry muttered, “Hey, I’m not in trouble here, am I?”

Q sauntered from room to room. Stopped in the master bedroom and Mac followed. Tapped her on the shoulder while reading the crime scene report, and pointed at the twelve-foot ceiling. Neither Mac nor Q had spotted a single bullet hole at the joint between the ceiling and fancy crown molding. But the Crime Scene Mapper—the C.S.M. device—had spotted it. 

“Does she ever have visitors?”

Jerry said, “Hey, dunno, ‘kay? We monitor the lobby and the desk. Nobody what don’t have no pass key gets in. And nobody gets by me what I don’t recognize ‘em, see? They come to visit somebody in the building, I call up and get the high sign or send ‘em packin’, ‘kay? Nobody ever come to see Ms. Schift. At least so’s I know. Not on my shifts, anyways. And I’m here six nights a week.”

“You got a record, Jerry?”

“Look, I din’t do nothin’ wrong here. Are we done?”

“Yes, sir. For now. We appreciate your time.”

* * *

Mac continued to study the crime scene team’s analysis on his WristPad with Q looking on. He scratched his head and said, “The report says no prints or D.N.A. other than the victim’s. No echoes of any other presence detected by the C.S.M. for the six hours prior, either. But from footprint trace energy, it appeared she first went from room to room. Like she was searching. And then she scrambled on her hands and knees from the bedroom to the kitchen after firing a single shot, but she left her pistol in the bedroom. The bloody knife near the body?” He nodded toward the empty slot in the knife block on the counter. “Looks like she grabbed a big-ass knife, from the width of the slot it came from, and defended herself. Then, she cuts out her own tongue with that same knife? What the fuck, Q?” 

That was the C.S.M. device’s analysis during the six-hour window preceding the time the crime scene team deployed their machine. Its sensors picked up and recorded any presence or motion anywhere in or around the scene, including D.N.A., fingerprints and footprint motion tracers with timestamps. The C.S.M.’s technology still baffled Q, but it was reliable. She said, “And the report also pinpoints time of death at 10:30 PM, plus or minus five. So Ms. Schift was the only person in her entire apartment during that time. Fires a shot in desperation at her bedroom ceiling, apparently at some invisible presence before fleeing to the kitchen?”

Mac squinted his eyes and looked at Q slantwise while they strolled through the sumptuous living room. He expected to get his nose tweaked for his next words. “At least she was the only human presence in this well-fortified kill box.”

“Oh, not you too, Mac.” She hated that kind of trash talk. Brought back those ugly childhood memories. 

“Hey, just sayin’. What now?” She smirked. He muttered, “A seance?” He ducked away from her. Didn’t want to get slugged. 

Q snorted. “Yeah, let’s go report that plan to the captain. Guess we call this a suicide, time being, ’til we get some more evidence. Gotta be about the evidence.”

“I don’t believe she didn’t have help, either, Q. For now, the answer is beyond any reasonable explanation we got in hand.”

“We’re done here. You know the drill, Mac: background, known associates, personal habits, vices, enemies…. Head back to the nine-nine and dig in. Gotta be something. Let’s start by connecting the Rune case to this one. Too frickin’ similar to be a any kind of coincidence. Suicide victims cutting out their own tongues is odd enough. But when two do that within three days of each other? And with no rational explanation?”

Mac registered a surprised expression. “Where are you headed?”

“I need to run an errand.” Q was conflicted. One person who had researched and debunked at least some of this paranormal shit was the eccentric man she shared a bed with. Another perplexing case almost eight years ago involved voodoo, and Greigh’s research was fundamental in solving that case. Smelled a lot like this one. Now, as much as she hated to admit it, she shared Mac’s frustration. They were no closer to solving this mystery than before this second body had dropped. Yeah, she’d ask Greigh’s opinion on this clusterfuck. Her husband always had an opinion. He called them theories or hypotheses. Opinions. Plus, she worried about her objectivity anywhere near this paranormal crap. But first, she’d talked to an old friend who had also helped out on that damn voodoo case.

Check out Rogue’s Gallery: Beyond All Reason, especially if you’re already an Aubrey Greigh and Chance McQuillan fan!

So, until later, and wherever…

Gene

Yes, this photo of yours truly is more than a few years old. I’m performing a flute of my own making–one of my first (and best). But I thought this image befit the background theme of this new book: ex-carnival entertainers who, despite their checkered past, have a second chance in life. What they do with it, like the recovering alcoholic in this image, is for you to discover within the pages of this classic locked-room mystery with more than a few weird twists. Enjoy Rogue’s Gallery: Beyond All Reason!
Hurry! New Novel AND a Free Audiobook?

Hurry! New Novel AND a Free Audiobook?

By |

THE THIRD AND MOST EXCITING SAM TRAVIS ADVENTURE YET IS HERE!

PRE-ORDER NOW FOR AUTO-DELIVERY THIS SUNDAY.

WHY BUY HERE NOW ?

  • 25% PRICE DISCOUNT (Kindle edition)
  • DELIVERED INSTANTLY (to all your devices) on Sunday
  • CHANCE TO WIN A FREE AUDIOBOOK (of Lethal Game):
    • Just send your pre-order receipt email to gjurrens@yahoo.com before Sunday, September 15
    • Your odds of winning are VERY GOOD!

Order Yours Now. HERE

Just Three Bucks!

(for a limited time)

Available for a limited time, why not pre-order right now for your next read in three days, but also to enter a high-probability drawing for a free audiobook, a $15 value. Just click HERE NOW!

Thanks in advance!

Gene & Tom

Representing authors GK Jurrens
& Tom Kasprzak
The Time to Get Lethal Is NOW!

The Time to Get Lethal Is NOW!

By |

THE THIRD AND MOST EXCITING SAM TRAVIS ADVENTURE YET IS HERE!

PRE-ORDER NOW FOR AUTO-DELIVERY SEPTEMBER 15TH.

WHY BUY HERE NOW ?

  • 25% PRICE DISCOUNT (Kindle edition)
  • DELIVERED INSTANTLY (to all your devices)
  • CHANCE TO WIN A FREE AUDIOBOOK (of Lethal Game):
    • Just send your pre-order receipt email to gjurrens@yahoo.com
    • Your odds of winning are VERY GOOD!

Order Yours Now. HERE

Just Three Bucks!

(for a limited time)

That’s it, y’all! Let Tom and me know what you thought, okay? And score your deal TODAY, including a chance to win the audiobook edition of Lethal Game, the book that launched the Sam Travis’ Adventures (a $14.95 value). Order your copy of Lethal Bounty NOW!

Thanks in advance!

Gene & Tom

Representing author GK Jurrens
An Enchanting Summer!

An Enchanting Summer!

By | 
Current Location: Sequim, Washington

Kay and I have thrown ourselves into one adventure after another this summer.

We’ve accumulated a TON of great memories (and photos and experiences) to show for it!

Here’s some scroll bait for y’all.

In this lifestyle issue:

  1. New Sam Travis Adventure Released
  2. More Sam Travis Adventures Coming!
  3. Another Aubrey Greigh Mystery Coming, Too
  4. Experiencing the West Coast in Full Measure
  5. Tucson Festival of Books (TFOB)?
  6. Saying Goodbye to a Dear Friend

1. New Sam Travis Adventure Released

Lieutenant Tom Kasprzak (retired)—my writing partner—and I released our latest Sam Travis Adventure in July, as promised. Like Lethal Game and all our Sam Travis Adventures, Lethal Trail is based on a true story.

Here’s what early readers are saying about this exciting story from one Tom’s (LT’s) many cases during his law enforcement career:

  • “I absolutely loved Lethal Trail! I loved it all.”
  • Just finished Lethal Trail.  It is a great read!”  
  • “The characters are nicely developed, especially the antagonists.  I really loathe them.”
  • “I truly enjoyed the side story about the black bear in the tree and its relocation.”

And if you haven’t checked out Book One of our Sam Travis series, click HERE.

By the way, if you haven’t yet been introduced to my friend, Tom, a.k.a. LT, he retired from the Massachusetts State Environmental Police Force after a storied thirty-two-year career. He operated from the beautiful Berkshire Mountains in Western Massachusetts to Boston in the east.

LT worked or supervised undercover operations for nine years, was embedded with international game poachers who were killing wildlife en masse, led teams on marine law enforcement, trained in counterterrorism with the US Coast Guard (District 1, Boston), and is a decorated sharpshooter (Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, Glynco, Georgia, where he trained extensively with federal agents from multiple agencies). National Geographic even broadcast a TV documentary in 1991 about LT and his crew, and how they took down a major illegal international wildlife poaching operation: “Wildlife Wars USA: Black Bears Under Siege,” narrated by Peter Coyote.

All of our Sam Travis stories are based on LT’s actual cases, and are about as authentic crime fiction as you’ll find anywhere—plausible and engaging, even to other law enforcement professionals. We’ve also published Lethal Game as an audiobook in addition to its ebook and paperback editions. We’re planning audiobook editions for all the Sam Travis adventures eventually.

No matter your favored genre, you’re sure to enjoy the hell out of these fast-paced stories populated with an imperfect but passionate cast of quirky characters!

2. More Adventures!

So, what’s next for Sam Travis fans? Next month on September 15th we’ll release Lethal Bounty, Sam’s most exciting adventure yet. You won’t believe this page turner is based on another of LT’s actual cases from his time as an EPO (Environmental Police Officer) in Massachusetts and elsewhere.

This hair-raising story’s ebook (“Kindle edition”) will be available for pre-order by August 23rd (the Great Pumpkin willing – yeah, that’s a metaphor, kids). That means you’ll be able to order Lethal Bounty on 8/23, take advantage of an introductory pricing offer, and it will automatically be delivered to all your smart devices automatically on 9/15. Cool, huh?

Is that it? Nope.

We hope to make the fourth Sam Travis Adventure available early next year. Below is an early draft of artwork for the book’s cover. What do you think? Is it… catchy?

3. Another Aubrey Greigh Mystery Coming Too!

In even more book news, if you follow my antics, you know I’ve published two books in my Aubrey Greigh Mystery series: Voodoo Vendetta and Dancing With Death. I’ll be targeting the release of my third Aubrey Greigh Mystery later this Winter. Right now, I’m entitling it, Rogue’s Gallery – Beyond Evidence.

Few of the characters in this tale are who or what they seem, and most are, well, less than respectable. The title seemed fitting. Take a look at the story’s premise (story concept):

***

Aubrey Greigh, a best-selling mystery author, and ambitious Chicago detective, Chance McQuillan partner with a pair of Romani parapsychologists to solve two baffling high-profile homicides. This cryptic case could turn the credibility of politics in America’s largest city on its ear. But solving this case could help Interpol solve a series of longstanding international crimes.

Are our professional and amateur investigators equipped to filter flimsy facts from rampant fantasy to stop the wild speculation and seemingly senseless killing? The mayor of America’s largest city hopes so. Or does he? Is anything what it seems? 

Relish the tortuous twists and turns in this classic locked-room whodunnit with… what?  Utterly mysterious circumstances and a conspiracy that spans two continents? Maybe even paranormal possibilities? You’ll keep guessing until your final turn to the last page. 

***

I favor creating different versions of a book’s cover and soliciting feedback while writing the manuscript. It inspires me. Most authors wait until at least the final draft is complete. Not me. I offer you a peek at the latest iteration of my cover graphics, and like always, I’m open to suggestions. Seriously. Do you like it (the back cover text is still under revision)? What do you think of the title? Please do let me know at gjurrens@yahoo.com:

Enough of this book stuff, eh?

4. Experiencing the US West Coast in 2024

Oh, my gosh, where do I start! This summer has been the polar opposite of sensory deprivation. We have been sensory gluttons! I offer you a sampling of our summer since leaving Tucson April 30th in our grand old bus:

Das bus nestled in Sequim, Washington (Gilgal RV Oasis). Roosters at the farm across the road crow non-stop, a source of constant amusement!
  • Quartzsite, Arizona – just to veg out for a spell and to continue my focus on watercolor painting and drawing in my “spare time.” Retirement is exhausting, my friends!
  • Sequoia National Forest in central California’s San Joaquin Valley (Visalia)
  • San Francisco Bay Area (Petaluma) for almost a month where we took an extended double-decker bus tour of the city, went to see the Carnivale parade and celebration of Central & South American culture in the Mission district, along with an amazing rolling car show. We sailed around the bay ,under the Golden Gate Bridge and around Alcatraz island aboard a 65′ sailing catamaran. Kay and I took a sporty helicopter ride over the Sonoma wine country and their Pacific seaside cliffs. We enjoyed countless day trips in the car along the Pacific Coast Highway (1). Visited Sausalito across the bay where we explored a hydrodynamic model of the entire Bay Area (US Army Corps of Engineers), found a fascinating restaurant (fusion of Marin County and Indian vegan cuisine they call Marindian cuisine confusion – very urban Californian!) and a few high-end art galleries—constrained budget and limited wall space mandated browsing only!)
  • Hiked a redwood forest in Northern California (Eureka) and sprained my ankle 🙁
  • Explored the Oregon Coast for a few weeks in each of Brookings (participated in Judy Howard’s fascinating writer’s group and taught a publishing seminar. We hung out on Driftwood Beach and Harris Beach), then Newport (Lincoln City Kite Festival, and lots of marina dock-walking). And we visited the marine heritage museum and the beach at Fort Stevens outside Astoria.
  • Enjoyed an evening of music at The 1905 jazz club in Portland. We stayed in nearby Troutdale for three weeks.
  • Visited the largest new/used book store west of the Mississippi River. Powell’s City of Books in Portland is an enormous store that feels small and intimate within dozens (hundreds?) of genre-specific rooms on three floors. They feature a rare books room where I enjoyed hanging out for an afternoon.
  • While parked in Troutdale, we also explored the Columbia Gorge area inland from the Oregon coast, including their enchanting waterfalls area, a ride on the Mt. Hood Railway, and a trolley tour of Fruit Valley near the base of Mt. Hood. We watched a wind and kite surfing exhibition in the eclectic city of Hood River. I also attended the annual Flutestock Native American flute festival outside of Eugene (Springfield).
  • Blew a tire on our toad (towed vehicle) en route to Washington. We’re now driving a rental car. We’ll need to travel 170 miles (one way) to retrieve it from Longview, Washington once it’s repaired (new bumper and front left quarter panel, painted, and aligned after four new tires are mounted, balanced, and installed. Only one blew out, but we’re replacing them all.
  • Now we’re in NW Washington on the northern coast of the Olympic Peninsula. We’re exploring the villages of Sequim, Port Townsend, and Port Angeles. This is a beautiful area! Oh, while here in Sequim, I subjected myself to a tortuous pedicure. Yikes!
  • And we’re not done yet. Looking forward to visiting Snoqualmie Falls, exploring Seattle again, as well as Mt. St. Helen’s, then Crater Lake, Klamath Falls, a month in Monterrey Bay area so we can do… whatever! Next, San Diego Zoo, Sea World, and maybe Disney (for Kay). Then, I wanna check out the ever-funky Salton Sea (they said, “bring your own water, ours is loaded with arsenic.” An important safety tip). We’ll then return to Val Vista Villages in Mesa, AZ for November and December before returning to Voyager south of Tucson for about four months. Next summer? Minnesota!

That’s a top-level summary. Below are a bunch of photos and videos, along with a few of my attempts at watercolor paintings or drawing practice that might amuse you. They’re kind of jumbled. Sorry. Skip if you wish.

Photorealistic Drawing Exercise
Drawing Cherries Exercise
Chiaroscuro Pencil Drawing of a Sad Boxer
Watercolor Rooster with Attitude
St Lucia Street Scene (Memory)
Sailing Under the Golden Gate
Giant Sequoias
Snow in Sierra Nevadas at 6000′ in July
Sailing on San Francisco Bay, Kay rocks on the foredeck to Jimmy Buffet
Kay and I posed in front of the baby bird we flew over the Sonoma wine country and its sea cliffs region.
Sexy butt! Kay’s reflection, ya weirdo!
Cliffs along the Sonoma County coast, north of the San Francisco Bay Area. As seen from our sexy little heliochopter.
Brookings Harbor charms!
Driftwood Beach near our motorhome during our stay in Brookings, Oregon
Harris Beach just north of Brookings. A very cool beach!
So many beaches, so little time.
We stayed in the Newport Marina (called the South Beach neighborhood)
Newport Marina is mostly a working marina, but also exhibits the presence of some serious recreational fish killers!
Newport’s iconic bridge.
Nye Beach in Newport, Oregon
Newport Rodeo. It was a lot, but… an experience.
Two old farts on the Oregon Dunes. We even found and ran the beach at a high rate of speed.
THAT was FUN!
Christopher Brown & His Quartet at The 1905 Club in Portland. Chris used to hang with Wynton Marsalis, Stevie Wonder, and other greats.
Largest New/Used Book Store West of the Mississippi in Portland offered us a delightful day of exploration.
The Rare Books Room at Powell’s City of Books in Portland
Mt. Hood Railway
We visited a lavender farm called The Hope Ranch. A peaceful respite and a wonderful place to meditate.
Mt. Hood looks small, but it’s not! This is like forty miles distant!
Chatted up two crew members of a brand new 154-foot Coast Guard Cutter
The Devil’s Punchbowl on the Oregon Coast
A typical July weekend in the town of Hood River, Oregon on the Columbia River.
Multnomah Falls with an almost 700 foot fall.
Mt. Hood Railway – an opulent ride!
Oops! A bad-ass blow-out (we do nothing half-fast, ya know!). Welcome to Washington, Mr. Toad (towed vehicle)! Nothing terribly serious, we think. We’re driving a rental for a few weeks while the Jeep gets her face lifted and new rubber all around. Just another adventure!
A shop in Port Townsend offering pirate gear AND steampunk wares? Hell, yeah! Me mate leads the way. I’m on her heels!
Too cool to buy!
Now, where would we wear this stuff, anyway?
Boats “hanging on the hook” in Port Townsend Bay.
Or how about a fifties-style soda fountain? Jeepers, that’s nifty!
Our rental car in front of the bus in Sequim, WA.
Looks like some funky weather is moving in on us (Saturday, August 17). We’ve been lucky so far.

Enough with the vaca pics, already! Right?

5. 2025 Tucson Festival of Books (TFOB)?

Sick of book news and vaca photos, yet? Sorry. About one more gig… hopefully.

I’m excited enough to share with you a possible opportunity for this humble author. The University of Arizona hosts the sprawling Tucson Festival of Books annually in mid-March.

In addition to an amazing array of seminars, displays, and exhibitors, the TFOB features an “indie pavilion,” an opportunity to feature authors who independently publish their books (my publishing imprint is UpLife Press). I hope to participate in that, and maybe even score a feature slot. Might they ask me to present one or more of my seminars? Probably not.

At the very least, I hope to hawk all my wares to a significant audience of book shoppers at the festival. We’ll see. I need to submit a manuscript that’s been published less than twenty-four months prior to March 15, 2025. I’m excited to offer up my Aubrey Greigh mystery, Dancing With Death. Pray for me, my friends!

By the way, here are a few comments from mystery readers about Dancing With Death:

  • This is your best yet. Very exciting. I actually gasped when I read that— (spoiler redacted!). – Julia S, 
  • You really nailed the suspense, especially by including red herrings and plot twists. I like being reacquainted with Greigh and McQ, and became fond of the new characters too. Thought I would like ___, but … big plot twist there. I love Butler (Greigh’s automated apartment security system and confidante), especially that you gave him Sean Connery’s voice. And he could easily be set in present times. – Dawn S.
  • The novel moved at a good pace, was intriguing and engaging. I truly enjoyed it. – Judy R.
  • I like the concept, storyline and characters. An excellent read. Dialogue was also excellent as was pace, twists and turns. – Mark M.
  • All the double agents, various international agencies, and crime bosses were easy to follow, and added depth to the story. – Steve B, 
  • Great job!! Thoroughly enjoyed the book/manuscript. I hope this one reaches the “Best Seller” list. – Tom K.
  • I have nothing but praise for your writing! – Dave K.
  • Blown away by your choice of words and character descriptions as well as their interactions with one another. – Judy H.

6. Saying Goodbye to a Dear Friend

One closing note: I’m not a huge fan of obituaries. This is an exception. Kay and I lost a precious friend and a great man this summer. Doug Olson was a decorated naval aviator, airline pilot, and a fearless fellow sailor. Fair winds and following seas, my friend. Captain Marti, our hearts ache for you, but it was time to make for the next port. For both of you, sweetie. We love you, Marti, and none of us will ever forget the skipper.

A man we were proud to call our precious friend.
Captain Marti and Doug a.k.a. the skipper

That’s it, mis compadres! So, until next time, and wherever….

Let’s roll!

Gene

Kay and I posed for this picture for our dual-purpose “cruising card.” We hand them out to new friends we meet on the road to stay in touch, and it’s also my business card. Ain’t that sweet?

P.S.

This quote resonated with me. I tend to embed contemporary social issues in my fiction. I’d like to think this makes my fiction more relevant and engaging to my readers.
Representing author GK Jurrens
Special Podcast Episode….

Special Podcast Episode….

By | 
Location: Petaluma, California

Catch the latest Relevant Fiction podcast HERE or wherever you find your favorites. This episode features a behind-the-scenes peek at the newest Sam Travis Adventure, and reveals personal insights about investigating the real-world case upon which this pulse-pounding story is based.

Listen to THIS LATEST EPISODE of Relevant Fiction today!

That’s it for now from the foggy San Francisco Bay Area!

So, until next time, and wherever…

Gene

I’m excited to share with you our next Sam Travis Adventures. LETHAL TRAIL‘s Kindle edition is available for pre-order now. And our third Sam Travis Adventure, LETHAL BOUNTY, will be available early this Fall (2024)! If you haven’t boarded the Sam Travis train yet, all aboard! And look for their audiobook editions starting late 2024.
My writing partner, Tom Kasprzak, is the real-life version of Sam Travis. These adventures are ALL based on Tom’s actual case files during his storied 32-year career in law enforcement. And that makes these stories about as authentic as you’ll ever see. Yep, Tom’s the real deal, my friends.

P.S.

Representing author GK Jurrens
May Day!

May Day!

By | 
Location: Tucson, Arizona

I have a deal for you… keep reading.

May is a time for Spring renewal. Speaking of new things, Tom K and I have completed a new book for you!

LETHAL TRAIL is our next Sam Travis Adventure, and is available for pre-order at a discount NOW. Keep reading for an early peek at this wild new yarn.

Before Kay and I move on to Southern California mañana, I wanted to offer you a sample of what is to come at the end of May.

But first, take a look at the Arizona desert exploding into Springtime color:

Now, on to the business at hand.

This second Sam Travis Adventure will tear at your heartstrings and keep your pulse pounding. Why? Because Sam and his temporary FBI partner, behavioral analyst Agent Letty Mather, battle heinous villains as they come to the rescue of a vulnerable teenage girl.

You’ll marvel at how this could possibly be based on a true story from the case files of my writing partner, Lt. Tom Kasprzak (retired). But it is.

Most of the characters you met in LETHAL GAME are back. Some are deplorable as ever, some new ones are far worse, and some will win your loyalty all over again.

This is another fun but thought-provoking read that takes place in the picturesque Berkshire Mountains of western Massachusetts, and elsewhere.

A reminder that when a book is available for PRE-ORDER, that means you can order it now at a twenty percent discount, and it will automatically be delivered to all your smart devices at the end of our May countdown. On June 1, it just magically appears for your summertime reading enjoyment.

Keep pace with Sam Travis, his friends, and their enemies as they pursue or flee justice, respectively… and maybe lust for personal vindication… in LETHAL TRAIL – NO BODY IS SAFE, our next pulse-pounding Sam Travis Adventure.

Pre-order your Kindle edition HERE. Its paperback edition will be available in June.

One last thing. Check in on Sam right now out on “the A.T.” (the Appalachian Trail) as he gets down to business early on in the following excerpt from LETHAL TRAIL:

July 6, 1988

* * *

Sam’s boss, Lieutenant Paul O’Neill, asked the Massachusetts EPO Inland Enforcement Bureau dispatcher to patch him through to Travis’s radio in the field. “Sam, we got a missing through-hiker up on the AT. Missed a check-in with her husband two days ago.”

He was enjoying a peaceful ride up near the summit of October Mountain, keeping an eye out for post-holiday poachers. He had a plan to familiarize himself with a new trail cleared a few months ago under some recently erected power lines and towers. The shades of verdant green exploded around him on this brilliant summer day. Even so, a few leaves had dropped and swirled on the blacktop ahead of him. “Seriously, boss? Hikers go missing or are overdue all the time, especially on the AT.”

“Well, this gal’s husband says she’s as regular as the Naval Observatory’s Atomic Clock—his words. Plus, she’s some kind of heavyweight west coast doc. So’s her antsy husband.”

“Say, what? Why me?”

“Husband says she’s reliable, almost obsessive, and she’s never late. Says she’s really late. Coordinate with the Berkshire County State Trooper’s barracks. They’re the ones who asked for you.”

“Okay, yeah, that’d be Lieutenant Rick Smith. Helped him out a while back. Thinks I’m a tracker. On it.”

* * *

Regional EPO Office

Glenville, Massachusetts

Sam wondered how his desk could be so messy when he spent so little time here. Worked from home most of the time. Picked up the phone and dialed. “Lieutenant Smith, it’s Sam Travis. Got a ghost on the AT, I hear.” 

“Sam! Hey, thanks for callin’. Gettin’ some major heat here. Doctor Mary Bishop, a through-hiker, disappeared in our neck a the woods at least a couple a days, now. She was last reported buying provisions three days ago—Sunday, over the holiday weekend—and then, nothin’. Hell, I’m not sure where to even start on somethin’ like this. Me ’n my troopers run damn fine speed traps, and got an outstanding record of workin’ with our county animal control at findin’ lost pets, but this?”

“Okay, LT. Tell me what you’ve done so far, and we’ll go from there. Fair enough?”

“The husband, Dr. Grant Bishop, flew into Pittsfield last night on a private charter from Albuquerque. He’s in the middle of some sort of speaking tour. The guy’s a mess, Sam. Up on Greylock, well, you know.”

“LT, from the beginning, okay?”

“Sure thing. Well, I had a couple of troopers hit grocery stores, outdoor supply stores, and trail outfitters in Williamstown. Branched out four miles from the local AT access point. We felt that would be about the maximum hikers would go out of their way. Showed each outfitter a picture of Dr. Bishop. One in Williamstown identified her. Picked up supplies totaling $153.22. Nothing out of the ordinary. The clerk said she was nice, relaxed, a gracious lady. Said she was headed south to hit Mount Greylock and looked forward to the hike. Used the pay phone outside according to the clerk. We believe she called her husband. The timeline matches. That’s it. Nothing since.””

The MSP lieutenant sounded exhausted and worried. “That’s a good start, LT. Nice work. I’ll drive up from Tyringham in the morning. Gotta tuck my kid in tonight, delegate some other business, and muster a few supplies in the morning. Get some sleep tonight, and we’ll hit it tomorrow. Meet you at your office, first light?”

* * *

Sam hung up and pulled a few topographical maps from his files. Williamstown nestled in the Berkshire County’s Hoosic River Valley near the Vermont border, highlands surrounded this village of a few thousand souls. At the northern end of the Massachusetts section of the trail, Mount Greylock loomed to the south on the topo map. With its summit at almost thirty-five-hundred feet, Greylock was the highest elevation in the state, and covered a lot of rugged square miles. But every search starts at one point—where the missing party was last seen.

***

If you enjoyed this excerpt from LETHAL TRAIL, grab your discounted pre-order price for its Kindle edition HERE. The book will then magically appear on your phone, tablet, or computer on June first. And another bonus is the excerpt of the third Sam Travis Adventure, LETHAL BOUNTY included at the end of your copy of LETHAL TRAIL.

Don’t wait! Pre-order now.

Pre-order your Kindle copy of LETHAL TRAIL HERE.

That’s it! So, until next time, and wherever…

Let’s roll!

Gene

I’m excited to share with you our next Sam Travis Adventures. LETHAL TRAIL‘s Kindle edition is available for pre-order now, and our third Sam Travis Adventure, LETHAL BOUNTY, will be available early this Fall (2024)! If you haven’t boarded the Sam Travis train yet, all aboard! And look for their audiobook editions starting late 2024.
My writing partner, Tom Kasprzak, is the real-life version of Sam Travis. These adventures are ALL based on Tom’s actual case files during his storied 32-year career in law enforcement. And that makes these stories about as authentic as you’ll ever see. Yep, Tom’s the real deal, my friends.

P.S.

Representing author GK Jurrens

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