By now to anyone who has enjoyed any of the books in the series–and bothered to read the blog a little–it should be obvious that one of my true joys is basing some of my fictional characters on people I know. Some of my friends and relatives ask me, “Wait–can you actually do that? Won’t you get into trouble?” My answer is usually the same–so long as World War III doesn’t begin, some imaginary weapon I cooked up based on fake elements isn’t created and its use doesn’t start creating mutated carnivorous creatures–I think I’m pretty safe. There’s not a whole lot of reality in my plots, thus little danger of slanderous intentions. It’s all in good fun, and I also make sure to get my friends’ blessings before proceeding. My newest addition to our cast of characters is based on a friend with the very same name: Jimmy Chung. But the real Jimmy Chung isn’t a Korean double-agent spy–he is a successful assigner of wrestling officials in one of the “Big Five” conferences whom I’ve known for over two decades.

The fictional Jim Chung does have a few things in common with the real one. He’s from Maryland, and he does have a background as a wrestling official–but that–in combination with an unforgiving sharp tongue and ascerbic wit–is where the comparison ends. The character is a resourceful, self-serving, and expedient operative who is constantly surveying the landscape to see which side he wants to end up on. While Jake Fisher and Boo Andrews decide to trust him with their future–they also admit that they have no other recourse when they do. And Chung gives them reason to doubt his intentions from time to time. I won’t spoil the ending, but Chung’s involvement with our heroes becomes one of the defining moments at the finale.

Chung is a harsh leader to his North Korean troops, and his ease at spinning yarns to the locals in St. Michaels in order to win their trust reveals to us his ability to tell believable lies on the spot. We’re not supposed to trust him as readers any more than the characters do. But we do respect him. He is intelligent, efficient, does his homework, and knows his job well. He has little patience for stupid questions, and is merciless to ineffective and unintelligent co-workers (actually, the real Jimmy can sometimes be the same). He is also–like the real Jimmy–an incredibly likeable character. His affability makes Jake and Boo’s need to trust him all the easier to bear.

Moving forward, Jimmy won’t be playing as major a role in the action in future books, but I’d love to reintroduce him to the plot at key moments. I was always a big Spenser for Hire fan in the 1980’s, and I read every single Spenser mystery that the late, great Robert B. Parker wrote. I loved the characters–even the ones that only made occasional appearances. And when Parker threw together his other talent (writing westerns) with his Boston detective crew in the novel Potshot, we got to see some of those unforgettable side characters return. For that reason it remains my favorite of Parker’s mystery novels. It was like getting the gang back together. I’m going to take a hint from his success and try to do the same with some of my characters. I’m hoping to keep this up for a while–and if the more memorable characters can make key timely returns, it will be as much fun to read as it is to write.

In sum, thanks to the real Jimmy for lending me his name, and I promise we’ll get to see the elusive Korean double-agent again before the series is over.

Howdy faithful readers! I’m very happy to say Book IV– First Year After: Enter the Badger– is now up and ready to read on Amazon. (Link below) Very happy to have had the helpful talents of Editor Renee Hesson and Photo-artist Tom Walker for this one. At the moment, I’m having some formatting trouble with the paperback–I’m going back to the drawing board for that and will touch base when it’s ready. But for now, those of you with E-readers, it’s on! Enjoy!

Amazon.com: First Year After: Enter the Badger: Book IV in the Cataclysm Series eBook: Vielle, Jay , Hesson, Renee, Walker, Tom: Kindle Store

Okay, mea culpa. I said in an earlier blog that I expected this one to be finished and up for reading by the end of June, and here it is mid-July and…not yet. But it turned out to be a little longer than expected (the draft is up to 356 pages), and as it always does–life intervened a little. Senior graduations, trips, a small flood, summer school, and a few unexpected occurrences pushed things back a bit. My new timeline is the end of July. I also have exciting news about NEW COVERS! The extremely talented Tom Walker (www.thomaswalkerphotography.com ) has agreed to re-cover all of my books, so I hope to be re-issuing new editions of everything by the end of summer. Below is a draft of what we hope the new cover to be– and an example of Tom’s genius. Hold tight– it won’t be long now!

The rough draft for Book 4 in the Cataclysm Series is done! This second trilogy will be entitled “First Year After”– and then have a subtitle added to each. This one is “Enter the Badger.” I will spend the next few weeks editing myself, then will pass it along to my super editor Renee Hesson. After that, we’ll work on securing cover art from the talented Tom Walker, who will be helping create new covers for Books 1-3 (planning on releasing new editions of those this summer as well)…then will format to Amazon Kindle and paperback and upload. Hoping to publish Jay Vielle’s newest contribution in late May / early June. Stay tuned!

The sight of the launching area for Wallops Island’s NASA facility shocked him back into reality. He would have to stay in the middle of the channel to avoid going aground.

“Isn’t that it?” Boo asked.

“That’s the launch area,” said Jake. “The area with all of the satellite dishes and broadcasting towers is dead ahead. We’ll need to stay in the channel. I’m not sure how deep it gets here. There is a boat ramp about halfway down the causeway to the island. That should be deep enough to pull in and tie up if the tide is right. After that we’ll have to walk about half a mile.”

“That actually sounds refreshing,” said Jimmy. “I’ve been cooped up in this boat long enough.”

Jake reached into the glove compartment of the Grady-White and pulled out a spray can of insect repellent.

“Here,” he said. “You’d better take a bath in that.  There are no rats in Chincoteague. The mosquitoes are so big that they fly away with them. Even with this on, we’re gonna get torn up on the walk there.”

Jimmy and Boo coated themselves head to toe with repellent, then tossed the can back to Jake, who did the same.

“We’re about five to ten minutes away. I hope I’m going the right way. I’ve never come up on Chincoteague from this angle. We have to be careful. This water gets awful shallow in low tide. We could get stuck here,” Jake said.

“Couldn’t we just walk it?” asked Boo.

“That mud is like quicksand. It’ll grab you and not let go. Best not to try it. Let’s just get this right the first time,” Jake said.

“That reminds me,” Jimmy began. “How the hell do you plan on getting access to a broadcasting tower?”

“Colonel Cannaveral gave me this,” Jake said, producing a small envelope. “Let’s hope it works.”

As Jake neared the boat ramp, he looked around at the tide. It appeared to be at ebb, which meant it was either coming in—which would facilitate a smooth departure, but force them to travel at night—or was going out, which essentially would keep them grounded for the night. Neither option appealed to Jake, but that was lower on the priority list than getting the Colonel’s message out.

Jake lashed the line to the dock with a double half hitch and tossed the anchor out to keep the boat from banging against the wharf. Thankfully nobody was near the boat ramp.

“Good timing. Earlier or later in the day and this ramp is packed with people. We got it just right,” said Jake. “The fewer questions the better at this point.  Grab your backpacks.”

Jimmy and Boo grabbed their sacks and hopped onto the wharf. The entire area reeked of marsh mud.

“God, this place stinks,” said Chung.

“What you’re smelling, Jimmy, is life. This marsh is teeming with it. The stinkier the marsh, the more life exists there. That’s a good healthy smell,” said Jake.

“Right now I would prefer something a lot less stinky and less healthy to this shit,” said Jimmy.

“Which way are we going?” Boo asked.

“That way,” Jake said. “You’ll see in a moment.”

Once they got onto the causeway out of the way of marsh weeds, the NASA facility was clear. Giant satellite dishes dotted the landscape, and there was a rocket museum off to the left with old rockets displayed on the grounds.

“Dead ahead. And if you don’t want to become mosquito dinner, I’d suggest we do it on the hop,” Jake said.

The three men began jogging up the causeway towards Wallops Island.

“We made it,” said Boo. “We had to take the long way around, but we made it.”

“We haven’t made it yet,” said Jake. “We’re nine-tenths there. That’s usually when the wheels fall off.”

Welcome back Cataclysm Fans! Book Four in the Jake Fisher series has begun. The first three books (The Cataclysm Trilogy) left us with a battered group of teachers and mercenaries fresh off the battlefield, having faced down Russian assassins allied to the White Supremacist Church of Many Blessings, while the President and his aide secretly plotted a surrender to Russian forces. Meanwhile, Jake’s wife, Laura, has been not only returned to a more human-like form but enhanced with powers she is only now beginning to figure out, while Colonel Cannaveral manages the Pentagon and their plans for all mutates at large in the area.

In the first book of the second trilogy, “First Year After: Rise of the Badger,” our characters face a rebuilding United States still mired in the midst of World War III. Our fourth installment will begin with Jake and Boo trying to deliver crucial intel to the Joint Chiefs about the Russian plot to takeover the White House. With the new array of communication systems being erected in the U.S. following the bombings, their only course is to travel to Wallop’s Island, Virginia to access the broadcast machinery required to reach the right set of ears at Camp David. But on their way, they will face the unexpected arrival of the North Korean army to the Delmarva Peninsula, and must find away to past them.

Meanwhile, Laura Fisher begins to experiment with her new abilities as the government begins to help her create a mutate community in Utah at Zion National Park. Laura’s powers are developing, along with her ambitions, which could cause problems for Colonel Cannaveral, Wendy Yubashiri, and Dr. Eric Mazzaros at the Pentagon. Laura’s plans involve much more than the government–or her own family– expects.

Finally, narrator Eddie Reyes must push past his dislike of mercenary Josh Rimone and work with him to serve as a crucial part of the foil to the Russian plot at Camp David. Be on the lookout for teasers and what will hopefully be a Spring publication for “First Year After–Rise of the Badger!”

Hey Cataclysm Fans! Hopefully you’ve all gotten word that Book 3 in the Cataclysm Series: “First Months After” — has been released and is up for sale on Amazon. A bunch of new characters were created for this one–both “good guys” and “bad guys” alike. And some of the previous characters who only made small appearances in “First Days…” and “First Weeks…” get more in-depth treatment in Book 3. As is the usual, I borrowed from real life for many of these characters–at least in name if not in personality. Some have some interesting stories, so for this blog post I thought I’d touch on the wrestling-based origins of many of the characters in “First Months.”

First–we see much more of Josh Rimone, the iconoclastic mercenary. As I mentioned before, Josh’s story is very close to the real deal, and in Book 3, the chapter titled “The Interview” goes into Josh’s background in some detail. The real Josh had nearly the exact same background as this Josh. Only the surname–which he requested–was changed to Rimone (Pineapple in Yiddish, according to him). All of the background info involving Josh’s college career and early post-college career are accurate, as well as his introduction to the world of privately contracted mercenaries. And the “weird” part– that’s all Josh. Just putting him in the book helped it write itself.

A new character added to the dramatis personae is Boo Andrews. Boo, unlike Josh, is an amalgam of reality and invention. Boo is Jake’s best friend throughout college and beyond. the real-life person on which he is partially based–Andrew “Boo” Bouie–was my best friend as well. We were in each other’s weddings and were virtually inseparable for about a six-year stretch. The harsh parting of the ways, however, is NOT part of the real Boo’s world, and the real Boo was neither a wrestler nor a Marine. The story of Jake being jilted by a beautiful girl named Maria, however, hits closer to home. A girl with a similar name and background broke my heart with one of my best friends and college teammates, causing a smaller and more temporary rift than the one that Boo and Jake experience. The real Boo’s personality is definitely infused into my book character, however. He is an intellectual, an athlete, and a loyal friend.

Oleg Stravinsky is the main villain of Book 3. There is nothing at all real about Oleg–both his name and his background come straight from my imagination. But I wanted to tap into some of the stereotypes we have encountered in literature and film about Russian military types. Oleg is a well of profound thought and deep feeling, but his inflexible self-discipline keeps him quiet for most of Books 1 & 2. Father Joe needed a formidable foil in his army, and I built up Oleg’s athletic and military background to make him a serious threat and more-than-worthy opponent for Jake. The build-up for that story-ending final battle begins early, and we see both of them demonstrate their skills throughout. The scene in which Oleg demonstrates his physical prowess in sombo–the Russian folkstyle of wrestling and combat training–directly mirrors the kind of thing one finds in most combat sports. The sparring that takes place among the Russian cell members is like every one I ever encountered in my 35-year-wrestling career. The way he handles himself in contrast to some of the others is the kind of thing you see in so many wrestling rooms that it almost doesn’t bear mentioning. Anyone who has ever sparred in a combat sport will love this chapter!

The Russian Cell Members— these guys’ personalities were dreamt up completely by me–but their names come from some of the greatest Russian and international wrestlers in history. Sergei (killed in Book 1)–came from Sergei Belaglazov, and his brother, Anatoly, also makes an appearance. Arsen comes from Arsen Fadzaev, Bouvaisar from Bouvaisar Saitiev, Maharbek (Khadartsev), Valentin (Jordanov), and Aleksander (Karelin)–with a nod to and discussion of Aleksander Medved as well. Any international wrestling fans will enjoy seeing these guys’ names–but I’m sure that none of them were international spies in Emmitsburg, Maryland.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff-– in the very same vein, I needed to have the Joint Chiefs gather, discuss, and meet with the President at Camp David. And I needed them to be personable enough that their names should be presented. So, like the Russian assassins, I chose from among legendary wrestlers–some of which I’m proud to say are friends of mine. The Secretary of the Navy–Ed Peery, was the USNA wrestling coach for several decades and a mentor of mine. He sadly passed not many years ago, and not a day goes by that I don’t miss him. The Secretary of the Army was Ted (in reality Ed–but I didn’t want to confuse readers) Steers. Ed Steers was the West Point wrestling coach for years, and finished up his career as an assistant athletic director at the Citadel in South Carolina. I’m proud to say Coach Steers is also a friend of mine whom I wish I could see more of. The Secretary of Space Force–which is barely even a “thing” right now– is Mike Moyer. Mike, another friend, is the tireless leader of the National Wrestling Coaches Association. Mike was the head coach at George Mason some time ago when I first got to know him, and since then few people have done anything close to the amount that Mike has for our sport. The final two secretaries: Air Force and Marine Corps–are not personal friends, but were idols of mine growing up. Wayne Baughman is the personality-rich former coach of the USAFA in Colorado Springs and was an amazing Greco-Roman wrestler and Olympian. Reading his books and columns has been especially entertaining and enriching for me over the years. Greg Gibson, the Olympic Greco-Roman champion in 1984, was someone I always wanted to be. One glance at photos of either of us together immediately demonstrates my failure on that end. The Camp David chapters were fun, because I could channel most of their voices and attitudes–at least a little–in their discussions.

Eric Mazzaros– This new character, a member of the CBRNE science team who teams up with Wendy and the Colonel at the Pentagon, comes from a real place as well. A friend and fellow wrestling coach, Eric (real spelling) Meszaros is a Physics teacher at Winters Mill with me. The real Eric is a methodical, no-nonsense kind of guy, and in this way he contrasts a bit with his fictitious double–who comes across a little like a mad scientist the way he blows up the mobile lab in the Pentagon and alters Laura Fisher. Making him a little unpredictable and dangerously curious is, in a way, my own little private joke with the real Eric–who would never have risked the kind of explosion that CBRNE faced with his fictitious self’s experiments.

Greg Knoll— Greg only shows up briefly in the final Camp David chapters, but his introduction was fun as well. It was a personal barb sent to a teaching colleague of mine. Greg Knill–(his real name, one vowel away)–is a longtime fellow teacher at Winters Mill High School. In most recent years, he has occupied a position known as “Academic Facilitator.” He’s in charge of numerous projects–like standardized testing, character-based curriculum, student government, and a number of things that the administration need help with. He lives in a world that is kind of between administration and classroom teachers–and yet somehow often encompasses both. I have always enjoyed teasing him about being a sycophant and power-hungry ladder climber–neither of which is true–and thought it would be a hoot to make his character exactly that at the absolute highest level. Greg Knoll literally convinces the President to stage a Russian secret attack after which he can surrender–in exchange for a lavish lifestyle for himself and his assistants (which would include Greg). I laugh out loud at this every time I type more of the story line about it.

Tying some real-life people in with fictitious characters is fun–but it also serves a practical side. If I have a real person in my mind when writing the character, I can more easily channel a voice, a point of view, or a reaction that stays true to character–and consistency of characters is something I’ve always seen as crucial in the fiction I’ve read over the years. I hope you enjoy some of these new “semi-real” folks I’ve introduced in First Months After. I have more of the same planned for Book 4–“First Years After,” which is currently in the idea stage.

Hey Cataclysm fans! Book 3 in the series, “First Months After,” is finished, along with the final edits. Big thanks to Renee Hesson, my editor, for her effort and contribution to the process. Thanks also to Maureen Rooney and Gail Faust for providing crucial sounding boards for the creative process and development of characters. Finally, big thanks to my eldest son, Hunter Lowe, for the cover art and the many discussions regarding plot development and the creative process.

All that remains now is creation of the cover as well as the front and back matter–acknowledgments, information about the author and contributors, descriptions of other works, and final notes. Be warned– some characters you’ve gotten to know the past two novels do not survive Book 3 and the violent Russian team of assassins. Also, there are MAJOR developments on the mutate front coming from the Pentagon labs. Finally, the plot thickens greatly in preparation for Book 4, and much of that plotting takes place in Camp David, of all places!

A glitch in our internet forced a short delay in the publishing process– I was hoping to have things up and running by the end of August, but now it looks like early September. Not much longer–hang in there!

Stay tuned for the official announcement for the return of Jake Fisher & friends!

JVL

Hey Cataclysm Fans– Well, Book 3–“First Months After”–is finished (in draft form at least)! There will be a period for editing, polishing, and then eventually publishing–but the goal is to have it out on Amazon in August in both Kindle and paperback formats. This is a small “teaser” to let you know what to expect plot-wise in terms of what our characters have to face in Book 3. Spoiler warning for Book 2—there may be a few plot surprises from “First Weeks” that could spill out here–so be forewarned–if you haven’t finished Book 2 yet, there may be some of those surprises below.

When we left off at the end of First Weeks After, Eddie Reyes, Jake Fisher, and his sons had just left Washington D.C. after a considerable adventure wrangling mutates–including Jake’s own wife, Laura. While they were away from the small northern Maryland town of Emmitsburg, lots has been happening. The Church of Many Blessings has risen in power, as has its pastor–Father Joe. His grandiose plans have set the stage for some interesting and sketchy alliances–namely that of his mysterious colleague Oleg Stravinsky. Now firmly tied to Hunter’s Run High School, the Church looks to expand its influence considerably. Estela Fuentes and her new girlfriend, Morgan, stumble upon the diabolical schemes of Father Joe and Oleg, and the consequences are dire. They need help from some of Jake’s friends as well as from the unlikely Mark Longaberger, the introspective history teacher left at Hunter’s Run who finds himself unsure if he’s chosen the right side to be on. In short, they get into so much trouble that they are forced to call upon Jake and the crew to come save them from assassination.

But Jake realizes that he can’t go up against the church, the school, and a cell of Russian assassins all by himself, so he enlists the help of an offbeat and unlikely source–Josh Rimone, an iconoclastic mercenary referred to him by Colonel Cannaveral himself. Josh also realizes the task might be too large without more assistance, and he calls upon the services of a man from deep in Jake’s past–who brings up memories so painful that Jake refuses to work with him. This awkward collection of heroes somehow must find a way to work together to defeat one of the most deadly groups of international agents assembled during the Cataclysm.

In the meantime, Wendy and the Colonel continue to study the mutates at the Pentagon. They receive help from a daring physicist, Eric Mazzaros, who thinks he has the answer to reverse the conditions afflicting Laura Fisher and her fellow mutates. But Eric’s theories are controversial and dangerous, leaving Wendy and the Colonel in a difficult position in terms of how to proceed.

As if all of this wasn’t enough, we finally get our first look at the President–who is meeting with the Joint Chiefs of Staff at Camp David to try and determine the best course to follow for the World War they now find themselves in. Expect the unexpected from this meeting, and alliances to get even more entangling in the third installment of the Cataclysm Series: FIRST MONTHS AFTER.

Hey Cataclysm Fans–

First, a small celebration as the first published book of the Cataclysm Series– “First Days After” has cracked Amazon’s “Hot 100” sellers, entering at #67 for Post-Apocalyptic Fiction. Here’s hoping it’s the first of many such statistics to come!

Next– progress on Book 3, “First Months After” is coming along nicely. I’m about 2/3 of the way through as of the date of this post (July 10, 2020), more or less–at page 200 and in Chapter 24. This one takes place mostly back in the town of Emmitsburg (or –spoiler for Book 2–“New Plymouth” as Father Joe calls it.) In Book 3, Jake and the crew take on the help of mercenary Josh Rimone–recommended by Col. Cannaveral. Josh is off-beat, a little weird, and very good at what he does…and what he’s doing now, is helping Jake’s friends steer clear of Oleg’s Russian cell of agents who have come from Virginia to eliminate any witnesses of Russia’s tampering with the small American town in Frederick County.

In Book 3 we get to see inside the past of Oleg and his impressive resume in Russian Special Forces, as well as his new colleagues. They spend time sparring together in the Russian combat sport known as sambo, and there is some friction between them as they get to know each other.

Meanwhile, we also get introduced to several new characters. Kristen Faust–Maureen Kelly’s best friend and librarian at Hunter’s Run High School. She’ll be helping the crew hide away from Oleg’s assassins. We also meet Boo Andrews–a mysterious old friend of Jake’s–and the two have not been on speaking terms for almost 25 years.

Finally, we have not abandoned The Pentagon–we see both Wendy and the Colonel hard at work trying to study and reverse the effects of the Russian weapons that created the mutates. They enlist the help of a CBRNE physicist named Eric Mazzaros–who just may have found a way to save Laura Fisher. The only problem? He may blow up half of The Pentagon trying to get it done.

Stay tuned, faithful fans, more to come on all three books!

JVL