Meet the Author: Sean Hagerty is a retired Special Operations Soldier with over 25 years of experience. He spent his younger years training and conducting combat operations with the 1st of the 75th Ranger Regiment. After nine years, in 2005, he was selected for and assigned to a Special Operations unit at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. There he spent sixteen years and finished his military career, retiring as a Sergeant Major. He received several awards and decorations throughout his career including three Bronze Stars. Sean retired from the Department of Defense Science Board as the Senior Advisor to write full-time.

Of the Defense Science Board (DSB), he explains: “It is charged with solving tough, technical, national security problems for the Secretary of Defense, the Deputy Secretary of Defense, the Under Secretaries of Defense, the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and other senior Department officials.”

Author Sean Hagerty with his wife Misty

Sean has combined over 25+ years of service in the Special Operations community and deep-rooted research instincts from years of academic pursuits in history to tell this story. This story was written mostly in the plush seats of the daily Tacketts Mill/Pentagon commuter bus and the shaky bucket seats of the Franconia Springfield/Largo blue metro line. However, a few chapters were written while traveling for work, taking advantage of uninterrupted thoughts on an airliner. One chapter was even written during an evening break while on a business trip aboard the USS Nimitz CVN 68 aircraft carrier out in the Pacific Ocean.

Sean’s wife, Misty, is an Executive Officer at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. Their children, Courtney, Travis, Samantha, and Delaney, all live in the Washington D.C. area and are thriving, growing, and traveling along their own paths.

“Our grandchildren, Rowen, Jameson, and Wren, keep us busy,” Sean shares, noting Cabal came together during evening edits in his home shared with Misty, in Lakeridge, Virginia. Jones Point was the first novel in the Dane Cooper series. Cabal is the second. Learn more here.

About Sean’s new book — Cabal: A Dane Cooper Novel, book 2 Longlisted for the 2025 Chanticleer Clue and Cover Design Awards

Dane Cooper beats against the tide to continue the search for his abducted daughter, Angela. His involvement with The Cabal, a mysterious group of grieving parents, intensifies as their efforts become bolder and more brazen. From a high-profile assault upon sex traffickers in Savannah to a clandestine military operation in Somaliland, Dane brings the fight to those who would harm children. At every turn, members of The Cabal must stay out of the crosshairs of Carl Blanchard’s new FBI task force and Virginia Bureau of Criminal Investigation Special Agents Patterson and Stills. And this time, the Keeper and his disciples are fighting back. The hunters have become the prey as Cabal members are viciously attacked in their homes. The savage killer is a ghost, torturing and murdering them one by one as he moves his way up the hierarchy. Dane, Sam, and Jack race against time to protect their members before the club is eradicated. Nobody is safe. Buy the book.

Jones Point: A Dane Cooper Novel First-place winner of the 2025 Clue Award (Chanticleer International Book Awards)

B

Today on the Elaine’s Literary Salon show: Meet author David W. DuBois, a retired U.S. Army soldier who served honorably for 21 years. He is a devoted husband and father of four. In 2022, David was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, a life-altering moment that led him to write his debut book.

David is a passionate advocate for ALS awareness and research. Through his weekly blog, mentoring, and active participation on various ALS organization committees, he offers support and inspiration to others living with the disease. With his background as a Military Policeman and his personal battle against a terminal illness, David brings a raw, firsthand perspective to themes of life, death, and justice.

His book, Beholder Of The Eyes: weaves together the stark realities of ALS, a disease that slowly paralyzes its victims, leaving only their eyes to communicate with a haunting fictional tale of a boy grappling with the traumatic loss of his mother to the same illness. Now completely paralyzed and able to communicate only through his eyes, David continues to share his story and fight for a cure, using the only voice ALS has left him.

About Beholder Of The Eyes:

This psychological thriller, laced with the slow horror of ALS and shocking twists, will leave you clawing at the edges of your sanity.

Clyde is haunted by the soft, fading memory of his mother’s eyes. Their warmth. Their silence. Their absence.

His obsession with finding that same gaze again consumes him. Every day, he searches. Studies. Collects.

So passionate was his quest to find eyes like his mother’s he couldn’t go a day without thinking about their details and expanding his collection. So much so that it drove him to do the unthinkable.

Click here to buy the book.

Find David’s blog here: My ALS Story (more below)

Special thanks to our friend Tony Easlick, owner of the traveling massage company Mobile Tranquility, who works with David and knew we needed to feature him. We are very grateful for the connection!

Meet the face behind the posts

Hello, I am David DuBois and “I AM LIVING WITH ALS” in Springfield, VA.

I’m not scared, I am on a mission. The circumstances I am in are meant to be for a greater good of others. 

I want to share with you my story so we can laugh and cry together while fighting for an ALS cure. 

​People with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) can go from perfectly healthy to quickly being unable to move, swallow, or breathe. It can strike anyone at any time and there is no ALS cure.

The

Meet the Author: Brian Paone, a Massachusetts native displaced to Virginia, has been a published novelist since 2007 and has performed in bands since 1995. Cumulatively, Brian’s novels are primarily speculative fiction, ranging from thrillers to drama to horror to science fiction to fantasy and romance. His bands cover a wide range of different metal and industrial genres and styles. He is also a police detective in Maryland and has been working in law enforcement since 2002. He is a self-proclaimed roller coaster junkie, a New England Patriots fanatic, his favorite color is burnt orange, and he is the proud owner of his dream car—a 1981 DeLorean.

As a musician: Brian intended his first band, Yellow #1, to have the whimsical flavor of synth-pop bands, with the lyrical integrity and vocal intensity of metal bands. Combining the two polar opposites into one sound made for a very debatably interesting sonic landscape. They released their debut album, Bottle of Rain, in 1996. Brian pulled the plug on Yellow#1 in 1997 after another musician approached him to form a more industrial-metal band. This new band would eventually turn into Drop Kick Jesus.

In 2014, Brian breathed life back into the band and worked on a second album. Collaborating with hip-hop producer and rap artist, Darius Malloy (aka RedStryke) from Lakeland, Florida, the second album, Thanks for the Nostalgia, moved away from the avant-garde style of the first album, relied more on programming and keyboards than real drums and guitar, and focused more on a structured pop feel. After recording in both Japan and North Carolina, Yellow #1 released the album in 2016. Read more about his work here: brianpaone.com

About Brian’s Books: 

Brian published his first novel, Dreams Are Unfinished Thoughts, in 2007. In the memoir, he chronicles the trials and tribulations of befriending a drug-addicted rock star. As a die-hard fan of the rock band God Lives Underwater, Brian wins the trust of lead singer David Reilly. This honor comes with its own set of extreme personal highs and devastating shared lows.

Brian published his second novel, Welcome to Parkview, in 2010. The cerebral-horror novel, reviewed as a “Stephen King-meets-The Twilight Zone-style tale,” is an unapologetic journey through a town that thrives on the macabre. A town built on deceit and temptation. A town cursed with soulless transients, unforgiving lovers, and an ominous presence in the shadows beyond.

Most recently, he published his twelfth book, Howlers, in the autumn of 2025. The mocumentary-style comedic novel is a novelization of the cult-classic 1980s horror movie, about a werewolf infestation on the sleepy town of Talbotsville. The Bradshaw brothers must find the origin of the Howlers species and discover what sets

Meet Matt Joseph Misetich: A Senior Executive and Partner at Pipeline Media Group, Matt oversees all divisions, including Script, Book, and Film, as well as the management of Pipeline Artists and the implementation of future Pipeline entities.

His industry career started in 2002 as an intern for a talent manager, then as an intern in film development in 2003. And as an intern script reader through all of 2004. . . which ended in 2005—where had landed another prestigious unpaid internship. After several freelance script reading jobs, plus a brief but legitimately educational time in international distribution and media consulting, he began his tenure with Pipeline in 2006, working as a reader until early 2008 when he took over as manager.

In that time, he’s helped launch the careers of several Pipeline writers, including Evan Daugherty (Snow White and the Huntsman), Tripper Clancy (Stuber), Crosby Selander (Bring Me Back), and others who have turned to Pipeline for guidance in their creative aspirations. It’s estimated he’s reviewed over 30,000 pitches, screenplays, pilots, books, and short films over the last two decades. Which he believes has to be a meaningless record of some sort.

Check out Matt’s podcast: How the Arts Were Won

About our Elaine’s Literary Salon Host, Jeffrey James Higgins: A retired supervisory special agent who writes thrillers, short stories, creative nonfiction, and essays, Jeff has wrestled a suicide bomber, fought the Taliban in combat, and chased terrorists across five continents. He received the Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Heroism and the DEA Award of Valor. Jeffrey has been interviewed by CNN, National Geographic, and The New York Times. Learn more: jeffreyjameshiggings.com

Find more of Elaine’s Literary Salon events here. And check back for new episodes of Elaine’s Literary Salon on Inkandescent.tv and listen to all the podcasts on InkandescentRadio.com.

Elaine’s Literary Salon

About Elaine’s Restaurant:  A menu filled with delicious modern Mediterranean cuisine selections is sure to please everyone in your party. The dishes are inspired by exquisite food from Alexandria, Egypt — a blend of Middle Eastern and French, Greek, and Italian influences. Elaine’s is named for the owner’s grandmother and is based on a promise she made at the age of 12, growing up in Cairo. “I promised my grandma I would someday own a restaurant and name it after her,” shares Cynthia, who is also an author. She and her husband, bestselling thriller novelist Jeffrey James Higgins, are proud to share my family’s recipes with new friends and families in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.” Located in an 1880s building, it was the previous home for 38 years of the beloved bistro Bilbo Baggins. The newly renovated restaurant is located in the heart of Old Town’s Historic District within sight of the Potomac River and Founders Park, just a few blocks from The Torpedo Factory Art Center, and Old Town Alexandria Waterfront.

Meet the Author: Fascinated by magic since he could imagine pine cones as fireballs, C. R. Rowenson is an award-winning author, blogger, and writing coach that studies magic-building like others study oil-painting. His prime directive is to help all kinds of storytellers craft and repair the magic systems in their stories. You can visit him at crrowenson.com to witness, fuel, or join in his obsession.

About Clark’s nonfiction and fiction books:

The Magic System Blueprint: A Fiction Writer’s Guide to Building Magic Systems

Your world deserves the best magic system you can dream of. A quality magic system can transform your story from average to unforgettable. But what do you do when your magic system becomes overwhelming? Or if you can’t quite figure out how to make all the pieces work together?

The Magic System Blueprint, by C. R. Rowenson, is a simple magic-building tool that allows authors to quickly map out their magic system. This innovative blueprint will enable authors of every experience level and background to

Whether it be game creation, worldbuilding, or novel writing, having a well-established magic system is the cornerstone of your story. With the Blueprint in hand, you can analyze any system in existence and build every system imaginable.

Restrictions May Apply: Building Limits for Your Magic System:

“Every magic system needs limitations!”

Sounds simple enough, but how do you build limitations that are more than strange quirks or extravagant details? How do you cut through the overwhelming number of options to build limitations that work for your story instead of against it?

Building a magic system doesn’t have to be hard. “Restrictions May Apply: Building Limits for Your Magic Systems,” is a magic building workbook designed to answer those exact questions. Whether you’re starting a magic system from scratch or looking to improve one that’s mostly built, this workbook will help you set the foundation of your magic so you can stop struggling with your magic, start worldbuilding with confidence, and bring back the fun to telling your stories. It’s worked for others and it can work for you too.

I’m C. R. Rowenson and building magic systems for fiction is my specialty. In fact, I was building magic systems for fifteen years before even attempting to write fiction. I’ve poured every bit of my experience into this workbook to help you successfully define your magic limitations and take your stories from good to great.

So, are you ready to tell a great story with an unforgettable magic system? Let’s get started.

Meet the Author: Thomas Dann was born and bred in Memphis, Tennessee, five generations deep in a family fighting the entrenched political machine there. He has spent time variously on the East and Left Coasts, studying creative writing at Stanford, working for years as a felony defense investigator for the Washington, D.C. Public Defender, then lawyer, company builder, and writer, all the while wondering what he wants to do when he grows up.  He now lives in Maryland with his wife Melissa and their goofy golden retriever Benji.  And he loves the Blues.

About Midnight in Memphis: In this Southern noir, two detectives forge an unlikely alliance as they strive to bridge the racial divide and catch a killer hell bent on revenge. 

Set against a historical backdrop of mid-century racial inequality and political turmoil, this thriller is perfect for fans of William Kent Krueger and Greg Iles.

1955, Memphis. Homicide detective Burdett Vance is trying to outrun his past, but working in the homicide division always ends up bringing in new waves of horror. Now an unknown killer is reaping retribution for decades of lynching by targeting the daughters of rich white families in Memphis. When Vance is assigned to the case, he’s also put in charge of a new trainee, Officer Eustace Johnson.

Eustace Johnson has been recently “promoted” and as one of the few Black men on the force this is the latest publicity stunt of the police department. Forced to work together, Vance and Johnson must catch the rampaging killer in a city roiling with racial injustice and a fight to control the crumbling local politics.

Then Emmeline Bryce, Vance’s old flame, becomes the killer’s next target. With Emme’s life on the line, Vance and Johnson must confront their deepest fears and darkest desires before the city ignites into chaos and the blissful vision of a better future disappears forever.

Readers of James Lee Burke will delight in this bitingly smart thriller full of intrigue and age-old animosities.

Click here to buy Midnight in Memphis.

About our Elaine’s Literary Salon Host, Jeffrey James Higgins: A retired supervisory special agent who writes thrillers, short stories, creative nonfiction, and essays, Jeff has wrestled a suicide bomber, fought the Taliban in combat, and chased terrorists across five continents. He received the Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Heroism and the DEA Award of Valor. Jeffrey has been interviewed by CNN, National Geographic, and The New York Times. Learn more: jeffreyjameshiggings.com

Find more of Elaine’s Literary Salon events here. And check back for new episodes of Elaine’s Literary Salon on Inkandescent.tv and listen to all the podcasts on InkandescentRadio.com.

Elaine’s Literary Salon

About Elaine’s Restaurant:  A menu filled with delicious modern Mediterranean cuisine selections is sure to please everyone in your party. The dishes are inspired by exquisite food from Alexandria, Egypt — a blend of Middle Eastern and French, Greek, and Italian influences. Elaine’s is named for the owner’s grandmother and is based on a promise she made at the age of 12, growing up in Cairo. “I promised my grandma I would someday own a restaurant and name it aft

Meet the Author: Brian Thiem is the author of “The Mudflats Murder Club,” the first book in the Mudflats Murder Club series, as well as “Red Line,” “Thrill Kill,” and “Shallow Grave.” In his previous life, he spent 25 years with the Oakland Police Department, much of it working Homicide, and retired as a lieutenant. He’s also an Iraq War veteran, retiring from the Army as a lieutenant colonel after 28 years of active and reserve service. He holds an MFA in creative writing and is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, and the Island Writers Network. He lives with his wife, yellow Lab, and Tonkinese cat in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, where he’s also a member of the sheriff department’s Cold Case Team, consisting of retired law enforcement professionals from around the nation who examine unsolved murders. Learn more: brianthiem.com

About The Mudflats Murder Club: Solving murders was not part of Sean Tanner’s retirement plan.

Former homicide detective and recently widowed, Sean has settled into Spartina Island’s private retirement community, hoping to find solace after his wife’s death in their chosen paradise. He soon finds himself drawn into the Mudflats Murder Club, an enthusiastic group of retired detectives, prosecutors, and forensic experts who are engrossed in solving the 38-year-old unsolved murder of Theresa Goldberg.

But the quiet of the community is shattered when Sean’s neighbor, Nancy Russo, is found dead in her home. Ignited by the crime, the club jumps into the fray, much to the annoyance of Sergeant Charlotte “Charlie” Nash, the lead detective spearheading the murder investigation. When Sean and his cohorts uncover a shocking connection between Nancy’s murder and their long-standing cold case, everything they thought they knew goes up in flames.

Amidst rising tensions and thrilling discoveries, Sean and Charlie must confront their doubts about each other—and acknowledge their reliance on the team—to outsmart a killer who’s closer than they ever imagined.

From former detective and current cold case team member Brian Thiem comes The Mudflats Murder Club. Perfect for fans of Richard Osman and Only Murders in the Building.

Click here to buy Brian’s books.

Find more events with truly amazing authors at ElainesLiterarySalon.com!

About our Elaine’s Literary Salon Host, Jeffrey James Higgins: A retired supervisory special agent who writes thrillers, short stories, creative nonfiction, and essays, Jeff has wrestled a suicide bomber, fought the Taliban in combat, and chased terrorists across five continents. He received the Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Heroism and the DEA Award of Valor. Jeffrey has been interviewed by CNN, National Geographic, and The New York Times. Learn more: jeffreyjameshiggings.com

Find more of Elaine’s Literary Salon events here. And check back for new episodes of Elaine’s Literary Salon on Inkandescent.tv and listen to all the podcasts on InkandescentRadio.com.

Elaine’s Literary

Meet the Author: Carter Wilson is the USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of ten psychological thrillers, known for their emotional intensity, tight pacing, and sinister twists. His work has received starred reviews from every major trade publication, has won multiple awards, and has been optioned for television and film. His 2025 release, Tell Me What You Did, was selected by Barnes & Noble as a national monthly pick.

Carter is also the creator and host of Making It Up, a podcast featuring unscripted conversations with other writers about the unpredictable journey of the creative process. In 2021, he launched Unbound Writer, a company offering coaching, immersive retreats, and online programs for writers at all stages of their careers. A seasoned public speaker and dynamic event moderator, he travels frequently to conferences, festivals, and workshops. He lives in Erie, Colorado.

Born in New Mexico, Carter grew up in Los Angeles and later attended Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. He has lived in cities across the country—including Pittsburgh, San Francisco, and Miami—before settling in Colorado in 1996. His global travels, both personal and professional, have become a lasting influence on the settings and psychology of his work.

Carter began writing in 2003, when a creative exercise in a continuing-education class turned into a 400-page manuscript. He’s been writing ever since. Alongside his novels, he has contributed short fiction to several publications, including R.L. Stine’s acclaimed YA horror anthology Scream and Scream Again. Click here to learn more about Carter Wilson.

About his newest book: SheReads calls Carter’s book one of the Most Anticipated Thriller of 2025, #1 New York Times bestselling suspense author Lisa Gardner says it’s “a brilliant thriller…I didn’t just read this book, I devoured it in an adrenaline-fueled frenzy!” From the USA Today bestselling author of The Dead Girl in 2A and The New Neighbor comes a chilling new thriller that forces the question: are murderers always the bad guys?

Here’s the story: She gets people to confess their crimes for a living. He knows she’s hiding a terrible secret. It’s time for the truth to come out. Poe Webb, host of a popular true crime podcast, invites people to anonymously confess crimes they’ve committed to her audience. She can’t guarantee the police won’t come after her “guests,” but her show grants simultaneous anonymity and instant fame―a potent combination that’s proven difficult to resist. After an episode recording, Poe usually erases both criminal and crime from her mind. But when a strange and oddly familiar man appears on her show, Poe is forced to take a second look. Not only because he claims to be her mother’s murderer from years ago, but because Poe knows something no one else does. Her mother’s murderer is dead. Poe killed him. Click here to buy Tell Me What You Did.

About our Elaine’s Literary Salon Host, Jeffrey James Higgins: A retired supervisory special agent who writes thrillers, short stories, creative nonfiction, and essays, Jeff has wrestled a suicide bomber, fought the Taliban in combat, and chased terrorists across five continents. He received the Attorney General’s Award for

In this episode of Elaine’s Literary Salon: We honor of the two-year anniversary of the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel, which killed approximately 1,200 people and resulted in over 250 hostages being taken. The region’s geopolitical landscape has undergone a dramatic shift. The “Axis of Jihad” (Iran-backed groups, including Hamas, Hezbollah, and their Muslim Brotherhood and Qatar allies) continues to enforce jihadist networks both in the Middle East and the West. While Iran, Qatar, and the Muslim Brotherhood have been significantly weakened militarily, they have advanced on the propaganda front. What was their role and objectives from the October 7th attack, and how can we evaluate the Israeli response objectively, while Hamas continuously rejects any attempts to stop the war, including the latest proposal from President Donald Trump’s administration for a ceasefire? What should be the U.S. response to the Axis of Jihad in the Middle East and inside the United States?

Join Dr. Michael Rubin, Cynthia Farahat, and Susan Ouellette in a thought-provoking panel to discuss the greatest conflict of our time.

Speaker Cynthia Farahat, Egyptian-American bestselling author of The Secret Apparatus: The Muslim Brotherhood’s Industry of Death. A columnist, counterterrorism expert, and former editor of The Journal of Central and Eastern European African Studies (JCEEAS), Cynthia co-founded the Liberal Egyptian Party in Egypt, which advocated for peace with Israel, a free market economy, and the separation of mosque and state. She studied Islamic jurisprudence for more than twenty years and co-authored Desecration of A Heavenly Religion, which was officially banned by Al-Azhar University in Cairo in 2008. Cynthia landed on an al-Qaeda affiliated group’s hit list and was officially banned from entering Lebanon for her work fostering regional peace. For almost a decade, she received daily death threats from Islamists. After her belated brother was kidnapped and tortured, her friend was murdered, and Islamists tried to assassinate her in 2011, Farahat immigrated to the United States.

 Speaker Dr. Michael Rubin, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, DC, and director of policy analysis at the Middle East Forum. He was previously a senior lecturer at the Naval Postgraduate School, during which time he spent more than a year at sea teaching courses related U.S. national security in the Middle East and Africa. He earlier worked as a lecturer in Iranian history at Yale University; Johns Hopkins University in Washington, DC; and at three different universities in northern Iraq. A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Rubin received a B.S. degree in biology from Yale University in 1994, and a Ph.D. in history from the same institution in 1999. He contributed affidavits to or served as an expert witness in multiple court cases involving terror sponsors and is the author of six books, several dozen book chapters, and is the author of more than three thousand published opinion essays and articles.

Moderated by Susan Ouellette, CIA Intelligence Analyst and the author of the award-winning Wayward Spy trilogy (Camcat Books) – The Wayward Spy (2021), Sudan’s books won Independent Publisher Book Award Gold Medal for Suspense/Thriller and a 2021 “Top 12 Book of the Year” (The Strand Magazine), The Wayward Assassin (2022), and The Wayward Target (2023). Her books draw heavily on her academic studies of international relations and Russian language and culture at both Harvard University and Boston University. As the Soviet Union teetered on the edge of collapse, Susan worked as an intelligence analyst at the CIA, where she earned a commendation for her work during a time of international upheaval. Subsequently, she worked on Capitol Hill as a professional staff member for the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI). There, she participated in several overseas staff and congressional delegations focused on intelligence cooperation with allies and classified operations against adversaries. She later worked as a government contractor and freelance researcher, analyzing terrorism and weapons of mass destruction. Since her stint on Capitol Hill, she has worked for several federal consulting firms. Susan lives with her family on a farm outside ofWashington, D.C. where she helps tend to chickens, turkeys and too many honey bees to count.

Click here to learn more about ElainesLiterarySalon.com.

Meet the Author: Stacy Woodson is a US Army combat veteran. Memories of her time in the military are often a source of inspiration for her stories. She made her crime fiction debut in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine’s Department of First Stories and won the 2018 Readers Award, the second time in the award’s history a debut took first place.

Awards: Since then, she has placed over 40 short stories in various publications, three winning the Derringer award for excellence in short mystery fiction. (She is a five-time nominee.) Her short fiction has also been nominated for a Macavity Award, Thriller Award, Anthony Award (anthology, co-editor), selected for The Best Mystery Stories of the Year, named a finalist for ScreenCraft’s Best Cinematic Short Story, and adapted for animation. Stacy also writes screenplays and was recently accepted to the Writers Guild Foundation’s Veterans Writing Project. Her pilot script, “Poppins,” was named a Second Rounder in the Drama Teleplay Pilot category in the 2025 Austin Film Festival Script Competition.

When she’s not writing: Stacy co-edits anthologies with Michael Bracken for Down and Out Books and Level Best Books and teaches at Outliers Writing University. She is also a member of the Screen Actors Guild and works as background talent for movies and television which has deepened her understanding of the filmmaking process and the need for practical scripts. Past projects include Homeland, Jack Ryan, The Walking Dead: World Beyond, Silo, Terminal List: Dark Wolf, Wonder Woman 1984, and A House of Dynamite. Learn more: stacywoodson.com

About Stacy’s books:

Latest Novella: The Cadillac Job, a Chop Shop Series Created by Michael Bracken

Loyalty beyond the battlefield sends Carly and Knuckles on one last mission to save a dying teammate. When Carly isn’t slinging drinks at the local VFW, she boosts cars—a job much like the one she had on a vehicle recovery team in Afghanistan. Except her team isn’t the same.

Sweets is dying. And the last time Knuckles scouted for a Mustang, he ended up at a dude ranch off Highway 175. Her commanding officer is different, too. She no longer answers to Captain Shrader. She answers to Huey, and the consequences for disobeying orders are deadly.

Determined to save Sweets, Carly steals cars to pay for a lifesaving surgery. But progress is slow, and Sweets is running out of time—until the Cadillac Job. The payout is big. So are the risks. If Carly succeeds, Sweets lives. If she fails, they both die.

“Two Tamales, One Tokarev and a Lifetime of Broken Promises:” A minister, a taco truck, and a gun, what could possibly go wrong?

Vivian, an ex-con turned prison minister, discovers her brother, Tommy, is in debt to the Chicago Outfit. And they’re calling the note—20 grand plus the juice.

If Tommy doesn’t come up with the money in 72 hours, he will be a permanent resident of Lake Michigan. As kids, she and her brother grew up on the streets and lived by a set of rules: #1 no drugs, #2 no turning tricks, #3 no tangling with the mob. And they’d have each other’s back—always.

Vivian can’t abandon her brother, despite the risk to her church and the new life she’s built for herself.

So, she comes up with a plan—a way to turn the tables on the Outfit and save her brother. An Eastside bookie, a taco truck, and a Russian-made pistol are key. But even she knows the plan is a long shot. There was a reason why she made rule #3. When it comes to the mob, someone always pays a price.

 Guns & Tacos Vol. 5 (Compilat