This week on The Jay Jay French Connection, Jay Jay welcomes author Jarret Keene on the show ahead of his brand new book release. Jarret is Assistant Professor in the Department of English at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where he teaches both American literature AND the graphic novel. Hear all about how he has been a Twisted fan for years, & why he believes that many of his students have been inspired by Twisted Sister - particularly the album Stay Hungry.

His debut novel HAMMER OF THE DOGS - a post apocalyptic adventure in Las Vegas for readers of all ages - is available in paperback as of today, September 12th.

Set in the wasteland of post-apocalyptic Las Vegas, Hammer of the Dogs is a literary dystopian adventure filled with high-octane fun starring twenty-one-year-old Lash. With her high-tech skill set and warrior mentality, Lash is a master of her own fate as she helps to shield the Las Vegas valley’s survivors and protect her younger classmates at a paramilitary school holed up in Luxor on the Las Vegas Strip. After graduation, she’ll be alone in fending off the deadly intentions and desires of the school’s most powerful opponents.

When she’s captured by the enemy warlord, she’s surprised by two revelations: He’s not the monster her headmaster wants her to believe and the one thing she can’t safeguard is her own heart. Hammer of the Dogs celebrates the courageousness of a younger generation in the face of authority while exploring the difficult choices a conscionable young woman must make with her back against a blood-spattered wall. It’s a story of transformation and maturity, as Lash grapples with her own identity and redefines the glittering Las Vegas that Nevada is known for.

Be sure to check out Jarret's book, & don't miss this conversation, only on The Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music!

Edited & Produced by Matthew Mallinger