Meet Mike Angley, Award-winning author

I recently completed an interview with Mike Angley and I was so impressed by his background and writing talent, that I thought I would return the favor!  Read about Mr. Angley and enjoy!

As a retired Air Force officer, what made you decide to write novels following your first career?


“I’ve always loved to write, but I postponed my long-term goals while I pursued my Air Force career. In hindsight, I think that was a good thing because it allowed me to focus on my writing with the precision it needed. I retired as a Colonel having spent 25 years as a Special Agent with the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, or OSI for short. The OSI is the Air Force version of NCIS, so I had plenty of rich experiences to inspire my writing, from running felony-level criminal investigations, as well as counterintelligence and counterterrorism operations around the world. In my last assignment, I was the Commander of OSI Region 8, at Air Force Space Command. I like to tell people, ‘If it entered or exited Earth’s atmosphere, then I had a dog in the fight!’”

What is the Child Finder Trilogy about?

“The trilogy is a mystery/suspense series with paranormal and religious edges. It features a protagonist, Air Force Special Agent Patrick S. O’Donnell, who is as tough as 24’s Jack Bauer, but with the endearing, family-values heart of 7th Heaven’s Eric Camden. He’s an early-thirties Air Force Major assigned to the Pentagon when the 9/11 terrorist attacks take place.

In the debut novel, Child Finder, Agent O’Donnell’s haunting dreams about missing children reveal a hidden psychic gift which the government eagerly exploits, drawing him into a Top Secret program to find missing kids. But to make matters complicated, Uncle Sam has other ideas in mind for his unique paranormal talents…after all, there is a War on Terror underway. One thing’s for sure—ever since joining this new, secret community, he is surrounded by murder, and the very real threat of harm to his own family!”

And the second book?

“Child Finder: Resurrection launched in November 2009. It has been a year and a half since Agent O’Donnell left the secret child rescue program after it went horribly off-track, resulting in murder and endangering his own family. And just when he thinks he’s comfortably put this painful past behind him, he receives a call from his mentor. The murky, shadowy Top Secret community where he once was center-stage has been revised, revamped, resurrected!

The government needs his psychic skills more than ever. A sick, twisted, menacing child killer is on the loose, and no one but Pat can stop him. But Agent O’Donnell soon discovers this new nemesis is more than he bargained for. Nothing can prepare him for the psychotic genius he must fight…and the life and death cat-and-mouse game that entraps him! Once again, Pat must call upon his faith and strong spiritual connection with God to sustain and guide him, especially during his darkest hours as he battles…pure evil.”

When will the third and final story publish, and what happens in it?

“Child Finder: Revelation (to publish circa December 2010), is the grand finale, so to speak. Many people believe the saying, ‘The truth is out there.’ But as my website says, ‘The truth is in here, and it’s not what you think!’ Patrick O’Donnell is dispatched to Korea on a sensitive mission to crack the disturbing abduction of a high ranking U.S. official’s children. What he discovers about their sudden disappearance — especially where they have been taken — shocks the foundation of international relations. But more intriguing is what makes these particular children so special. What O’Donnell learns about them, and himself, involves sensitive government secrets he regrets ever knowing. These new revelations will rock his faith, his concept of life, and his understanding of his place in the universe.”

How did you develop the character of your protagonist?

“I took a chance. I realized that most protagonists in this genre are rough and tough, and rarely show a soft side. I wanted both! Pat is a family man (has two small children), a deeply-faithful Christian, happily-married, and has an incredibly strong moral/ethical compass. At the same time, he is a ‘kick-ass’ investigator and counterterrorism operator. These contrasts come into play as he enters this Top Secret program – he finds himself pulled in many directions where he must make tough moral/ethical decisions (is everything he is asked to do actually legal?). He wants to save kids, but at what price? I also used his faith for contrast as well. He is a man who grew up with an unfulfilled sense of calling – is it the psychic gift and rescue of children? He’s not sure, so he grapples with what it all means.”

Please talk more about your military career.

“I retired from the U.S. Air Force in 2007 at the rank of Colonel. I was a career OSI Special Agent, and served on thirteen different assignments throughout the world. Among these were five tours as a Commander of different units, to include two squadrons and a wing.

I enjoyed an exciting and dangerous career, experiencing all things imaginable as a criminal investigator and a counterintelligence and counterterrorism operator. Following the 1996 Khobar Towers terrorist attack in Saudi Arabia, I was dispatched to command all OSI units throughout the Middle East, with responsibility for 23 countries. During my tenure my teams and I effectively neutralized numerous terrorist threats to U.S. forces in the region, to include an imminent threat to senior Department of Defense officials. In 2004, I commanded all OSI units in South Korea where we countered a classified target in Seoul. I was honored when the President of South Korea presented me with a Presidential Citation and medal, and the Korean National Police Agency (KNPA) Commissioner decorated me with the KNPA Medal of Cooperation.

Earlier in my career, while commanding an OSI unit in northern Japan, I conducted an operation that effectively blocked a KGB agent’s efforts to steal critical U.S. technology, and thereby stymied Soviet military advances for years. In 1999, I was the Chief of Counterintelligence within the Directorate of Intelligence, U.S. Strategic Command. My office competed for the prestigious Killian Award, a White House level honor that annually recognizes the very best intelligence unit in the entire U.S. government. We came in as first runner-up for this significant honor!

Did any of your experiences in law enforcement factor in to the Trilogy plot at all?

“Generically, yes. The main reason I decided on this concept for the series was because of the number of crimes against children I worked in the Air Force. Every one of them literally broke my heart, and as a dad myself, it made it even tougher on me. In some respects, Child Finder is a kind of catharsis, enabling me to save some kids even if fictional.”

Obviously Pat O’Donnell stars in all three books, but what about other characters? Will any of them migrate over to the other two books?

“Pat would be nowhere without his team! His career mentor, Colonel John Helmsley, accompanies him on his journeys, as well as the team psychiatrist, Dr. Woodrow ‘Woody’ Davis.”

When Child Finder debuted it received a glowing review from the Library Journal, and earned placement on its Summer Reads List. Were you nervous about the review process?

“VERY nervous! As a debut author, I had zero experience with reviews until then. While everyone involved in my writing projects has been supportive and positive, getting my first impartial review flooded my gut with butterflies.”

What about the award your debut novel received?

“I am thrilled that Child Finder won the Silver Medal for fiction in the 2009 Military Writers Society of America’s Annual Awards program. This was such a huge honor for me, and from what I have been told by the MWSA community, competition was tough this year with the largest number of fiction submissions in the society’s history.”

What do you want readers of your books to walk away with?

“Inspiration. Plain and simple, I want them to be inspired by my protagonist and his exceptional moral grounding. I want them inspired by his love of wife and children, his love of God, his dedication and devotion to his country. I want readers to believe again in the goodness of people. And with regard to Child Finder: Revelation, I want them to challenge everything they have come so comfortably to believe about life.”



Mike Angley
Special Agent, USAF (ret)
Colonel, USAF (ret)
Award-Winning Author of the Child Finder Trilogy
http://www.childfinder.us/

A Brilliant Light Casts Away the Shadows with Witty Humor

Award-winning novelist, Taryn Simpson, has done it again! This proud and physically-challenged author has written a heartfelt book that shines as a beacon of hope for the underdogs of this world. She writes with passion mixed with lots of healing humor about her life experiences to which many will empathize or sympathize. Either way, you will be touched. I laughed, I got angry, and I felt like crying. Mostly I laughed. In the end, I felt uplifted by her ability to relate a very human life filled with the range of human experiences.


Not being sure of the meaning of the word, I looked up “ellipsis” in the dictionary. The second definition listed spoke to the essence of this deliciously delightful book. Webster's dictionary states that ellipsis is “a leap or sudden passage without logical connectives from one topic to another.” In her musings and essays, Ms. Simpson took me on a rich ride as seen through her own life perspective.

Being a child of the south, she witnessed the atrocities of the Klu Klux Klan and the closed-minded opinions of the Bible thumpers. Dealing with multiple physical challenges such as Parkinson's disease, diabetes, and chronic pain, she relates her experiences with the inadequacies of the health care system including lack of compassion and greed.

As a lesbian who has experienced prejudice and oppression, she looks at such issues with a curiously detached point of view. She lives her life from a sense of wonder even though she has been wounded in so many ways. She is the voice of conscience who will undoubtedly raise human consciousness through her musings.

She meanders from topic to topic in such a fashion that she weaves a beautiful tapestry filled with both joy and pain. Always, she maintains an uncanny sense of humor. She segues between topics both serious and silly. She talks about politics and corporate America. Then she includes delightful essays on “Southernisms,” “I Would Like to Whine with my Cheese,” “Time to Clean Out my Closet,” and “My Beagle Speaks Yiddish.” She ends with topics entitled “Epiphanies that go Bump in the Night” and “I Think This is What is Called Serendipity.”

This book is like a tempting box of chocolates. You can relish each essay and musing one at a time or you can devour the box in one sitting. It's just the right length to be read on a lazy summer afternoon when you want both light amusement as well as some food for thought. I loved the book and I trust that you will too!

Davis Aujourd'hui
author of “The Misadventures of Sister Mary Olga Fortitude” and “Babes in Bucksnort”


rated at five out of five stars  * * * * *

ELLIPSIS, A collection of Essays and Short Stories... is R E L E A S E D !!!

Here's your chance to buy "ELLIPSIS, A Collection of Essays and short stories..." hot off the book stands!  

CLICK ON THIS LINK TO PURCHASE DIRECTLY FROM THE PUBLISHER!  http://ow.ly/1gQ8H  

Enjoy!

The Reviews Are Coming In

"I really enjoyed it FOUR times but that may be because my library is full of biographies. People interest me so your novel was written for me. However it is an easy read about the life of someone out there who really is no different than many of us but has the courage to yell from the rooftops 'hey this is me!

A lovely story of a young girl who struggled, a young woman who struggled and a grown adult who said 'enough of the struggle, I AM! Not too many words here, but when your heart is full of admiration for the writer, there are not too many words required."

          Alan Solomon, Co-Author of "The Mango Tree Cafe, Loi Kroh Road" - Beijing, China

ELLIPSIS, A collection of Essays and Short Stories...

It's funny, sometimes when you least expect it, you see a book coming to fruition where there was previously none.  I had been talking about "The Long Road to Extradition" thinking that it would be my next book unveiled.  How wrong I was!  I found myself hurrying though it to get everything down that I wanted to get down and while I know this book is going to require time and patience, it's going to require even more so as once I am complete, instead of editing, I will then really need to "write it". 

ELLIPSIS wrote itself over the last several years (2006 - 2010) and required little else from me.  I'm sure the editors that are reading this post (if there are any) are moaning and groaning.  I don't mean to imply that I write perfectly the first time out of the gate (I can assure you I don't).  But, the important essence is there.  The undertones, the phrasing, the pause that is required to really understand something is there.

As I wrote in the beginning of the book, I decided to name the book, ELLIPSIS because:

When I was having a previous work edited by a friend of mine, she jokingly told me that I had a love affair with the ellipsis. It seems that the dialogue for one of my characters was peppered heavily with the … mark that indicates an unfinished thought or a trailing off into silence. The idea of writing a book of my thoughts and stories seemed very appealing to me.

A collection of essays or stories are peppered throughout everyone’s life which I consider to be connected by an ellipsis. I’ve had a unique vantage point of life and am fascinated by what this life has presented so far. It’s not always happiness, or joy but also grittiness, sadness, anger, stubbornness, missed opportunities, found opportunities, epiphanies and thankfulness which follows the continuum back to happiness. All in all, it’s been a great ride and look forward to more.

I will post when the book is available for purchase right here.

I hope you enjoy my ellipsis… Taryn Simpson – March 2010

The Prologue Stays In

I don't know about you, but when I write a chapter I'm unsure of, I ask various folks to read it and give me their feedback.  Some will read and say, "not enough action going on," or "boring" or "up to you" which I hate.  (I'm getting their opinion, that is the whole point). 

Well, after taking a poll, people said to keep it in.  Just a teaser of "The Long Road to Extradition".  Please let me know what you think.  Leave comments!  Leave more comments!  Just leave some comments, ok?

The scars you can't see are the hardest to heal. ~Astrid Alauda

Prologue

“A Place Called Home”

June 6, 1996, Bounty Island, New Zealand

Everyone has a place they call home. For some, the memories are tucked away in a comforting place where a story of once upon a time is easily found again. For others, the memories are painful and purposely vague when asked to recall them. There isn’t a comforting place to be found and the memories are buried in a wanderer’s heaving bag slung carelessly over weary shoulders.

Shannon knew that Nicholas was naturally drawn to the ocean. It was there that he felt peaceful and could lose his thoughts while immersed in the deafening sounds of waves crashing around him. The spray and mist of the ocean seemed to be a living, breathing, yet wounded animal. The fury of the waves never settled and the spew of foam touched all that dared to sit near it.

Nick aligned himself with the ocean and it was here that she learned the truth about her husband’s past. Shannon glanced at Nick as he sat upon a rock looking out upon the never ending ocean line. She recognized his faraway stare and silently wondered why he never flinched as the waves sprayed and crashed against the shore.

Slowly, Nicholas turned his attention away from the force of nature to look at Shannon. He saw the look of pity and somewhat frightened face he had come to know so well. It was time. He had carried his unspoken burden for 23 years and was too exhausted to carry it in silence any longer.

Perhaps it was the ocean encouraging him to release the fury of his demons. In some ways, it seemed like he was even taunted as the regurgitation of foam and spray washed over his body. He wanted to feel the baptism of release. He got up from his front row and center view and held out his hand to Shannon. She grabbed it and he guided her back to their chalet.

They walked back in silence until they got to the door; “You’re sopped, go ahead and change clothes and I’ll make us a pot of tea.” Nick gave a weak smile and grabbed a pair of sweat pants and a favorite denim shirt from the bedroom. He dried himself off with a towel and changed. When he walked into the living room, he saw that Shannon had fixed them both a cup of Earl Grey. Hers with lemon and his with honey and a cinnamon stick. She was curled up in the bay window that separated her from the ocean, lost in thought and sipping her tea.

“Penny for your thoughts” Nick urged. On some level, he wanted her to ask him plainly. He had grown shy within the silence of their home. She smiled and patted the cushion across from her in the window. In the distance, he could still see the ocean hurling waves against the rocks. Drinking a sip of his tea, it was smooth, sweet and rich in flavor. It was then when his request had been granted.

“Tell me. I should know.” Shannon’s simple statement suddenly exposed the emotion of wondering what could be so bad that he wouldn’t tell her. She had hinted countless times before, never wanting to upset him more than he already was.

The years of holidays, her family get-togethers and his avoidance of wanting to participate in any way puzzled, angered and hurt her. She always tried to wait for a good time to bring up the subject. Yet, somehow when looking into his eyes, the glint of anguish dissolved into tears that were dangerously close to spilling upon his cheeks but never did.

Nick took a breath and looked into his wife’s blue eyes and thought for a moment. He looked at his empty cup and could feel hysteria building up inside himself.

“I need something to drink. Get me a bottle of Rye and a tumbler of ice.” His voice had begun to shake as another panic attack was lurking nearby. He began pacing and gratefully accepted the whiskey on the rocks and downed it in one shot. She watched him down 3 long shots of whiskey one after the other and he finally seemed to be somewhat recovered.

Nick wandered over to the stereo and thumbed through the tapes of music. Shannon was a fan of classical music and easy listening. He made a face as he browsed through Rachmaninoff, Carole King, James Taylor and Gershwin. He came to the tapes he listened to; ACDC, Metallica, Megadeath, Judas Priest. The power riff of the guitars and thundering bass line always rumbled his insides. The frenetic and chaotic feeling of the music felt familiar. In fact, the music mirrored his psyche which felt to be in a permanent frame of disarray and confusion.

“Shannon, when you listen to this classical stuff, why do you listen to it?” he asked as he drank another long shot.

“I love the melodies,” she offered, unsure of his line of questioning.

“It’s how you feel inside?” he pushed.

Shannon thought about it and clarified; “Yeah, I guess so. I feel relaxed when I listen to it.”

Nick nodded and grabbed one of his tapes and cued up a song from one of the metal bands that flaunted machine gun riffs. He positioned her in between the two giant speakers and turned the volume to max. The jolt of the music caused Shannon to scream. Nick was seemingly oblivious and held her in place near the speakers. The wall of sound was terrifying to her and the bass and drums were causing her heartbeat to fluctuate. When she began to cry, Nick turned the tape off and listened to the buzz of silence.

“Why the hell did you do that?” Shannon shouted in anger.

“That’s what it feels like to be me.” Shannon stared at him for several moments and slowly walked to the kitchen returning with a tumbler of ice. She grabbed the Rye and poured generously into both glasses. She was seeing a different side to him for the first time.

She remembered when they first met; it was her that struck conversation. His shyness was almost crippling yet, she persisted. She was drawn to him and couldn’t reason why. As a permanent student of psychology, she mused that it must be amago. Or, maybe he seemed dangerous in some way that was “safe enough” for her. He was a great listener and never tired of her conversation.

She noticed every nuance of his physical traits. It was a playful test to see if she could connect the dots of her new suitor’s history. He had a brooding personality that suited his looks. It was a safe guess that he wasn’t a businessman. His tousled hair suggested that he hadn’t had a haircut in awhile and was incapable of being combed neatly. His eyes were hazel which was featured prominently against his olive skin. He was striking to gaze upon which explained why no one ever took the time to get to know Nicholas Fontenot. He rarely smiled and enjoyed people watching. His hands were calloused from what appeared to be from years of labor. Life must have been hard on him, judging from his reluctance to share any personal details. She quickly glanced at his left hand which was ringless and made her move.

Now, after 2 years of living together, she needed something more than psychological guessing games to explain the source of Nick’s wounded soul.

Nick reached under the cushion of the sofa and pulled out a thick journal. He held it for a few moments and opened the cover. He struggled to explain, to give some preparation for what he was about to read, yet he couldn’t think of what to say. He looked at her with troubled eyes and she smiled encouragement through her tears.

“Go ahead…tell me.” It would be the last words she would utter until he reached the end.

~~~~~

I Found Nicholas!

Today, I was browsing through googles' images and was  thinking about the book cover I want to design for "The Long Road to Extradition." 

Then, all of the sudden, I think to myself; THAT'S HIM.  So, I will change out photos that pertain to Nicholas in previous posts, but this is the person I want you to think of when I discuss Nicholas.

Nicholas Fontenot, meet your readers.  Readers, meet Nicholas Fontenot (i.e. Adrien Grenier)

If any of you know Mr. Grenier, please let me know. 

No, really.