Thanks to Dache J. Rogers of Berkley/ Penguin Random House, I am giving away one print copy of ‘Red Letter Days’ by Sarah Jane Stratford.
Description Red Letter Days by Sarah Jane Stratford
A striking novel from the acclaimed author of Radio Girls about two daring women who escape McCarthy-era Hollywood for London, where they find creative freedom and fight the injustices of the Red Scare.
Nineteen-fifties America is bright and full of promise, and Phoebe Adler, a New Yorker brimming with talent and ambition, is forging her way as the rarest of things: a female television writer in Hollywood. But fears of a growing Red Menace cloud the optimism, egged on by the hate-mongering of Senator McCarthy. A blacklist is created to cast out communist sympathizers, smashing careers and ruining lives. When Phoebe finds herself caught in the hysteria’s web, she flees to London.
Though postwar London is struggling and work is precarious, Phoebe finds camaraderie with other Americans living in exile, including the restless and ambitious Hannah Wolfson. Determined to fight the injustices of the Red Scare, Hannah is a successful producer who hires blacklisted writers at great risk to her career and company.
Together Phoebe and Hannah successfully fight unfair bias and sexism, but danger still looms in this supposed sanctuary. And when their families and friends—their very lives—are threatened, they will have to make impossible choices.
Praise Red Letter Days by Sarah Jane Stratford
“In this crisp novel, Stratford… effortlessly melds politics, romance, and history. This delivers on every level.”—Publishers Weekly
“Red Letter Days is a look at a piece of American history told through the lens of two brave women, whose stories you won’t soon forget.”—PopSugar
“[A] thoroughly fascinating and too-little-known story of Hannah Weinstein and her role in supporting blacklisted Americans, regardless of gender or race.”—Booklist
About Sarah Jane Stratford
Sarah-Jane Stratford is the acclaimed author of Radio Girls. Her work has also appeared in the Guardian, Boston Globe, Los Angeles Review of Books, Marie-Claire, Bustle, Guernica, and many others. A former resident of both American coasts, she’s now living the expat life in London, where when she isn’t working, she’s exploring and seriously considering learning how to garden.
Medellin: Acapulco Cold ( Rick Fontain Book 3) by Bill Fortin
Publisher: Cold War Publications (May, 2019) Category: Action/Adventure, Cold War, Military, Crime, Historical Fiction Tour dates: July/August, 2019 ISBN: 978-0996478670 Available in Print and ebook, 356 pages
Description Medellin: Acapulco Cold ( Rick Fontain 3) by Bill Fortin
In March 1987, the CIA’s Operation Acapulco Cold took on the Medellín cartel. The journey would be dangerous. The alternative for not recovering the nuke would be too horrible to imagine.
A theft occurs as a result of President Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev’s treaty agreement in January 1986. Russian SS-20 medium-range missiles were removed from Eastern Europe and their nuclear MIRV packages removed. A shadow group inside the failing Russian government steals three of the nose-cone assembles.
A Russian named Geonov is charged with selling one of these devices to the Medellin cartel. The asking price was $40 million dollars in cash. Pablo Escobar did not even blink when he was offered one. Operation Acapulco Cold is the detailed action taken by the CIA to address this life-altering situation.
Trailer Medellin: Acapulco Cold (Rick Fontain 3) by Bill Fortin
Excerpt Medellin: Acapulco Cold ( Rick Fontain 3) by Bill Fortin
In 1953, at the age of 25, Geonov was posted to Mexico City where he learned Spanish and met Raúl Castro. It was onboard a ship while he was returning from a European youth festival. When he arrived in Mexico, he was given an assignment to a minor post in the Soviet Embassy.
In 1955, Geonov met Che Guevara through Raúl Castro in Mexico City. If you have studied the works of WEB Griffin, you can clearly see that this happenstance was not going to benefit the United States. Geonov proceeded to violate embassy procedures by befriending Guevara who was fascinated with the Soviet way of life. Guevara’s questions prompted Geonov to provide him with a variety of Soviet books, magazines, and pamphlets. Both men promised to keep in touch, and so they did.
Recalled to Moscow in November 1956, Geonov was discharged from the Foreign Service. He went to work as a Spanish translator for the state-run Soviet Spanish-language publishing company, Editorial Progreso. Two years later, in the late summer of 1958, he was drafted into the KGB. In that same year, on 1 September, Valentin Geonov, began a two-year training course as an intelligence officer. This was interrupted by the Cuban Revolution. In October 1959, his training was halted. He was ordered by the newly appointed Soviet deputy premier, Anastas Mikoyan, to accompany him to Mexico.
In February 1960, Mikoyan took Geonov on an arranged visit to Havana, Cuba. Geonov made a gift of a handgun to his old friend Che Guevara on behalf of Mother Russia. Geonov return to Mexico City the next month as a senior KGB officer with a rank of major. During the October 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, he coordinated the intelligence reporting from his agents in Florida.
All information-gathering on American military preparations during the saga of missiles in Cuba was his responsibility. Geonov noted in his written assessment of the crisis in Cuba that at no time would there be any danger of war. He stated on more than one occasion that a nuclear confrontation was not very likely. Also, just as an aside, it is unclear whether or not he befriended a man named Lee Harvey Oswald during his time in Mexico . . . and the moon is made entirely of blue cheese!
Geonov did provide his services as an interpreter to Fidel Castro on the dictators’ visit to the Soviet Union in 1963. In 1968, as I was making my way through the missile ranges of White Sands and Fort Bliss, Geonov was recalled to Moscow, where he again was promoted to senior analyst on Caribbean, Central, South, and North America policy.
A report he compiled in 1975 recognized the growing peril to the power of the Soviet Union in geopolitical terms. Citing the example of the British Empire, he warned that the Soviet commitments should be tailored to a few key areas. This recommendation would allow Soviet influence to be able to operate in a more efficient fashion and with a higher success rate. One section of the report suggested the establishment of a Soviet foot- hold on the Arabian Peninsula, the most Marxist country at the time in this region. Of course we have all been exposed to how unimportant the ports, coastline, and airfields in South Yemen are viewed in today’s world.
Praise Stinger: Operation Cyclone (Rick Fontain 2) by Bill Fortin
“Maryland author Bill Fortin served in the US Army 3rd Armor Division from 1968 to 1970 he understands and has witness the horrors of war and its aftermath on soldiers. He places the facts of the Cold War before us in a manner that will prevent us from forgetting that period in history and its impact on global politics today. Not only is he a very fine writer, but he also is a standard bearer who reminds the reader of the atrocities of the Cold War and the manner in which we as a country dealt with it. Very highly recommended.- Grady Harp, Amazon Hall of Fame & Top 100 Reviewer
“Stinger Operation Cyclone was a page turner from page 1. I was swept in and ended up on a fast paced ride to the end. Bill Fontin knows how to weave a story with the details, descriptions of people and places to intrigue the reader and keep you engaged. Fontin writes expertly about the Middle East and military topics in a way that your drawn in and unable to put the book down. A cast of characters from each location of the story is provided at the end that helps keep the reader involved in this fast paced story. I look forward to reading more in the series.”-Sherry, My Reading Journeys
“I really like this Book 2 in the Rick Fontain series by Bill Fortin. Bill Fortin is a US Army veteran himself, and has chosen to write some excellent “cold war” fiction, describing the day-to-day implementation of “Charlie Wilson’s War” which described the US assistance to the Afghan mujahideen. I agree with other readers who reported that this book felt like reading history. The first person narrative is as lively and engaging as the depiction of the Battle of Gettysburg in KILLER ANGELS by Michael Shaara. There is excellent dialogue and interesting interplay between CIA operative Rick, along with US Army Special Forces, Delta Force, and the Afghan mujahideen fighting the invading Soviet goliath. It was fascinating for me to read the ground-level description of how this new technology allowed the Afghans, most often fighting from horseback, to level the playing-field with the Soviets. I served in Afghanistan 2002-2003, and really appreciated his word pictures of the terrain. Strong work, Bill Fortin. I look forward to the third in the series.”- Robert Enzenauer, Amazon Review
Praise Redeye Fulda Cold: (Rick Fontain 1) by Bill Fortin
“With a smooth, wry touch, Bill Fortin spins a page-turning Cold War tale capturing both the great bravery and the occasional comic moments — some intentional, some classic SNAFUs — of U.S. military intelligence saving the world from Russia invasion.”- W.E.B. Griffin & William E. Butterworth IV, #1 New York Times and Wall Street Journal Bestselling Authors
““Bill Fortin’s, Redeye Fulda Cold, is a historically accurate, yet humorous account of one soldier’s mission during the Cold War. Although written as fiction, the novel is an exercise in authenticity, with stretches illuminating the technical expertise required for a unit to accommodate seemingly never-ending revisions to Cold War objectives. Fortin cloaks the technical military facts and technology in character moments, using them to highlight Fontain’s sarcasm and tongue-in-cheek humor. Can’t wait to read the next Rick Fontain novel!”-Lisa Wieman Meerdter, Amazon Review
About Bill Fortin
Bill Fortin served in the United States Army, 3rd Armored Division, from 1968 to 1970. He retired from AT&T/Lucent Bell Labs in 2001 and is currently the CEO of Cold War Publications. Bill earned a Bachelor and Master degrees in Management Sciences from the University of Baltimore.
A native of Westminster, Maryland Bill is an active member of Rotary and retains membership in the Association of the 3AD. He is married to Judy and is surrounded by a host of 4-legged children (Border Collies and cats) plus 2 very noisy feathered companions.
Giveaway Medellin: Acapulco Cold (Rick Fontain 3) by Bill Fortin
This giveaway is for 3 winners choice of one print or ebook copy of the book. Print is open to the U.S. only and ebook is available worldwide. This giveaway ends August 30, 2019, midnight pacific time. Entries are accepted via Rafflecopter only. a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Stinger: Operation Cyclone (Rick Fontain 2) by Bill Fortin
Publisher: Cold War Publications (February 9, 2018) Category: Action/Adventure, War, Military, Crime Tour dates: May/June, 2018 ISBN: 978-0996478618 Available in Print and ebook, 432 pages
Rick Fontain is back… This Cold War adventure takes the reader inside the classified exploits of Senator Charlie Wilson and CIA’s Task Force Chief, Gust Avrakotos. Strange bedfellows they were… their alliance proved to be one of the most successful partnerships in the history of the CIA. Stinger: Operation Cyclone recounts the outcomes of their efforts.
The adventure begins with the election of Ronald Regan in 1979. This was the same year that the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan. Early in 1982 POTUS called for a plan of action to arm and finance the Jihadi warriors known as the Mujahideen. Operation Cyclone was the code name assigned to this project.
Rick is re-united with his Redeye instructor, Andy Davis, and together they would design a plan to kill buku Russian aircraft. The operation stalls until Rick thwarts an assignation attempt on one, Maalouf Torki bin Taisei. Mr. Taisei is a Malaysian government official. He is also the largest arms dealer on the Pacific Rim.
The Russian KGB suspects that President of Pakistan, Zia, and his ISI have aligned themselves with the American’s. Their attacks are fierce, but, the result was not what they expected. President Regan issued a change to the original operation requirements. The gloves were to come off. Rick Fontain is told to do whatever it takes to get Stinger into the hands of the Afghan Freedom Fighters.
American Special Forces, the Green Beret and DELTA, are sent to the ISI’s Ojhri Camp located just outside of Islamabad. CIA operatives LTC Jim Pezlola and CWO Gary Larson, solicit the Mujahideen Command to provide students for the very first class of Stinger shooters.
Rick takes the graduating class into Afghanistan to the Russian airbase at Bagram. The rest… as they say… is history. Operation Cyclone may not have ended the Cold War, but it certainly had weakened the Soviet Union’s resolve. So much so… that in 1993 it financially collapsed.
Trailer Stinger: Operation Cyclone (Rick Fontain 2) by Bill Fortin
Guest Review Stinger: Operation Cyclone (Rick Fontain 2) by Bill Fortin
Guest Review by Mark S.
‘Stinger is a military thriller that takes place during the cold war. The main character, Rick Fontain is a CIA operative in the 1980’s who works in an operation to get the Russians out of Afghanistan. called “Operation Cyclone”.
This is the second book in the ‘Rick Fontain’ series. It can be read without reading the first book however; the first book has a lot of background information that sets up book 2 nicely. Some of the information is given in book two but I do recommend your read book one, ‘Redeye Fulda Cold’ first.
It took me the first few chapters to get into it however, once I was pulled in, I felt like I was sucked right into the pages, living every moment! With Bill Fortin’s first hand military experience and his excellent writing skills, he hits a home run! I hope he keeps writing because he left me wanting more!
4.5/5 stars
I received the ebook for my honest review.
About Bill Fortin
Bill Fortin served in the United States Army, 3rd Armor Division, from April 1968 to the first part of 1970. In 2012 while transporting Redhawk, a Quarter horse, to a medical facility in Pennsylvania he had a flashback to 1970. The cause was the turnpike signage that pointed to the VA Hospital at Perryville. He knew at that moment that the exploits of Cold Warriors of 40 plus years passed had waited long enough to be told. The result was a novel entitled Redeye Fulda Cold.
He had retired from Bell Labs in 2001, and is currently the CEO of IBS, Inc., specializing in systems engineering. He has a Master’s in the Management Sciences from the University of Baltimore. He lives with his wife Judy, a gaggle of Border Collies, and other 4 legged and featured companions in the rolling hills of Westminster, Maryland.
Giveaway Stinger: Operation Cyclone (Rick Fontain 2) by Bill Fortin
Hurry, this is the last day to enter this giveaway! This giveaway is for one print copy or ebook copy of the book. Print is available to the U.S. only but ebook is available worldwide. This giveaway ends on June 12, 2018 at midnight pacific time. Entries are accepted via Rafflecopter only.
Red Letter Days by Sarah Jane Stratford
