My newest novel, Secretocracy, published at the end of March, is probably my most incendiary. It deals with the Trump administration’s attacks on an intelligence budgeteer who refuses to fund an illegal program being pushed by the president. The fiction is based on real happenings during the Trump presidency. It’s like all my novels and short stories, fiction in name only.
As I noted earlier in this blog, in normal times I’d busier than I’d like doing readings and presentations to promote the new publication. Instead, thanks to the pandemic lockdown, I’m struck at home practicing social distancing and protecting my health. Because of my age and past history, I’m a prime target for covid-19. Five years ago, I had the upper lobe of my right lung removed because of lung cancer. As a consequence, I suffer from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). If the coronavirus attacked me, my survival chances would be less than ideal.
I’ve ordered a webcam so that I can do virtual presentations, but the delivery of the camera has been delayed by the lockdown. I don’t know when it will arrive.
As Trump becomes more flagrant in his violations of law and even the Constitution, Secretocracy would be high interest fiction right now if it weren’t for the pandemic. As it is, bookstores are closed and Secretocracy isn’t getting much attention. I hope that changes as the pandemic winds down.