J. G. Sandom ~ Author

What's New In September, 2012

Hey, if you haven't done so already, click on the Become a Fan button on the left margin and become a Fan at my Facebook fan page. Thank you!

I feel rather bad about the fact that it's almost October and I'm just now posting my September entry. The truth of the matter is, I have been working like a fiend on my new novel, tentatively titled The Plague, while also launching a new Web business. Now that my daughter is getting older (she's 12), even though I'm a single Dad, I feel like I finally have the time to start a new venture.

For those of you who don't know, I started the first digital ad agency back in '84; yes, pre-Web, when we were doing brochure-type applications on 5.25" floppies.  Not long after, we began working for Prodigy (remember them?), and did the first ads by an external ad agency for a little start-up called AOL!  Ah, those were the days.

After selling that agency, and then running the digital ad groups at both Ogilvy & Mather and Rapp, I was divorced and had to leave the digital ad space to take care of my daughter. (Yes, I am one of just 6% of men who become "primacy custodial parents" following a divorce; a role generally filled by the child's mother. What a horrifying statistic!) So, spending 60-80 hours a week running an ad agency was simply not an option anymore.

Now, however, with my daughter so independent, I finally have time to launch a new business again. (Okay, I admit it. I'm a serial entrepreneur at heart. That's one of the reasons I enjoy being a novelist so much. We're all entrepreneurs, if you think about it, with each book a new venture.) In fact, I sold my first ad agency, Einstein and Sandom, Inc. (EASI), the same year (1994) that my movie agent (Ron Bernstein) sold the option to my second novel, The Wall Street Murder Club (originally titled The Hunting Club). And just to show you how crazy the book business is, I made 6 times more money from the movie option for The Wall Street Murder Club than I did on the Random House book advance!  (The Wall Street Murder Club was part of a 2-book deal, the first novel being Gospel Truths.)

It has been a real pleasure working on my new novel, The Plague. For a while there, without a traditional big 6 publisher behind it (yet), I was despairing. But, the story is so fast-paced, and the topic so . . . hmm, what's the word . . . topical (!), I'm really having a great time. There is no doubt in my mind that this is the fastest, most thrilling narrative I've ever attempted. I hope, when it's finally done, you'll think so too.

Meantime, it amuses me no end that gnostic gospels are back in the news again. For those of you who have not read Gospel Truths (originally released in 1992, and then reissued in 2007) or its sequel, The God Machine (2009), gnostic gospels are central to both of these novels. In the case of Gospel Truths, the MacGuffin is an early version of The Gospel of Thomas, the discovery of which would undermine the Catholic Church and its doctrines. (Yes, sounds like The Da Vinci Code, although it was written a full decade before Dan Brown's book . . . which I still have not read!)  In the case of The God Machine, the MacGuffin is the Gospel of Judas -- although, later, it is revealed that this is a false MacGuffin; what they're really after is a secret map that would lead to . . . .  No, never mind. I'm not going to spoil it for you.

Now, it appears, a small scrap of papyrus dating back to the 4th century, and written in Coptic, is causing a stir. Potentially part of a new Gnostic gospel (or as an extension of the existing Gnostic Gospel of Mary), this scrap of paper makes reference to Christ's wife.

The fragment was recently analyzed by Karen L. King of the Harvard Divinity School, who said, "Published here for the first time is a fragment of a fourth-century CE codex in Coptic containing a dialogue between Jesus and his disciples in which Jesus speaks of 'my wife.' This is the only extant ancient text which explicitly portrays Jesus as referring to a wife."

Perhaps even more intriguing than the find itself is the way in which the world is reacting to it. The notion of a sexualized Christ is extremely difficult for most people. The Church has spent so many years divorcing spirituality from the physical plain (the dichotomy of spirit and flesh) that it's extremely difficult for many people of faith to bridge them again. This speaks volumes about our own misoginy. We've been brainwashed to associate women with the fall from Grace, or to see them as temptresses who rip us away from spiritual pursuits and who must, therefore, be dominated by men in order to keep them (and our pesky sexual desires) in check. No wonder we have such a hard time mixing sexuality (the body) with our spiritual selves (our souls). On the other hand, if we refuse to look at sexuality and the physical plain in a negative light, if we actively distance ourselves and our image of women and femaleness from this clichéd notion of impurity, not only does the idea of a married Christ become less difficult, but it may actually help us become less misoginistic generally.

Women have always been treated as second-class citizens, only a half step up from people of color. Perhaps a more evolved view of Christ as a sexualized mortal -- as well as the son of God, or as a great prophet -- will help us look at women with less scorn and more wonder. I, for one, sure hope so.

 

Meantime, if you're looking for something to read on your Kindle, Nook, iPad, smartphone or laptop, check out this short story, After the Great Muskie Hunt, dedicated to my father, Zane, who always found time to take me fishing, and whose memory it honors. Please take a moment to download and read it. It's only around 15 manuscript pages, and it's FREE!

We live the lives of locusts, gone in a summer's day. I miss you, Dad!

 

 

"After the Great Muskie Hunt"

When his father loses his job, a young painter from New York offers to take him fishing for muskie — a barracuda-like freshwater fish — at Big Eagle Lake, in Ontario, Canada.

 

"Haunting and beautiful."

Mainsail Reviews

[Click here to check out my Pinterest board for After the Great Muskie Hunt.]

 

LOOKING FOR SOME SPINE-TINGLING NEW THRILLERS?

ON SALE FOR JUST 99¢ THIS SUMMER

 TWO AWARD-WINNING NOVELS OF HORROR!

 

KISS ME, I'M DEAD.

 

 BEFORE THERE WAS 9/11 . . . THERE WAS 6/15

On June 15, 1904, the General Slocum steamship burned and sank in the East River, killing over a thousand innocent New Yorkers.  It was the greatest disaster and loss of life in New York City history . . . until 9/11.  In KISS ME, I'M DEAD, this forgotten piece of history serves as the backdrop of an extraordinary story of loss, redemption, justice, and a love that not even death could extinguish.

Mallory Meer is like any teenage girl. She likes to have fun. She thinks her sister is ridiculous. Her parents drive her crazy. She has a crush on Dustin and follows him everywhere.

Mallory even has a summer job — figuring out the truth about the fire on the General Slocum steamship, the disaster that killed her sister. Mallory is determined to find out the truth, and to bring the guilty parties to justice.

Sometimes Mallory gets angry, very angry, and strange things happen when Mallory gets angry. Yes, Mallory is like any other teenage girl . . . except Mallory is dead.

Twilight meets Titanic
Ranked one of the Top Ten Children's Books of the year by the Washington Post, Kiss me, I'm Dead was named a Notable Book for Teens by the Association of Jewish Libraries Sydney Taylor Book Award Committee, a Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) Teen's Top Ten, and nominated for a Cybils literary award, a Best Books for Young Adults (BBYA) by the American Library Association (ALA), and recently added to Horn Book’s list of Recommended American Historical Fiction.

The Washington Post said, "(J.G. Sandom) writes with a precision and delicacy unusual for YA fiction," and called the book, "A subtle gem." School Library Journal said, "Kiss Me, I’m Dead tells a remarkable story in a remarkable way." Horn Book Magazine called the work, "A decidedly unconventional ghost story . . . (and) a tightly wound novel." Kirkus Reviews termed it, "A remarkable account." Romantic Times said, "Kiss Me, I’m Dead is a book you shouldn't pass up." Midwest Book Review termed it, "a wonderfully different kind of ghost story." And Bookslut.com said, "Kiss Me, I’m Dead scores on several levels, most notably as a drama that blows apart all preconceived notions of how history can be retold."

Click here to purchase your copy of Kiss me, I'm Dead!

Click here to check out my Pinterest board for Kiss me, I'm Dead.

CONFESSIONS OF A TEENAGE BODY SNATCHER.

 

Here's the thing about body snatching. You just can't think about what you're doing. You can't feel sorry for the person, or think they look like your mother, your brother or your sister. You can't feel bad. In fact, you can't feel anything. That's the key. Because the minute you start feeling something, it's over. You're dead — pennies on the eyes, dirt on the face dead. It's no way to live, but for some, it's the only way.

Until they come for you . . .

Previously named a Junior Library Guild selection, Publishers Weekly called Confessions of a Teenage Body Snatcher, “A haunting tour of London's underclass during the 1830s . . . Teens will likely be both captivated by Victor's harrowing story as well as his ability to prevail in the face of harsh injustices." VOYA said, "Teen readers will thoroughly enjoy the hair-raising suspense in this historical thriller." Kirkus Reviews called Confessions of a Teenage Body Snatcher perfect for, “audiences that relish historical fiction."KLIATT said, "Like M.T. Anderson's The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, this look at sinister events in history makes the era come alive and lingers in the memory." And School Library Journal said, “Part historical fiction and part adventure story, the novel brings excitement to Victorian England . . . Readers will be on the edge of their seats.”

Click here to purchase your copy of Confessions of a Teenage Body Snatcher.

Click here to check out my Pinterest board for Confessions of a Teenage Body Snatcher.

 

And if that isn't enough, BOTH titles are also available in
Two Teen Terrors — A Cornucopia Press Collection FOR JUST $1.49!

 

Click here to purchase your copy of Two Teen Terrors!

 

STILL LOOKING FOR THAT PERFECT TITLE?

 

Meantime, THE WAVE, my indie title from Cornucopia Press, continues to outsell all of my Big Six books.  Go figure!

 

AND IT'S BEEN REDUCED FROM $7.99 TO ONLY $2.99!  SO WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?  PICK UP A COPY TODAY.

Kirkus said, "Sandom’s strength lies in the verve of his story, with writing that has both muscle . . . (and) brains . . . Races from improbable to crazywild, all in good fun, with Sandom always one step ahead . . . A story with enough manic energy to be worthy of a nuclear explosion."

When Cryptanalyst John Decker of the FBI is assigned to the Joint Terrorist Task Force in New York, he has no idea he is about to be thrust into a deadly plot of eco-terrorism masterminded by El Aqrab, a diabolical killer recently arrested in Tel Aviv whose calling card is to wrap his victims up with incendiary devices designed to produce flames in the shape of Koranic verses.  Some call it aesthetic destruction.

Following the theft of 8 kilos of Highly Enriched Uranium, an ultimatum is issued to the West:  Release El Aqrab or a nuclear bomb will be detonated. But, at the last moment, El Aqrab escapes . . . and the authorities never get the bomb.

While Homeland Security is convinced it's headed for New York, only Agent Decker â€” assisted by brilliant and beautiful oceanographer Emily Swenson â€” believes the bomb’s true destination is La Palma, in the remote Canary Island chain.

Now, Decker and Swenson have less than six hours to prove their theory, defuse the bomb, and prevent a mega-tsunami from annihilating the Eastern Seaboard.

For an excerpt from The Wave, click here.

To purchase your copy of The Wave, click here.

Click here to check out my Pinterest board for The Wave. [WARNING:  Some of the images on this board may be disturbing to younger readers.]

I'd like to thank all my fans for your fabulous support of The Wave. I set aside 10% of the profits from the sale of this book to Japanese tsunami relief efforts last year. Your generosity helped thousands of victims.

While The Wave may be a work of fiction, I know from my extensive research how devastating tsunamis and â€” as seen in my book â€” mega-tsunamis can be. The events of March, 2011, reminded us just how fragile and fickle our environment is, and how we must do whatever we can to protect it.

 

Meanwhile, The God Machine, from Random House (Bantam) continues to reach new theo-thriller fanatics. . . especially as an eBook.

Caroline Thompson (author of Edward Scissorhands) said, "Move over, Dan Brown . . . All hail J.G. Sandom . . . (The God Machine) is a thrilling and breathless, rapturously-written and mind-blowing read. It’ll keep you up all night, turning pages as fast as your little fingers can manage."  BookPage said, "Sandom has a knack for combining legendary gospels, ancient secrets, star-crossed lovers and Masonic puzzles to create a simmering stew of conspiracy, intrigue and danger that keeps the plot pot boiling until the very end." And the Historical Novels Review said, "History galore, violence, and intrigue fill the pages of this tightly plotted, twisting and turning adventure story . . . Those who love numbers, physics, and a truly unpredictable, suspenseful mystery will relish the facts and ponderings replete in this well-written, mysterious spin-off of The Da Vinci Code. The God Machine is a very impressive historical thriller!"

The Church insisted it didn't exist.

They lied.

They said it was just a Masonic legend.

It wasn't.

A two thousand year old secret.

Revealed.

The coded journal of Benjamin Franklin. A hidden map. A legendary gospel. These are the first pieces to an ancient puzzle so powerful it could destroy the very foundation of Christianity.

 

Once before, Joseph Koster unearthed one of the Church's most deeply buried secrets . . . and it almost cost him his life. But some treasures are too hard to resist. And as Koster puts the pieces of Franklin's puzzle together, he discovers something even more startling . . . and infinitely more deadly.

  

Now, along with beautiful Indian high-tech mogul Savita Sajan, Koster must race to decode Franklin's journal before it falls into the hands of those who would do anything, kill anyone to suppress it. But in a world of secret societies, ancient conspiracies and Masonic puzzles, locating the prize is one thing . . . staying alive, another.

 

For as Koster and Sajan are about the learn, the same key that unlocks the doorway to Heaven . . . could open the portals of Hell.

For an excerpt from The God Machine, click here.

To purchase your copy of The God Machine, click here.

Click here to check out my Pinterest board for The God Machine.

The novel has just come out in Spanish from LA FACTORÍA DE IDEAS. It's available in Europe and Latin America, as well as in the the US.  Later this year, look for it in Turkish too!

If you've already purchased a copy of La máquina de Dios and you post a review at Amazon, I'll send you a special thank you (no matter what your review).  My Spanish is rusty and I'd love to see what people think of the translation!

Spread the good news.  If you liked The God Machine, please pen a review at Amazon, BarnesAndNoble.com or Goodreads.

THE PLAGUE - Hackers Claim to Have 12 Million Apple Device Records

This just in from the NY Times:  Hackers from Anonymous claim to have stolen 12 million Apple device records from an FBI agent.

No, it was not John Decker!

By NICOLE PERLROTH

Hackers released a file that they said contained a million identification numbers for Apple mobile devices, claiming that they had obtained it by hacking into the computer of an F.B.I. agent. The F.B.I. said it had no evidence that this was true.

The hacking group, known as AntiSec - a subset of the loose hacking collective known as Anonymous - posted copies of the file on Sunday and claimed to have a total of 12 million numbers for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch devices, along with some phone numbers and other personal data on their owners. They said their goal in releasing a slice of the data was to prove that the F.B.I. used device information to track people.

While the leaked identification numbers appeared to be real, security experts said the release posed little risk. They said that without more information on the devices' owners - like e-mail addresses or date of birth - it would be hard for someone to use the numbers to do harm.

And the actual source of the file was not clear. The F.B.I. said in a statement that "at this time there is no evidence indicating that an F.B.I. laptop was compromised or that the F.B.I. either sought or obtained this data."

The F.B.I. has been a frequent target of so-called hacktivists, hackers who attack for political causes rather than for profit. In February, Anonymous hackers intercepted a call between the bureau and Scotland Yard. But the frequency of such attacks tapered off after several members of Anonymous and a spinoff group, LulzSec, were arrested in March.

Apple's unique device identifiers - known as U.D.I.D.'s - are 40-character strings of letters and numbers assigned to Apple devices. Last year, Aldo Cortesi, a New Zealand security researcher, demonstrated how in some cases U.D.I.D.'s could be used in combination with other data to connect devices to their owners' online user names, e-mail addresses, locations and even Facebook profiles.

"A U.D.I.D. is just a jumble of digits," said Jim Fenton, the chief security officer of OneID. "It is only powerful when it is aggregated with other information."

Security experts said the identification numbers appeared legitimate, and one number in the file matched that of a New York Times employee's iPad. "The structure and format of the data indicates this is a real breach," said Rob Rachwald, director of security at Imperva, a computer security firm. An Apple spokesman did not respond to requests for comment.

The hackers released only U.D.I.D.'s, a separate Apple-specific identifier and the device names that owners give their devices, like "Lori's iPad." Only a few identifiers were tied to e-mail addresses, apparently because the device's owner chose to use an e-mail address when naming it.

Apple stopped letting app developers take advantage of device identifiers last year, to make it harder for marketers to track its customers as they moved from app to app.

The hackers claimed to have obtained the file from the computer of Christopher K. Stangl, a supervisory agent of the F.B.I.'s Cyber Action Team. In 2009, Mr. Stangl appeared in a Facebook promotional video titled "Wanted by the FBI: Cyber Security Experts" that encouraged hackers to get involved with the F.B.I.

He was also one of 44 law enforcement agents invited to participate in the F.B.I.-Scotland Yard conference call that hackers intercepted.

But security experts said the file could have come from a number of places.

"There are a million ways this could have happened," said Marcus Carey, a researcher at Rapid7. "Apple could have been breached.AT&T could have been breached. A video game maker could have been breached. The F.B.I. could have obtained the file while doing forensics on another data breach."

In their statement, the hackers said they would not grant any interviews about the breach until a reporter for Gawker, Adrian Chen, posed for his employer's site, for a full day, in a ballet tutu with a shoe on his head.

On Tuesday evening, Mr. Chen complied. "There's me in a tutu," he wrote in a blog post with accompanying photos. "Get used to it because it's going to be up until around 6:30 p.m. tomorrow."