Five Days to Launch!

by Jamie Freveletti

I'm launching my third book in five days! I'm also emerging from the flu --just in time to tour. The advance reviews for the book have been wonderful, but I knew that would happen because I had the inside track: an editor that told me "I stayed up late because I had to finish this book." She's been in the business for a long time and reads constantly, so this praise let me know that it would review well.

In The Ninth Day, Emma is in the Arizona desert looking for night blooming plants and working on the side for Darkview, a contract security agency. She's asked to watch for human trafficking activity over the border, and since much of it occurs in the desert she's in a perfect position to find it. She's eventually captured by a coyote and dragged across the border to Ciudad Juarez and the compound of a cartel leader with a big problem: his marijuana fields are rotting with a strange disease. Worse, the disease transfers to humans and his girlfriend has contracted it. He believes the American herbicide dusting planes have killed his fields and he prepares to transport the diseased plants throughout the US. He also gives Emma an ultimatum, cure the disease in nine days or die.

I've heard the recent Mexican cartel activity described as "the war next door" and the comment couldn't be more accurate. Much of what I write about in my books involve actual diseases, cures and events and this book is the same. What is shocking is the level of crime in Mexico and the rate at which it is accelerating.

As for the disease, (which I won't reveal as it would be a spoiler) I was researching something and developed a hypothesis from clinical reports. There I was, eating breakfast and reading the Chicago Tribune in June and lo and behold an article about a recent clinical study that confirmed my idea was published. One of those moments when you think that reading really does pay off--at least reading clinical studies-we all know that reading in general is one of the best things to do!

I'm heading out on tour and really excited as well. I'm touring with the fantastic Wendy Corsi Staub! She's an New York Times bestselling author and funny, charming person. I hope to blog here during the tour and hope to upload some photos. Generally I'm not a photo taker, but I vow that this time I will. (I hope).

I posted our tour locations on the web page, but it will include: Buffalo, Dunkirk (New York) Chicago and suburbs, Milwaukee, Houston, Katy, Phoenix, Tempe, and the eastern coast of Florida starting in Lady Lake through Vero Beach, Cocoa Beach, Mt Dora, Stuart, Deerfield Beach and ending in Boca Raton.

I hope you enjoy the book, and if you have a chance to stop by at a signing I'd love to see you!

Best Regards, Jamie