Day Two: Worlds of Wonder Blog Hop
It's day two of the Worlds of Wonder blog hop and today we're giving you an insider view or our hero Jordan Pierce.
Welcome listeners to WCHI Radio’s home-front heroes interview with Jordon Pierce.
That’s an interesting name. Tell me about that.
My father is from Boston where there Pierce family. My mother’s maiden name was Jordon. It’s an old Southern family name from before the civil war.
Your mother is from the south and father from the north?
Yep.
How did they meet?
My father was in the Army stationed in Atlanta when they met. The South was still rebellious back then, so my father and mother had to elope and move to Chicago. I must have heard that story a hundred times.
What did he do for a living?
He worked in a slaughterhouse. He’d come home stinking of blood and bodily fluids. He hated that job, but his family wouldn't take him in with a southern wife, and her family wouldn’t give her a dime even though they were well to do plantation owners.
Even after all that, your father gave you her family name.He didn’t hold a grudge. Never did. I was bitter for years, but now her family is gone, except a couple of cousins. My father died a while I was in the Army and my mother moved back with them. I send her money, but she sends it back.
Do you have any brothers or sisters?
None that survived.
Are you married or divorced?
Neither. I’ve been busy and a cop’s life is no good for wives and family. I didn’t really know any cop who had a good home-life apart from newlyweds. I had a girl once, but she couldn't marry a cop.
Perhaps she will read this.
Small chance of that. She doesn’t get the Trib.
So you were a cop. Why did you quit?
I was a detective. The best, but I caught this bad case of insomnia and then I’d drop asleep at the drop of a hat in the day. I couldn’t stand it.
What did your doctor say?
He gave me a physical and said it was stress related. Stupidest thing I ever heard. With the war in Europe and rationing here, everyone is stressed. I thought it was a joke until I drove past the slaughterhouse where my dad had worked and I got so sick from the smell, I blacked out. I woke up in the alley, sitting in my own vomit and holding a carcass of a dead rat that had been drained of blood.
Good grief. What did you do?
I quit my job.
And that was the answer?
No, that only made me feel worse, but America had a war to win, and I knew from my work at the precinct that there was war-related metallurgical research going on under the stands at Chicago University’s Stagg Field. I figured they would need night security, so I applied. It was a perfect fit. I slept during the day and was up all night anyway.
How do you like the new job?
I like it a lot. I’m around a lot of brilliant scientists. I’ve learned a lot just by roaming around, eavesdropping on technical conversations and reading equations and diagrams on blackboards.
But it’s only metallurgical work. It’s not rocket science.
That’s what they tell everyone, but it’s more fascinating than that. Besides, you don’t think they use metals on rockets?
I suppose they do. So this is for the war effort?
Most definitely.
There must be a lot to be very satisfying. Were you in the military?
I was in the big war. I have a purple heart, learned enforcement, and come home to join The Force. Chicago was rife with crime, corruption and bootlegging at the time.
Your job must be pretty boring compared to what it was back then.
It was until recently.
What happened?
I’ve been ordered not to talk about it, but something terrible happened to one of our scientists and I suspect one of our women scientists is involved, somehow.
Well, I suppose scientists are people too. That kind of thing must happen a lot.
Not this, no, sir. This is dad. Real bad. And, to make things worse, I think I’m falling for this woman.
OUR GIVEAWAY
For every day of the hop we are giving away a digital copy of Chain Reaction, the first book in the Phenom League. A winner will be chosen every day, so you must visit our blog and make a post on the specific day to be eligible for that day's prize.
For love of country and a woman, Jordan Pierce must sacrifice his humanity.
Former Chicago Detective Jordan Pierce put his life on hold in order to protect America's secret weapon against the Nazis; The Manhattan Project. But he can't protect himself against the disease eating away at his humanity. Jordan discovers how much of his soul this infection has devoured when he falls in love with the woman who could destroy America. Choosing her, means choosing the monster he's becoming, making him the most powerful man he's ever known.
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NOW FOR THE HOP PRIZES
We're giving away two grand prizes: a bundle of eBooks and a $50 gift card to Amazon or the Book Depository (winners choice). You will also be entered to win one of the seven authors' books.
ENTER HERE FOR THE HOP PRIZES Rafflecopter Giveaway
Now be sure to visit the other authors today and get a peek at their wonderful books and win more great prizes.
Paul West - Author Interview
D.A. Adams - Book Review Quotes or blog post about your books world
Suzanne van Rooyen - Excerpt #1
Kimberly Comeau - Character Interview #2
Stephen Zimmer - Excerpt #2
