Author: Bill Relf

Publisher: Dog Ear Publishing

Published: 2018-04-03

Total Pages: 528

ISBN-13: 1457557843

“Dr. Relf turns a breadth of knowledge into an intricate novel.” (DP Review) “Brisk and entertaining, Thoughts of Empire brings to life a high stakes world filled with lethal threats, geopolitical conspiracies, and boardroom scheming.” (Foreward Reviews) As a public speaker, Cameron Ash, “Cash,” advocates a controversial foreign policy that should be read by the American President. Angered by the speech, a Middle Eastern government sends an assassin after Cash. After the recent loss of his wife and children in a mysterious plane crash, Cash takes over as president of Lone Pine Technologies in Colorado. He cleans house, uncovers accounting fraud, and grows the company through acquisitions. Cash encounters an Iranian industrial espionage effort within his company, run by the ‘Ghostman,’ who is known for his elimination of Iranian dissidents in Europe. Haunted by the failure to protect his family, he emerges from despair and rebuilds his life. He finds love with a beautiful Israeli scientist. Cash faces constant peril. His quest for truth through a tangled geopolitical web makes him a target, to the point where Cash buys a hotel and builds a rooftop fortress to protect himself. To Cash’s great surprise, clues surface which hint that his ex-father-in-law may be organizing an effort to take over the White House. He also discovers a world-shaking move in the Middle East that could bring war and political realignments. Wondering what tragedies will hit him next, Cash bulldozes into the unknown. Experiences can entertain and inspire. I want to provide unforgettable characters, and actions that challenge the mind and tug the heart. Hidden truths travel openly in fiction. Years of living and travelling in Southeast Asia, China, Iran, and Europe provide a backdrop for Cash, as he struggles with the interplay of geopolitics, business, and religion on the global stage. My active participation in politics, including managing a Congressional campaign, supports Cash’s political instincts. Twenty-five years of owning manufacturing and consulting businesses bring realism to Cash’s business adventures. University degrees in international politics, business, and theology, plus years of university teaching, support Cash’s strategies. Cash’s involvement in today’s political turmoil leads to a surprising story. Some unsettling realities and forecasts are a part of this novel. Dr. Relf also wrote “The Iranian Connection,” another novel starring Cash. He and his wife, Virginia, live somewhere in California.