For the Minds and Wills of Men~ Lone Star Book Blog Tour Book Trailer & Giveaway!

FOR THE MINDS

AND WILLS OF MEN

by

Jeff Lanier

Mystery / Art History

Publisher: Boyle & Dalton

Date of Publication: October 16, 2022

Number of Pages: 310 pages 

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A gripping, historical art mystery set in 1950s New York, For the Minds and Wills of Men is a story of art, love, and Cold War fear, suspicion, and betrayal.

MANHATTAN, 1953. Fear of communist subversion and espionage are tearing America apart. Abstract expressionism is on the verge of exploding, making New York the cultural epicenter of the world. While recovering a stolen Jackson Pollock for a wealthy client, art insurer Will Oxley falls for the client's daughter, Liz Bower, who leads him deep into the rebellious and seductive world of the abstract expressionist painters, their Village bar haunts and East Hampton binges. But when Will learns the painting-and Liz-may be hiding communist secrets better left hidden, he finds himself torn between exposing the girl he loves or risking his life by trusting her instead. Realizing nothing is as it seems, Will is caught between communist espionage, secret government programs, and the grip of cold war fear, suspicion, and betrayal where trust is all he has left...

With post-World War II New York, 1950s avant-garde art world, and the House Un-American Activities Committee hearings as background, the novel tells the story of abstract expressionism and mid-century American politics- through the thrilling search for a stolen Jackson Pollock.

PRAISE FOR FOR THE MINDS AND WILLS OF MEN

*2023 INDIEREADER AWARD WINNER: 1^ST PLACE FICTION*

"Lanier brilliantly evokes the energy and excitement of the New York art world in this Cold War thriller with an artistic twist. Along the way, he gives us fascinating insights into Abstract Expressionism and the power of art to communicate values and ideas." 

-Ross King, Acclaimed art historian and New York Times bestselling author of The Judgment of Paris, Brunelleschi's Dome, and Michelangelo and The Pope's Ceiling.  

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Jeff Lanier is an award-winning author. He earned bachelor’s degrees in history and art History at the University of Texas, Austin, with a focus on the History of American Culture through Art and Literature. He has a master’s from Rice University, is a member of the American Society of Aesthetics, and currently lives in Houston with his wife and three children. 

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GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!

ONE WINNER: 

Autographed hardcover copy of

For the Minds and Wills of Men

(US only; ends midnight, CDT, 8/4/23)

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Arctic Warriors ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Blog Tour Book Promo*

Arctic Warriors…a story about the struggle between the defenders of freedom and the forces of tyranny in America’s Northern most outpost.

The Bering Strait links the Arctic Ocean with the Bering Sea and separates the continents of Asia and North America. The U.S.-Russian boundary extends through the Strait. At the closest point 2.4 miles of open water separate the islands, thus the two greatest super powers on earth.

The importance as an invasion route is obvious. At the height of the cold war, the U.S. moved to block this invasion route by deploying naval, ground, and air defense commands throughout Alaska.

Eielson Air Force Base was a SAC facility located approximately 50 miles outside of Fairbanks, and some 200 miles from the U.S. border with the U.S.S.R. The fighters and B-52’s stationed there served to ‘check-mate’ those who would consider the Bering Strait as an invasion route.

The 562nd   Air Defense Artillery defended Eielson with a ring of five Nike Hercules sites. The missiles were armed with nuclear warheads.

​These nuclear birds were a constant target for espionage. Military Police Officers, trained in special tactics designed for the defense of nuclear weapons, were charged with the protection of these sites, and the personnel assigned to them. Their focus was singular, protect those nuclear warheads, and their methods were aggressive.  Still, the chain is only as strong as its weakest link.

​The Soviets recognized this and directed their efforts to breaking through the chain of defense. They flooded Fairbanks with spies, employing attractive women, who would prey on the lonely GI, gathering every scrap of information they could, in the effort to create a breach in the chain of security protecting our most effective weapons systems.

​ The author was a member of the Military Police Group that was assigned to the protection of the 562nd and it’s personnel. His novel, Arctic Warriors, is a fictional account of his experiences in this silent war between the world’s super-powers.  

The setting is Charlie Battery of the 562nd Air Defense Artillery, United States Army Alaska. The time is 1968-69.

J.B. opened his eyes as the slick slowed, banked left and began its descent. The doors and studded floor were covered in streaks of frost laid on by the ships dash through the frigid arctic air.

​The nose of the Huey lifted a bit as the pilot flared the ship. The doors slammed back and they jumped into the night, landing on foreign soil. Scanning the tree line they waited. Nothing; the insertion was undetected.

J.B. thought, ‘their forest is no different than ours, just across the strip of water separating us, yet for me and mine this one is filled with danger.’ He gathered the squad as the Huey raced away across the Bearing.

Now they were alone. Trespassers, come to kill or retrieve a traitor.

BUY LINK: AMAZON

Ken Bangs is a native Texan who grew up in the then small town of Plano. By the time he was ten years old he knew for a certainty that he wanted to spend his life as a police officer. Following high school graduation Ken joined the Dallas Police Department and was walking a beat in downtown Dallas at the age of 19.

Ken spent 35 years in law enforcement and public safety the last twenty five as the Director of Police and Security Services for the Plano ISD. After retirement Ken and his wife Trudy moved to a farm outside of New Boston Texas where they established a home for children who were in the care of the Texas Child Protective Services. For the next ten years they devoted their lives to these disadvantaged children. An ordained minister Ken also served as the Senior Pastor for Regions Christian Center in Texarkana.

A veteran of the United States Army Military Police Corps, Ken holds a B.S. in Criminal Justice, a M.S. in Human Relations and Business Management and a Doctorate of Ministry in Christian Counseling.

Ken and Trudy have been married 45 years and now live in McKinney, Texas.

More about Ken and his books here:

http://www.amazon.com/Ken-Bangs/e/B00KMEEQ8Q

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CHECK OUT THESE OTHER GREAT BLOGS ON THE TOUR:

Aug 30 - Because This is My Life, Y’all

Aug 31 - Hall Ways

Sept 1 - Books and Broomsticks

Sept 2 - Blogging for the Love of Authors and Their Books

Sept 3 - Texas Book-aholic

Sept 4 - Book Crazy Gals Blog

**NOTE FROM KRISTINE at HALL WAYS: This is a book promotion that I've agreed to post because this is a Texas author and the book sounds interesting and like something I would enjoy reading. I have NOT read the book. The content of this promo post was provided by Lone Star Literary Life Blog Tours.  If you're a Texas blogger interested in joining the ranks of Texas Book Blog Tours, contact Tabatha Pope.