Join our list
Join our mailing list!

Over the last 30 days I have been threatened. My name and address have been put on bloggs. Photos of my home, my private phone numbers, even personal e-mails have been made public! Phone calls at 4 AM! All because a faction of very nasty people fear what could happen if The SHELL GAME succeeds.

THE SHELL GAME is the most important book I will ever write. It gave me trepidation and nightmares over two and a half years of writing and research. It accelerated my Parkinsons. To get it published, I had to abandon the big publishing houses, and, in doing so, have risked my career. The novel deals with the next 9/11 a false flag event designed to create another rush to war - this time in Iran. Should the book be a big best seller, it will scare quite a few people in Washington. It should scare YOU! At the same time, everyone needs to read it.

Because so much is at stake, I offered a new CHARACTER CONTEST last month one where as little as ten minutes worth of work could net the participant a character in my next book or the novel of their choosing. Spread a few links around and you can win. Easy, right?

The response has been incredibly disappointing. In fact, not even enough people entered to fill the character needs in a short story!

Guys, this is not about money. It is about making the public aware of something terrible coming down the pike. It's the equivalent of someone you trust warning you on 9/10/01 not to be in New York the next day. Controversial? Yes. A page-turner? Guaranteed.

IT MUST SUCCEED! But I need your help.

1. Call your local bookstore and make sure they have copies.
2. Buy as many as you can afford. Use them as gifts. These first editions are special. Special covers. Special looks. The second editions are already being printed.
3. Send an e-mail to everyone you know to look at the two 90 second book trailers at http://youtube.com/theshellgame
4. Spread the word anyway you can. When you read the book, you'll realize exactly what's at stake.

Like it or not, YOU are part of the book. Please become part of the solution.

CHARACTER CONTEST: TOP TEN READERS so far…
1) James Gelet 2) Nichole Garcia 3) Jerammie Wright 4) Shawn Ray Dalinky 5) Leslie Manual 6) Gary Groves 7) Caree Crossman 8) Rosanne Dunlap 9) Sarah Rose 10) Jennie Backman

CHARACTER CONTEST: JANUARY 1, 2008 - MARCH 31, 2008
The TOP 60 readers who spread THE SHELL GAME book trailers around the internet (cumulative views) will be characters in a future Alten novel of their choice.

CONTEST RULES:

There are 2 book trailers. The top 60 people responsible for spreading them around the internet will be characters.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cut and paste the video link anywhere and everywhere. Blogs, websites, newsgroups, book clubs, anywhere as many times as you want! Embed the video code into your webpage and The Shell Game video will play on your site. (The video is hosted on another server so this is not bogging down your server) People can tell friends about the video from your site and an email goes out telling them to come to your site to view the video. So while you are helping us "Spread the Word" you are also bringing traffic to your website!

2. Send your efforts to my webmaster at shellgame36@yahoo.com . She'll keep a running tally of all of your views and hits COMBINED.

See videos and get embed code...

LIVING TIPS: Keep your problems in perspective.
In 2006, after leaving from his workplace on his drive home to see his family, Doug Dvorak came upon an accident on a highway. Being a good Samaritan, Doug left his car to check on the injured couple, then returned to his vehicle-and was struck by another car traveling 50 mph! Doug's life hung in the balance for many weeks. His wife contacted me with updates, I made him a character in THE SHELL GAME. Doug survived. Here is a running tally of his injuries and surgeries:

From toe to head: Broken toe (#5 Metatarsal to Phalanges) left foot. Three inch Traumatic Compound Fracture of left lower leg; 3" was gone (Fibula and Tibia.) Replaced with two metal rods knee (Patella) to ankle (Tarsal) and four pins, bone taken out of left thigh (Pectoral) ground out and added to form missing bone, muscle taken from reverse side of left leg (behind Fibula and Tibia,) skin taken from upper front side of left leg (Humorous portion.) Right leg was involved in stroke during three month hospital stay period, which made it numb from pelvis down to toes (Phalanges.) Bruising. Right and left legs and feet. Road rash right leg. Cane used in left hand, braces worn on right and left leg - metatarsals to just below the patella, open at the back of both feet (Tarsal area) for flexibility. Broken right pelvic (Coxal.) Break was from the Anterior Inferior Iliac Spine to the Greater Sciatic Notch. Overloaded gastro intestinal region, upper stomach and colon. Gallbladder removed. Broken right lower back approximately at the beltline area (Lumbar vertebrae) and upper back portion between the shoulder bones (Scapula, Thoracic vertebrae.) Superior endplate fractures L9, L11 and L12. Broken T4 and T5. Traumatic multiple fractured upper right arm (Femoral bone,) sixteen pins added to hold together. Perilunar dislocation at the left wrist. Bruising. Right arm under femoral. Broken shoulder (Clavicle.) Broken jaw, left bottom single break (Mandible) running through oral, right single break through upper and lower jaw bone (Maxilla and Mandible) and oral. Resulting in a dual oral crown (Porcelain Fused to High Noble Me.) on bottom left side, one root canal (Molar Endodontic Therapy) on bottom right side and a dual oral crown(Porcelain Fused to High Noble Me.) on top right side. Taste (Gustatory.) Approximately ten seconds at a time Doug can taste anything, and then taste is gone. Smell (Olfactory.) Approximately thirty-five seconds at a time Doug can smell anything, and then smell goes away. Ventilator used from 11/28/2005 thru */*/2006. Vision is dependent on headache/migraine status (0- 10 headache, 11-20 migraine.) With a headache nothing happens, but with a migraine it starts closing down in a tunnel fashion until a 20 (then Doug just passes out.) Glasses now worn on a regular basis. Broken zygomatic bone. Traumatic Brain Injury. Brain (Cerebral - closed head injury) injury, 4.5" long x 2.5" tall x 1" deep. Gone (Frontal, Parietal and Temporal lobe.) Camino external ventricular drain -front and back (between Frontal and Parietal in the Coronal Suture on the front and between Parietal and Occipital in the Lambdoidal Suture on the back,) cannulated on skull to remove any pressure and blood (Intracranial Hematoma) caused by brain injury. Caused lose of memory and speaking problems. Most traumatic of all injuries. In/Out tubing placed on stomach and lungs. Eating and draining of system (Gastronomy), and breathing of body (Tracheostomy.)

Doug and his wife divorced, though they remain good friends. His biggest challenge now, as his body continues to mend, is feeling useful. He's a good Samaritan who still wants to help people.

Let's help Doug! Send him an e-mail at gsdougdvorak@yahoo.com You'll be a good Samaritan too!

Retraction from last LIVING TIPS
Snopes reports the Aspartame poisoning in diet sodas was not legit however enough readers and physicians have given the subject validity that we decided to report it. Your call. I think it warrants concern.

MEG MOVIE:
No updates to report. Hopefully in March, along with the pub date for MEG: Hell's Aquarium!

Steve Alten / SHELL GAME TOUR SCHEDULE
Click below to see a schedule of my appearances.

See Appearances...