The Challenge Ends with One Who Started It All

It’s fitting that the end of the A to Z blog tour features a character that started my career in writing as I feature the letter “Z” today and bring this fun month-long challenge to a close.

Lewferd E. Zerrmann is an unethical businessman, con artist, control freak and lowlife scoundrel. He is featured in my first novel, Lifetime Loser, and is the inspiration behind the story line.

Every appealing plot needs a good villain. Zerrmann more than adequately filled that role in my initial foray into writing. The master manipulator swindles an elderly widow out of her inherited property. He schemes to bring an unsuspecting young man into his web as a business partner--think of Tom Cruise in The Firm. By using references to the KKK and Hitler, he intimidates and stuns those who cross his path. Zerrmann successfully derails a government investigation and an IRS probe.

While Zerrmann's life might seem like an evildoer's dream, all is not rosy in his world. Some who are victimized have vengeance in their blood. Will Zermann get through his deeds unscathed? If not, how will he fall from his despicable heights?  Lifetime Loser is a book filled with intrigue, only part of which involves the memorable Lewferd E. Zerrmann. I hope that readers just discovering my work should enjoy my first novel, which is now in eBook format.

Who is your favorite villain that you've discovered on the pages of a book?


Thanks to all of those who have come along on the A to Z Blog Challenge and best wishes for a great May! 

James Ross 
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/ 
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/ 
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/ 
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey

The Whole of My Work

I am going to change gears today and instead of featured several characters in a blog post, I am going to use the letter "W" to feature the Whole library of my Written novels.

My first book was Lifetime Loser, which focuses on a character J Dub who must adjust his life goals when he falls just short of making the professional golf circuit. But, there are deeper and more sinister activities occurring throughout the pages of this book as well.  Criminal offenses and civil fraud occur as some small-time con men swindle an estate and steal a golf course. J Dub now has bigger problems than reflecting on one bad swing.

My second novel is Finish Line. To pay off an act of mischief, two teenage boys land a summer job on a golf course. There they come face-to-face with several middle-aged men who battle personal vices. However the biggest story here is the man who becomes these boys' mentor faces a struggle with cancer. In doing so, he teaches valuable life lessons about courage and a positive attitude.

Tuey’s Course is my third novel. A minority businessman is forced to deal with the power-hungry officials who work at City Hall and the consequences of this relationship are deadly.   I add some controversy by incorporating stereotypical dialect for several characters throughout the novel to demonstrate the differences we still perceive in one another.

Opur’s Blade, my fourth book, features a young prodigy. His golfing talent takes him from modest means to the pinnacle of golf’s grandest stage. Anyone who has been in the position of underdog will appreciate this journey.

In January of 2012 my fifth novel was released. Pabby’s Score features two autistic teens who visit Prairie Winds Golf Course on a regular basis so that they can develop some professional and relational skills. Unbeknownst to them a sinister undercurrent exists. Unethical lawyers, a corrupt court and a secret society swirl outside the confines of their foster home. An Internet dating site and online texting weave into the mix as well. Mysterious forces collide and lead to a dramatic conclusion.

James Ross 
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/ 
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/ 
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey

"Lifetime Loser" - About

About the Book:

For fifteen years on the outskirts of St. Louis, J. W. Schroeder (J Dub) ran a worn out golf course that sat high atop the Illinois bluffs of the Mississippi River. Then he learns that his partner had been skimming profits the entire time. But even worse, J Dub discovers that he was an unknowing participant in the swindle of an estate and that he was a victim of fraud.

J Dub is thrown into a civil justice system that is lengthy as well as costly to protect his family and correct an evil and sinister secret that had been withheld from him for years. The controlling partner, Lewferd E. Zerrmann, aligns himself with a dishonest attorney, a deceitful accountant, and a corrupt politician to derail a government investigation and an IRS audit. He survives title improprieties and outlasts an overzealous U. S. Attorney.

No one seems to be able to penetrate the isolated walls of Lew’s fortress until J Dub steps up and risks it all to fight for what is his. WHO SAID REAL LIFE WAS ANYTHING LIKE “THE GENTLEMAN’S GAME?”

BUY THE BOOK

A Supportive Spouse Can Make All the Difference

Maintaining a successful marriage is never easy. Stress over finances causes more than its share of heated discussions around the kitchen table. Raising children brings exhaustion and long hours of worry and guilt. Heck, simply putting two distinct personalities under the same roof is enough to result in some conflict from time to time. When one or both of the participants in a marriage is involved in a high-profile or demanding profession, the dynamics of the relationship can become even more delicate. In such instances, there is usually one spouse who needs to make more sacrifices or offer a position of unquestioned support. If this dedication is absent, the marriage will be on shaky ground.

Can you imagine what it must be like to be Michelle Obama or Laura Bush? Your husband holds the most powerful position in the entire world and deals with professional and professional criticism on a daily basis. The quality time that a president gets to spend with his family certainly is limited. As First Lady, you must be ready to greet dignitaries, travel the world, and present a beautiful picture of life in the White House. Or, in a field with lesser consequences of a global nature, what about the women who are married to professional athletes? Your husband is likely travelling half of the year and consumed with training or other obligations when at home. He runs the risk of injury every time he takes to the ice, the field, or the court. He is competing in a profession in which someone younger and stronger is always waiting to take his place. A wife of an athlete must always be ready to comfort bruised bones and bruised egos.

In my first novel, Lifetime Loser, J.W. Schroeder (known as J Dub) is aspiring to become one of the next members of the PGA Tour. His pregnant wife, Marcia, stands by his side through this grueling effort and all of the life decisions that follow. I believe that Marcia’s strength and softness provide a great example of the difference that a supportive spouse can make in the life of a hopeful golfer. I hope you will read Lifetime Loser and let me know what you think of Marcia and the role that she plays in J Dub’s happiness.

Review of ‘Lifetime Loser’

Review By:
Ladies on The Tee
A Golf Community for Women by Sherry Tabb
Website: http://www.sherrytabb.com/

First let me start by stating that I am in no way considered to be a book critic. However, I know what holds my interest and what does not. Having said that I recently had the opportunity to read, the James Ross book, Lifetime Loser. This book is the first in a series of 3 novels to date by Mr. Ross.

Lifetime Loser is a story about greed vs. honesty. Its backdrop is a golf course and there is a well woven plot that involves a naive golf professional, J.W. Schroeder and a very unscrupulous business man, Lew Zerrmann and his equally dishonest associates and acquaintances. Ross takes us on a journey that spans two decades and has enough twists and turns to keep you hanging on every word.

For me this book was as interesting a read as a John Grisham or Patricia Cornwell novel (two of my personal favorites). The character development was strong and effectual. The proverbial fight of good vs. evil plays well in this book especially with the focus on greed. It rings so true for today’s world. It is not until the end that you really find out what will happen. There are many surprises even at the end so don’t think you can figure out who wins. You’ll need to read the book.

The bottom line is that I ended up putting off some office work to finish this book. It is a real page turner, even if you are NOT a golf fan. I am anxious to begin reading the second of the series, Finish Line. But for now, I have to get back to my office chores. I may have to burn some ‘midnight oil’ tonight and get into the next story….

Recommendation: A hole-in-one!!

The Effect of Divorce on Children … Especially Teenage Boys

If you take a walk down the “Self-Help” aisle of the local bookstore during your next visit, you will find no shortage of text written on the difficult issues surrounding divorce and the children who are sometimes caught in the middle. There are books advising parents on just the right way to talk to their kids about the unavoidable split. Others share important information regarding the legal maze that can develop from child custody battles. And, there are thick tomes that reach out to adult children of divorced parents who are still grieving even though decades have passed since the split occurred. There are certainly instances in which divorce is unavoidable. Homes in which adultery, abuse, or some unbreakable chain to an addiction is evident are not beneficial for any member of a family. However, there is much documentation to prove that even the most justified of divorces can have negative effects on the kids who were brought into the union.

I strongly believe that an ideal home will have an involved and caring father present every day. We see the consequences of absent fathers in the news every day. In my second book, Finish Line, I share the story of Justin Ventimiglia and his best friend Keith Pucchio. Both of these teenage boys are in desperate need of discipline and positive male role models, as the men in their lives have either disappeared or appear only to vent life’s frustrations at innocent family members. Without a strong father figure guiding these young men, they find themselves getting into trouble with an unforgiving neighbor who threatens both legal and financial consequences. It takes the mentoring of Curt Schroeder, who allows both Justin and Keith to work at the Prairie Winds Golf Course for the summer, to change these teenagers’ attitudes and get them headed in the right direction. The story of Finish Line shows that one person’s positive influence can make all the difference in the world.

Please click here to purchase Finish Line or my other two books, Lifetime Loser and Tuey’s Course.

Interview with Michael Ray (Nationally Syndicated Radio Show)

Congrats goes out to Author James Ross

Author James Ross has an interview scheduled on Wednesday, March 18th a 9:00 PM CST.

Please visit www.DresserAfterDark.com to find out more information and be able to listen to the interview.

Hurricane Katrina Still Affecting Music in New Orleans

While Hurricane Katrina and the flooding that occurred in its aftermath occurred more than three and a half years ago, the effects are still being felt by many segments of the population in New Orleans. Some residents whose houses were completely destroyed by wind and water have established new lives in cities such as Houston, Nashville, and Memphis. If you drive down certain streets in the devastated Ward 9 area, you still will see condemned houses and debris. And, a city that long claimed one of the most vibrant communities of musicians and artists in the country is still working to reclaim the mantle of a top destination for the jazz and blues. Mardi Gras endures, to be sure, but some of the displaced musicians have yet to reunite or have been forced to find other occupations to make ends meet.

Musicians throughout the world banded together (no pun intended) to assist their fellow artists in the wake of the natural disaster. Organizations that were established to promote music education shared their time and money to rebuild music in schools and in local clubs. Harry Connick, Jr. and Branford Marsalis worked together to create Musicians’ Village, a community of new homes that helped musicians stay in New Orleans instead of relocating to another city. Classical musicians opened up their symphony halls for donations to their jazz counterparts.

In my second novel, Finish Line, readers are introduced to a character who was an acclaimed musician in New Orleans, but forced to flee after the hurricane. Tyrone Munroe, who received the nickname Bowtye from the regulars at the Prairie Winds Golf Course, moved to St. Louis and found himself tending to the needs of players in the clubhouse in order to pay the bills. His musical talents are revealed, however, when some of the Prairie Winds regulars find themselves on a casino boat with Bowtye as the featured entertainment.

To learn more about Bowtye and the other memorable characters in Finish Line, please check out my new book. And, be sure to read Lifetime Loser and Tuey’s Course for more stories involving the Prairie Winds Golf Course.
Finish Line for the previous stories involving the Prairie Winds Golf Course.

Do You Have What It Takes to Qualify for the PGA Tour?

In order to earn the title of “professional” in most fields, there is a series of steps that one must complete. If you want to be a lawyer, you must first graduate with strong marks from an accredited law school and then pass the bar exam. If you expect someone to trust you with a scalpel in an operating room, I hope that you plan to take good notes in medical school, pass your board exams, and undergo the exhausting experience known as your residency. What if your dream is to make a living as a professional golf player? There are certainly worse ways out there to earn a buck! One way to earn the right to list “golf” as your primary source of income is to complete in the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament, also known as the “Q-School.”

The Q-School is divided into several stages that are held throughout the autumn months. The competitors who place in the top 25 at the end of the final stage earn PGA Tour cards for the following year. Thousands of men start this process every year, so those who make the final cut certainly have completed a very difficult task. And, before you request the paperwork for the 2009 edition of Q-School, make sure you have the $5000 entry fee ready for submission. No … it’s not refundable.

My first novel, Lifetime Loser, opens with J.W. Schroeder (known as J Dub) playing the last holes of Q-School that, if he plays like he is capable, will land him one of the coveted spots on the PGA Tour. When one ill-fated shot brings all of his dreams of professional golf crashing down around him, J Dub’s life takes a turn that he certainly never could have expected. Through the pages of Lifetime Loser, readers will follow J Dub through the next twenty-three years of his life and meet an unforgettable cast of characters, many of whom continue to have a presence in my subsequent novels.

I hope you will take some time to meet J Dub and his family in Lifetime Loser and then stick with him and his life on Prairie Winds Golf Course for my other two novels, Finish Line and Tuey’s Course.

Celebrities Heighten the Public’s Interest in Golf

Walk onto any golf course in the world and you will find the perfect environment on which to make wonderful sociological observations. You may find the group of young professionals who drink a few too many beers and talk about their wild weekend nights. There will be the foursome of retired gentlemen who complain about the City Council and the ridiculous property tax hike it just passed. You may even spot a few dads walking the course with their young sons and daughters in hopes that a passion for the game of golf will be passed down to the next generation. But, what group is becoming an increasingly common sight on many of the nation’s premier golf courses? Celebrities! Perhaps you will not find Bill Murray or Jack Nicholson carrying their clubs around the Prairie Winds Golf Course that provides the backdrop in my novels, but their love for golf has certainly raised the sport’s profile among the general population.

Need proof that celebrities have increased interest in golf? The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am attracted more than 4.3 million viewers in 2007, more than all but two other golf tournaments up to that point in the season even though it is a minor tournament. The reason for the high ratings is the interest in the celebrities who participate. Golf Digest now publishes an annual list of Hollywood’s Top 100 Golfers. We are not only interested in the dating habits and latest diets of celebrities … we also want to know their handicap!

Politicians have a long history of adding their own brand of celebrity to the golf course. Presidents George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Gerald Ford, Dwight Eisenhower and others are known for their use of a few hours on the golf course as a way of releasing stress that comes with the most powerful office in the world. As President Clinton once said, "The great thing about golf is that even the bad days are wonderful." Our new president is known to relax on the basketball court instead of the golf course, so perhaps my beloved sport of choice will not have the spotlight for the next few years.

The fictional Prairie Winds Golf Course serves as the stage on which my characters share the details of their lives. They may not be celebrities, but their stories are still fascinating and have much to offer the readers.

Please visit my website to learn more about all three of my books. I hope you will read Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, and Tuey’s Course and then let me know what you think!