Deadly Odds 9.0 Book Amplifier Tour by Allen Wyler

 

Some dangers announce themselves. Others remain hidden until it's too late. Deadly Odds 9.0 by Allen Wyler explores what happens when an experienced cyber detective realizes he has become the target of a patient enemy who understands exactly where to strike.

Synopsis:

Seattle cyber-detective Arnold Gold is finally beginning to enjoy a normal evening with Kara Winston when an unsettling feeling tells him something has changed. His instincts prove correct as Rashidi, a disciplined terrorist, quietly studies Arnold's life and focuses on the people and relationships that matter most to him. A disturbing attack aimed at Arnold's dog confirms that the threat is no longer theoretical.

As Arnold works alongside SAM, his sophisticated artificial intelligence system, the investigation uncovers increasingly dangerous cyber activity while turmoil grows inside Gold, Patel, and Associates. Personal loyalties are tested, professional alliances become strained, and every new discovery raises the stakes. To survive, Arnold must stay ahead of an adversary who is willing to exploit every weakness and every opportunity to bring him down.

CHAPTER 1—Seattle

 

Prickly spider tarsi skittered up Arnold Gold’s spine, causing his shoulders to scrunch together as the hair on the back of his neck became erect. Stopping in mid-sentence, he glanced over his left shoulder—as if he intuitively knew that was the only possible reason for such a strong sensation—but he only saw other diners and the familiar maître’d. Suddenly his eyes locked onto a darker skinned male hurrying toward the front door, the image triggering a sense of foreboding familiarity.

I know him.

Arnold stared at the space the man vacated as the visceral sense of danger subsided. Why did the fleeting image vise-grip his attention with a déjà vu familiarity and instinctive animal fear?

Did he know that person?

Naw, not possible.

Really?

Perhaps, but there needed to be a reason for such sphincterspasming sensations playing hide-and-seek with him these past few days?

“What’s wrong?” Kara asked, obviously alarmed.

Slowly he returned his attention to her. Overshadowed by the familiar restaurant clatter, the spine-scintillations faded like echoes in a canyon. Not just a passing glance—serious scrutiny. But like other episodes of the past few days, he’d seen nothing out of the ordinary when he looked.

He wasn’t just imagining them. They were as real as his right hand. Yet they continued to skitter in and out of consciousness, waxing and waning. His Spidey senses didn’t cry wolf often—they were damned canny.

“Arnold?”

After a quick headshake, he spoke.

“Naw, it’s nothing.” He instantly realized how insincere that sounded. “Really,” he added, and knew immediately he’d only made things worse.

Kara went through an exaggerated show of sniffing the air, then flashed a blatantly insincere smile before saying, “Smell that?”

Furrowing his brow, Arnold sniffed the air. “No. What are you talking about?”

“No? Really? Because I swear I smell bullshit.”

Poof. Just like that, the glow of his first honest-to-god date with Kara Winston evaporated.

As the background restaurant din settled heavily over their table, Arnold scrambled for words to salvage the evening, realizing that the longer he stayed mute, the deeper the hole got—and the harder it was to figure out what to say.

She gave a resigned sigh, then said, “Nothing? Seriously? You’re really a terrible liar, dude.”

Guilty as charged. It was precisely why he never played poker face to face—only online, where opponents could only see his cards.

Now what?

Tell her? Yeah, and sound totally whacko paranoid? Naw, that idea was a non-starter. And, as just proven, trying to bullshit wouldn’t fly. So, where did that leave him?

 

Bio:

Allen Wyler is a retired neurosurgeon who lives in Seattle. Visit him at his website.

I’m often asked why, as a retired surgeon, I write about hacking. Great question with a complicated answer. So here goes: In 1989 I read the book, Cuckoo’s Egg: Tracking a Spy through the Maze of Computer Espionage. At the time, the author, Clifford Stoll, was managing the computers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; machines that were loaded with classified material. This true story fascinated me so much that I wanted to write thrillers about hacking, but my literary agent told me that the subject would never work, that I needed to write medical thrillers instead since medicine was my credential. Which I did.  After publishing several, I wanted to change my subject matter to something radically different, so I switched publishers and wrote Changes, a story about the universal fantasy of being able to live one’s life over with one’s present fund of knowledge. Would we really do things differently and actually change our way of living, or would we be held hostage to our fundamental personality?

 

Breaking away from my designated genre was so satisfying that I then wrote Deadly Odds; a story about a young computer savant who idolizes Nate Silver, a statistician who uses readily available data to accurately predict the outcome of political races. In this case, my protagonist builds an artificial intelligence system that can pick winners of football and basketball games. Sort of like being in possession of the goose that lays golden eggs. His system is so successful that he supports himself with his winnings. But, you guessed it, professional gambling involves some pretty unsavory characters so when the wrong people take notice of this kid raking in the coin, it raises their eyebrows.

 

My agent loved it! He suggested I turn the character, Arnold Gold, and his  AI system into a series. Voila, the Deadly Odds series was born. Each series installment carries forth the same characters with all their personal baggage, but the stories themselves are self-contained, and can be read out of sequence without any loss of impact.

 Writing Process & Creativity

 

Where do you get your ideas?

 

Most spring up, usually unexpectedly, from day-to-day observations.

 

What sets your book apart from others in your genre?

 

I’m not aware of another series in this genre that incorporates technology with mystery in such an easily understood presentation as the Deadly Odds series does.

 

What helps you overcome writer’s block?

 

My blocks typically occur during the development phase of a plot instead of the fleshing out phase. When they happen, I don’t bang my head against the wall by continuing to write. Instead, I focus on something completely unrelated, such as my photography. Apparently my writer’s brain continues to mull over the issue because a solution invariably pops up. Typically,  these “Ah-Ha” moments materialize during long walks with my pooch through one of Seattle’s parks.

 

What’s your favorite compliment you’ve received as a writer?

 

“I couldn’t put it down!”

 

Your Writing Life

 

Do you write every day? What’s your schedule?

 

As a neurosurgeon, my life was, by necessity, seriously structured: up at 5:00, into the hospital, make rounds, change into scrubs, do my cases, then finish up what’s needed in the office. Being so regimented became such an ingrained part of me that that day-to-day structure slopped over into my writing life. I write every morning, right after my second cup of coffee. Or, at least, I try to. Some days are more successful than others.

 

Where do you write—home, coffee shop, train?

 

The mechanics of entering words into the computer take place at my desk, but my real writing—the creation of ideas and modifications--occur while walking my little Shib Inu through her favorite park, the University of Washington arboretum.

 

Any quirky writing rituals or must-have snacks?

 

A chip cookie with a cup of black coffee really helps, but that little make believe calorie Nazi perched on shoulder whispering in my ear keeps this from becoming a ritual. But even calorie Nazis take vacations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Behind the Book

 

Why did you choose this setting/topic?

 

Great question. My Deadly Odds series is set primarily in Seattle with a few of the earlier installments in Honolulu. So, the Seattle setting was obvious. Since I deal with technology, the story needed to be present day. In other words, the setting and topic seemed to simply fall into place.

 

If your book became a movie, who would star in it?

 

Ha! If lucky enough to sell the visual rights, I’d leave that up to the producers.

 

Which author(s) most inspired you?

 

Several authors do: John Sanford, Robert Cray, Michael Connelly, Don Winslow, Joseph Finder, and numerous others.

 

Fun & Lighthearted Qs

 

What’s your go-to comfort food?

 

Oh, man! I love several: BBQ Ribs, really good fried chicken with chunky potato salad, and Fran’s truffles (a local Seattle chocolate store). Oh, and don’t forget Talenti Salted Caramel Truffle Gelato.

 

 

If you could time-travel, where would you go?

 

Into the future 50 years to find out what happens to our country in this extraordinarily divisive time. Will our democracy survive? How severe will climate change become, and can we reverse it? I have so many questions with no clear idea where we’re headed.

 

Amazon: https://bit.ly/45kX9J0

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/254586876