Percivious Insomnia by J.J. Cook & A.J. Cook MD

An insomnia pandemic is sweeping the globe, leaving people unable to function and society on the brink of collapse…

Dr. Cooper Delaney believes he has the answer: Noctural, a new sleep-aid—one with absolutely no side-effects—which in early testing shows 100% effectiveness.

The only problem is, it doesn’t work. With no warning. No explanation.

Unable to accept the drug’s inexplicable failure and unwilling to concede to the competition, lines are crossed, ethical boundaries are pushed to the breaking point, and disturbing realizations come to light that could completely unravel civilization as we know it… and throw into question humanity’s place in the universe.

A jetset medical thriller meets sci-fi adventure with an unforgettable cast of characters, Percivious Insomnia presents an alternate history so compelling that it could possibly be true. The first book in the Percivious Trilogy from husband-wife author duo JJ Cook & AJ Cook, MD, Percivious Insomnia sets a unique and original course for fiction of the future, and paints a timely, prescient portrait of today’s globalized society… and what may exist beyond the realm of our current understanding.

 

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AUTHOR INTERVIEW

J.J. Cook & A.J. Cook

 

Behind the plot of Percivious Insomnia was a singular idea or more specifically a question. What would happen if someone or something could exploit your sleep hours for their own benefit? This question blossomed in a separate direction for each of us, likely from the beginning. For AJ Cook, the story was based in science fiction and for JJ Cook it involved exploring an idea never considered before and how it would impact people individually and society as a whole. In the first chapter the reader meets Dr. Cooper Delaney, a talented star at a leading pharmaceutical company. His place at the beginning of the novel is critical and his role is what fostered our first discussions about the storyline. What was at first a collection of ideas captured on paper, eventually became sentences, which were then fashioned into paragraphs, chapters and finally the novel itself.

 

Medical research is at the heart of the novel. AJ Cook’s expertise brought plausible medical science to life in what would otherwise be a story of strictly fiction. Both of us are life-long learners, always curious about the why behind the what, and the depth of the characters echoes this sentiment throughout this first book in the trilogy. Elements of science were added specifically to provide believable explanations for key elements such as the description of our ancient humanoid cousins as well as the plateau of our own evolution referred to as human pinnacle theory in the novel. As the story unfolded, the science gathered through our research continually lead and supported the story to the point where it became eerie as we found ourselves launching a novel about a pandemic in the midst of a real one.

 

Writing with a spouse, quite literally, is a double-edged sword; pushing for the very best from each other and simultaneously disagreeing about major facets of the plot certainly make for an interesting dialogue on many nights. What keeps us balanced is a genuine love for this story, the anticipation of where it will lead next and the exhilaration we both experience when making breakthroughs with the plot, the characters and the marriage of science and fiction. Nothing is more rewarding than creating paragraphs that scream to be believed despite not being true. Authoring something that could be possible is second only to writing those few sentences that refuse to be forgotten. The ones that stay in your head long after you have finished reading them, or writing them in our case. It is important to us both that we keep up the momentum in this next novel, the second in the trilogy, Percivious Origins. We want the reader to fall in love with a new cast of characters, a new setting and quite literally a new world that will be required to reach the depths of this story. The base line of the first novel was that question we mentioned – what if someone or something could exploit our sleep hours? In the second novel, the entire premise revolves around the exploitation of a prehistoric plant and how it changed the course history and the destiny of our ancient humanoid cousins. Percivious Origins will amplify our place within the environment and the importance of respect and stability between Homosapiens and nature.

The overarching theme of the trilogy remains intact, the definition of Percivious – the ultimate in altruism. Self-sacrifice in order to benefit others with no regard to reward or reciprocity. This is the soul of all three novels and is the true reason we as a couple are so dedicated and passionate about this adventure – about writing together. We quite literally could not have penned this novel without one another. Finishing each other’s thoughts and sentences have quite literally become, in our case – not only possible…but a dream come true.

 

www.perciviousinsomnia.com

Act Of Revenge: A Doc Brady Mystery by John Bishop MD



Plastic surgeon Lou Edwards’s life is complicated by two major issues.

One, his wife has lupus, possibly due to leaking silicone from breast implants Edwards himself inserted. And two, his malpractice insurance has been canceled, as it has been for many other plastic surgeons, due to the burgeoning breast implant problem.

But it gets worse.

Shortly after Edwards threatens an insurance company president on national TV, the president is found murdered in his penthouse.

Dr. Jim Bob Brady once again finds himself doing a bit of investigating, this time on behalf of a colleague. But how well does he know this colleague? Is the investigation worth the threat to Jim Bob’s own life? Will he discover that it was a burglary gone bad? A lover’s quarrel? Or is this an act of revenge?

 

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AN EXCERPT

 

Act of Revenge: A Medical Thriller
Chapter 2
by John Bishop, MD

 

Excerpted from Act of Revenge: A Doc Brady Mystery. Copyright © 2020 by John Bishop MD. All rights reserved. Published by Mantid Press.

 

Monday, February 10, 1997

 

JIM BOB! Jim Bob? Can you hear me?

I was stunned but not unconscious. My first concern was that I had sustained another head injury. I had been mugged a year and a half ago and had spent ten days in a coma after developing a subdural hematoma, a collection of blood between my brain and skull requiring surgery. The hair on my shaved head had taken seemingly forever to grow back out to a length and texture I could brush. I wasnt prepared to go through all that again.

 

Im okay, I think,I said to Mary Louise. She was kneeling down over me, skis off. Thanks for not being in front of me. I might have hit you, too. Wheres the guy I ran into?

 

Hes up the hill. Ill go check on him.And with that, she headed back up the slope.

 

Since I had landed face down in the snow, I used my corduroy cap to clean off my goggles and face in an attempt to see what was going on. I was partially buried in the foot-high drift, but when I assessed that my extremities were intact and my vision was relatively normal, I managed to turn myself around.

 

I sat up and saw my wife kneeling down over the man I had run into twenty yards behind me. One ski was off, and the other was twisted about 45 degrees, half-buried in the snow. Unfortunately, his leg was still attached to it. My skis had come undone, and God only knew where they had landed. Probably in someones condo.

 

I had heard of a ski accident that occurred on the same slope wherein a crash between two skiers had resulted in a lost ski sailing down the hill and crashing through a picture window into the living room of a residence. No one was hurt, at least in the home, but Im sure it gave them quite a start. And some decent kindling.

 

I abandoned my ski poles, which had still been attached to my wrists with their adjustable loops, and stepped up the hill to join Mary Louise and the unknown assailant. A thought crossed my mind that perhaps I was the unknown assailant. Whatever the situation, I hoped the man had experienced enough of a shock to render him an amnesiac but not unconscious or damaged.

 

Are you okay?Mary Louise was asking him repeatedly as I arrived on the scene. Several other skiers had gathered as well and had already placed their skis in the ground, tips up and crossed, the universal sign of an injury requiring the ski patrols attention.

 

The man was on his side. His eyes were open.

 

Listen,I said, Im a doctor. I need to check your pupils and your arms and legs. Dont be frightened. Okay?

 

He nodded.

His pupils reacted normally to light. I felt his neck.

Any pain here?I asked as I gently moved his cervical spine from side to side. Any numbness? Arms or legs?

He shook his head. My leg . . . killing me.

Im sure. Ill get down there in a minute.

The mans arms, chest, head, spine, and right leg all seemed to be in working order. It was time to address the crucial issue.

Listen,I explained, my name is Jim Brady. Im an orthopedic surgeon from Houston. I need to check out this left leg and try to decide if youve got a fracture in your femur or tibia or if youve got a knee ligament injury. I may not be able to tell, but Id like to try before the ski patrol arrives.Okay?

 

I dont want you to move it. Hurts too bad.

Well, the medic will have to move it to get you onto the stretcher. Your legs kind of twisted out at an angle. If I can figure out whats wrong, I may be able to make you more comfortable by moving it. Let me try.

 

He nodded. I gently felt his femur, the thigh bone, with both hands. No pain. Same with the tibia and fibula, the two bones connecting the knee to the ankle. When I felt his knee, however, even through his bulky, waterproof ski pants, I could feel the enlarged joint. He winced.

 

Its your knee, probably a ligament tear. If I can get your ski off andstraighten out the leg, youll feel a lot better. I want you to hang on for a minute.

 

Man, its killing me! Just leave it alone!

 

I paused, then slid down toward his boot release, had Mary Louise support the ski to minimize the torque, and unsnapped his boot from the binding. He moaned for a second, but I quickly untwisted the leg, brought it parallel to the other, and laid it down.

 

Damn it! I told you not tohuh. Feels better.

See,I said, you should have trusted me.

Sort of hard to trust a guy who runs you over, wouldnt you say?

I assumed amnesia wasnt going to be a problem for him.

Two members of the ski patrol arrived on separate snowmobiles pulling stretchers. One of them had probably been intended for me. I was glad to decline it. I helped the medics get my victim onto the stretcher and bind him down to minimize the shock of the journey to Snowmass Ski Clinic. I felt obligated to accompany them.

 

Are you by yourself? Is there anyone we can notify?Mary Louise asked. Ill be glad to make a call. Whatever you need.

 

Guess you better call my wife, tell her Im hurt. I hate to upset her,though.

 

Where are you staying?she asked him.

Wood Run Condos. Just down the hill. I was headed home.

So were we,Mary Louise said. Why dont I just run by there. Were at the Chamonix. Youre only a block or so away. How would that be?

 

He nodded and sort of smiled. Thatd be real nice, maam. Id appreciate

that.

 

She looked at him for a minute, waiting. I need your name and condo number,she said patiently, like a schoolteacher waiting for a third grader to figure out the times tables.

 

Oh, sure. Sorry. Im Lou Edwards. Her names Mimi. Were in 530 Wood Run. And thanks.

 

Its the least I can do,Mary Louise said, looking at me like she was very glad I was okay, but not happy that I had run over the poor man. I didnt blame her.

 


About the Author:

John Bishop MD is the author of Act of Revenge: A Doc Brady Mystery. Dr. Bishop has practiced orthopedic surgery in Houston, Texas, for 30 years. His Doc Brady medical thriller series is set in the changing environment of medicine in the 1990s. Drawing on his years of experience as a practicing surgeon, Bishop entertains readers using his unique insights into the medical world with all its challenges, intricacies, and complexities, while at the same time revealing the compassion and dedication of health care professionals. Dr. Bishop and his wife, Joan, reside in the Texas Hill Country. For more information, please visit:

John Bishop Author