Gina Rae Mitchell

Betrayal at the Border by Mark M. Bello | Q&A with the Author, $25 Giveaway, Excerpt 

A book blog tour from Goddess Fish Promotions.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Marianne & Judy at Goddess Fish for providing me with the information for this tour.

Book Details

Betrayal at the Border by Mark M. Bello
Series: Zachary Blake Legal Thriller #7
Published by 8Grand Publications on 10/11/2021
Genres: Fiction, Political, Thriller
Format: eBook, Paperback
Pages: 325

In Betrayal at the Border, attorney Zachary Blake returns to tackle two cases that strike at the heart of our nation's contentious immigration debate.

In Riverview, Michigan, undocumented immigrants Miguel and Mary Carmen Gonzalez are determined to realize the American dream. They find jobs at a local filler plant, have children, and lead an all-American life, that is until ICE raids their plant . . .

Canan and Karim Izady are naturalized citizens of the United States. They have immigrated legally from Kurdistan and have an American born daughter, Hana. Unable to persuade her mother to follow the young family to America, Canan and Hana travel to an ISIS hotbed so the child may meet her grandmother for the first time. With the war over, what could possibly go wrong?

Two unique immigrant families, two uniquely dangerous consequences of America’s dysfunctional immigration system. Enter Zachary Blake, superstar lawyer.

But, for the first time in a long time, Blake is out of his element—immigration law calls for the expertise of his specialist/partner, Marshall Mann. Together, two extraordinary lawyers take on a terrorist network and a broken immigration system. And master investigator Micah Love returns, racing against the clock to prevent tragic circumstances. In our politically charged, anti-immigrant international climate, will a Hail Mary be their only move?

Award-winning legal thriller author, Mark M. Bello, pits our nation's broken immigration system against important human and social justice rights issues, spinning a tale that shines a bright light on the everyday fears of immigrants all over these United States. Can Blake, Mann, and Love prevent a Betrayal at the Border?

 

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Excerpt from Betrayal at the Border

The Gonzalez children were both born in Lincoln Park. The city was a part of the Downriver Community, southwest of Detroit. Their little three-bedroom bungalow was the only home they had ever known. In a city of approximately 37,000, only 20% were of Latino descent, nearly a 50% increase since 2010.

Emma and Emilio’s parents, Mary Carmen and Miguel Gonzalez, immigrated to Lincoln Park in 2011 when Mary Carmen was pregnant with Emma. Papa found a job, mixing compounds at an adhesive and filler plant in nearby Riverview. Emma was born soon after her parents moved into the house. Two years later, her little brother was born.

When they were old enough to be placed in daycare, Mama secured a job at the same filler plant as her father. The two siblings depended on each other. They were attached at the hip until Emma was old enough to go to Kindergarten. It was a very traumatic time for Emilio. He started behaving as if his sister died.

Emma promised to play with him after school, but Emilio carried on to the point where Emma pushed back and refused to go to school. Promises of candy and ice cream after Mama got home from work finally persuaded both children to go separate ways. As time went on, they adapted to the new routine.

Two years later, Emilio started Kindergarten, and all was forgotten—the siblings were reunited at Raupp Elementary School. Both children spoke fluent Spanish and English and did well in school. The children were now entering fourth and second grade, respectively, and thriving.

The Gonzalez children made friends easily and were well-liked in the school. Emma and Emilio were Americans. Although Mama taught them Venezuelan games and customs and tried to convey a sense of their Latino heritage, the kids had experienced life in no other country but America. They spoke fluent English, celebrated the Fourth of July and Thanksgiving, and proudly recited the Pledge of Allegiance. Emma collected dolls while Emilio collected baseball cards—he worshipped Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers and treasured his 2012 Cabrera Triple Crown card. Emma and Emilio did everything other American children did.

Their parents were determined to raise them in America, with American values and an American education. They dreamt of a better life, with higher education and, perhaps, affluence for their children. But these dreams were clouded by a secret reality—the Gonzalez family, as ‘American’ as they appeared, protected an important family secret, far more important than the Frozen game. This one could derail all of their dreams.

Emma and Emilio were taught to be careful and quiet, even though they didn’t understand why this was a big deal. But they knew Mama and Papa feared their secret would one day be discovered. Their parents’ fear was so intense; Emma and Emilio were frightened too.

Emma was conflicted. Mama once taught her that telling and keeping secrets was bad. She shouldn’t tease her little brother by telling him she knew something he didn’t know. She shouldn’t keep things from her friends, and, most of all, she shouldn’t keep any secrets from Mama and Papa. So, why was this secret okay?

Mama carefully explained the delicate situation to her children: She and Miguel came into the country legally but stayed longer than they were welcome. As a result, Mama and Papa were not citizens and did not have the protection some of their friends’ parents had. They could be picked up by the police at any time, put in jail, and even sent back to Venezuela, where conditions were terrible, especially for people who ran away and were later returned by government mandate. It didn’t matter if their minor children were citizens. If the family secret were discovered, her mother decried, it could mean hasta la vista, forever.

The threat of permanent separation from her parents terrified Emma. A secret preventing her from losing them, perhaps forever, was one worth keeping. Emilio was too young to understand, but Emma made him pinky swear to silence.

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Purchase Links for Betrayal at the Border

Amazon     Bookshop/IndieBound

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Q&A with the Author

How long have you been writing?

I began my first novel at the turn of the century. I handled a clergy abuse case in the early 1980’s and promised myself I would one day write a book about the experience. I still had a busy practice at the time; I would pick it up and put it down for long periods of time. Finally, as I began to retire in 2016, I picked it up again, wrote in earnest, and the result is my first novel, Betrayal of Faith

How do you choose your character names?

Names of friends or family, names pulled out of thin air.

What inspired you to write in this genre?

I practiced in this field; it felt natural to write about. My political slant has caused me to create my own little sub-genre; rather than using the typical “legal thriller” genre to describe my work, I prefer “social justice legal thriller,” so people know there is a particular message being delivered beyond compelling entertainment.

If an author fictionalized your life, in which genre would the story belong?

An author has fictionalized my life. My Zachary Blake social justice legal thrillers are fictionalized, embellished versions of cases I have handled or could have handled in my long, legal career. Parts of me and other lawyers I admire can be found in the rather complex character that is Zachary Blake.

Do you have a set writing schedule?

I do not. I tend to write in fits and spurts, probably more in the morning than at night. I spend Spring and Summer in Michigan, late Fall and Winter in Florida. I have “writing offices” in both residences, and I prefer to write at my desk in both places.

Do you need silence to write, or can you work in any environment?

I prefer to write without distraction. When you have a wife, 4 children, nine grandchildren (and 4 grand-dogs) that is not always possible.

If you could set up your perfect writing scenario, what would it involve?

I’m very happy with the writing scenario that I have. I love having a large family to distract me, even though it might be annoying at the moment of the distraction.

What is your most unusual writing quirk?

I really don’t think I have one, unless you think that long gaps between “spurts” is unusual. Sometimes the flow or inspiration just isn’t there.

Do you usually arrive early, on time, or late?

Usually on time, sometimes late, rarely early.

If you could form the ultimate writer’s group, which authors past or present would you invite to join you?

Harper Lee, Erle Stanley Gardner, Jerome Lawrence, John Grisham, Scott Turow, Scott Pratt, Michael Connelly, Robert Traver, Herman Wouk, E.L. Doctorow, Ian McEwan, and many, many more. This would be a very LARGE group.

Do you have a favorite snack or beverage while you are writing?

I don’t typically snack when I write. If I’m hungry, I break for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, depending upon the time of day.

Which three words best describe you?

Compassionate. Driven. Friend

Is there anything you would like my readers to know about you and your book?

My novels are a reflection of our time, and depict how I would like to see the justice system respond to the important issues of the day.

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I love my Amazon Kindle Unlimited Subscription. So many books, so little time!

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Giveaway!

Mark M. Bello will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Visit more stops on this Goddess Fish tour for extra chances to win!

Full Tour Schedule:

November 15: Viviana MacKade
November 16: The Avid Reader
November 17: Our Town Book Reviews
November 18: Rogue’s Angels
November 19: Hope, Dreams, Life…Love
November 22: The Faerie Review
November 23: Author C.A.Milson
November 24: Jazzy Book Reviews
November 26: Harlie’s Books
November 26: Literary Gold
November 29: The Obsessed Reader
November 30: Novels Alive
December 1: Long and Short Reviews
December 3: Fabulous and Brunette
December 6: Sandra’s Book Club
December 7: Straight From the Library
December 8: Don’t Judge, Read
December 8: Westveil Publishing
December 9: Gina Rae Mitchell
December 9: Novels Alive – review only
December 10: All the Ups and Downs

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Purchase Betrayal at the Border online from a local book store.

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