The Big Deal by Howard Jenkins

About the book

Womanizing executive Paul Langley, while courting an office romance with fellow executive, Maureen, meets Vivian Davis, a sexy redhead on the internet while playing Texas Hold'em. Langley finds himself falling in love with Vivian and listening to her mob related, ex-boyfriend's plan to pull off a multi-million-dollar heist while they participate in a poker tournament in Las Vegas at which the cash will be on display.

Exciting sex turns into a showdown with the underworld while Langley is brought face to face with the unfamiliar man he has become (honest with his women) and his new desire to protect Vivian from herself and the would be thieves. Langley successfully foils the plot and he and Vivian become married full time poker players.

About the author

Howard Jenkins has had a varied career, in corporate America performing senior executive management of procurement, contract administration, manufacturing, and information technology in industries as varied as Aerospace and Defense, commercial aircraft manufacturing, software and the restaurant business. Career changes moved him from California, to Puerto Rico, to Minnesota, to Arizona, to Kansas, to Colorado and finally to Las Vegas. A willing and capable public speaker, Jenkins has written several columns for technology magazines as well as several corporate position papers and major project management "how-to" manuals. Jenkins retired from corporate life in early 2004 to follow his dream of writing novels. HIs first book, The Big Deal to some extent followed the writing advice, "write about what you know."

Born in Harrow, England during the London "blitz," his parents immigrated to the U.S. when Howard was just five shortly after the war. He, his older sister, and younger brother were quickly immersed into the culture of Southern California, but their parents reminded them of their English/Welch heritage on a daily basis.

Howard has two sons, and a daughter, arriving when he was very young, and two grandchildren all in California. His new grown stepson lives in Arizona. Howard, after three previous attempts finally got it right and was married in October 2005, to the former Lynda Schaefer on their tenth happy anniversary of their original meeting. Lynda and Howard love Las Vegas.

Jenkins, in addition to writing, still consults occasionally and has helped clients implement new technologies, created technology strategies, and negotiated the acquisition of required technology solutions.