J.C. Herz is a four-time author whose most recent books are Learning to Breathe Fire: The Rise of CrossFit and the Primal Future of Fitness (Crown Books) and A Dark & Dismal Flower (Coliloquy), a gothic interactive fairy tale for tablet devices, available as an app for iTunes, Android and Kindle.
<p><strong>KURDISH SCAVENGERS UNCOVER A CACHE OF NERVE GAS IN IRAQ AND OFFER THEM TO KURDISH FIGHTERS IN TURKEY. THE SPECIAL OPERATIONS BEDLAM ALPHA TEAM MUST SECURE THE WEAPONS BEFORE THEY CAN BE USED.</strong></p><p>"<strong>You must swear by Allah never to say a word of what I'm going to tell you. </strong><strong>This is the most important secret. Ever!"</strong></p><p><em>In their daily struggle for survival, Iraqi Kurdish scavengers uncover a cache of chemical weapons. They offer the weapons to fellow Kurdish rebels in Turkey and Syria to assist in their quest to free an imprisoned leader and create a unified homeland. After receiving a tip from an unlikely source, the newly formed Special Operations Bedlam team is called to arms! </em></p><p><em>Travel with Craig Cameron and his international team on their covert operation as they weave their way through war-torn regions seeking to locate and recover the weapons before they can be used to cause irreparable harm and instigate a world crisis. </em></p><p><em>The odds are stacked against them. Can they manage to keep their operation hidden and prevent further clashes before it's too late?</em></p><p>"The Kurdish Connection--a compelling read. A story of friendship, danger and intrigue."--<em>Ann Everett, Amazon Best Selling Author.</em></p><p>..". Randall's authentic voice adds a powerful push to keep a reader turning the pages." --<em>Janet Taylor-Perry, author of The</em><em> Raiford</em><em> Chronicles, The Legend of</em><em> Draconis</em><em> Saga, and April Chastain Intrigues.</em></p><p>"Topical - Engaging - Intriguing - Powerful ... A real page turner."--<em>Rikon Gaites</em><em>, author of Mummy's Little Soldier and Darius</em><em> Odenkirk</em><em>.</em></p><p>..". Randall Krzak brings his wealth of experience living in this troubled part of the world and his military knowledge to bear in this exciting story..."--<em>John L.</em><em> DeBoer</em><em>, author of When the Reaper Comes.</em></p><p>..". a journey full of history, suspense, intrigue, and action...a MUST READ for all!"--<em>Les Stahl, Retired</em> NSA Executive.</p><p>..". Readers need to fasten their seatbelts for a fast-paced tale made believable by a writer who knows what he's writing about."--<em>Preston</em><em> Holtry</em><em>, author of the Morgan</em><em> Westphal</em><em> mystery series and the</em><em> Arrius</em><em> trilogy (forthcoming).</em></p><p>"A behind the scenes story, ripped from today's headlines deepening the reader's understanding of an ancient strife ... filled with the sights and smells of the market place and secret meetings, the reader is admitted to the secret heart, the desperate longings of those that must fight and win, or see continued subjugation by their masters..."<em>--Oliver F. Chase, author of Camelot Games, </em>Levant Mirage, Blind Marsh, and Marsh Island.</p>
<p><b style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;"><b>"Herz takes readers on a journey through CrossFit history…[she] intertwines the narrative with passionate descriptions of workouts that push participants to the brink of exhaustion…” </b>- Booklist<br /><br /> "<b>“Herz explores this exhilarating, addictive activity…[and]</b> <b>adds a dramatic flair to her prose, igniting excitement and an uptick in interest…A vigorously written must-read for exercise enthusiasts primed for the ultimate fitness challenge.” - </b>Kirkus<br /><br /> "<b>“Much like the workout it documents, [<i>Learning to Breathe Fire</i>] is a relentless, breathless march through CrossFit’s history, the science behind its regimen, and the men and women who live by it.” - </b>The Daily Beast<br /><br /><b>“<i>Learning to Breathe Fire</i> is a must-read for every Crossfitter and fitness enthusiast, beginner or elite.” - </b>Dormiviglia.com<br /><br /> "<b>“A terrific new book that tells the CrossFit story better than anything I have read.” - </b>The Blaze<br /><br /><b>“</b><i>Learning to Breathe Fire </i><b>is one of those books that come along every generation or so that brings to life a sub-culture so vividly, so </b><i>deliciously </i><b>that it makes you want to run out now and become a part of it!</b></b><span style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;"> Written with great verve, comprehensive research and a novelist’s knack for deft characterizations, this is CrossFit’s </span><i style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;">War and Peace.”</i><br style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;" /><span style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;">--Charles Gaines, </span><i style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;">New York Times </i><span style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;">bestselling coauthor of </span><i style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;">Pumping Iron</i><br style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;" /><span style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;"> </span><br style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;" /><b style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;">“A beautifully written mix of evocative vignettes and lucid explanations that shows us what we’re capable of when we train hard and connect with our instinctive nature.</b><span style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;"> This is a book about digging deep, about kindling a spirit that allows us to push past our wildest expectations. Whether your fitness habit involves going it alone or tunneling through an extreme workout as part of a group, you’ll find this CrossFit journey thoroughly immersive.”</span><br style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;" /><span style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;">--Marshall Ulrich, Badwater-146 Record Holder and author of </span><i style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;">Running on Empty</i><br style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;" /><span style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;"> </span><br style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;" /><span style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;">“CrossFit is a phenomenon, both as a radical way to confer fitness and as a virally successful business. </span><b style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;">Herz tells both stories with exceptional insight---plus the inside lore of a dedicated CrossFitter.”</b><br style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;" /><span style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;">--Stewart Brand, creator of the </span><i style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;">Whole Earth Catalog </i><span style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;">(and CrossFitter at age 75)</span><br style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;" /><br style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;" /><span style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;">“The remarkable rise of the CrossFit movement is grounded and propelled by a great moral truth. Effort alone is all we may bring to life. Everything else -- our genes, our talents, and our teachers -- are gifts. </span><b style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;">J.C. Herz has written a compelling book around this truth as embodied in the CrossFit culture.</b><span style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;"> As a society, we forget that we are evolved to realize our greatest strength when we are truly tested. The originators of CrossFit have rediscovered that, and proved it by becoming the fittest humans on the planet. In the view of CrossFit athletes ‘the only possible sin is slacking off.’ </span><b style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;">Herz writes with sweep and depth about great characters, often racked with doubt, finding their limits and surpassing them. </b><span style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;">This is the ultimate chronicle of how they created a training method, a championship, a corporation and a loving community devoted to the sacred tenant of effort.” </span><br style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;" /><span style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;">--Kenny Moore, award-winning writer for </span><i style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;">Sports Illustrated, former </i><span style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;">American record holder in the marathon, author of </span><i style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;">Bowerman and the Men of Oregon, </i><span style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;">and co-screenwriter of “Without Limits”</span><br style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;" /><span style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;"> </span><br style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;" /><b style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;">“J.C. Herz expertly debunks many longstanding fitness beliefs and shows how high-intensity exercise can yield the greatest return on your workout investment.</b><span style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;"> Her </span><i style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;">Learning to Breathe</i><span style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;"> Fire chronicles the rise of CrossFit, showing – in a way that is always interesting and insightful -- how ordinary people have achieved extraordinary results following this program. </span><b style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;">A must read for anyone looking to maximize his or her potential.”</b><br style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;" /><span style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;">--Dean Karnazes, ultra-endurance star, </span><i style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;">New York Times</i><span style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;"> bestselling author, and one of </span><i style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;">Time Magazine’s </i><span style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;">“100 Most Influential People”</span><br style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;" /><span style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;"> </span><br style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;" /><b style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;">“I couldn’t put this book down. J.C. spares no detail in helping us see into into the heart and soul of a CrossFitter.</b><span style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;"> Her description of what CrossFit athletes overcome is truly unbelievable. She captures the essence of the sport and what it represents, most especially the ability to push through barriers, whether physical or mental. </span><b style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;">This is about the gut-busting journey to the last rep, but it’s also about life. Whether you’ve tried CrossFit or just <i>thought </i>about trying it, <i>Learning to Breathe Fire</i> is a must read.”</b><br style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;" /><span style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;">--Chrisanna Northrup, </span><i style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;">New York Times</i><span style="font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:normal;"> bestselling author, CrossFit Level 1 Coach, and former CrossFit Box owner </span></p>