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Gary Ponzo

Gary Ponzo

About

I'm an author of numerous published short stories, including two which were nominated for a Pushcart Prize.  My novel, "A Touch of Deceit" won the Southwest Writers Award, Thriller category. 

The Accursed King

The Accursed King

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Description

<p><span style="color:rgb(15,17,17);font-family:'Amazon Ember', Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;">What happens when a king loses his prowess? The day Henry IV could finally declare he had vanquished his enemies, he threw it all away with an infamous deed. No English king had executed an archbishop before. And divine judgment was quick to follow. Many thought he was struck with leprosy—God's greatest punishment for sinners. From that point on, Henry's health was cursed and he fought doggedly on as his body continued to betray him—reducing this once great warrior to an invalid. Fortunately for England, his heir was ready and eager to take over. But Henry wasn't willing to relinquish what he had worked so hard to preserve. No one was going to take away his royal prerogative—not even Prince Hal. But Henry didn't count on Hal's dauntless nature, which threatened to tear the royal family apart.</span></p>

Story Behind The Book

When I was 16 I worked in my father's candy store in Brooklyn. Because we were Sicilian, we were chosen by certain Sicilian Family members to be the contact point for their bookies to play the numbers. This was before the lottery and the Mafia used to pay 500-1 for anyone who chose the last 3 numbers of the horse tracks handle for the next day. Anyway I got to know these characters close up. Because of our heritage they treated me and my father like royalty. They protected our store. Other small businesses would be broken into on occasion, but never ours. When it came time to write my novel, I found it easy to incorporate the Mafia into the narrative. It felt comfortable. That's where Nick Bracco was born. A Sicilian FBI agent who's comfortable within the world of the Mafia.

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Reviews

Winner of the Southwest Writers Award, Thriller category.  Writer Judith Pearson, author of, &quot;Belly of the Beast,&quot; and &quot;Wolves at the Door,&quot; said, &quot;A Touch of Deceit,&quot; is the best thriller she's ever read.