CURRENT WORD COUNT: 90,000+ as of 29 April 2026
FINAL DRAFT ESTIMATE: 90,000+
5 MAY 2026 UPDATE: My wife has edited 15 out of more than 40 chapters. Of those 15, 10 have also undergone editing by my professional editor and he now has the other five.
Soon, I'll be launching a website, and I hope you’ll think about subscribing for occasional updates on the book’s eventual release. Although I’m still several months away from that, I want to gather as many interested email addresses as possible to present to a literary agent when the time is right. Once I have around 30 to 35 chapters edited, I’ll finally begin my search for an agent. Thanks for your support throughout this journey!
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For anyone unfamiliar with me, please allow me a moment to introduce myself. I am J.M. Phelps, contributing writer and investigative journalist for multiple news outlets.
U.S. Navy Commander Robert A. Green, Jr., author of Defending the Constitution Behind Enemy Lines, once challenged me to write a book. I bet he didn’t have this in mind.
After penning more than 175 news articles on the negative impact of the military’s 2021 COVID-19 shot mandate, I have built connections with hundreds of service members and veterans across the country. Admittedly, I’ve often lived vicariously through their many stories, sharing in their frustration and grief.
But my imagination didn’t stop there. In March 2025, I made the decision to begin writing a military thriller. What do writers of military thrillers share in common? They all maintain an extensive list of experts whom they credit for assisting them in the creation of their books. And if anyone has the perfect list, it’s definitely me.
Experts from the military, CIA, FBI, and others have already provided real-life insights that have aided in crafting several of the scenes that have been written so far.
My main theme has been defined, and I’m adhering to an outline while further developing the content and characters. The book has been organized into chapters. Consider it phase one, which implies there must be a phase two.
In my view, the next phase consists of elaborating on the current chapters and incorporating additional chapters to create a functional draft. And that’s why we’re here today. I can sacrifice time, but I can’t afford to sacrifice money.
I have every intention to finish the book next year, but I really need to free up some time to do so. As I keep writing news articles for The Gateway Pundit, American Family News, and WorldNetDaily, would you think about helping me boost my income ever so slightly so I can also dedicate more time to working on the thriller?
DISCLAIMER: Although J.M. Phelps plans to release a military thriller, your financial support does not ensure that a publisher will be interested in the manuscript. Should he face rejection from a publisher, rest assured, he will continue to pursue his goal.