My new book, Secret Agenda, was released by SterlingHouse Publisher today. It can be obtained at the publisher's website, Amazon.com or at B & N. I recommend it as a good mystery and a excellent summer read. You can get more info about it on this blog and from a video trailer on my website, www.jerrybanksbooks.com .

When I was at the BEA the end of May, someone asked me some questions about my writing. He said he'd heard that it was better to "show" with you style than to "tell" the reader. He wanted an example of that. I told him I do it by dialogue rather than narrative writing. For example in Secret Agenda, Nahir is giving an investigator a tour of the Ngawangeesh city of Ngawang, and I do it by dialogue, i.e.
Then he pointd at a large concrete structure they were approaching on the left.
"That's our hospital."
"Do you have some of your own doctors and nurses.?"
Nahir smiled, slowed the pickup and looked at her. "All of the doctors and nurses here in Ngwang are Ngwangeesh. As a matter of fact, most of our members practiced professions, ran businesses, or performed their trade as artisans before they were converted. Later I'll show you the dam our engineers built and the farming operations set up by our agronomists. I head a small law firm with 7 lawyers, and we have accountants who keep our books and follow the tax laws."
Hall shook her head. "What about taxes? Do you pay property taxes?"
"Property taxes presently, but income taxes no. We take the position that none of us produce income. What we produce is for the consumption of the community. We haven't been challenged yet."
Basically, what you see is the character showing, rather than the author writing a narrative.

Secret Agenda

Pam Hall left Portland ***drove up the Columbia River to Biggs Junctions and then south on Highway 97. *** She saw a yellow sign on her right ***. The sign contained the word Ngawang and a white arrow pointing down a gravel road to the east, She turned right. She looked at the rugged and barren terrain on either side of the road and thought of Nahir's description of Ngawang's location. Thus the meager vegetation, consisting of mainly sagebrush and an occasional juniper, did not surprise her. In a few miles the road became very rough. She proceeded cautiously until she saw a yellow turret ahead beside the road. As she approached, a guard dressed in yellow and armed with a rifle motioned her to stop.
The guard come over to her window. "What is your business? he asked. Hall explained the reason for her visit. "Are you carrying any firearms or recording devices?" he asked.
"No," Hall replied.
The guard inspected the car's interior and its trunk, before motioning her to proceed.
At this point the road continued southeast, narrowed and became rougher. The gravel had turned to rocks, as she drove down the side of a canyon. She inched her way along for several miles until she saw a large outcropping ahead. She continued on and was startled as she came around the outcropping. She immediately brought the car to a halt and stared at the sight ahead. At the bottom of the canyon she saw an airfield, a deep blue lake and the yellow buildings of a city lying along the west side and to the south of the lake. She saw macadam streets, one of which led partway up the canyon and joined the rocky that she had followed. She wondered how it was possible to build such a place in this remote region.

This is a short passage from Secret Agenda. Find out what Hall was doing going to this strange place and the answer of how it was possible to build a city in this remote region and much, much more about the city's inhabitants and their secret agenda. The short trailer on this website will give you some clues, but you must read the book to get all the answers. It comes out the end of this month, but can be pre-ordered now at a 20% discount by just clicking on the pre-order button.