Rendezvous With A Habit

About the Book

Rendezvous With A Habitis the first novelby Michael Harte De Hesus, and introduces Mickey Dunn, sports journalist from Chicagowho has come to California in mid-life for a lifestyle change. Set on the Central in the Five Cities area, it is a story of erotic love, mystery, suspense, and revenge revolving around the world of crystal meth addiction and the business of crank manufacture and sale. When Mick’s girlfriend of a few months, Shana Deckhardt, is sent into coma due to an overdose on speed. Mick is arrested for trafficking and conspiracry to commit murder, though he is innocent. Physically fit, with both combat and competive amateur wrestling experience, he is recruited by a regional task force to clear his name, avenge the assault on Shana’s life, and break up one of the biggest meth rings ever. Along the way, he meets the beautiful ex-crank addict Marlene Magnuson, who proves invaluable to Mick, and the task force. Co-dependency, the search for self-identity, midlife crisis, and serving the Greater Good are all underlying themes as the protatgonist seeks revenge and balance in his love life. There is plenty of romance, action, and introspective soul searching as Mickey Dunn is at the center of a murder conspiracy to eradicate a young woman who has a Rendezvouz With A Habit.

About the Author

Michael Harte De Hesus claims that everything he writes about is based on the true experiences of his own life, and he has a wealth diversified experiences from which to draw.

     After spending his early childhood years in a west side Chicago neighborhood, Michael spent his formative years in Wauconda, IL, a northern suburb in the Chain O''Lakes region.

     The recipient of an academic scholarship to Millikin University in Decatur, IL, he distinguished himself in wrestling and football, while majoring in English.

     The Vietnam War interrupted his education and he volunteered for an extended tour in Vietnam where he was awarded the Bronze Star while serving with the 25th Infantry Division.

     After Vietnam, Michael accumulated enough undergraduate semester hours for Bachelor''s Degrees in English and History.  A Master''s Degree in Educational Administration from Northern Illinois University was also obtained during the post Vietnam experience.

     Michael has worked as an intelligence analyst, a sports writer, an insurance agent and investigator, and an independent investigator before entering the field of education.

     He has served as a teacher, coach, assistant principal, and principal over a 32 year period, 16 in IL and 16 in CA.  Many of the athletes he has coached have gone on to succeed in the amateur national an international, both on World and Olympic wrestling teams.  During the 1980''s he was a Head and Assistant Coach for the State Freestyle and Greco-Roman Wrestling teams in the national Jr. Olympic competitions, which continually were in the team leadership for national titles. In 1992, Michael was inducted into his college Athletic Hall of Fame.

     Reading, singing, dancing, movies, and gardening are among his favorite interests. He has three grown daughters who have distinguished themselves in their own professional fields, and a 10 year old daughter living in northern California who is a hopeful.

     Michael splits his residence between the desert or Arizona and