The Big Deal

About the Book

Howard Jenkins concocts a scorching story featuring womanizing, jazz-loving, poker player extraordinaire, and sexually passionate executive Paul Langley.  Langley, while courting an office romance with fellow executive, Maureen, meets Vivian Davis at an online Texas Hold ‘em table.  Vivian, a sexy redhead who shares his passion for poker and sex seems to be “Mrs. Right.”  Langley finds himself falling in love with Vivian and participating in her mob connected ex-boyfriend’s plan to pull off a multi million-dollar heist at a poker tournament in Las Vegas.  Paul and Vivian enjoy exciting sex and huge doses of intense poker action that turns into a showdown with the underworld while Langley is brought face to face with the unfamiliar man he has become and his new desire to protect Vivian.  Can he con the conmen? Can he and Vivian walk away unscathed?

About the Author

Howard Jenkins has had a varied career, in corporate America performing senior executive management of procurement, contract administration, manufacturing, and information technology in industries as varied as Aerospace and Defense, commercial aircraft manufacturing, software and the restaurant business.  Career changes moved him from California, to Puerto Rico, to Minnesota, to Arizona, to Kansas, to Colorado and finally to Las Vegas.  A willing and capable public speaker, Jenkins has written several columns for Hospitality Technology Magazine as well as several corporate position papers and major project management “how-to” manuals.  Jenkins retired from corporate life in early 2004, moved to Las Vegas, and follows his dream of writing novels.  His first book, The Big Deal to some extent follows the writing advice, "write about what you know."

Born in Harrow, England during the London ‘blitz,’ his parents immigrated to the US when Howard was just five shortly after the war.  He, his older sister, and younger brother were quickly immersed into the culture of Southern California, but their parents reminded them of their English/Welsh heritage on a daily basis.

Howard has two sons, and a daughter, arriving when he was very young, and two grandchildren all in California.  His new grown stepson lives in Arizona.  Howard, married in October 2005, to the former Lynda Schaefer on their tenth happy anniversary of their original meeting.  Lynda and Howard love Las Vegas.

Jenkins, in addition to writing, listening to jazz, and gambling, volunteers his time with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department helping in the Crime Prevention area.