The Golden Handcuffs

In a gripping tale of international intrigue, we follow Matthew Black, an industrial saboteur working for ORB, as he flits between Hong Kong, Seattle, Denver, Peru and Canada. His mission is to facilitate the exchange of one of the world's richest gold mines located in the Andes, on behalf of the Tupac Amaru, with one in Northern Canada. The timing of the exchange is vital, and we follow Black as he manages the difficulties faced by the Canadian company to complete their project on time, while at the same time ensuring a smooth handover to the Peruvian rebels.

Everyone's got a child, a friend or a neighbour who works in the City. The six-figure bonuses and golden hellos are no secret, nor are the hundred-hour weeks, the highpressure deals or the regular rounds of redundancies in the Square Mile. It's a cut-throat world...everyone knows that. But do they know what it's like for the thousands of fresh-faced young graduates who pour into the City each year? Do they know what it's like to get woken up at three in the morning by a taxi outside your window, ready to haul you back into the office? What it's like to feel guilty for sloping off to the gym at nine o'clock at night? This cynical but entertaining novel follows two 'high-flyers' through their first year in the City. Based on the writer's experience at an American investment bank, it reveals a world that doesn't quite match up with the fast-paced, exhilarating one that was painted so enticingly on the undergraduate milk-round. "Golden Handcuffs" is about twenty-something graduates in the City. It tells of ambition, hard work and disillusionment. It has been called a 'latter day version of "Liar's Poker" by Michael Lewis', a 'must-read for all young professionals' and strikes a similar chord to "I Don't Know How She Does It" by Allison Pearson, though it is aimed at a younger reader. A witty insight into the City, it is told with a fresh, young style that cannot fail to appeal to this as-yet untapped market.

It's been fourteen years, but not a day goes by that I don't feel the guilt, the anguish, and the embarrassment of my past. I continually look over my shoulder to see if my past has left me --- but it hasn't, nor will it, ever! God can forgive, but society does not; as a result, I cannot forgive myself because I am not allowed to forget. As you read this book, please, take note of the temptations, the sins, and the human weaknesses. Many of us have succumbed to similar moral misjudgments and disregard for values, but then again, maybe not to the extent which I crossed the line. The two most vivid and effective analogies I can use to describe this period of my life are: close your eyes and imagine a snowball, tightly packed, cold, wet and heavy, rolling downward from high a top the tallest mountain. Slowly at first, but with one nudge after another, the snowball gets a little bigger and rolls a little farther. Soon, the snowball is rolling on its own, gathering speed as it proceeds down the mountainside, all the time getting bigger and bigger and bigger and moving faster and faster. As the snowball increases in size and speed, it dislodges more snowpack from the mountainside and is now three times its original size. Less than one-quarter way down the side of the mountain, a small, harmless snowball has turned into an uncontrollable avalanche, destroying everything in its path without regard to those affected by the destruction. Now, close your eyes and imagine a totally blue sky, not a cloud can be detected for miles. A seemingly endless valley of rolling hills covered with lush green grass, wild flowers of every kind, and trees with too many shades of green to count. In the center of the valley is a lake. The lake is clear and shimmers in sunlight, so bright you have to shield your eyes to see the deep, dark blue color of the water. This gift was created by the hand of God. Only He could be so detailed, ornate, and complex, yet so loving and caring. God's peace, calmness, and serenity surround the lake. Are you there in your mind yet? Bend over and pick up a round stone, about the size of a baseball. Throw the stone high into the air, out over the water. Watch closely as it descends and splashes into the water. See the ripple? See the waves that permeate from the center of the splash in all directions? Watch, as the resulting waves seem to keep going and going until finally the waves, once again, smooth out as they approach the shoreline. Etch these analogies into your mind as you read this book. I assure you, all will become clear. These analogies can apply to much of our lives, including the many complications, trials, and tribulations we experience. I truly hope and pray that you learn from my mistakes. This book is based on a real-life event. The conversations, meeting dates, and specifics are only memories and are not literal in every context. The following pages are my perceptions, thoughts, and memories only, however flawed they may be. I have changed the names of those persons who were a part of my life during this snapshot in my life, except for immediate family members. I want to protect them from any further embarrassment and humiliation. To those I disappointed, embarrassed, humiliated, angered, and hurt, I truly apologize. I can only ask your forgiveness!

How many people do you know who are unhappy working in the public service? Many want to leave but don't, feeling trapped by steady pay and benefits, and that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow: the pension. But the Real World is different from the public service, and wonderful work can be found outside those walls if you want it.

Terrell Banks stands on the brink of a brilliant legal career. He's the new hotshot at Bragg & Shuttlesworth, where the amount of money they pay is dwarfed only by the amount of billable hours expected. When he is assigned a new case in the middle of the night, he assumes it is just another boring defendant with more money than sense, but this time, he's wrong. Jennifer Weston had the life that she always wanted, a multi-platinum music career, millions of fans and riches beyond all her wildest dreams. That is, until she's accused of the heinous murder of her rapper boyfriend. As the glare of the paparazzi magnifies his every mistake, Terrell desperately tries to find evidence to clear her name. Suddenly, he finds himself alone in the middle of a conspiracy that threatens to trap both of them in a prison of their own circumstance.