N.J. GERVASI AUTHOR PAGE
NEWS!
Hello fellow bookworms! Operation Black Horse will be available in print and ebook on August 26, 2021. My first novel is the answer to a question I asked myself in 2016: How far could we fall in a starving world? Well, five years later, it’s finally time for you to find out.
Book Description
Operation Black Horse follows American surgeon, Dr. Caitlyn Svendsen and Russian Spetsnaz Commander, Kaleb Volkov, during an ongoing worldwide famine. While the rest of the world teeters on a tightrope of starvation, America adapts to thrive in a landscape consumed by the Great World Famine—an era of deadly scarcity that has no end in sight after sixteen years of devastation. Armed with a classified growth formula kept secret from allies and enemies alike, America dominates the world economy as the only viable food producer left standing. Blackmailing nations into submission with the promise of food exports, America’s hegemonic influence on the world stage sparks widespread unrest and anger—stoking Russia’s rage above all others. As Russia becomes more outspoken against America’s agricultural monopoly, Dr. Caitlyn Svendsen fears that America will become a battleground, leaving her vulnerable to exploitation as one of the few qualified surgeons remaining in her home state of Minnesota. As the threat of bloodshed looms at the forefront of her mind, she grapples with how to safely expose a deadly discovery she’s uncovered about the formula that other nations are willing to go to war over, desperate to replicate it for themselves. Commander Volkov is deployed on a mission to retrieve Caitlyn and the secrets she has collected during years of research into the impact of the growth formula on her patients’ health. The two natural born enemies must decide whether to trust each other for the sake of both their nations. How much of themselves—and each other—are they willing to sacrifice in a world turned upside down by famine?
About the Author
As a history fanatic, N.J. Gervasi grew up thinking she’d be an anthropologist, sifting through ancient soil to uncover the secrets of collapsed civilizations. During her first archaeological dig in Ecuador, she realized a passion for geopolitics at an ecological level. While mysteries of the past will always inspire her, she studied Political Science and English at Villanova University to better understand future political dynamics as environmental challenges dictate the behavior of world governments. N.J. lives with her husband and two adopted pups in New Jersey, surrounded by small family farms that she hopes will flourish for generations to come. Operation Black Horse is N.J. Gervasi’s first novel of many to come.
Author FAQ
Q: What inspired you to write Operation Black Horse?
A: Of all things, it was my husband’s new job. He started working for a specialty meat company that focused on partnerships with small family farms for the reason that commercial farming is unreliable in terms of quality, production and ethical practices. His unique behind-the-scenes view of the food industry opened my eyes to the challenges we will face in the future as small family farms surrender their everyday operations and land to corporations. And so I began to ask myself, what would happen if the entire population endured a global famine simultaneously? What if even the most resilient small family farms were crippled all over America? How would such a widespread crisis impact international relations if scarcity turned allies against each other? Operation Black Horse is the answer to all those questions.
Q: What do you hope to achieve from publishing this book?
A: Many of us trivialize the food industry, not fully understanding the daunting challenges that farmers face worldwide as droughts, supply chain issues, government regulations and scarcity impede both small and large scale agricultural endeavors. I hope Operation Black Horse wakes people up to the reality that full shelves at local stores are a luxury of modern production that may not always be sustainable. History warns us that famine is cyclical and ever-patient. Famine is an ancient killer that has always plagued the shadows of humanity and always will. All those that read Operation Black Horse should walk away with one question at the forefront of their mind: What would I be willing to sacrifice to save my family from starvation?
Q: Why did you choose to start writing?
A: I realized the importance of books when I was quite young. To destroy the very soul of any society, texts that inspire free thought are often the first casualties of war. Book burnings are the annihilation of ideas, history and progress. They are the conflagration of knowledge that binds a society together. Books are the connective tissue of human ingenuity. They have acted as the harbingers of revolution. They are the cautionary tales of tragedies that must never be repeated. I began writing because I want to contribute to a long tradition of written words that catalyze human connection. The greatest unifier at our disposal is the ability to create timeless stories that find their way to future generations.