The Juicy Fruit Man

Book excerpt: The Juicy Fruit Man is the story of Declan Noakes, a Vietnam veteran who chooses a life of itinerancy while he struggles to cope with the inner demons who seek his demise. Rejecting the chains and tethers others accept as the cost of living, Declan has no permanent address, no traditional employment, no car and no significant other. What he does have is almost a ton and a half of Thai Sticks, potent marijuana from Thailand, known on the streets of America as Juicy Fruit. Declan travels the routes of Amtrak at whim, selling his wares on a small scale. He's found that smoking weed pacifies the monsters, and he's established a loose network of friends across the nation, but what he hasn't found is a way to kill the demons. He'd smuggled the weed with the help of his cousin, Rachel, and another Army Ranger, Ben Fisher. What he sought on the tracks is peace, but life had other plans for him.After the war, Declan's confronted with Fisher's betrayal when he schemes to steal the marijuana. To further complicate matters, a pair of Amtrak detectives get wind of his cache, which is worth in excess of one million dollars. They team with a sometimes-crooked Chicago PD homicide detective and battle against Declan and Fisher, for the stash.The Juicy Fruit Man is the story of a good man who made poor choices, the price he paid, and his pain as he watches his cousin sacrifice her innocence to save them both. Declan is you; he is me; he is every man, a flawed hero who finds that he must first conquer himself before he can slay his demons.