Jack Zavada

Jack Zavada published his first short story, "Wheeler's Winchester," in Western Fiction Magazine in 1972 and has been writing professionally ever since.

Jack's new paperback, Hope for Hurting Singles, is now available on amazon.com. It's packed with practical, clear advice for unmarried people, from how to deal with anger and depression, to how to be happy in spite of loneliness.

This book is based on Jack's 40+ years as a single adult. In it he shares mistakes he made along the way (so the reader can avoid them), as well as lessons learned. His goal is to help young singles live more fulfilling, positive lives.

His new novel for Kindle, Mr. Lincoln for the Defense, features Abraham Lincoln when he was a circuit-riding attorney on the Illinois frontier.

In the book, Lincoln defends a young farm wife accused of murdering her husband with an ax handle. Suspense builds as the defendant's sordid past is revealed and Lincoln receives anonymous threats against his family. He brings all his formidable legal skills to bear on the case--but will they be enough?

The novel required over a year of meticulous research. Zavada visited historic Lincoln sites, read contemporary accounts by Lincoln's colleagues, studied old documents, and consulted Lincoln scholars. The result is a fast-paced legal thriller, authentic in every detail, that takes readers back in time to 1856.

Western fans may be familiar with Zavada's four novels in that genre: Rebel Town, The Wolfer, Penwhistle's Prize, and West of the Pecos, the latter written under the pen name James Calder Boone.

Jack earned his chops as a police and government reporter on the now-defunct Streator, Illinois Times-Press. He covered everything from traffic accidents to drug raids to murders. In his spare time, he churned out sports stories, farm news, and the occasional obituary.

His next gig was as a technical editor for the U.S. Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratory, where he worked with scientists to write up their research for Army brass. He received a Classified security clearance while on that job.

He spent a year working for an electric and natural gas utility in Illinois, then served 16 years as communications director for a national nonprofit organization.

Jack has also written a string of Christian based ebooks: Single & Sure, Outsmarting Loneliness, Master Your Money, and Hope for Hurting Singles.

You can find more of his work at www.inspiration-for-singles.com and www.christianity.about.com.