"Looking Into the Sun is an action-packed, engrossing tale that puts a face on the heartbreaking struggle of children caught up in the war in Syria. It's one of those rare books whose story will remain with readers long after they put it down..." - Peter Telep #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of The Secret Corps
"An engrossing and authentic thriller. Remember the name Todd Tavolazzi. You'll be seeing it a lot." - Grant Blackwood New York Times Bestselling Author of the Briggs Tanner series, is also the coauthor of the #1 New York Times bestseller Dead or Alive, with Tom Clancy, and The Kill Switch, with James Rollins
Angus Conn has seen more than his share of human calamity as a seasoned foreign correspondent, but reporting on the Syrian conflict kicked him in the emotional gut. After the ruthless Syrian regime cut off power, water, medical aid, and all other supplies to the decimated village of Al Waer, in the besieged outskirts of Homs, Angus is presented with a once-in-a-career opportunity to track the trade of ancient Syrian artifacts for opposition weapons. As the only outside hope for the civilian population to survive, he returns home and secretly works to substitute the illegal weapons for a privately-funded humanitarian relief convoy to break the siege and evacuate Syrian orphans.
Before he returns to Syria to oversee his evacuation plan, Angus foolishly agrees to take Jake Westin, a hot young movie star, to accompany him on assignment as research for his next big role. When Jake secretly smuggles himself into Syria against Angus' wishes, they must fight to survive hostile Syrian troops, a rebel kidnapping, constant thirst and hunger, barrel bombs from the sky, and each other as they race to bring the besieged children of Al Waer out of Syria with their lives and their story.
About the Author:
Todd lived most of his pre-adult life in San Diego, California. He enlisted in the Marine Corps out of high school in 1991 and served as an infantry Marine at Camp Pendleton, California, before he attended the U.S. Naval Academy in 1994. After graduation in 1998, he was commissioned as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy as a Surface Warfare Officer and served onboard a supply ship stationed in Bremerton, Washington, before being accepted into Naval Aviation. He earned his Navy "Wings of Gold" in Pensacola, Florida, in 2002 and flew the MH-53E Sea Dragon while stationed at NAS Sigonella, Italy, and the MH-60S Knighthawk at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia. Todd married his flight school sweetheart, Bonnie, also a Naval Aviator, in 2003. She also flew the MH-60S in Norfolk, VA.
Todd earned a Bachelor of Science in History from the U.S. Naval Academy and a Master of Arts in Diplomacy from Norwich University where he studied Europe and the Middle East extensively. On his non-flying staff tour, he served with the U.S. Sixth Fleet in Naples, Italy, where he was designated a Naval Strategist and spent time traveling and studying international relations throughout Europe and the Middle East on missions for the U.S. Navy.
Todd has had his short fiction published with both Potluck Magazine and The Subtopian e-zine. Looking into the Sun is his first novel. Todd is still serving in the U.S. Navy and is currently working on his second novel in his spare time between spending time with Bonnie and their two children, Isabella and Vincent.
