Voodoo Gold

Voodoo Gold is an adventurous novel based on a combination of fiction and real life events during SSG Jenks’ tour of duty in Iraq. SSG Jenks, who always tries to make the best of any situation, finds himself in Baghdad as a PSYOP soldier during the first wave of Operation Iraqi Freedom. His team is assigned to 2nd CAV and they make their home inside a bombed out warehouse. They also meet their new neighbors, a Civil Affairs unit who they discover to be a bunch of soldiers who are there to take advantage of any situation. During one particular mission, SSG Jenks learns the lesson that what works out on paper, sometime doesn’t work out in real life. As an added bonus, he also stumbles upon some information about Uday’s and Qusay’s secret stash of gold. What begins as wishful thinking turns into an idea which requires them to recruit their friends from Civil Affairs. Mutually they create a plan to pull off the heist of the century. Together, the soldiers encounter twists and luck as they use their military skills to walk the fine line between protectors and opportunists. The plan quickly changes and now SSG Jenks’ team and the Civil Affairs team find themselves caught between Iraq and a hard place. Will his race to capitalize on the current events turn out to be prosperous or disastrous for SSG Jenks? The novel Voodoo Gold is definitely not about difficulties faced by veterans of the Iraq war or their struggles to reintegrate to the civilian world upon their return home. Nor is it a political statement presented as a fiction novel about the war on terrorism or the United States' involvement with the Middle East. What the novel is about is an authentic portrayal of a soldiers' experience in Iraq, creating an adventurous and entertaining journey as SSG Jenks uses real events to illustrate his story. It doesn’t matter what demographic you are in, what your political beliefs are, or your military perceptiveness, you’ll welcome the candor and creativity of Voodoo Gold and will soon recognize that most soldiers always tried to make the best of any situation. Help support James with continuing his positive Iraq experiences.