Soft Money
The True Power in Our Nation's Capital
by
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It had become a routine occurrence lately. Clay Danvers had begun the evening by trying far too hard to fall asleep, only to wake in a cold sweat hours before the annoying buzz of his alarm clock. Maybe it was getting to him, the reality of being a highly paid assassin. He had never fired a gun in his life because they scared him. By nature he was a pacifist, prone to settling his differences through his gift of communication rather than through violence. This trend had begun early in his college days. For many in his generation, the 60’s were a different time, a world that seemed so far away and different from today. It was during his sophomore year at Princeton that the Vietnam War had divided the United States and Clay was torn as to what to do. Which war to choose, the war at home against the establishment or the war abroad against the enemy? It was during this time and decision-making process that he met Tony. Tony was only a year older than Clay but in many ways seemed to be much wiser. He was tall, handsome, and articulate, with a smile that made you feel like everything was going to be all right. He had all the answers, and that is exactly what Clay was in search of. Together, they fought the establishment and railed against the war effort. In the end there were no winners, only losers, both at home and abroad. The only thing that was accomplished was to divide a nation against itself and forever change the way we viewed our duty to our country and how we defended it, and ourselves. He sat up in bed and shifted his body to the edge. Stabbing at the floor with his toes he tried to find his slippers, careful not to touch the cold wood floor. He made his way to the bathroom and rinsed his face with cold water. Staring at his reflection in the chrome fixture, he slowly rose to see a much clearer reflection of himself in the large mirror over the sink. Clay Danvers did not like the person looking back at him. His hair had long abandoned him and what remained had begun the process of turning from its natural color to gray. Rather than go the way of so many others by getting a hairpiece or plugs, he simply shaved it to mere stubble. He had toyed with the idea of shaving his head bald, but he couldn’t bring himself to give up the little bit he had managed to keep. As his gaze went from the top of his head to his face he could see that he was tired. The dark circles that surrounded his baby-blue eyes were an overwhelming example of it. His once powerful shoulders drooped, and his posture was poor. He looked more like a man of 70, rather than that of his true age of 56. Looking into the mirror at the overall spectacle of the man he saw versus the man others saw, he let out a bitter laugh. Yes, he was an assassin. Yes, he did destroy lives, but his weapon of choice was not a gun or knife. It was a cleverly woven tapestry of words. He did not kill you outright. He just made you feel like you wished you were no longer among the living. Clay Danvers was, as he put it, a highly paid political strategist, or in terminology that was not so politically correct, a character assassin. His function in life was to protect his employer at all costs and his current employer happened to reside at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, the home of the President, and also Clay’s friend, Preston Anthony Wesley.
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About the Book
$oft Money
This novel explores those answers in a fictional account of one man’s rise to the Oval Office, and the men behind his transformation from attorney to politician. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. The Golden Rule states that he who has the gold makes all the rules. What happens when those who practice the Golden Rule align themselves with the absolute power of the Presidency? In $oft Money, one man finds himself at a crossroads in his life. Should he pursue the shocking truth behind the man who was once a business associate, and is now the President? Or should he stay loyal to the President and remain silent? His decision will change his life, and alter the course of the nation.
Lawrence Brazelton is the central character. Through a series of life choices, and the blind ambition of others, he has lost everything. At his lowest point he meets Kelly Ford, an attractive and ambitious woman. Armed with evidence that would topple an administration, he attempts to stay one step ahead of the men trying to silence him. With his newfound love, and desire to reclaim his life, he embarks on a journey to bring the truth to the surface. What starts as one mans desire to reclaim his life, cascades into a pool of deceit, greed, and an insatiable thirst for power.
About the Author
A self-proclaimed native of Arizona, E.L. Burton began his writing career late in life. Diagnosed with a degenerative eye disease and the prognosis of eventual blindness, he left the confines of corporate America to pursue his dream of becoming an author. His first novel, $oft Money, was inspired by the recent debates over the need for campaign finance reform. He is currently working on his second novel. That work is yet untitled, it centers on the recent random acts of violence and the debate over the need for additional gun control measures. E.L. Burton lives in Gilbert Arizona with his wife Kelly, and their dog Taffy.