What if the secret to humanity's future was hidden inside a murdered judge's laptop?

In this episode of In Conversation with Terry Shepherd, Terry sits down with debut thriller author Gary Fields to explore his globe-spanning, time-bending novel, The Book of Judges — already drawing comparisons to The Da Vinci Code.

When a respected judge is killed, three unlikely heroes — a young lawyer, a theology doctoral candidate, and a quirky tech genius — have just 72 hours to decode the clues buried in his computer. What they uncover sends them on a desperate chase across Florida, hunted by a relentless killer, and ultimately face-to-face with a secret that could change the world.

Gary shares the remarkable journey behind the book: from poetry and songwriting as a kid, to careers in tech and law, to 15 drafts over 20 years before finally publishing his debut. He talks about the spiritual concept of "the Words" — his belief that creativity connects us all — and why themes of human destiny, interconnectedness, and justice run through every page.

You'll also hear his surprisingly chilling take on artificial intelligence, what Henry VIII has to do with the future of political freedom, and why Joshua Sutton — his protagonist — will be back for a sequel.

In this episode:

The origin of The Book of Judges and why it took two decades to write
How Gary blends authentic legal history with modern thriller pacing
The three protagonists — and the real people who inspired them
Dreams, destiny, and the idea that we're all more connected than we know
Gary's AI warning you won't soon forget

📖 Learn more and read a free expanded chapter: garyfields.com

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Gary Fields - The Book of Judges