Richard D. Greensfelder, a retired admissions director from Baltimore, Maryland, has published his debut novel, '50 Parachutes for 72 Virgins,' a suspenseful tale that merges religious themes with a gripping narrative of good versus evil. The book's provocative title stems from a futuristic escape plan for the Sears Tower in Chicago, referred to as 'Plan Z,' and the gathering of clerics at a peace summit aimed at restoring global conscience.
The story centers on Archbishop Rooney, a blunt and outspoken character who organizes a Peace Summit in Chicago just before Christmas. The summit brings together 12 representatives each from Christian, Hebrew, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, and Atheist communities, hoping to take the first step toward world peace. However, terrorists have other plans, setting the stage for a classic confrontation between love and hate, forgiveness and revenge.
Archbishop Rooney serves as a voice for traditional values, lamenting the 'Good Old Days' (G.O.D.) when communities were tightly knit. He points to 1963 as a critical turning point when prayer was inadvertently removed from public schools, asking, 'Do you think 13 trillion 'The Lord's Prayers' would have made a difference? Damn right they could have!' His famous saying, 'Evil fills the void whenever God is pushed away,' underscores the novel's central warning about a world losing its moral compass.
Greensfelder explains, 'I have written the book to remind folks about what made the 'The Good Old Days.' Love, sound values, the truth, forgiveness, charity, helping others, etc. are virtues that make this world a better place for our children and our children's children. It's a call to move back closer to God where we all are safer.'
The novel has been released in both paperback and e-book formats and is available on Amazon. Greensfelder, a devout Catholic, hopes his stories will inspire readers to be more caring and contribute to a safer world.
