The Stone Dragon

About the Book

“Paging Dr. Lilly O’Shea. Paging Dr. Lilly O’Shea.” Even through the blissful darkness of sleep, I hear the voice on the intercom calling me. I want to scream, “I hear you! I hear you!” I jump up from the dingy cot in the doctor’s lounge and grab the phone. “Dr. O’Shea, what do ya need?” “Dr O’Shea, we got a MVA coming in, multiple vics,” this from the operator. “Ya, be right there,” I reply. I just left the ER less than thirty minutes ago, and here I am on my way back. I hate it and I love it. This is the life for me. I chose to become a doctor, and an ER doc at that. Did I do it because I love helping people? Nah, not exactly. It was the one profession that would require my complete undivided attention when at work, and it’s a total opposite of the profession, if that’s what you call it, of my crime boss father and his two loyal sons. Yes, my father is what you might call a don, the head of a violent but successful mafia syndicate. My brothers both work for him, both hoping to succeed him. How my mother deals with it all; I’ll never know. Actually, that’s a lie; I know how she deals with it. She simply chooses to ignore it, the whole thing; like it doesn’t exist. You would think that my parents would be so proud of me, a doctor. Worked hard, got good grads, graduated from one of the top colleges in the country; and then turned around and graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Medical School—at the top of my class, of course. Funny, but my father, David, actually thought I would follow in his footsteps. Early on, I demonstrated a penchant for violence—cold-blooded, heartless, malicious violence. Just like Daddy; boy, was he proud that day. Dr. Lilly O’ Shea is successful, wealthy, and beautiful. She is also the daughter of David O’Shea; head of the largest Black crime syndicate family on the east coast. What more can she ask for? Well, maybe peace of mind. Journey with her as she fights to stay out of the family business while battling her own bloodlust for violence, her own stone dragon. Will she win the fight and, unlike her two brothers, stay away from Daddy and his “family business.” Or will she succumb to the lure of the dark recesses of society, allowing her own penchant for violence overcome her? Like a dying man caught in the ocean’s riptide, will Dr. Lilly O’Shea—doctor, healer, saver of lives—survive?

About the Author

This is Tammi Shelton’s first novel; and what a powerful one it is. Ms. Shelton resides in the suburbs of Atlanta where she fulfills her dream of writing. Ms. Shelton is an avid reader herself and fan of some of today’s best authors. She is also the author of a book of poetic writings entitled, Confessions of a Caterpillar.