Well, I didn't get to speak to Derek Blass at his book release on 7/11/12, but after I got home that evening the following note awaited me (a followup to my local library district request for his book, Allegiance): 

Dear Patron,

Thank you for your recent item request. We have researched adding the item to our collection as well as borrowing the item from another library. Unfortunately neither is possible at this time; the item does not fit within our selection criteria and it is not available to borrow from another library. We apologize for the inconvenience and hope that we may be able to assist you more successfully with other requests in the future.

Selection criteria? WOW, that's worse than meeting a publisher's expectations! Maybe I should buy Allegiance and get a signed copy into Arapahoe Library District as a donation? Hmmm..... 

I just met someone tonight at another local Mile High event that might get me in the author's circle of friends to do just that, (through CLLARO). OR maybe I'll just ask Mr. Blass via Facebook if he would be interested in supplying his latest (and perhaps first novel too) to ALD. If a library can circulate 50 Shades of Gray to thousands of Kindlers then I'm sure the same can be done to read the Blass (someday, maybe?) trilogy...immigration and police is still a timely topic after all, and not just in Arizona. Why just yesterday I got an alert about a community gathering to support one more longstanding Denverite; read on: 

Please come and offer a prayer, your presence or support for Jose, TOMORROW, Thursday July 12 at 10:00am on the West Steps of the [CO State] Capitol. We will gather in support of Jose Luis Vazquez Campos who is facing deportation on July 18^th. Jose and his wife Rocio attend church regularly and are also part of a small worship group. They are parents to two US citizens ages 4 and 6 and are funny, warm, hardworking people who want to put in one last push to raise awareness and try to stop Jose’s deportation. Jose is a loving father and husband who has been in the US for more than 7 years....Jose is facing deportation because he was caught driving without a license while driving to one of his two jobs. He was stopped 4 times in one month by two police officers who waited along his route to and from work. Besides the traffic stops, Jose's only record in the US is one of being a hard worker, a church-goer, friend, husband and father.

Comments? Questions? I have noticed the number of hits increasing and look forward to the insights that may be  forthcoming from all my thoughtful, silent readers...

In the meantime, an update on my comment to Kat Collins' review of Derek Blass' Allegiance (which she has yet to read--find out more about that glitch below). In her own words:

• Hi Sharon,
  First, let me apologize profusely because I posted my review for the wrong book. It was supposed to be for Derek Blass’s first novel, Enemy in Blue. I haven’t read Allegiance yet. I do agree that Blass brings light to difficult issues with police corruption, illegal immigrants, etc. For that, I applaud him. Enemy in Blue was a struggle for me mostly because I felt I wasn’t given the chance to really connect with any of the characters. I felt more like an observer rather than rooting for anyone in particular. While fast-paced is good in most respects, I feel it’s important that the reader be given moments of pause and depth to see what’s driving the characters. In Blass’s book, I felt it lacked those pauses that allow us to catch our breath, however briefly, and then dive right back into the action. When it’s pure action and violence straight through, the reader loses a sense of how important it is to the story. It becomes one long race to the finish and it passes the reader by in a whirlwind.
  I will definitely give Allegiance a chance, though! He’s had so many positive reviews that I can’t discount what others say. Thanks for your thoughtful comments! And once I read Allegiance, I’ll post the review and try to answer your questions.
  
  
  

  Happy Belated Friday the 13th, One and All!