‘Pulp Fiction’ meets ‘This Is Spinal Tap’ in this tough, funny, sexy and fast-paced story. Pete Watts is a former undercover narcotics cop who got way too close to his job. He now runs a music rehearsal studio in which all manner of eccentric musicians come through. His soon to be ex-girlfriend is a talented singer with a sleazy manager who is in the habit of giving his clients drug habits, occasionally overdosing them to move their recordings up the charts, with the full support of the shady entertainment company for whom he works. This universe of people is inexorably drawn into a war between two violent drug gangs, viewed through the perspective of the Napoleonic leader of one gang. He has recently signed on a strange, but beautiful ex-mercenary, who wears makeup in the form of multi-colored tears running down her face. These tears are, in fact, decals on which different poisons are concealed, hence the title. Some survive the Trial of Tears, some don’t. The story’s taut climax is set in a posh townhouse in which only the courageous will emerge unscathed. While it certainly has its share of humor, action and suspense, it is also a story of friendship and redemption, as well as being a love letter to New York City. “Chris Semal's writing is subtle as a flamethrower in a petroleum refinery. His sense of urgency will make you grit your teeth from the first page to the last. An excellent new author who deserves to be read.” – Joe Schwartz, author of The Games Men Play "An addictive and imaginative New York tale that intertwines the lives of interesting characters who are drenched with city style. This story is a smooth and enjoyable read that shows just how life can bend the rules of conduct.” – Jordannah Elizabeth, The Process Record Media Group Chris Semal was born in New York City and has lived there all his life. He is aware that other places exist and likes to visit them from time to time, but the city is a hard mistress to resist. A musician, singer and songwriter, Semal has played pretty much every rock club and bar in Manhattan at one time or another since the early 80s in various bands. He's seen the underside of the music industry - the good, bad and ugly - also through his solo work, under the lewscannon heading. Semal went to the University of Miami to study Music Engineering, heading back north to do the only obvious thing possible, becoming a municipal bond broker and eventually working as a consultant building financial models. In the early part of the millennium, between both consulting and band gigs, he wanted to expand on the 80 or so words he used in writing song lyrics to the 80,000 he would need for a novel. And so Semal's debut thriller set in New York City, Trial Of Tears (eBook & paperback Cannon Publications 2012), was born, along with a passion for developing plots and characters.