Boom! This is a special edition of Books & Biceps & Bear Brawl and I’ve got an amazing recommendation to share...
Yes, we’re nine months from publication day. And yes, we don’t even have a cover yet. And yes, I’m not reading the audio book for a few months…
But, my publisher, the phenomenal Blackstone Publishing, is sending the book out to advance readers and we landed a knockout (pun intended) blurb from 14-1-1 heavyweight boxer, Ed Latimore, who also happens to be a bestselling author himself (he wrote a great book: Hard Lessons from the Hurt Business).
This is Ed’s full blurb and it has me so damn hyped for you all to read this book:
"It's insane. It's primal. It's poetic. Bear Brawl is like Rocky IV meets The Revenant, but with a deeper emotional undercurrent about grief and masculinity. Finkel captures the mind of a fighter better than most writers ever have--and reminds you that sometimes, the fight isn't just about the opponent, but also with yourself--or in this case, with a bear." - Ed Latimore
I love this imagery. It make me think of this, haha:
The main difference, however, is that our hero in Bear Brawl, Brick Bridger, is a bear of a man who would dwarf Rocky and even Drago. Bridger is 6’6” 265. Ex-college heavyweight wrestling champ. Ex-UFC heavyweight. All bad ass.
By enlisting the help of a top zoologist, his old wrestling coach and his training partner and brother, Brick goes on a quest to get inside the mind of a bear while training to track and take down the fearsome animal that killed his mother. This is what happens when a mountain of a man with a black belt fights a black bear.
I know you’re in. I know you can’t wait. I can’t either.
We’ve got so many cover reveals, teasers and trailers coming as we get closer, but right now, we’ve got a few weeks left if you want to get your name IN Bear Brawl. Yes, I’ve dedicated a section in the back of the book for all of you. Forever. We’re calling it the Books & Biceps Hall of Fame. Every reader who pre-orders in time gets in. And every sale, even this early, counts so much.
So let’s gooooo!
1) PRE-ORDER your book below.
2) Reply to this email with a screenshot and your name.
3) You’ll be a part of a blockbuster hit book forever!
I appreciate you reading Books & Biceps every week. This book is going to be our moment. Our time to show the publishing world that we want these books. We want Bear Brawl. And we’re going to make it the #1 Thriller of 2026!
Thank you for pre-ordering! You’re all hall of famers in my book! - Jon