Lolita Firestone

From the red rocks of Sedona, Arizona to the pyramids of Cairo, Egypt, Lolita Firestone is causing a stir. After establishing the Center for Cosmic Consciousness — a gathering place for the community's spiritually motivated — her following grows at an astonishing rate. When small groups of black men from African countries on the U.S. terrorism watchlist come to Sedona to attend her weekend workshops, the CIA takes notice and embeds one of its agents among the Cosmic Center faithful. As her power and influence soar, Lolita's life takes on a new direction when a private meeting is requested by Omar Moustafa, an international playboy known as the Casanova of Cairo. What's more, he is son of Egyptian president and dictator Osama Moustafa, who is hellbent on restoring Egypt's historic glory by reconstituting the Pharaonic system of government, and he proposes the first Pharaoh in 2,000 years will be none other than his son. A love story ensues. The Egyptian people, initially enthusiastic about bringing back the Pharaohship, are inflamed when they discover Omar has had American sex and chosen a U.S. resident to become their queen. The fuse for an international conflict has been lit.

Lolita Firestone, struggling Hollywood actress, visits Sedona, Arizona, catches so-called Red Rock Fever and establishes the Center for Cosmic Consciousness, a gathering place for the community's spiritually and religiously motivated. Alas, when small groups of black men from African countries on the U.S. terrorism watchlist come to Sedona to attend the Cosmic Center's weekend workshops, the CIA takes notice and embeds one of his agents among the Cosmic Center faithful. Equally alarmed are Preacher Elias Gentry, pastor of the Baptist Church of the Holy Apocalypse, as well as business leaders at the Chamber of Commerce and Sedona/Red Rock Realtors Association. As her power and influence soar, Lolita Firestone's life takes on a new direction when a private meeting is requested by Omar Moustafa, an international playboy known as the Casanova of Cairo. What's more, he is son of Egyptian president and dictator Osama Moustafa, who is hellbent on restoring Egypt's historic glory by reconstituting the Pharaonic system of government, and he proposes the first Pharaoh in 2,000 years will be none other than his son, Omar, who is wildly popular in Egypt and throughout the Arab world. Unbeknownst to the president, however, son Omar has already fallen under Lolita Firestone's spell and impregnated her with the future Pharaoh of Egypt. A love story ensues. The Egyptian people and the wider Middle East, initially enthusiastic about bringing back the Pharaohship, are inflamed when they discover Omar has had American sex and chosen a U.S. resident to become their queen.

Mike Consol is a novelist and host of the Novelist Spotlight podcast. His previous novels include "Family Recipes: A Novel About Italian Culture, Catholic Guilt and the Culinary Crime of the Century" and "Hardwood: A Novel About College Basketball and Other Games Young Men Play." He is also editor of Real Assets Adviser magazine. Consol hails from Upstate New York and is a graduate of Arizona State University.