Reality TV's Phillip Sheppard and Charles Peterson Sheppard Release New Fiction Thriller THE SPECIALIST: THE COSTA RICA JOB

Archway Publishing, a self-publishing service from Simon & Schuster, Inc. and operated by Author Solutions, Inc. (ASI), announced the release of "THE SPECIALIST: The Costa Rica Job" by retired U.S. Army specialist and former federal agent Phillip Sheppard, a fan favorite and finalist on the hit reality television series "Survivor."

Co-authored with his younger brother, Charles Peterson Sheppard, the book takes the reader to Costa Rica on a life-or-death rescue mission to extract a corrupt banker from the hands of kidnappers. Complete with drug cartels, dirty cops, turncoat agents and a terrorist bomber, the star of the risky thriller navigates a path of betrayal. Drawing on Phillip Shepherd's real-life experiences in law enforcement, the inspiration for the main character was none other than Sheppard himself.

"'THE SPECIALIST' is an edge-of-your-seat adventure story, and we are thrilled that it is one of the very first titles to be released under the auspices of Archway Publishing," said Devu Gandhi, senior manager of strategy and business development at Simon & Schuster. "We are excited to see the public's reaction to this new novel and look forward to helping other writers achieve their dream of becoming a published author."

"We are pleased to have helped the authors bring this exciting new book to the marketplace," said Keith Ogorek, senior vice president of marketing at Author Solutions, Inc. "Archway Publishing brings a new level of expertise, experience and opportunity for writers, and 'THE SPECIALIST' is an excellent example of how we help authors create high-quality self-published books."

According to the authors, this book will be the first in a series of "THE SPECIALIST" action adventures. For more, follow Phillip Sheppard on Twitter and Tumblr. The book is available now in both printed and electronic formats at major online retailers and at ArchwayPublishing.com.