Virginian Pilot Norfolk, Virginia March 28, 1999

NEW AND FAMILIAR FACES IN THE SUSPENSE FILE
By Bill Roach

"The debut by retired Navy Capt. Bill Harlow is an impressive one....Harlow writes with an easy, familiar style, obviously at home in the Navy as well as the higher levels of government."

Novel Idea--original on-line sub-heading
Reagan launched Clancy, Clinton does Harlow --print edition sub-heading

"White House press secretary Joe Lockhart .... found a copy of CIA public affairs chief Bill Harlow's new Navy/political thriller, "Circle William," on the couch [on Air Force One], along with a note from President Clinton.....Clinton said it was really good and that Lockhart would like it even more because it has a press secretary as one of the heroes. Must be good, since Presidents George Bush and Jimmy Carter, both former Navy officers, have read it."
"The novel is already in its second printing. Is Hollywood far behind?"

"President Clinton...during [the] Air Force One flight home from the funeral of Jordan's King Hussein....curled up with a copy of Circle William, the hot new novel by Bill Harlow, the public affairs director of the CIA. "At least, that was the story being told among 100 people, including senior military and intelligence officials... attended a book party for Mr. Harlow Thursday at the Navy Memorial's Heritage Center.
"During the evening, guests listened to a telephone call broadcast over loudspeakers from CIA Director George Tenet...     "Mr. Tenet noted how workers at the CIA call his low-key spokesman '80 over 60' because his blood pressure never seems to get very high despite various crises.
"The author told the guests, who purchased more than 100 copies of the thriller, that Circle William is peopled with characters who are 'vain, venal and goofy.'   "'I want to assure everyone that none of them are based on any people in this room,' he joked.     "Friends of the author who attended included Bush administration National Security Adviser Brent Scowcroft and former Navy secretaries Sean O'Keefe and John Dalton.  Bob Woodward of The Washington Post was there along with a bevy of Washington reporters."

U.S. News & World Report     Outlook 12/14/98 WASHINGTON WHISPERS

Book buzz

There's a new Tom Clancy in town. He's Bill Harlow, author of a political-military thriller, Circle William. It's the story of a White House press secretary and his brother, a troublesome Navy destroyer captain, and their attempt to save the nation from a Libyan chemical assault. So what's unusual here? Harlow, a retired Navy captain, is the CIA's spokesman and a former White House national security aide–a résumé that helped salt his book with insider details, so much so that Hollywood is reviewing it. It will be out in February.

From Publisher's Weekly (December 1998)

"Harlow crafts a clever, well-plotted debut …Harlow expertly sets up the perfect ruse …. naval scenes vie with the White House settings for authenticity …. The plot takes several interesting turns before racing to a suspenseful climax. …Harlow offers a chipper, spirited first effort that augurs well for a new career."

Bill Harlow is currently taking a break from the Circle William Book Tour road.  However, Bill signed extra books at all of the bookshops he visited.  Some may still have signed books available.  Check out  Where Bill's Been for the locations of those friendly book stores. 

You can have unsigned copies of Circle William delivered to your door by AMAZON.COM.

Drop in on the Circle William
held at the U.S. Navy Memorial, Washington, DC