CHICAGO, June 3, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Little is sacred for author Jaymie Simmon in her award-winning debut novel, The God Gene (2012, Twinbrook, Ltd., ISBN 978-1-937698-48-5, 408 pages, available at Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com) It reads at thriller pace, but takes a deep, darkly humorous dive into the American psyche at a point where information overload and political ambition collide. Simmon will introduce her book to the city in which it is set and sign copies at Chicago's iconic Printers Row Lit Fest on June 8 and 9 from 10 am until 6 pm.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130603/AQ25020)

Multiple award-winnerThe God Gene won the 2013 National Indie Excellence Award for Literary Fiction. It was also a finalist in the 2013 Midwest Book Awards for Literary and Contemporary Fiction, and a finalist in the National Indie Excellence Award for Fiction. Simmon studied at the University of Chicago's Writer's Studio.

The storyThe story centers on Rosalind Evans, a beautiful, determined, 36-year-old cancer researcher at a Chicago university. She is completing work on a confidential pharma project when she discovers that the genetic code at the center of the second chromosome spells out The Ten Commandments. She fears her project has been hacked, but before she can investigate, a co-worker leaks the bizarre discovery to a popular blog. The story goes viral and the next morning the world wakes up to the news that there is a message from God in their DNA.

With the media fanning the flames, debate rages over the authenticity and meaning of the so-called God gene. Is it a hoax? A miracle? The end of times? Evans is the scapegoat for society's fear and uncertainty and becomes the victim of a conspiracy that reaches from the White House to the Vatican and from the ivory towers of academe to the boardrooms of big pharma. She must battle them all in order to regain her scientific integrity, her freedom, and ultimately, her life.

Author Jaymie Simmon says the idea for the book came from her insatiable appetite for political news. "I admit it: I'm a news junkie," Simmon says. "I've tried to quit, but American politics is like a Fellini movie; it's absurd, yet you can't take your eyes off it."

Praise for The God GeneJack Hatfield, Chairman of the Chicago Area Great Books Council, says, "I highly recommend The God Gene Fully developed characters. Interesting plot line. Very relevant to our times and its spiritual and moral ambiguity."

Phil Angelo of The Daily Journal says, "The humor here runs the gamut from laugh-out-loud to dark."

About the authorSimmon, a graduate of Northern Illinois University, chose to independently publish her book after researching both the indie and traditional publishing options. "Basically, I'm impatient. The God Gene took me seven years to write. I didn't want to wait another seven years for the traditional process to play out. When my work was finally published, I didn't want to be like Emily Dickenson. In other words, dead."

Simmon is an avid Lake Michigan sailor, cyclist, and community volunteer. She donates a portion of the proceeds from her book sales to charity. This year's recipient is BallouSkies, a charity that supports research for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

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Satirical thriller The God Gene wins National Indie Excellence Award for Literary Fiction

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