Dan R. Spice, a Greenevillian who has had a long, varied career in television and radio, is the co-author of a new political novel, Opposition Research -- Stealing The White House.

The book was jointly written with J. B. Azneer, a Clearwater, Fla., physician. The two friends did much of the writing together through a video hook-up on the Internet after Spice moved here from Florida.

Azneer has said of the book's origins, "We wanted to write a novel about the presidential election cycle, and we wanted to create characters that mirrored the imperfect and often contradictory personalities we've seen strutting on the political stage."

Spice has added, "I think many of us have voted against people more than we've voted for a candidate. We've written a novel, but the scary part is that all of this could happen."

The fast-paced novel is about candidates trying to steal a presidential election. The lead character, Barron Childress, is a former state investigator from Florida, a state that is no stranger to election irregularities.

Childress is hired to do background checks on opposition candidates by a North Carolina senator who is seeking the Oval Office. What the fictional Childress learns is that not only is his boss trying to steal the election, but other candidates are doing the same thing.

The novel focuses on what the novel presents as the possibility of rigging an election through sophisticated tampering with voting machines.

It emphasizes the potentially corrupting environment of much of American political campaigns and government, where big-spending lobbyists representing special interests or advocacy groups vastly outnumber lawmakers.

At a time when the U.S. is experiencing its longest presidential campaign, a book filled with candidates' backstabbing might be just too much for many citizens already worn down by the nation's continuing political warfare.

But other readers may appreciate a tale of intrigue, false leads, and characters who don't hesitate to betray the public trust in pursuit of the country's -- and the world's -- most powerful office.

At its outset, Opposition Research says the main character's "job was to discover the secrets ... tiny forgotten details of lives that could destroy hope and ambition for one, while elevating another above the jousting field.

"And always lurking in the background was a single constant: nothing had to be true. It had only to be damaging. People always reveled in the disclosure of facts, never mind that they were spurious half-truths."

Spice spent much of his childhood here. He graduated from Greeneville High School in 1971, then earned a bachelor's degree at Tennessee Tech.

He taught for a couple of years at Greeneville Middle School before starting his broadcasting work at radio station WGRV here.

He has worked in 11 broadcasting markets as a journalist, talk-show host and programming executive, including nine years in New York with a major network.

After moving back to Greeneville a year and a half ago, Spice now is concentrating on writing as well as on working as a broadcasting consultant.

The soft-cover, 226-page novel sells for $15.95.

Spice will hold a book-signing from 4 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, June 26, at the General Morgan Inn, and another book-signing at Ella's Place restaurant from 1 to 3 p.m. on Friday, July 11.

Opposition Research is also available locally at Archer #1 Books, 566 Tusculum Blvd.