What if a biological weapon could be altered into a “smart germ” in the same way that bombs have been turned into “smart bombs”? What if germs could be altered to attack only people with a certain genetic code (i.e., blacks, Arabs, Jews or Caucasians)?

Author Dean Malchik deals with this harrowing possibility in his exciting new novel “The Sins of the Fathers,” now available on Amazon.com for the low introductory price of $2.99.

In the novel, a white supremacist organization discovers a disgruntled scientist who has succeeded in producing a biological weapon that attacks only blacks. If the group can acquire that weapon, it intends to murder hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, of blacks and blame it on the government.

Only one man stands in the way.

A young reporter has infiltrated the group and intends to bring it to its knees. However, as the young reporter gets closer to exposing the group’s deadly plot, the group also gets closer to discovering his true identity.

Meanwhile, the clock quickly ticks toward “the day of destruction.” Will this lone reporter be able to prevent the devastation and the loss of potentially millions of lives? Or will the world have to face the consequences?

“The Sins of the Fathers” is a novel that Malchik feels he alone was destined to write.

“It brings together so many things that I personally care about,” he says. “I’ve long been concerned about racism and discrimination, and even though I’ve now completed three novels, this one is the most personal for me.”

Unfortunately, like many authors today, Malchik might have never reached an audience if it were not for e-publishing.

“I’ve always felt compelled to write novels,” says Malchik, who is now in his 40s. “Unfortunately, after I finish them, I have no interest in the business of striving to get them published. I know it doesn’t make sense to do all of that work and then just leave the books in my desk drawer, but that’s what I have been doing up until now. E-publishing with Amazon has made it possible for me to easily get my books out to readers, and that is a great thing.”

Although e-publishing is a relatively new model, some authors are finding great success with it. Author Amanda Hocking, one of the stars of e-book self-publishing, started out publishing her books on Amazon.com and in other e-publishing venues. As her popularity with readers grew, she was offered a very lucrative book contract by St. Martin’s Press.

“It’s encouraging,” Malchik says. “It puts publishing more in the author’s control where it should be. We spend all of this time coming up with our themes, characters and plots and investing months and sometimes years into completing our books. We should benefit more from our work than a publishing company should.”

Malchik’s two other published novels are “American Jihad” and “Unacceptable Risk.”