A Mercer Hauling Novel
Frozen Freight: Iron Reach
From the real roads to the written word, JR Elrod turns a lifetime on the highway into a winter convoy story about endurance, loyalty, and doing the job right when quitting would be easier.
Paperback and Kindle release February 1, 2026. Use the contact form below to get first notice and signed-copy info.
Preorder now — Releases February 1, 2026
Watch the trailer
A first look at Pops, the convoy, and the frozen road north.
A veteran hauler. A frozen convoy. A mission no one was supposed to survive.
When a team of civilian truckers is tapped to haul classified cargo from Florida to a secret military base in Newfoundland, the miles ahead turn into a gauntlet of storms, sabotage, and sacrifice. Frozen Freight: Iron Reach follows Pops Mercer and his crew as they fight ice, breakdowns, and a threat that is hunting them mile after mile.
This is trucking the hard way. No Hollywood shortcuts. Just real gear, real weather, and the kind of choices that stay with a driver long after the road ends.
This book is for you if:
- You like stories where blue collar crews get the job done with grit and common sense.
- You want trucking details that feel right because they come from a driver who has done it.
- You enjoy high stakes without losing the heart, humor, and faith that keep people going.
Sneak peek: Prologue — Steel and silence
There is a sound a truck makes when the world is still asleep.
Not the engine yet. Just the slow tick of cooling metal and the whisper of a night that never really ends. In a yard full of rigs, each one stands quiet in the dark before dawn, and for a moment it feels like church. The air is thick with diesel settled into the dirt, and the cold cuts through your jacket no matter how many mornings you have done this.
A man learns to breathe different out here, slow like engine oil before the first turn of the key. Dew beads on the fender. Chrome catches the first hint of light and throws it back lazy, like it is too early to shine.
Folks who have never driven one think big trucks roar to life. They do not. They wake up.
When I bump the starter, she answers with a deep rumble that climbs through my boots and settles in my ribs. The air tanks start breathing a long patient sigh, and the needles on the gauges twitch their way toward normal. That is not noise. That is her heartbeat.
I climb down and walk a slow circle around the W900L, fingers sliding along cold steel. Tarps tight. Chains snug. Flags bright against the gray morning.
The name on the door looks faded, but it is ours.
I tap a tire out of habit. It does not tell me much. It just reminds me I am not made of glass.
From Frozen Freight: Iron Reach
Where to buy
Links will go live closer to launch day. Use the contact form below if you want the first notice and early signed-copy info.
Real trucks. Real weather. Real stakes.
Written by a working trucker and President of BAR Transportation, this story grew out of years behind the wheel, late night load checks, and quiet miles with nothing but the dash lights and the Lord for company.
About the author
Reader questions
Is this based on a true story?
The miles are real. The weather is real. The way drivers talk and work is real.
Names and mission changed so the story can do its job.
Do I need to know trucking to enjoy it?
No. If you’ve ever pushed through tough conditions or leaned on good people, you’ll get it.
Will there be a second book?
Yes. Book two is lined up. This convoy isn’t done.
Can I get a signed copy?
Yes. Signup form is at the bottom of the page. You’ll get first notice.