And now for your reading pleasure . . . My latest published short story, "The Right to Remain Silent," published in the latest issue of Back Alley Webzine.
It's sort of like L.A. REQUIEM, except shorter and it takes place in a law office. (At least, that's what the editor, Rick Helms, has to say about it.)
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Last Minute Push . . .
Okay, this is very last minute, but I wanted to let you all know that the big promo on my mystery novel IDENTITY CRISIS (click on the link for the description) will expire by the end of the month. That's two days, people. (Well, less than two, really. Unless you're across the International Dateline. Then . . . well, I don't know. I suppose the publisher determines this based on Eastern Daylight Time. Anyway . . .)
You can order a copy (or copies) of IDENTITY CRISIS for 10% off the retail price, if you click on the publisher's order page and simply enter the code README at checkout. It's that simple.
Or, if you're electronically inclined, you can also purchase it as an e-book through Amazon, the Scribd Store or Smashwords. Much cheaper than print, even with the discount.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Guest Blogging About E-Publishing and the Future of Print Books
Just wanted to say that I've made a guest appearance on the mystery writers' blog, Poe's Deadly Daughters, giving my take on the value of print books in the age of e-publishing. See what you think and feel free to comment either there or here on this blog.
I love e-publishing and have personally benefited from it, but I think there will always be a place for print books. What do you think?
I love e-publishing and have personally benefited from it, but I think there will always be a place for print books. What do you think?
'How I Became a Famous Novelist' (via Suite101)
Okay, I'm trying out something a bit different here. I've written a review of HOW I BECAME A FAMOUS NOVELIST by Steve Hely, but I've written it for Suite101, which means I can't reproduce it online (that would be competition I've agreed not to engage in, and promises is promises, right?). But I can promote my work online, which includes linking to the review in my own blogs, of which this is one.
So . . . I'll just say that the book is an almost agonizingly real depiction of the publishing game. A brilliant satire, I think I call it. Well, worth checking out. As is my review--so check them both out, okay? Thanks!
Oh, and just a footnote. Star Lawrence will continue to have guest reviews posted here. (Unless she also becomes a Suite101 writer. Who knows?) One way or other, I'll keep the reviews coming.
So . . . I'll just say that the book is an almost agonizingly real depiction of the publishing game. A brilliant satire, I think I call it. Well, worth checking out. As is my review--so check them both out, okay? Thanks!
Oh, and just a footnote. Star Lawrence will continue to have guest reviews posted here. (Unless she also becomes a Suite101 writer. Who knows?) One way or other, I'll keep the reviews coming.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
'A Case Of Infatuation' Takes You to Unexpected Places
Review: A CASE OF INFATUATION (Oak Tree Press 2009)
Author: W.S. Gager
I'll admit I approached W.S. Gager's debut novel A CASE OF INFATUATION feeling hesitant.
The cover and title seemed to have "romance novel" written all over them. But I started reading and, while the book has romantic aspects to it (or at least a healthy dose of lust on the main character's part), I wouldn't describe this as a romance novel. It reads much more like a suspense-thriller with dashes of romance and police procedure folded in here and there.
The protagonist Mitch Malone is a crime reporter. I'll quote the back of the book here: "He never lets the blood and guts he covers bother him. He always works alone. And he hates kids."
Okay--I already like this guy. Loner reporter who hates kids. Yeah, but things get a bit screwed up for Mitch in that department with the grand entrance of Petrenka Peterson, who bowls Mitch over from the first chapter's opening line. Petrenka is so gorgeous and mysterious, that Mitch finds himself simply smitten with her despite all his loner bachelor instincts, which he often reminds readers about. (Quite a bit--perhaps trying real hard to convince himself?)
Petrenka has come to the paper to work as an intern. And she's assigned to work with Mitch. Which is fine with him, even though it's difficult for Mitch to keep from panting and stay focused on his job when she's near.
Mitch ends up covering a double murder. Petrenka tags along, showing fine investigative reporting instincts for an intern. (Hmm . . .) And, at the scene of the murders, they find (guess what?) a kid. The child is found sleeping in a cubbyhole. And Mitch ends up taking the kid and Petrenka under his wing to protect the child, who's a potential witness, and--well--to possibly score with Petrenka.
Things get very interesting when the local cops are taken off the case and the FBI steps in. This gets Mitch's radar buzzing. This double murder has much more to it than meets the eye. Something that could be said about almost every character in this story.
See, while Mitch is grappling with wrongful murder charges against him (because he snuck into the crime scene and carelessly left a fingerprint), he's also trying to figure Petrenka out. And deal with little Joey (the kid) who worms her way into his usually icy kid-hating heart.
And as each new character was introduced, they all seemed to have a secret agenda of some kind that kept me guessing.
By the time the book reached its climax, I wasn't even sure whether to trust Petrenka or her, um, associate.
I can't tell you much more than that without the risk of spoilers. Just know that the action builds (in great detail) to a big finish (cinematic big! with a car chase and a damsel in distress who Mitch needs to rescue) and the plot takes you through enough twists to make you dizzy. And Mitch has many questions going through his head. Who is Petrenka? Where is she? Why is she doing what she's doing? (So many questions, they made me a bit dizzy, too.)
But the plotlines are all neatly resolved in the end. And as for Mitch--well, he changes. Suffice it to say, he grows and matures into a character who I can easily see having further interesting adventures in a series. (And Petrenka? We'll see . . .)
And not only do the plot twists and character agendas surprise you, but the cover and title had me going, too. The infatuation Mitch feels isn't just for Petrenka, but for the little kid, Joey. And, as cynical and ironic as I tend to like my usual mystery reading, I'll admit, I was genuinely touched by the portrayal. The warmth in the relationship between Mitch and Joey is what gives this story its heart and makes you root for the main character. Watching Mitch change from hard-hearted loner to surrogate father figure was actually quite moving.
So, if you like suspense-thrillers with a dash of romance, a touch of gritty cop stuff and a tough-but-likable protagonist, give A CASE OF INFATUATION a try. It'll take you places you might not expect. I know I was fooled.
Author: W.S. Gager
I'll admit I approached W.S. Gager's debut novel A CASE OF INFATUATION feeling hesitant.
The cover and title seemed to have "romance novel" written all over them. But I started reading and, while the book has romantic aspects to it (or at least a healthy dose of lust on the main character's part), I wouldn't describe this as a romance novel. It reads much more like a suspense-thriller with dashes of romance and police procedure folded in here and there.
The protagonist Mitch Malone is a crime reporter. I'll quote the back of the book here: "He never lets the blood and guts he covers bother him. He always works alone. And he hates kids."
Okay--I already like this guy. Loner reporter who hates kids. Yeah, but things get a bit screwed up for Mitch in that department with the grand entrance of Petrenka Peterson, who bowls Mitch over from the first chapter's opening line. Petrenka is so gorgeous and mysterious, that Mitch finds himself simply smitten with her despite all his loner bachelor instincts, which he often reminds readers about. (Quite a bit--perhaps trying real hard to convince himself?)
Petrenka has come to the paper to work as an intern. And she's assigned to work with Mitch. Which is fine with him, even though it's difficult for Mitch to keep from panting and stay focused on his job when she's near.
Mitch ends up covering a double murder. Petrenka tags along, showing fine investigative reporting instincts for an intern. (Hmm . . .) And, at the scene of the murders, they find (guess what?) a kid. The child is found sleeping in a cubbyhole. And Mitch ends up taking the kid and Petrenka under his wing to protect the child, who's a potential witness, and--well--to possibly score with Petrenka.
Things get very interesting when the local cops are taken off the case and the FBI steps in. This gets Mitch's radar buzzing. This double murder has much more to it than meets the eye. Something that could be said about almost every character in this story.
See, while Mitch is grappling with wrongful murder charges against him (because he snuck into the crime scene and carelessly left a fingerprint), he's also trying to figure Petrenka out. And deal with little Joey (the kid) who worms her way into his usually icy kid-hating heart.
And as each new character was introduced, they all seemed to have a secret agenda of some kind that kept me guessing.
By the time the book reached its climax, I wasn't even sure whether to trust Petrenka or her, um, associate.
I can't tell you much more than that without the risk of spoilers. Just know that the action builds (in great detail) to a big finish (cinematic big! with a car chase and a damsel in distress who Mitch needs to rescue) and the plot takes you through enough twists to make you dizzy. And Mitch has many questions going through his head. Who is Petrenka? Where is she? Why is she doing what she's doing? (So many questions, they made me a bit dizzy, too.)
But the plotlines are all neatly resolved in the end. And as for Mitch--well, he changes. Suffice it to say, he grows and matures into a character who I can easily see having further interesting adventures in a series. (And Petrenka? We'll see . . .)
And not only do the plot twists and character agendas surprise you, but the cover and title had me going, too. The infatuation Mitch feels isn't just for Petrenka, but for the little kid, Joey. And, as cynical and ironic as I tend to like my usual mystery reading, I'll admit, I was genuinely touched by the portrayal. The warmth in the relationship between Mitch and Joey is what gives this story its heart and makes you root for the main character. Watching Mitch change from hard-hearted loner to surrogate father figure was actually quite moving.
So, if you like suspense-thrillers with a dash of romance, a touch of gritty cop stuff and a tough-but-likable protagonist, give A CASE OF INFATUATION a try. It'll take you places you might not expect. I know I was fooled.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Will E-Books Ever Be Ready for Prime Time?
I ran across this little item that suggested e-books will never be embraced quite as fully as print books. The implicit assumption in this is that e-books will never replace print books, either.
For anyone trying to analogize the e-book to downloaded music, the author suggests there's a big difference. To quote the piece: "Books are not songs and the e-reader has a different function to [sic] a Walkman or iPod. For people who devour hundreds of books a year, they will be a boon. But the majority of book readers probably buy – what? – fewer than 25 titles a year: one a fortnight. And they do not need additional technology to enjoy their purchases. So the need to acquire an e-reader is correspondingly less urgent."
Yes, these things may be true, but . . . e-books are much cheaper to produce and, therefore, buy. So even if you're not a speed reader, it must be nice to have ready access to a whole library of books on your e-reader device (for the record, I don't own an e-reader, so I'm just imagining this). And if e-books cost less, then sales should rise--basic economics, yes? Plus it beats lugging all those books around when you're on vacation or going to school. (I believe the academic market is ripe for e-books these days.)
I know that as an author I see e-books as an amazing way to produce books at a low cost and distribute them with ease. And the potential for online marketing is awesome. Authors have little to lose from the success of e-books. (Of course, the specter of illegal downloads may make some authors nervous. But if you're trying for exposure, these considerations seem less important than simply getting your work out there.)
So, while I agree that e-books will never completely replace print books, I think there are reasons why they will succeed. The issue is how successful they'll be. Will e-books eventually become the norm? Or will they always be secondary to their print counterparts?
Good questions. Any thoughts?
For anyone trying to analogize the e-book to downloaded music, the author suggests there's a big difference. To quote the piece: "Books are not songs and the e-reader has a different function to [sic] a Walkman or iPod. For people who devour hundreds of books a year, they will be a boon. But the majority of book readers probably buy – what? – fewer than 25 titles a year: one a fortnight. And they do not need additional technology to enjoy their purchases. So the need to acquire an e-reader is correspondingly less urgent."
Yes, these things may be true, but . . . e-books are much cheaper to produce and, therefore, buy. So even if you're not a speed reader, it must be nice to have ready access to a whole library of books on your e-reader device (for the record, I don't own an e-reader, so I'm just imagining this). And if e-books cost less, then sales should rise--basic economics, yes? Plus it beats lugging all those books around when you're on vacation or going to school. (I believe the academic market is ripe for e-books these days.)
I know that as an author I see e-books as an amazing way to produce books at a low cost and distribute them with ease. And the potential for online marketing is awesome. Authors have little to lose from the success of e-books. (Of course, the specter of illegal downloads may make some authors nervous. But if you're trying for exposure, these considerations seem less important than simply getting your work out there.)
So, while I agree that e-books will never completely replace print books, I think there are reasons why they will succeed. The issue is how successful they'll be. Will e-books eventually become the norm? Or will they always be secondary to their print counterparts?
Good questions. Any thoughts?
Singleton Hippie Art, The Lonely Flower
The Lonely Flower (C) Singleton 2009With her sun~puckered lips,and weedy little legs,she teetered abovethe garden of little ones at her feet.And she cried.One by one,the others were whisked upby young lovers...."He loves me, he loves me not",bundled into little bouquets for Hallmark Holidays and after thoughts,
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