Hard Case Book IV: A Violent Life preview

Here's the blurb and cover for Hard Case Book IV: A Violent Life. I hope to have it ready for release in early spring.

The approaching holidays find John Harding’s West Coast Murderers’ Row crew in the usual Las Vegas double duty mission. John takes on a rising star in the UFC world nicknamed Rattler, because of snake fast striking ability. On the flip side, Denny Strobert turns the crew loose on a lady drug queen, Victoria Lydia Voltaire. She plans to use her drug network to aid and supply a Muslim Brotherhood offshoot setting up terrorist cells across the country.

Thanks to Lynn Montoya, nicknamed Cruella Deville, the crew gets a bonus when she initiates a plan to lure the Muslim Brotherhood gang readying to be dispersed across the nation into a public trap. A successful sting leads out in spiraling directions with terrorist plots involving Alexi Fiialkov’s container shipping line. Soon, the crew launches a rescue mission for Fiialkov’s granddaughter, and entraps the architect of a weaponized anthrax threat. The kid gloves are off, and the bodies begin piling up.

Add in a taste of what happens when Murderers’ Row decides to end an infamous start of the ‘Knockout Game’ in Oakland, and another excursion to help their ‘Hollywood Bounty Hunters’ reality show favorites take down a deadly assassin returning to our shores – all happening around the holidays, and a dreaded return visit by the in-laws to the Harding household. It’s business and humor as usual, but with a final cage rematch like no other.

Cold Blooded

I have the digital rights back for my novel COLD BLOODED, first published by Wild Child Publishing. I am very happy to have it back in my control. My partner, RJ Parker and I already have it up on Amazon under the RJ Parker Publishing banner. I will write a sequel for it sometime next year. My partner has already managed to drop the novel down into terrific rankings for the first time ever. When I signed the contract for COLD BLOODED with Wild Child Publishing, I had this newbie's perspective they actually did something to earn the 60 percent cut they took. That nonsense was quickly resolved when I received a list of things I was supposed to do to market the novel. While I didn't mind doing my part, I found out quickly WCP did absolutely nothing. I look forward to writing the sequel, and possibly another series to add on to my others: HARD CASE and RICK CANTELLI, P.I. 

I learned a lot about the publishing world from WCP, and I'm grateful for it. The experience convinced me I would never ever seek representation from an agent or a mainstream publisher. What RJ Parker and I have done over the past year has been the most exciting time of my writing career. RJ is without doubt the most gifted marketer I have ever encountered. He also writes chilling True Crime, and is the winner of the World Book Awards 2012 for True Crime. He has just published a Serial Killer Anthology with big name authors. I think we're going to have a very interesting year ahead on the Amazon marketplace. COLD BLOODED first brought RJ and I together. He reviewed COLD BLOODED for me, and loved it. It is still his favorite book of mine. Now, we own it, a great exclamation point on an exciting venture.  :)

Drawing

I wrote a guest blog for my partner/publisher/agent Author RJ Parker. We’re celebrating RJ Parker Publishing receiving full publishing credentials from Amazon with both e-book and paperback pre-order releases, along with a myriad of tools for tracking. There will be a drawing amongst the visitors making a comment on either RJ’s publishing site or his blog. I wrote about the changes we’ve seen in such a short time period, and the problems still in evidence on the Amazon marketplace I’ve mentioned here a few times. Stop in over there and take a look. Make a quick comment and get in the drawing automatically. You can even ask questions about anything to do with writing, or books or publishing on Amazon. RJ and I will be checking the comments right up until the January 15^th drawing. It's a fun deal, and the first prize is rather unique.  :)

RJ Parker Publishing

Author RJ Parker Blog

Reviews

My novel MONSTER received a very special review from bestselling author James Byron Huggins. A few elements in the novel really captivated Mr. Huggins, and he generously provided one of the greatest reviews I’ve ever garnered. Because I’m a geezer, who doesn’t get too far up or down, I enjoy the reviews, including the one star and two star hit pieces I’ve mentioned before. We have to stay ready to counter the Book Killers on the Amazon marketplace or they can destroy our sales, which is the goal. I also confess I see the humor in this particular abstract comparison between James Byron Huggins’ sterling review of a fellow author, and Crusty from San Francisco’s review of the same novel only four days later. My wife, Saint Joyce, rarely understands the humor, when she sees me laughing at the one star BK’s hit pieces, but when I read these two for her enjoyment, even she laughed at the incongruity.

First here is James Byron Huggins’ wonderful review of MONSTER:

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Astonishingly well-done, December 2, 2013

By 

James Byron Huggins - See all my reviews

This review is from: MONSTER (Kindle Edition)

I am one who tends to say that well-done characters are everything in a novel. I would even say that a great character can carry a poorly written novel. But that is not the case with MONSTER, which is fantastically well-written story of a truly unforgettable character. In fact, the protagonist in "Monster" is one of the most well-defined, well-fleshed out characters I've come across in a very long time. While DeLeo does nothing to attract attention to his true skill as a writer, when he wishes to impress, he does it with a flare of skill and daring that reminds me of a meteorite flashing across the sky.

I am a professional writer with numerous best-sellers, and read quite a lot, but Bernard Lee DeLeo is one of the purest writing talents I have ever had the pleasure of reading - a brilliant writing talent that I can only envy.

* * *

Okay… wow… that was awesome, right - guaranteed to swell the head of any novelist. Not so fast, my friends, because only four days later, Crusty from San Francisco chimed in with a bit different view of my writing. Here’s good old Crusty’s take on MONSTER:

1.0 out of 5 stars why did I waste my time, December 6, 2013

By 

Crusty (San Francisco) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: MONSTER (Kindle Edition)

Poorly written, formulaic and predictable story. The dialog is stilted and unrealistic. There is very little complexity to any characters or themes. I frankly wonder why this was written and published.

* * *

So, there you have it. In the space of four days, I flashed from a meteoric writing talent to a waste of time. I’m one who grasps whatever entertainment I can, where I can. Although if Crusty is an actual reader of MONSTER rather than a Book Killer, he or she (is Crusty masculine or feminine – I don’t know) of course bypassed the six full chapters Amazon gives away for free with their ‘Look Inside’ feature. All of the elements annoying Crusty were on display in the first six chapters. That’s not the point here. Either you have to enjoy reviews and the gaming that goes on in the Amazon marketplace, or you pretend they don’t exist. I’m not much on pretending, except when I’m writing on my assent into the stars, or crashing into 'waste of time land'. I thought my author friends as well as my blog readers would get a laugh out of this. I did.  :)

BTSe-mag for December!

Book Trailers Showcase E-mag is out with December’s issue, full of stories, articles, reviews, and previews of books in nearly every genre. It is easily the most elaborate and well put together magazine on the Internet. BTSe-mag provides authors with a very affordable advertising choice which cannot be overlooked. Whether you are an author or a reader, BTSe-mag is a wonderful glimpse into writing, publishing, and coming attractions.

BTSe-mag for December 

RJ Parker Publishing

My partner/agent/publisher/friend Author RJ Parker received his publishing credentials from Amazon. He will now be able to offer novels for pre-order, which is a huge asset. The business is extremely mercurial, and relies strongly on projections, not only of sales, but of reader interests. This accomplishment was a long time coming, and is a real step up. Congratulations, my friend. His first offering for pre-order is Serial Killers True Crime Anthology 2014 in paperback first.

 

RJ PARKER PUBLISHING 

 

Serial Killers True Crime Anthology 2014

Rick Cantelli, P.I. Book II: Deadly Liaisons Cover

Here is the cover for the just released second book in the series:
Rick Cantelli, P.I. Book II: Deadly Liaisons and the blurb: 

Rick starts his seventh decade out on a sour note. The infamous Cantelli Land of darkness and shadows engulfs everyone in this new chapter of Rick and Lois adventures. His prison pen-pal, contract killer Trish Rocha is set free, and Rick’s world is on fire once again. Lois reveals their first meeting, and a few past interludes much to Rick’s chagrin – including a liaison with a beautiful Mossad agent named Adina. A dreadful conjuring of the past explodes into present day Cantelli Land with a vengeance, but Rick and Lois are up to the mark.

Rick Cantelli, P.I. Sequel Finished

I wrote the ending to my Rick Cantelli, P.I. sequel. It will be the twenty-third full length novel I’ve completed, the twentieth offered on Amazon. Writing the ending to the novel was the most exhilarating experience I’ve had with a book. I have no idea if the ending will be as poignant to my readers as it was for me, but it won’t matter, because as always, in the end we write alone. Rick and Lois will be released at the end of November if I can complete my preparation tasks in time. The title of the new release is Rick Cantelli, P.I. Book II: Deadly Liaisons. I finished it at around the 92,000 word mark. It will be for sale on Amazon Kindle exclusively. As my publishing partner, RJ Parker, and I have found out, the other markets for sales are nearly nonexistent. Amazon pays on time, offers options not available in other venues, and keeps an Author’s Central up to date hourly. Changes and notes can be made instantly on the novels. The Book Killers have made the Amazon marketplace like a wild west show, but I think I’m outpacing them with releases. :)  Since all the new smart phones and tablets have aps for reading Kindle books, along with them being available in the Apple iTunes store, Amazon is tough to compete with. Deadly Liaisons will be available in paperback too.

I’ll be starting on Hard Case Book IV during editing of Deadly Liaisons. It looks like an exciting new year in writing coming up. Naturally, Bennie, my alter ego who fixes cars and trucks will be back on the blog the moment a new interesting customer interaction plays out in my shop I call the Batcave. :)