Search This Blog

Thursday, July 10, 2014

Sequels



One of my novel MONSTER’s fans chimed in on the Amazon discussion board a fan started. It is a terrific compliment I am very appreciative of:

Benny D says:
Mr. DeLeo - I am a big big fan of your work. Practicing law keeps me from being able to read them every night (although when I do 2:00 AM bed times are very common). Quick question sir, do you think we will see a sequel to Monster anytime soon? That book has got to be one of the best books written in the genre. I'm a big fan of Clancy, Thor, Flynn, Jack Murphy, etc. but I must say, you are a master at creating such fantastic dialogue!! Just wanted to let you know I would be one of many to jump on purchasing a sequel to Monster - I would hit the "Purchase" button no matter what the release date was! Thank you for the entertainment - simply fantastic!

His comment is only one of many advocating a sequel for some of my stand alone novels I receive, like The Protectors, PEACE, MONSTER, SOTELLO, and ARCHANGEL. I wrote them some time ago, but more than a few events in reality have come to pass resembling many of the plot threads in those novels. They also strike a chord with readers who enjoy the violent justice dispensed in them. When I read a comment like Benny’s, it fires me up to launch into whatever is suggested. At sixty-four, I keep getting the feeling I’m running out of time. Last year RJ and I published six of my novels, none less than 90,000 words. When we publish the third book in my Rick Cantelli, P.I. series in August, it will mark the third new novel of mine published this year, none under a 100,000 words. I’m also committed to a third book in my COLDBLOODED series right after with Nick McCarty, Gus, Rachel, Jean, and Deke the dog returning in early December. Also very soon I will have to produce the fifth novel in my HARD CASE series, or risk disappointing readers who have made it my bestselling set.

No… I’m not complaining or whining because I have a marketplace like Amazon, who provided a venue where my partner RJ Parker and I can bypass the mainstream publishing barriers to market our wares. I’m a storyteller, and when I read something like Benny D wrote, I wish I could write a 100,000 words a week. At some point next year, I am going to pick out one of my popular standalone novels, and write a sequel to it. I wish I could write sequels to all of them, but by the time I finished, I’d probably fall off the radar of readers following my more recent novels. I don’t want this wild streak to end, and I plan to ride the wave all the way into the rocks.

In new writing news, I reached 62,000 words in my third Rick Cantelli, P.I. series: Into The Darkness. I introduce a new young character, and the novel brings back Rick’s first high school love, Stacy Alden. Yep… it’s pulp fiction all the way, with violence, humor, and over the top heroes. I’m sure I’ll be receiving a review stating it’s not believable. In response I would point out the novel takes place in Cantelli-land, not reality land. :)

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

BTS Reviews E-mag for July/August

I've discussed Book Trailers Showcase Reviews E-mag in the past. They do an exceptional job creating the most professional looking on-line magazine to be found anywhere on the Web. It has been a pleasure advertising with them since the beginning. I know for a fact being in the E-mag and partnering up with RJ Parker made inroads into name recognition and marketing that have changed everything for me. Myra Nour, the CEO of BTS Reviews E-mag is a personal friend and fellow writer who has built the magazine into a must read for reviews, interviews, promos, and publishing news. She suggested a dual cover and spread, featuring both my partner RJ Parker and I. It turned out to be a wonderful opportunity. The E-mag for July/August also has my ads for the Rick Cantelli, P.I. series along with my Cold Blooded series. Take a look at this E-mag treat, because the BTS Reviews E-mag July/August issue entertains, informs, and visually enlightens... plus... of course... it features RJ and me.  :)

 July/August Issue

 


 If you enjoy the E-mag as much as I think you will, please hit the share buttons you like.  :)
 

Friday, June 27, 2014

Writing and Release Update



The chore of bringing all five of the backlist up to date is finally done with all of them on Amazon in Kindle form and paperback. Eventually, we’re going to release them as a boxed set too. The one I expected to take off is actually doing it. My SciFi Space Marine novel Casserine, put in the proper categories after years languishing in the void of AuthorHouse is doing real well. It’s a great love story, along with being a humorous adventure of nearly 700 pages. I also have the link now for the last one to be done: American Survival.

Here's what our boxed set will look like:


In other writing news, I hope to be at the 50,000 word mark by the end of the month on Rick Cantelli, P.I. Book III: Into the Darkness. There are more than a few surprises for Rick and Lo with the return of Rick’s high school love: Stacy Alden. I can’t describe how great it is to be back writing on the new novel. Finally, with my partner RJ Parker’s help, the task I had been avoiding for years is done, and only the new material lies ahead. If I really get a masochistic streak going, I will rewrite and update my first two novels, The Void and Roc… but I don’t see that ever happening. Some things are better left in the past.

Also check out the very enticing bits of romantic fiction from my blog buddy, Raine Weaver. While you’re visiting my friend’s blog, Raine's Secret Garden, take a look around at her published selection of novels on sale now.

Sunday, June 15, 2014

Backlist Blues



AuthorHouse, who had my first five novels for sale became a Penguin/Random House subsidiary. I received a call from our Amazon rep, AH removed all of my books from Amazon in digital form. That was a shock, because they were selling pretty well as backlist books. I owned the rights to all of them, so I finally did what I had been postponing. I cancelled AH, warning them they were no longer allowed to sell anything of mine.

The bad news was I had to quit writing my new novel while making new covers, formatting, and line editing my backlist books. So far I have four finished and back on the market: PEACE, SOTELLO, CASSERINE, and AMERICAN MUTANT. I’m working on AMERICAN SURVIVAL now, and I’ll be able to work on Rick Cantelli P.I. Book III: Into the Darkness again. I had 40,000 words done in the new novel already, and it was a pain to leave it in order to republish my backlist under the RJ Parker Publishing, Inc. banner. I know RJ and I will do much better with them, but it was an endeavor I had not planned on doing right away. I’m nearly having to rewrite American Survival, but it’s great getting this monumental task behind me. Amazon is happy, because they’re all in the Prime program now. Anyway, that’s news this Fathers Day.  :)