Peace… now that’s a better shiny than actual shiny things. At least from where I stand. But then, I’m standing in a place that’s all my own.

I love this short story of mine. It’s rough. It’s edgy. It’s not for the faint of heart or family friendly.

But it is rock and roll and it is gritty and it is something I’m proud of and stand behind.

Pick up your copy today:
Smashwords
B&N
Amazon

Also available on:
Kobo
iBooks
Page Foundry
txtr
Overdrive
Oyster
Flipkart
Scribd

Welcome my buddy Kevin R Doyle to West of Mars! If you’ve been hanging at The Rock of Pages at all, you probably recognize his name. He wrote a fantastic Rock Fiction novella, and then brought us two guest posts last Rocktober. And now, he wants to share thoughts about writing in different genres, since his most comfortable place as a writer is within horror. Horror! From someone so brilliant at Rock Fiction?

So here’s Kevin.

Most people read by genre, and that’s entirely understandable. When you find a type of material you like, you want to read more of it. When I was a kid, I was heavy into science fiction, with a decent helping of adventure in the Edgar Rice Burroughs and Doc Savage vein. As I grew older, I turned more towards horror and men’s adventure, and these days my casual reading is almost entirely in the mystery genre. (The procedural and private eye type, not the English cozy. Though around third and fourth grade, sandwiched in between Jules Verne and H.G. Wells, I went through a pretty decent Sherlock Holmes phase.)

By extension, most writers write by genre. Most, both known or unknown, are described or describe themselves as a “romance writer,” a “mystery writer” or a “fantasy writer.” It’s the flip side of the reading thing. When you find something you enjoy writing, you tend to keep doing it.

Not to say that authors don’t cross genres; obviously they do. But it’s fairly standard to think of someone as a certain “type” of writer.

For most of the time I’ve been doing this, I’ve been a “horror writer.” Almost all of my production has been in the short style field, and most of that was either horror or dark fantasy. (“Dark fantasy” being the term I started using when people gave me odd looks at the mention that I wrote horror.) Over the last three years or so, I’ve gone beyond the short story/ magazine market into, as of this February, three books on the market. (E-books only for the first two, e-book and print for the third.)

The odd thing, though, is that while I spent a couple of decades (my first story appeared in 1988) writing mainly horror, when I first broke into the book arena it was not in that genre.

One Helluva Gig, a general fiction piece about rock and roll music, tabloid journalism and the celebrity lifestyle, could in no way be connected to my earlier work. One friend told me that, while reading the book “I kept waiting for it to get creepy, but it never did.”

Gig, a piece of bittersweet nostalgia about dreams, hopes and aspirations that come up short and the way we cope when they do, was followed by The Group, a mystery novel about serial murder, wrongful accusations, and the way one lapse in judgement can ruin several lives. A story of straight up mystery and suspense, Group doesn’t come anywhere near Gig, which causes a problem. How do you build some kind of comprehensive marketing strategy, getting readers in the habit of buying your work, if the disparate pieces of that work are polar opposites?

My brilliant (?) solution was to produce my next book in an entirely different genre than either of the first two. The Litter (due out Feb. 13 from Night to Dawn Magazine and Books) does have its mysterious elements, primarily who are these cannibalistic kids who behave like wild animals and where did they come from, but it falls full square within the horror field. Including one particular little incident, about two thirds of the way through, that gave the editor a sleepless night when she came upon it. (No joke. I have the e-mail from her the next day to prove it.)

And now I’ve just added to the conundrum. How do I possibly build up a following among potential readers when my work is going in so many different directions? It’s not as if I wrote my first several books in one genre, developed a following, then decided to branch out. From the get go I’ve been shooting off in all sorts of directions.

And as I puzzled my way through this it occurred to me that maybe, just maybe, I’m not giving readers today enough credit. Is it possible that the contemporary reader would be interested not so much in good writing in one particular arena, but good writing in general? (I know, there’s an inherent egotism there, but just roll with me for a minute.) And could the contemporary reader, who themself has to make an effort to seek out and read good material, with so many other distractions of modern life, be drawn not to good romance fiction, mystery fiction or science fiction, but to good fiction? Is the quality of escapism what’s important, not the particular path itself?

To date, I’m not sure of the answer, even with allowances made for the egotistic premise that I could provide such material. As in so much in life, it’s going to be a matter of wait and see. No doubt, I’ll know the answer soon enough.

But just to hedge my bets, and to show that I haven’t completely run away with the image of myself as an artiste, my next project (already three thousand words in) is going to be a sequel to one of the first three.

Which one?

Aww, for that you’ll have to wait and see.

I just hope that it’s not good mainstream material, mystery material, or horror material, but good reading material.

See, it’s not egotism, just hope.

Tell your friends. It’s easy, it’s free, and it’ll have you looking at your book with fresh eyes.

The Featured New Book Spotlight.

One question. One song. Your chance to reach the world.

(THIS is a crummy way to start the week. Just sayin’)

It’s Read an E-Book Week! And, as I do every year, to celebrate, I’ve discounted all my books so you’ll be extra tempted to pick them up and join the Trevolution.

My catalog is getting bigger, deeper, even though I’m doing more editing than writing these days.

The best part of this new age of publishing, I think, is that your books can be on sale forever. They never go out of print. And weeks like this are perfect for reminding you of that.

Older, newer, it doesn’t matter. You can pick them all up at Smashwords and whoa, Nelly! Look at that discount!!

Yes, even my newest release, not even six months old yet. Broken, the short story you just gotta read.

So what are you waiting for? Go get some copies and read an e-book this week!

“This woman claims to be Lyla Stormbringer,” Roger said. Mutters passed through the group. “I have offered her the opportunity to prove herself. Lyla is known as a master sword fighter, skilled with the bow, and a great puzzle-solver. So I propose three tests, one for each strength. If she proves she is Lyla, we have found our champion. If she fails, we can decide her fate.” He turned to me. “Do you accept the terms?”

I swallowed hard. I didn’t like the sound of “decide her fate,” but I was in the game now. “I accept the terms,” I said, willing my voice to be steady.

Inside, however, I was shaking like a leaf. Never mind wearing stolen cuffs. This could be bad — really, really bad.

Pick up your copy today!
Amazon
Kobo
iBooks
Nook

I’m still basking in the return to posting here. Ahh, life is grand.

Let’s welcome author Susan Leigh Noble today, shall we? Her book came out two weeks ago, so it’s going to be new to most of us. It’s called The Heir to Alexandria, and here’s the song that makes her think of it:

I would like to thank Susan for allowing me to spotlight my new release The Heir to Alexandria. I struggled with finding a song that represented my story. There aren’t many songs that seemed to right fit for a fantasy novel. I finally chose Nowhere to Run by Martha Reeves and the Vandellas.

While my main character Alista is not running from love, I thought the line “Got Nowhere to run to, nowhere to hide” fit on two different levels. First, Alista cannot avoid going for testing as the heir to Alexandria. The one time she tries to run, she is brought back in chains. And second, the secret society, the Order of the Black Dragon, relentlessly pursues anyone marked for testing and with the use of magic, makes hiding nearly impossible.

Woot! Old school! Did you guys know I simply adore this sort of music?? Well, I DO.

So the book sounds like it’s got a bit of the dystopian to it, doesn’t it? Nowhere to run to? Yeah. Definitely.

Here’s the official book description:

Believed the descendants of the Gods themselves,
The Alexandria line ensured peace,
Until they were brutally murdered.
But rumor spread a maid escaped with the youngest daughter.

Now as the world rushes toward a period of unrest, the nations’ Kings continue their 200-year-long-search for the Heir to Alexandria – the one person who can bring peace and stability through divine power.

Alista has her own search – for the parents who abandoned her as a baby years ago. When her only lead proves to be a dead end, she heads to the capital with a reluctant escort. Grayson is just following his aunt’s order, but he would rather be on one of his solitary scouting missions for the Landra Guard. However, when Alista unintentionally curses a guard in front of the King’s court, everything changes for both of them.

Now forced to travel to Covington for testing, danger lurks at every turn as a secret society strives to prevent the return of the Alexandria line. Are Alista’s visions of the future enough to save herself and those traveling with her?

That doesn’t sound quite so dystopian, does it? In fact, this description makes it hard to not run out and grab a copy right now. (But it’s Amazon exclusive, so those of us who have different e-ink e-readers are left in the cold.)

If you’re so inclined, here’s the link. Use it for yourself and your friends.

Amazon

Connect with the awesomely named Susan:
Blog
Facebook
Twitter

Out of the blue came an inquiry: do you post about m/m romances?

Of course, I said. I am an equal-opportunity promoter — it’s not as if my own books weren’t banned from certain sites due to Trevor’s adoration for the f word, and every other word found objectionable (and some that aren’t).

So without further ado, here’s Shiloh with word of what song makes her think of her new book, Bitten by Snake Oil (that’s a super title, btw. Maybe even a great band name.)

I’d like to thank Susan for giving me the spotlight for my new release Bitten by Snake Oil. It is a M/M erotic historical western romance with fantasy elements. So what song makes me think of my book? My story is written in first person from the point of view of my blacksmith Jed Riker. There aren’t too many songs written about blacksmiths. I thought I’d come across an old western song or maybe one from the Civil War. Nope.

I actually ran across this song while putting together a Pinterest board for Bitten by Snake Oil. I’d never heard it before. It is simply called Blacksmith Song by Tom Willoughby.

The music video is a homemade simple slideshow, but the words of the song speak to me and to my book. I know Jed Riker would love this song. Jed is proud of his work, is a respected member of Tumbleweed, a small Kansas town, and he works hard to support himself and his elderly mother-in-law. I am going to write a sequel to Bitten by Snake Oil and this song almost makes me want to give Jed an apprentice so he can pass on his knowledge.

Shiloh’s got a great point. When was the last time you saw a book about a blacksmith? Heck, I’d read it for that and that alone.

Ready for the description?

Since the death of his wife four years ago, blacksmith Jed Riker has been fighting his attraction to men. When sexy medicine-show man Peter Saint comes into Tumbleweed, Kansas, Jed buys his potion hoping for a cure, but receives vivid erotic dreams of the perfectly built salesman instead.

Jed’s uses all his strength and energy to fight the attraction in a town where the local preacher’s hellfire and damnation sermons promise repercussions if he dares to act on them. Can Peter Saint’s potions offer a solution and free the blacksmith to live and love as he wishes and not as his closed-minded neighbors demand?

 

Now there’s a question that resonates with many. Nicely done, Shiloh!

Pick up your copy.

Buy Links:

Decadent

Amazon | Amazon UK

B&N

Kobo

iTunes

Smashwords

Shiloh Social Media Links:
Blog: http://shilohsaddler.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shiloh.saddler?fref=ts

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShilohSaddler

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/shilohsaddler/

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00H6CN5D4

And remember, if you read it and are moved by it (good or bad!), a few words of review at GoodReads and the point of purchase will help Shiloh immensely. The best way to give back to an author, other than buying her books, is to leave a quick review.

It’s Monday. Where’s the Featured New Book?

On delay. I’ve got fun stuff from author Shiloh Saddler, but I’m pushing to finish up this edit before Christmas Eve. Add in a sick kid and … yeah. The chaos over here has intensified.

Stay tuned. Good books and better tunes (or is that the other way around? You’ll have to come back and read to decide!) await.

So does this client, and wait until you read these books. Inventive as anything!

I love doing the Featured New Book Spotlight. I’ve hosted a huge number of authors for this spot, and not once has the song choice failed to interest me. It’s widened my music horizons and I’ve heard from readers that the author did such a good job on their post, the reader went out and bought the book. So I know this feature is more than just another link in a line of links. I know it sells books. People tell me when they buy.

But finding authors to fill the spotlight has gotten harder and harder, even as there are more and more authors out there, promoting their books aggressively.

So what gives? Is one question too many? Is it too hard a question? Is it that I’m not looking to run the same thing as twenty others? Or is it that now that West of Mars isn’t ranked in the top 125,000 anymore (according to Alexa), I’m not worth the time and energy?

The Featured New Book Spotlight is a free service, folks. Well, unless you want to reserve your date, and then I’m charging a measly five bucks. I see authors shelling out hundreds of dollars for book tours or book reviews, sometimes protesting they can’t afford to have their book edited.

Ahh, maybe that’s it. West of Mars has evolved over the years, from an author’s site to an editor’s business platform.

Don’t be worried I’ll try to sell you an edit. Sure, I may mention it if we chat (“If you’re ever in the market, come on back and I’ll work up a sample for you” is my usual refrain, if the conversation gets that far), but do I mean it? At the moment, sure. My door is always open to new clients. But mostly, I do it to be polite. To put it in your head that I’m here, and maybe you’ll share my name with your friends — either for the Spotlight or for editing work.

But that’s only if we chat and the conversation goes in a direction where I can bring it up. If we don’t, no loss. We’ve still had a nice interaction, I’ve been able to help you promote your book — and at the end of the day, helping each other is what matters. At the end of the day, I run the Featured New Book Spotlight because I want to see authors succeed.

So spread the word, will ya? Featured New Book Spotlight. Open to all authors, of any genre. Free unless you want to reserve a specific date. No hard sell for the editing services.

Consider this my labor of love.

And watch for something new and even more fun on the horizon, doubling your opportunity to play along and get word of your book out there.

I’m not even sure how Mary Pat Hyland and I met. Over Twitter, I think it was — so for all you who don’t use Twitter to chat and network and make new friends, see what you’re missing out on?

So let’s get to business: Mary Pat, what song reminds you of your book?

This is a great question, and as part of my promotion for my new
collection of short stories, In the Shadows of the Onion Domes, I already
created a playlist on my facebook page.

This song, “Secret O’ Life” by James Taylor, I linked to the final story
in the book “The Reluctant Magnolia.” That tale is about a woman recently
widowed who is forced to downsize her life, painfully aware of the
downward slide ahead. But I think the universal themes in Taylor’s lyrics
fit all of the stories.

The connecting thread in this collection of eighteen stories is the fact
that they’re all set in the same river valley in Upstate New York. It’s an
area settled by a major influx of European settlers seeking manufacturing
jobs during the first half of the twentieth century. Each group bought
its own perspectives and unique flavor that remains to this day. (There
are many Orthodox churches throughout the valley and their “onion domes”
help define its skyline.)

These stories follow families, college students, couples, friends and the
recently widowed, each presented with the challenges of life, love and the
rapid changes that come with the passage of time. “Einstein said that he
could never understand it all,” Taylor sings.

Each tale has a different treatment. Some are sweet, others tinged with
bitterness, and since these take place in the childhood hometown of writer
Rod Serling, some carry a definite Twilight Zone vibe. Two are sudden
fiction, under five hundred words, and “The Reluctant Magnolia” is
novella-length.

I think of them all as drawings in a sketchbook, trying to capture moments
in this “lovely ride” we call life and reminding us to “enjoy the passage
of time.”

Okay, how about you? I’m fascinated. This sounds like the sort of thing I’d love to read, to savor a story each night before bed… it takes me back to my grad student days, when I was an MFA in creative writing and I read short stories the way, one each night, and thought about it as I went to sleep…

Ahh, the memories. I still remember how that bed felt; it wasn’t the most comfortable thing my money has ever purchased. But still… It was mine!

Back to the collection. Here’s the back cover copy, just in case you need to know more.

By the confluence of the Susquehanna and Chenango rivers in New York’s
Southern Tier lies a verdant valley called the Triple Cities.

The shoe factories that originally drew thousands of immigrants from
across Europe have long moved on.

What remains are the distinct ethnic flavors of a gritty community
determined to overcome economic woes, adapt to the rapid changes in
society and find true meaning in life.

Consider these stories as pages ripped from a sketchbook. Some are quick
studies; others are more detailed portraits inspired by observed
characters, whispered gossip, overheard conversations and the local lore
of the residents whose neighborhoods are framed by the gilded Orthodox
Church domes that span this valley.

You’ll find that each tale has its own tone: some are humorous or
poignant, others are surprising and haunting.

Pick up a copy!

CreateSpace
Amazon U.S.
Amazon UK
Barnes & Noble

The book will be available via Smashwords and other ebook retailers in
late January 2015

(but I don’t wanna wait! Daddy, I want a golden egg NOW.)

Connect with Mary Pat. She’s fun to chat with!

Website
Blog
Facebook
Goodreads
Twitter

Color me shocked to read a blog post the other day that quoted a New York Times article written by an Eagle Scout. The guy was calling the Boy Scout Handbook a Work of Great Literature.

By its definition, literature is fiction. The BSA Handbook is, by its definition, not.

From Webster’s online:

Literature:

written works (such as poems, plays, and novels) that are considered to be very good and to have lasting importance

: books, articles, etc., about a particular subject

: printed materials (such as booklets, leaflets, and brochures) that provide information about something

Before you get in my face that the second and third points aren’t fiction, let me point something out: it’s only the fiction entry that gets noted as consider to be very good and to have lasting importance. That’s key here.

Other the Bible, which is in a class of its own, think of Works of Great Literature. What comes to mind? Moby Dick? The Scarlet Letter? Pride and Prejudice? Don Quixote? Beloved?

And authors you recognize: Flaubert, Garcia Marquez, Borges, Faulkner, Hemingway, Joyce, Shakespeare.

These ALL have two things in common: they are fiction. And they are old. I think Toni Morrison is the newest on the list I’m looking at.

Okay, a second look shows some Harlan Ellison and Chinua Achebe. On some radars, that’s old. (On some radars, I’m old. On some, I’m not.)

But you get my point, right? FICTION. Not real. And certainly not a handbook designed to teach you outdoor skills and the twelve points of the Scout Law.

As a Boy Scout leader (Trained Scoutmaster, Venturing Advisor, Wood Badge, and member of the Order of the Arrow) and as a parent of a Boy Scout, yes, I’ve read the Boy Scout handbook. It’s fascinating reading, and the centennial edition is beautifully put together. But it’s not a novel. It’s not a Work of Literature. (to be fair, it’s the 1940 edition that is being raved about, which I don’t think I’ve ever seen, although I’ve seen some old ones, including an original. But it’s still not fiction!)

And you know what? The New York Times shoulda known that. The author of the piece should have known that. He’s a Distinguished Eagle Scout and has won all sorts of awards.

Know something else? He defined what to him a Work of Great Literature is. So he had to share his definition with the world in order to make this argument. It’s one man’s argument. It’s not a generally agreed-upon one.

It saddens me. There’s simply no way I, who works in publishing, can agree with this classification. The Boy Scout Handbook is brilliant for what it is. A manual. A guide to survival, to skills that some think are dying out (they clearly don’t watch The Walking Dead). It’s a way of life, a set of values, a challenge to your knowledge.

But it’s NOT literature.

I think the friend who sent me a copy of Ruth Reichl’s Garlic and Sapphires begged me to read it soon, and not let it sit on the TBR mountains forever. Which, of course, means… it sat on the TBR mountains for a damn long time. Too long, but there are very few books that don’t anymore. This is why Jett now runs The Rock of Pages.

But I needed something to read one day in a waiting room, and Garlic and Sapphires was sitting in a pile with one other book. Hardly a pile, right? Easy way to make a dent in the TBR mountains, eliminate a metaphoric peak. I doubted I’d even like it; I usually don’t particularly care for non-fiction.

For days, I did very little BUT read. And at some point, I surfaced long enough to think about the book’s structure.

Oh, sure, you can easily point to the way Ruth talks about her various disguises and hunt for their personas as the structure. The persona, and then the string of restaurants she visited. It all ends with the actual review.

Go deeper, though. Early on, Ruth tells us that moving to New York is going home. And early in her adventures, she does a lot of remembering. You can feel her revisiting the memories and putting them to rest. Her adventures and meals are the vehicle for her coming to terms with her past.

But the longer she’s working, the fewer those moments become. Instead, the new life she’s built creeps into the prose. We may not hear as much about her husband, but we hear more about her son. Politics at the paper. Becoming a celebrity. All this changes her, too, and as her friend and co-worker Carol gets sicker, her personas get meaner and harder to be around — and her friends, being true friends, call her on it.

It’s fascinating to see how the structure of the book ties in so nicely to Ruth’s own changes. It was totally unexpected, how she ties it all together, with food ever at the center, until this isn’t an inside look at being a restaurant critic anymore. Nope. It becomes a story of one woman’s personal journey, and how the people along the way touch her.

I don’t often find books that I can’t put down. It’s even rarer that I find non-fiction that I can’t put down. Go pick this one up — if you’re local, nab my copy before it winds up in a Little Free Library somewhere. It’s okay if you don’t see the brilliance in the structure the way I did. I’m the editor, after all. My approach to the written word is bound to be a bit different.

I’ve known Tina Donahue via Triberr for awhile now. She’s prolific, and if you like your romance on the steamy side, check her out. And even if not, read on ’cause her song choice is way cool.

Katy Perry’s Roar – that baby is spot on. In Intimate Details, Shana’s not
taking it anymore. Despite a tragic and hidden past, she’s now a
world-class computer hacker, bringing down one of Manhattan’s most corrupt
executives. A far cry from when she was the victim. Now, Shana demands
justice, which gets her involved with two of the hottest men in town, Mike
and Cody. They’ve never met anyone quite like Shana, smart as hell, sexy
as sin. These guys will do whatever it takes to keep her safe and in their
arms…

I love that song. Simply love it.

Tina’s explanation does a pretty good job of telling us what the book’s about, no? But here’s the official description anyway:

As a computer hacker, she demands justice.
As a woman, she craves two powerful and commanding men.

Shana’s been hacking one of Manhattan’s most corrupt executives, making
him pay for what he’s done to his victims. Using her skills, she convinces
Mike and Cody to hire her at their intelligence-gathering firm, where
intimate details help their clients.

Never has Mike met a woman as delicious as Shana. Smart as hell, curvy and
assured, she’d be a delightful challenge in bed. Cody’s carnal hunger is
equally intense. He and Mike want to know everything about her.

She won’t divulge the secrets of her past. All she can offer is
unquenchable desire and her heart.

During weeks of shameless lust and pleasure, Mike and Cody peel away the
layers of Shana’s life. The stunning truth changes everything. They’ll do
all that they can to keep her safe…and in their arms.

Pick up your copy, exclusively at BookStrand.

Connect with Tina!
FB Fanpage
Email
Website
Blog
Goodreads
Twitter
Facebook
Triberr
Pinterest
Amazon author page
My page at TRR
EC Author Page
Samhain Author Page

So I’ve got this client, right? We’ll call her Stevie. (go figure)

Stevie dropped me a note the other day, asking about romance. Did it have to be erotic?

She’s been trying to write a romance set in the hockey world. As in: the romantic lead is a hockey player. But everything she is finding is erotic. Or if not erotic, more explicit than she’d like.

We were messaging and not e-mailing, which is a shame because I had to give her a truncated answer, never something I like to do. But I told her that yes, there are a ton of options within romance. There’s clean, there’s closed door, there’s explicit, there’s BDSM, there’s m/m, there’s menage… the sky is the limit these days. (Of course, there’s my passion, Rock Fiction, but wrong category. She’s going sports — specifically hockey romance with this one, so why confuse the issues?)

She asked for titles. I can only think of one: Liana Laverenz’s Thin Ice. I have a copy of it around here somewhere that I can give her, because she’s one of those cool people I know in real life. (which might mean she’s not an editing client, per se, but she came to me for help, so we’ll call her a client.)

Anyone got other suggestions? We’re looking for … not explicit. Relatively tame, in terms of heat. I don’t think they have to be totally clean, just … on the tamer side.

And again: hockey romance specifically.

Leave titles in the comments and I’ll have her peruse the list.

I can’t recall if Kelly Washington has stopped in at West of Mars before. I know her alter ego, Della Roth (formerly Jean 8), has.

Kelly’s good people. Special people in my world. So don’t just read this post. Be sure you go pick up a copy of her newest romance, Collide Into You. Here’s why.

What song makes me think of my book? “Afraid” by The Neighborhood.

YouTube link (with lyrics!) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsLMoxa6xZ0, the key lyrics being, “When I wake up, I’m afraid somebody else might take my place.” (Note the explicit version of this song.)

Now, this song is somewhat on the darker/moodier side, and my novel, Collide Into You, is a romantic comedy with a “touch of magic”. Hmmm… these two emotions don’t exactly mix, now do they? However, this is a body swap romantic comedy and, one day, my two romantic leads (Keira and Dillan) literally wake up as somebody else–each other–with hilarious and touching results.>

Sounds good, huh? Here’s the description:

When twenty-seven-year-old Army Sergeant Keira Holtslander, an orderly and rule-loving intelligence analyst, is reassigned to the Pentagon for a special assignment, she agrees to room with her brother’s best friend, Dillan Pope. But there’s a problem. Several, in fact. He’s sarcastic, egotistical, full of himself, extremely attractive, and a womanizer. Within a matter of days, her life is chaos. She didn’t like him when they met nine years ago, and her opinion isn’t likely to change now.

Dillan Pope, a thirty-year-old career businessman climbing his way up the corporate ladder, has learned to use his looks, charm, and sexual skills to his advantage. There isn’t much he cannot accomplish. Women easily tumble into his bed and business deals come about effortlessly. But when his best friend’s little sister moves in, he knows he’s in trouble. She’s rather hostile toward him, which takes him by surprise. Not even his patented smile works on her, but maybe that’s why Keira, aka Sergeant Prim and Proper, has always been the one girl he hasn’t been able to forget since their first meeting, nine years ago.

When a meddling barista puts a charm on the roommates, causing them to swap bodies, they must live as the other until they both own up to some hard truths. They quickly learn that panic, fighting, and accusations will get them nowhere. Until they can learn the lessons they refuse to acknowledge, they experience life as the other. Along the way they are forced to concede that maybe the other isn’t so bad.

Maybe there’s a reason they hated each other. And admitting the feelings that lay hidden may be the only way to undo the switch.

Nice, huh? I’ve … read this one. If you get my drift. Yes, I’m biased.

Get your own copy, exclusively at Amazon.

So it came to my attention that a Featured New Book post had shown up with the funky formatting I’ve struggled with since the website’s redesign. (If anyone is a website maintenance person, who can help work on the site on a regular basis without charging me two arms, a leg, and my firstborn, holler.)

The funky formatting meant you couldn’t read Hans’ reply to the famed one-question interview.

So here’s the link.

Or better yet, here’s Hans’ answer:

Eagle, by ABBA
This was not an easy question to answer and and I’ve been tossing and turning over this for a long time, as the story of the book is not very pop or rock even. I’ve contemplated pieces from Mozart’s Requiem (too somber as it is) to Beethoven’s Fifth (too majestic and pompous) to glamrock (too duh!) before I finally settled on a song.

I ended up settling on this particular song from my favorite musical group (yeah, I am THAT old), because the lyrics do speak to some of the core beliefs expressed in the book, and lyrics are as important to a good song as the cover is to a good book. Fallen Angels obviously can’t fly, but the question the book raises is what it takes to make them fly again, and the eagle from the song does: “high, high, what a feeling to fly over mountains and forests and seas, and to go anywhere that I please, a symbol of hope and above all freedom.” And it is the freedom that our fallen angels need more than anything else to be able to soar and fly once again.

But the eagle also symbolizes Haakon, who’s traveled far, who’s seen the world, who’s got great stories to tell.. Listen och enjoy one of my favorite songs from Sweden’s greatest music export ever, and enjoy a corny 70s music video!

And the book description:

In an isolated mountain town in Norway, Haakon dreams of traveling the world, pursuing adventure, seeing great places, finding love. His very first trip to London with friends from university offers much promise, yet soon after tragedy strikes. Still young, and mourning the loss of his lover, Haakon is not ready to give up on his dream, so when a rich Englishman offers him the chance to join him on a tour of the world, Haakon takes it, daring to believe that his dream is finally coming true: but at what price?

The Fallen Angels of Karnataka is a novel filled with adventure, life’s hard-learned lessons, loss, despicable evil, and finally, love and redemption.

A remarkable story that will have readers hooked until the end. Denny Patterson, Vital VOICE Magazine

 

You know you need a copy. I sure do!
Amazon
B&N

Connect with Hans. You’ll be glad you did.
website
blog
Release Trailer
All about Hans

Yeah, so it’s tacky to feature myself. But it’s been quiet around here again; what’s with these spurts?

So… what song makes me think of my short story? Like many before me, it’s a hard choice. Ozzy’s Crazy Train is an option ’cause if there’s anything going on with Ice Cubes in Hell, it’s a crazy train. This band is dysfunction city — and sadly familiar to many of us inside the biz.

Maybe I’d settle on Nothing More’s breakout song, This is the Time (Ballast) — as a warning to my fictional friends that what gets revealed this night needs to be moved past.

Or there’s my son’s favorite song (Not): Katy Perry’s Roar, since Broken describes the events that happen when T finds her voice — although she’s never been the sort to bury it in the first place. T’s a pretty in-your-face sort of woman. I like her for what it’s worth.

The Amity Affliction’s Pittsburgh? A definite contender, as this band, these people are lost and drowning.

Funnily enough — or not — I have three of these songs in my Spotify playlist that keeps me company at work. I bet you can’t figure out which is the one not on the list…  And yes, I’m sticking to these four. It’s MY site, MY interview question. I get to break the rules.

Here’s the long description for Broken:

For T and the rest of Ice Cubes in Hell, it’s a routine night backstage after their set, opening for the notorious Vanessa Kontempt. The party’s in full swing when T walks in, but she’s not in the mood. Not tonight. Things spiral downward when she finds some groupies raiding her stage clothes. One breaks the heel off her favorite boot, and as T confronts the band’s tour manager about the destruction, secrets are revealed. Secrets which might tear the band apart … or bring them closer.

The story won’t be released until the 15th — that’s just next week! — but you can preorder it now.

Smashwords  (Uhh, no affiliate link this time. Go figure.)

Amazon

The good news is that the editing is keeping me busy. The bad news is that means my writing is taking a hit. And given that a lot of my clients come to me because I am an author and I have my fingers in publishing, I suppose I gotta put up.

This one, I’m glad to put up. It’s my new short story, called Broken. 

My very longtime (I started to say old, but I don’t want either of us to be old) Metallica friend, Carol, did the cover. Go visit her. Tell her I sent you.  You deserve a cover by someone like Carol.

It’s a short story, as the cover makes pretty darn clear, and it’ll be for sale for 99c once it’s up and able to be preordered or out-and-out for sale. (Yes, I’m writing this in advance.)

Ready for the description? Too bad. Here it is.

For T and the rest of Ice Cubes in Hell, it’s a routine night backstage after their set, opening for the notorious Vanessa Kontempt. The party’s in full swing when T walks in, but she’s not in the mood. Not tonight. When she finds groupies raiding her stage clothes and one breaks the heel off one of her favorite boots, things spiral downward. As T confronts the band’s tour manager about the destruction, secrets are revealed. Secrets that might tear the band apart … or bring them closer.

I’m crazy proud of this story. Took me a long time to get right, and I had to run it past my editor, too, for help pulling it all together.

Buy links will be arriving as soon as I’ve got ’em. Pick up your copy and help me keep my fingers in the publishing pie.

Ahh, the beauty of writers’ groups. If you’re a writer, find yourself one. Find a good group of folk who don’t merely lift you up when you need it, but who always always always lift your writing up.

Author JJ Hensley is in one of my writer’s groups. He’s also one of the few people who knows what I look like, so be extra nice to him and maybe he’ll spill the goods. Of course, we’ve only seen each other face to face once, and that was at a table in a restaurant, so who knows how much of me he actually saw.

Anyway, JJ’s got a new book out, Measure Twice. He’s garnering some good reviews, so be sure to check them out, as well as the book.

Let’s get down to business. JJ, what song makes you think of your book?

Man of Constant Sorrow

 

This is a traditional folk song that has been covered by multiple artists since 1913.  Many people are familiar with the tune from the George Clooney movie Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?  However, I’m not really into folk music, so the version I like is by a hard rock band called Charm City Devils. 

 

My new novel, Measure Twice, is a story about addiction, recovery, and the search for redemption. An addict, Lester Mayton, is methodically killing Pittsburgh city officials and Homicide Detective Jackson Channing is on the case. However, Channing has his own addiction and a dark secret that is tearing him apart.

 

Like true men of constant sorrow, both of these characters struggle to be free of their addictions in very different ways. Mayton’s addiction to religion has to be broken if he is to complete his terrifying plan, while Channing’s alcoholism is threatening his career and his sanity.

 

The novel is divided into 12 chapters, or “steps”, mirroring the 12 steps of recovery as defined by Narcotics Anonymous. This literary 12 step program propels the reader through a plot unlike any other.

 

While the lyrics of Man of Constant Sorrow do not exactly reflect the content of Measure Twice, the underlying theme of the song makes me think of the novel.  In fact, this song pops into my head whenever I think about the climax of the story and envision the scene. 

 

And I certainly do not see George Clooney.

 

Charm City Devils. Good choice, JJ! And killing Pittsburgh officials… why do I think this was written near the end of the Ravenstahl administration?

Ready for what the book is about? I sure am.

Lester Mayton is struggling to break free from his addiction. In his particular case, the drug of choice is religion. Now with his wife dead and city officials to blame, Mayton is out for revenge. In order to commit the atrocities necessary to spread his message of justice, he must change his ways and become the evil he has always abhorred.

Pittsburgh Homicide Detective Jackson Channing is struggling to break free from his own addiction. His alcoholism may have already cost him his marriage and now threatens to sweep away his sanity. Ever since he and his partner were brutally tortured by a sadistic murderer, his life has spun out of control. Following a failed suicide attempt, Channing decides his life must have some meaning and the only way he can put the pieces back together is to break free of his addiction and commit acts of redemption.
When the body of a city official is discovered in a public location, the entire city of Pittsburgh bears witness to a form of evil that is difficult to comprehend. Channing learns the killer is patient, methodical, and precise. In order to stop the killing, Channing will have to pull his life together and come to terms with a secret that is tearing him apart.

With each chapter of this thriller representing one of the 12 steps of addiction recovery, Measure Twice is a story of personal struggle, revenge, and the search for redemption. Pay attention throughout this heart-pounding pursuit. The details are important because every cut is lethal.

Now, I don’t usually delve into author bios, but here, I feel like I need to. That’s ’cause, you see, JJ? He’s the real deal. Former cop and Special Agent with the US Secret Service. Cool, huh?

I know neat people. Love it.

So. Ready to pick up your copy?

Smashwords (affiliate link, so be sure to use it. Those three cents add up!)

Amazon

And before I’m out of here for the day, let me make one more comment about why you should pick this up: a portion of the sales for Measure Twice go toward breast cancer research through the non-profit group Par for The Cure. Anyone who’s read my Trevor’s Song knows this is an issue near and dear to my heart. 

The best part of Twitter is being able to chat with people and get to know them. And so it has been with my buddy Hans Hirschi, who I first met through Triberr. (Can I be involved in any more social media that start with the letter T?)

I don’t think I knew Hans when he put out his first six books, but I’m here now, and glad of it. Let’s get busy. Hans, what song makes you think of your book, The Fallen Angels of Karnataka?

 
Eagle, by ABBA
This was not an easy question to answer and and I’ve been tossing and turning over this for a long time, as the story of the book is not very “pop” or “rock” even. I’ve contemplated pieces from Mozart’s Requiem (too somber as it is) to Beethoven’s Fifth (too majestic and pompous) to glamrock (too duh!) before I finally settled on a song.

I ended up settling on this particular song from my favorite musical group (yeah, I am THAT old), because the lyrics do speak to some of the core beliefs expressed in the book, and lyrics are as important to a good song as the cover is to a good book. Fallen Angels obviously can’t fly, but the question the book raises is what it takes to make them fly again, and the eagle from the song does “high, high, what a feeling to fly over mountains and forests and seas, and to go anywhere that I please”, a symbol of hope and – above all – freedom. And it is the freedom that our fallen angels need more than anything else to be able to soar and fly once again.

But the eagle also symbolizes Haakon, who’s traveled far, who’s seen the world, who’s got great stories to tell.. Listen och enjoy one of my favorite songs from Sweden’s greatest music export ever, and enjoy a corny 70s music video!