POINT OF NO RETURN

Create, Pitch, Sell

New Release

My last title for 2011, A SIMPLE PLAN, has gone live on Smashwords.

And it's Free!

Prelude to KILLING SUMMER, a gritty tale where one partner in crime concocts a plan to extricate himself from murder. Inspired by a true story.
_______________

On a hot night in July a teenaged girl named Summer is murdered. She'll be found one month later by two roofers, her lifeless eyes staring at the moldy interior of a rundown tool shed. The men responsible for her being there are two unlikely partners in crime, each with something to prove. One is the cowardly son of a decorated police officer. The other is a bully with a violent history. High on drugs and alcohol, neither knows who dealt the deathblow. Fearing a confrontation, one of them agrees to pay the other for his vow of silence. But as time goes by, a hard life takes its toll on him. In order to put an end to the blackmail he'd have to take a risk. A risk that could easily backfire. Driven by hate and anger, he writes an anonymous letter to the sheriff recounting that killing summer. Ten years, two trials and numerous secrets ensue after both men are arrested and charged with murder.

KILLING SUMMER is a stand-alone mystery novel.

New Release

I'm temporarily back from hiatus because...

BAD MOJO has gone live on Smashwords.

And it's Free!

Prelude to SERIAL QUILLER, a spooky tale of voodoo magic, murder, and make-believe.
________________

Moved by the success of her debut novel, twenty-six-year-old BJ Donovan of New Orleans, Louisiana, can't handle the thoughts of being a one-hit wonder and never feeling special ever again. Using her position as the executive chef and owner of a popular restaurant in the French Quarter to blend in with the community, she embarks on a killing spree, with the aid of voodoo magic, and uses details of the murders to help sustain her best-seller status with a planned thriller series. While the body count rises – from her brother's girlfriend, found mutilated at an abandoned farmhouse, to an undercover cop murdered in a dark alley on the riverside – BJ tries to remain above suspicion as she continues to write the wrongs in her world.
________________

I'll be back on January 2.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Sail Away – On Hiatus

Year End Review

Looking Backward:

January: We tried to prepare the RV for travel, but one snowstorm after another hit the Midwest. I'm anxious to get on the road. Meet new people. Discover new places. Perhaps pitch my stories along the way, while soaking up inspiration for many more.

February: Packed and ready to go. A big storm moved in. Snowplows came through and blocked the end of the driveway with a three-foot high wall. Whiteout conditions.

March: (1) Finally on the road! Traveling all across the US, exploring the country one state at a time. It's going to be a great adventure. I'm especially enjoying not having to shovel the driveway anymore. (2) SMOKE ON THE WATER made the Ten Most Popular Frugal Finds list on The Frugal eReader.

April: (1) Completed and uploaded FIRE FLICKS. (2) I've been on the road for around six weeks. I really love this lifestyle. The ordinary life is not for me. (3) We spent Easter bike riding in the warm sunshine on the Gulf Coast of Texas. Peddled right on in to the next town. Stopped to rest on a bench along the shoreline. I found a rubber fishing lure with a deadly three-pronged hook. While looking for a safe place to put the lure a seagull spotted it. Nose-dived toward my hand. Seconds later, several gulls arrived. They must've thought it was a real fish. We tried to hide the lure in the tall grass but the gulls were watching. We ended up walking all over the area until we found a trashcan ... with a lid! I wish anglers would be more careful.

May: (1) Researched Corpus Christi, Texas for the sequel to SERIAL QUILLER. (2) I decided to use a couple of slices of bread to find out what kinds of fish are lurking beneath a nearby pier. I pitched a piece of bread to the water. A seagull swooped in so fast the bread never hit the water. I ignored him and tried to feed the fish. Within seconds, I heard the incessant yackhammer squawk of many seagulls. I went ahead and threw handfuls of bread up in the air for them to catch. A blue heron flew down to the pier. I was out of bread now. The gulls seemed to realize the party was over. They lined up across the railing on one side of the pier. Suddenly, the heron jumped down off the railing and landed in the middle of the walkway. He honked once at the gulls. No kiddin'. I'm sure it was some sort of a quack, but it came out like a honk. Some of the gulls took off. The heron strutted his stuff along the walkway toward the shoreline, looking back at me every once in a while. Eventually, he grew bored with his little game and flew away. I never did find out what kinds of fish are lurking below the pier. Maybe the heron was trying to warn me that I was better off not knowing.

June: On a particularly lazy, hazy day – the kind where you might find yourself whistling Linda Ronstadt's Blue Bayou while walking barefoot in the sand – we slowly peddled our Schwinns back to the RV after a nice outing. I happened to look at the side of the road in time to see a baby tarantula emerging from under a pile of leaves. It was on the move. I steered around it, rushed home (RV) to shut all of the windows. Tarantulas are carnivores, y'know. I didn't just shut them I locked them, as well. I was sure it was still out there. Close by. Lurking in the shadow of a fallen leaf or limb. Just waiting for me to kick off my sneakers before I go walking in the sand. Will I hear his little toes scratch the canvas when he climbs inside one of my shoes? If I peer over my shoulder will I find him burrowing underground like the Graboid in the movie, Tremors? Do I holler STAMPEDE? Send out a distress signal? Or kick back and enjoy a cocktail called The Blue Bayou, and let the spider go wherever it wants to find a new home?

July: (1) Finished and uploaded ASHES OF VENGEANCE, the last book in the Hellfire Trilogy. (2) A bad storm was headed our way. We decided to stroll across the pier while we still had the chance. Two dark fins broke the surface of the water. Sharks? We hurried across the wooden planks swinging our heads shoulder to shoulder, not sure which direction to focus our attention. Three others went under the pier and came out on the opposite side. We were finally close enough to see them. Dolphins! No more than forty feet from the shore. What a magnificent sight. I'd never seen them in the wild. I couldn't stop smiling for the longest time.

August: (1) Up until now, I've only had my titles for sale on Amazon. This month I also made them available on Smashwords, Apple, Diesel, Sony, Kobo and Nook. It's taking quite a while, though, for most of these eRetailers to upload them to their site. (2) An amazing thing happened one afternoon. I was able to rescue a bird, similar to a seagull, that had a three-pronged fishing lure stuck in its neck. I held the bird with both hands until someone from the Parks and Wildlife Service arrived. I've always been a champion of the underdog, which made it easy for me to fight for the life of the bird like I did. What surprises me, though, is how easily I wrapped my bare hands around it without being scared or squeamish, even after it bit my hand hard enough to make a bruise. Three hours later I sold two books. Thanks, little bird. :)

September: Wrote and uploaded three short stories to all venues: BONNIE PARKER SMILE, NIGHT OF THE DARK, and SHRINKING VIOLETTE.

October: Wrote and uploaded GAR, a short story.

November: Completed and uploaded KILLING SUMMER, a mystery novel that was "inspired by" a true crime. I researched this story a couple of years ago with the intention of writing a nonfiction story. (2) I wanted to have eleven titles for sale by the eleventh day of this eleventh month. I planned to finish four short stories, already works-in-progress, in order to reach my goal. This novel got in the way.

December: (1) I'm still on the road. Have met a lot of interesting people. I love being one of over a million RVer's rolling across America. (2) Wrote and uploaded STAY WITH ME and A BURNING DESIRE. (3) Made a rough draft of my RVing adventures. I'm either going to submit individual nonfiction short stories to travel magazines, or I'm making a collection and putting it online.

My thoughts on self-publishing:

December 2010 – After twelve long and miserable years of querying agents and small press publishers, I shut it all down. Put my first novel on Amazon in October, and the second one in November.
December 2011 – I put up nine titles this year. I am very happy I did what was best for me. I'll never regret choosing to become an indie author. It has changed my life. Instead of spending, er, wasting time sending out queries I've gotten quite a bit of writing done. I've also had a lot of fun making my own book covers. So. If I hadn't taken the initiative and moved forward I'd still be checking mail for a response to my query letters. Many of those responses were never even sent out. Had I ever found representation, though, I'd have to wait at least eighteen months just for ONE title to be released. I'm guessing it would take almost twenty years to put eleven titles out there. Why would I want to go through that? Other writers have found great success in ebooks. Who's to say I can't?

Thank you, to everyone who reads this blog. Thank you, to everyone who bought one or more of my stories. Thank you, to everyone who offered words of encouragement.

Looking Forward:

I have several new and exciting projects lined up for 2012. I'll tell you all about them in January. In the meantime, I am (finally) taking the rest of the month off. Going bike riding and sightseeing, and thoroughly enjoy not having to shovel the driveway. Cheers!

New Book Releases For December

1222 by Anne Holt
EGYPT By Nick Drake
FREEZING by Clea Koff
DARK MEN by Derek Haas
MR. KILL by Martin Limón
D.C. DEAD by Stuart Woods
THE LEOPARD by Jo Nesbo
TRIPLE SHOT by Sandra Balzo
THE LONER by Quintin Jardine
RED MIST by Patricia Cornwell

SILENCE
by Jan Costin Wagner, RAN AWAY by Barbara Hambly
GETTING LUCKY by D.C. Brod, THREADBARE by Monica Ferris, STORM DAMAGE by Ed Kovacs
DEATH BENEFIT by Robin Cook, SOFT TARGET by Stephen Hunter, EL GAVILAN by Craig McDonald
THE SILENCE by J. Sydney Jones, VIGILANTE by Stephen J. Cannell, MURDER SEASON by Robert Ellis
THE INNOCENT by Taylor Stevens, A FATAL THAW by Dana Stabenow, THE IMMORTALISTS by Kyle Mills
FOUL PLAY AT FOUR by Ann Purser, SLASH AND BURN by Colin Cotterill, FATHER UNKNOWN by Fay Sampson
THE COLD ROOM by Robert Knightly, 77 SHADOW STREET by Dean Koontz, DANGER IN THE WIND by Jane Finnis
THE VILLA OF DEATH by Joanna Challis, HURT MACHINE by Reed Farrel Coleman, A PERILOUS CONCEPTION by Larry Karp
THE DEVIL'S ELIXIR by Raymond Khoury, A BESPOKE MURDER by Edward Marston, DOWN THE DARKEST ROAD by Tami Hoag
MURDER IN ABBOT'S FOLLY by Amy Myers, COLLATERAL DAMAGE by H. Terrell Griffin, ASSUME NOTHING by Gar Anthony Haywood
MURDER IN MOUNT HOLLY by Paul Theroux, DEATH COMES TO PEMBERLEY by P.D. James, DEATH AT THE WEDDING FEAST by Deryn Lake
THE TALK SHOW MURDERS by Al Roker with Dick Lochte, DARK REVELATIONS by Anthony E. Zuiker/Duane Swierczynski, THE FORGOTTEN AFFAIRS OF YOUTH by Alexander McCall Smith

New Release

A BURNING DESIRE has gone live on Smashwords.

And it's Free!

Prelude to the Hellfire Trilogy, three interwoven tales of love, murder, and lies.
________________

When the thriving 150-year-old sawmill owned by the ironfisted Rhone clan shuts down after the mysterious demise of the last male heir, the now unemployed residents of Point Jove, Missouri do not want to hear about it; they have problems of their own. Thirty-six years later, they regret that decision as old rumors about the Rhones resurface.

And so it begins.

The Hellfire Trilogy mystery novels:
Book One – SMOKE ON THE WATER – A sheriff tracks a psychopath targeting members of a retired mariner's family.
Book Two – FIRE FLICKS – A reporter furthers his budding career as a crime scene photographer by filming new construction being set ablaze by his older brother, who has a dark secret of his own.
Book Three – ASHES OF VENGEANCE – A deadly game of geocaching leads authorities on a wild goose chase that ends with a murdered kidnapper and a missing victim.

Coming Soon

I have decided not to offer SMOKE ON THE WATER free of charge. Too much time and effort went into writing the story that became the first book in the Hellfire Trilogy. Perceived value is very important to me.

As an alternative, I am writing A BURNING DESIRE: A prelude to the Hellfire Trilogy mystery novels.

I have also decided not to ring in the new year with something new but to end this year on a positive note.

Available by 12/15/11

What's Happening

November was filled with more downs than ups. Happy to say, my life is back on track.

I am offering my new paranormal romance short story, STAY WITH ME, free of charge for a limited time on Smashwords to use it as a billboard of sorts to give readers a sample of my writing and to advertise my other titles. I am thrilled with the number of downloads it's gotten so far. I'm also excited to see there is an uptick of interest in my work (on other venues through Smashwords).

Hopefully, the Amazon and Barnes&Noble bots will discover this and make STAY WITH ME free on Kindle and Nook.

SMOKE ON THE WATER, Book One in the Hellfire Trilogy, is near and dear to my heart. I'm considering offering this novel free of charge for something special to ring in the new year. Smoke is not an unfinished story with a cliffhanger ending or a few loose ends. No one has to buy Books Two and Three to find out what happens next or how the story ends. Smoke is a stand-alone mystery novel.

On the other hand, if they want to know what happens next or how the Hellfire Trilogy ends, then yes, they'll have to buy FIRE FLICKS and ASHES OF VENGEANCE. These stories are not stand-alones; they are wholly dependent on Smoke.

I am taking a short break from writing to get out and enjoy the scenery. It's been a while since I've gone bike riding. It's been even longer since I sang in the sunshine and laughed every day.

The Plot Thickens

New Release

My paranormal romance short story, STAY WITH ME, is now available. And it's free on Smashwords and Apple for a limited time.

In STAY WITH ME, a senseless act of murder unites two lonelyhearts.

Following the untimely death of his parents, Daniel, a teenage outcast, reluctantly moves into his uncle's home in the country where he's left feeling even more friendless and isolated. He discovers a lonely girl is haunting the old mansion when he sees her standing at the outside entrance to the cellar. Her name is Lizze, she tells him, and this is where she stood the night she was murdered in 1897 on her seventeenth birthday. Daniel's great grandfather shot her because he had reason to believe his wife was about to find out he'd been having an affair with her servant. Lizze's body was hidden in the cellar and then forgotten. Daniel and Lizze become fast friends. By year's end they are deeply in love. When he turns eighteen, his uncle orders him to go out and seek his own fortune. Torn between two worlds, a foiled robbery attempt changes Daniel's life forever.

Coming Soon

My new paranormal romance short story will soon be available.

STAY WITH ME: A senseless act of murder unites two lonelyhearts.

This story has a little bit of everything.

Ghost. Mystery. 1897. Arson. Robbery. Sad Boy. Strict Relatives. Four Generations. Smokehouse. Mansion. Murder. Present Day. Romance. Lonely Girl. Death. Cedar Glades. Happy Ending.

Available around 12/20/11

An Apple A Day :)

I am pleased to announce that all of my stories have gone live on Apple iTunes.

Short Stories:
GAR (horror) Payback Bites
NIGHT OF THE DARK (horror) It Waits
SHRINKING VIOLETTE (sci-fi horror) Plotting To Murder
BONNIE PARKER SMILE (supernatural crime) Living Out A Fantasy

Novels:
KILLING SUMMER (mystery) Money To Quiet Informer
SERIAL QUILLER (psychological thriller) Sex and Voodoo


The Hellfire Trilogy (mystery):
SMOKE ON THE WATER -- Abandonment Leads To Captivity
FIRE FLICKS -- Trust Leads To Betrayal
ASHES OF VENGEANCE -- Double-cross Leads To Payback

New Book Releases For November

DIE HAPPY by J.M. Gregson
COFFIN MAN by James D. Doss
FACING JUSTICE by Nick Oldham
FEVER DREAM by Dennis Palumbo
DEAD MAN'S GRIP by Peter James
A BURIAL AT SEA by Charles Finch
DEED OF MURDER by Cora Harrison
HERALD OF DEATH by Kate Kingsbury
THE BETRAYAL OF TRUST by Susan Hill
THE CUCKOO'S CHILD by Marjorie Eccles

DEAD LAST by James W. Hall .. ZERO DAY by David Baldacci
A DARK AND LONELY PLACE by Edna Buchanan .. HELL by Hilary Norman
SWIFT EDGE by Laura DiSilverio .. OUR MAN IN THE DARK by Rashad Harrison
THE BARBARY DOGS by Cynthia Robinson .. SCOTCH MIST by Elizabeth Darrell
THE HOUSE OF SILK by Anthony Horowitz .. BLINK OF AN EYE by William S. Cohen
A CORPSE'S NIGHTMARE by Phillip DePoy .. THE HOUR OF THE JACKAL by Bernhard Jaumann
THE TEMPLE MOUNT CODE by Charles Brokaw .. THE CEMETERY OF PRAGUE by Umberto Eco

Happy Thanksgiving

Books To Nook

I am pleased to announce that all of my stories have gone live on the Barnes & Noble Nook.

Short Stories:
GAR [horror] Payback Bites
NIGHT OF THE DARK [horror] It Waits
SHRINKING VIOLETTE [sci-fi horror] Plotting To Murder
BONNIE PARKER SMILE [supernatural crime] Living Out A Fantasy

Novels:
KILLING SUMMER [mystery] Money To Quiet Informer
SERIAL QUILLER [psychological thriller] Sex and Voodoo

The Hellfire Trilogy [mystery]:
SMOKE ON THE WATER -- Abandonment Leads To Captivity
FIRE FLICKS -- Trust Leads To Betrayal
ASHES OF VENGEANCE -- Double-cross Leads To Payback

Back To Work

I awoke this morning with a renewed sense of enthusiasm and determination.

I have three short stories to complete. I'll take a break now and then for blog posts. Other than that, I'm spending the holidays writing. I believe the more titles I put up the more attention I'll bring to my earlier work.

Also, I've decided to give Twitter and Facebook a chance. :)

What's Happening

I uploaded all of my stories to Barnes and Noble. They should be available in a couple of days. I used to have them available on Nook through Smashwords. But I noticed that if I made any changes to the cover, text, or price it took quite a while for it to be re-uploaded. I opted out of distribution on Smashwords, and went directly to B&N simply because I wanted more control over my content.

I have three short stories I'd like to finish before the end of the year. Not sure if I'll get them done, though. Other areas of my life are taking priority over my book stuff.

Everyone says I need to sign up for Facebook. It's kind of hard for me to do that, though. I'm a people-person. The meet, greet, and seat type. I prefer to talk with someone face-to-face, not on a screen. I've also been advised I should become more active on Twitter. Why? It's like being the only one in a chat room. Until someone responds. And some of the people responding are more than a bit strange.

Since I live on the road, talking with people face-to-face isn't as easy as it sounds. Or I should say, talking with potential readers isn't that easy. Many of the travelers I meet don't have eReaders. For those of you who don't know, my home is an RV. I'm traveling across America, exploring the country one state at a time.

By the end of December, I hope to have a better handle on my writing career. I'm no longer a member of any major organizations such as Mystery Writers of America, so advice, support, and even camaraderie are out of reach.

I joined Goodreads, but I'm still trying to find my way around in there. The setup is a bit confusing. I'm hoping to connect with the readers and other writers in there. Sometimes, the writing world can be a lonely place.

Serial Quiller

My psychological thriller novel has a new look.

In SERIAL QUILLER, a crime writer embarks on a killing spree to help sustain her best-seller status.

Synopsis:
Moved by the success of her debut novel, twenty-six-year-old BJ Donovan of New Orleans, Louisiana, can't handle the thoughts of being a one-hit wonder and never feeling special ever again. Using her position as the executive chef and owner of a popular restaurant in the French Quarter to blend in with the community, she embarks on a killing spree, with the aid of voodoo magic, and uses details of the murders to help sustain her best-seller status with a planned thriller series. While the body count rises—from her brother's girlfriend, found mutilated at an abandoned farmhouse, to an undercover cop murdered in a dark alley on the riverside—BJ tries to remain above suspicion as she continues to write the wrongs in her world.

Serial Quiller, she'll put a spell on you.

Taking Time Off

The Plot Thickens

November Coffee Break

I wanted to have eleven titles for sale by the eleventh day of this eleventh month. I'd already written the first draft of four short stories. In order to reach my goal, I planned to set aside the mystery novel I was working on and finish the shorts. I finished one of them. GAR. Made it available. Afterward, I couldn't get interested in the other three stories because I couldn't stop thinking about the novel, KILLING SUMMER.

KILLING SUMMER was inspired by a true crime. In 2004 I was in the city where the crime took place. I decided to write about it, my first attempt at nonfiction. While researching the facts I learned some of the family members lived in the area. I learned I might have to intrude on their privacy and ask permission to write the story. I set it aside. Six or seven months later, I changed all of the pertinent details, and rewrote the story as a work of fiction.

I'm finishing those three short stories. In January, I'm trying something completely different.

Thank You. For Everything.

Killing Summer Now Available

My mystery novel, KILLING SUMMER, is now available.

Blackmailed for murder, unable to prove his innocence, a man involves a rural sheriff in his plan for revenge.

Synopsis:
On a hot night in July a teenaged girl named Summer is murdered. She'll be found one month later by two roofers, her lifeless eyes staring at the moldy interior of a rundown tool shed. The men responsible for her being there are two unlikely partners in crime, each with something to prove. One is the cowardly son of a decorated police officer. The other is a bully with a violent history.

High on drugs and alcohol, neither knows who dealt the deathblow. Fearing a confrontation, one of them agrees to pay the other for his vow of silence. But as time goes by, a hard life takes its toll on him. In order to put an end to the blackmail he'd have to take a risk. A risk that could easily backfire. Driven by hate and anger, he writes an anonymous letter to the sheriff recounting that killing summer.

Ten years, two trials and numerous secrets ensue after both men are arrested and charged with kidnapping, rape, and murder.
_________________
Featuring Sheriff Josh Wolfe of the Hellfire Trilogy
READ CHAPTER ONE

New Cover For Shrinking Violette

My short story has a fresh new look. I'm really happy with it. It's easy to imagine Leland standing before this window admiring his Garden of Evil, er, Eden.

SHRINKING VIOLETTE: Leland Gardner literally puts heart and soul into his flower garden.

SciFi Horror for only 99 cents

New Book Releases for October

DARKNESS ALL AROUND by Doug Magee
WITH MY LITTLE EYE by Gerald Hammond
THE NIGHT STRANGERS by Chris Bohjalian
THE NIGHT ETERNAL by Guillermo Del Toro
THE CHALICE OF BLOOD by Peter Tremayne
THE GRAVEDIGGER'S BALL by Solomon Jones
THE SANDBURG CONNECTION by Mark de Castrique
The STRANGE DEATH OF FATHER CANDY by Les Roberts
BURNED by Thomas Enger .. HEADSTONE by Ken Bruen
BALLISTIC by Mark Greaney .. CELL 8 by Roslund-Hellstrom

A NICE PLACE TO DIE by Jane McLoughlin .. THE DARK AT THE END by F. Paul Wilson
COVENANT by Dean Crawford .. DEEP COVER by Peter Turnbull .. STOLEN SOULS by Stuart Neville
DOUBLE DEXTER by Jeff Lindsay .. LONDON CALLING by James Craig .. A KILLER'S ESSENCE by Dave Zeltserman

Gar Now Available

My short story, GAR, has gone live on Smashwords and Amazon.

A small group of amateur anglers learn payback bites when they try to get rid of a very large alligator gar before the start of a major fishing competition.

Horror – 99 cents

Change Of Plans

I would like to have 11 titles for sale by 11/11/11. Writing a novel takes longer than short stories. To meet my goal, I'm setting aside my new mystery novel, KILLING SUMMER, to complete four shorts that are already works-in-progress. Two are horror stories, one is a paranormal romance, and one is science fiction. I get a kick out of Halloween. I'll put the horror stories on Smashwords and Amazon first.

There was a time when I only thought of myself as a mystery writer. Back in the day when I queried every agent under the sun I thought I had to make up my mind which genre I wanted to write in, then stick with it. I realized today, being an Independent Author has changed all of that. I now have the freedom to be whatever a story needs me to be.

Novel-In-Progress

Mystery – Coming December 2011

I changed the setting for BACKLASH [working title] from Wichita, Kansas to my fictitious town of Point Jove, Missouri in order to feature Sheriff Josh Wolfe of the Hellfire Trilogy.

First Draft/Opening Scene:
Stripped down to their underwear and socks, the two men walked into the chilly, snake infested waters of White River swatting mosquitoes every step of the way. Moving slowly through a shallow, rocky area with only their head and shoulders above the surface, they stayed close to the bank using their hands to feel around under submerged boulders. A half a mile or so upstream from where they had slung the rest of their clothing over a tree branch, the man in the lead, twenty-four-year-old Kevin Rayland, took a deep breath, and dove under the water.

More than happy to play the role of spotter, Jasper Monroe kept a watchful eye out for game wardens.

Kevin shot up out of the water, gasping for air. Swiped a hand down his face. "Found one."

"Take it easy. Don't be stirring up any damn leeches." Jasper broke off a sturdy twig full of stiff brown leaves, stabbed the end in the ground above the hole to mark the spot. Piled rocks around the base for added support. "Let's get this over with."

Copyright Sharon A. Austin All Rights Reserved

Horror E-Books For Halloween

RIPTIDE by Paul Levine
COLD FEET by Jess Butcher
THE WORDS by Douglas Clegg
VERMIN by Armand Rosamilia
RIVERWATCH by Joesph Nassise
A HAUNTING PAST by Heather Beck
SECOND COMING by Vincent Bivona
THE FINAL WINTER by Iain Rob Wright
A BOOK OF HORRORS by Stephen Jones
CEMETERY PSALMS by Danielle Bourdon
THE NIGHT KILLERS by Rebecca M. Senese

Spooky Movies For Halloween

2000 ** THE CELL – RICKY 6 – BATTLE ROYALE – GINGER SNAPS
2001 ** JEEPERS CREEPERS – THE DEVIL'S BACKBONE – SESSION 9 – FRAILTY
2002 ** THE GRUDGE – THE RING – 28 DAYS LATER – DOG SOLDIERS
2003 ** OPEN WATER – DEAD END – WRONG TURN – JEEPERS CREEPERS 2
2004 ** SAW – THE ORDEAL – SHUTTER – DEAD BIRDS
2005 ** THE DESCENT – THE DEVIL'S REJECTS – BOO – WOLF CREEK
2006 ** TAXIDERMIA – THE HILLS HAVE EYES – THE HOST – SILENT HILL
2007 ** THE MIST – PARANORMAL ACTIVITY – VACANCY – TRICK 'R TREAT
2008 ** EDEN LAKE – LET THE RIGHT ONE IN – MARTYRS – SPLINTER
2009 ** DRAG ME TO HELL – THIRST – ZOMBIELAND – THE COLLECTOR
2010 ** THE CRAZIES – PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 2 – LET ME IN – MY SOUL TAKE
2011 ** THE RITE – INSIDIOUS – PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 3 – 11-11-11

Halloween Horror

Now Available!

My short story, NIGHT OF THE DARK, has gone live on Smashwords and Amazon.

On Halloween night, in the midst of a blackout, a subterranean creature wreaks havoc on a small Texas town.

A Night of Horror for Only 99 cents

New Book Releases For September

TAG MAN by Archer Mayor http://archermayor.com/
PLUGGED by Eoin Colfer http://www.eoincolfer.com/
SANCTUS by Simon Toyne http://www.simontoyne.net/
FORBIDDEN by Ted Dekker http://www.teddekker.com/
TRACKERS by Deon Meyer http://www.deonmeyer.com/
THE QUEEN by Steven James http://www.stevenjames.net/
SON OF STONE by Stuart Woods
http://www.stuartwoods.com/
GOOD GRACES by Lesley Kagen
http://www.lesleykagen.com/

A MORTAL TERROR by James R. Benn http://www.jamesrbenn.com/
TRICK OF THE DARK by Val McDermid http://www.valmcdermid.com/
CHILDREN OF PARANOIA by Trevor Shane http://www.trevor-shane.com/
A KILLER'S ESSENCE by Dave Zeltserman http://www.davezeltserman.com/
THE BURNING SOUL by John Connolly http://www.johnconnollybooks.com/
THE DEVIL'S ELIXIR by Raymond Khoury http://www.raymondkhoury.com/home/
THE RACE by Clive Cussler & Justin Scott http://www.cusslermen.com/Wrecker.htm
GETTING OFF by Lawrence Block http://www.lawrenceblock.com/index_frameset.htm
TEMPORARY PERFECTIONS by Gianrico Carofiglio http://www.gianricocarofiglio.com/
THE VAULT by Ruth Rendell http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/10890.Ruth_Rendell
HEAT RISES by Richard Castle http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1953433.Richard_Castle
L.A. MENTAL by Neil McMahon http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/256773.Neil_McMahon
THE STONEHENGE LEGACY by Sam Christer http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4288270.Sam_Christer
OPERATION NAPOLEON by Arnaldur Indridason
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/47397.Arnaldur_Indri_ason

Novels Now Available On Nook

I'm very pleased to announce that my novels — SMOKE ON THE WATER, FIRE FLICKS, ASHES OF VENGEANCE, and SERIAL QUILLER — are now available on Barnes & Noble Nook.

Click a book cover in the right column to read an excerpt or to visit my pages on the Barnes & Noble website.

My short stories — BONNIE PARKER SMILE, and SHRINKING VIOLETTE — will soon be available on Nook. Cheers!

New Cover For Serial Quiller

The old cover is the home of my Quiller. I liked the look of a long-standing mansion and approaching storm just fine...until I saw the buildings on the new cover. With a little imagination there are a number of ways to make a rundown building, outhouse, and an overgrown yard much scarier than a well-maintained mansion with a manicured lawn. The new cover also goes a lot further in telling what this story is all about. And a big part of what the story is about is Wentzel farm. [excerpt in right column]

Quite a bit of research went into the making of SERIAL QUILLER to ensure that the novel was accurate. The title came to me out of nowhere. About to join a writers forum, I wanted a clever opening line to introduce myself. The first thing that popped into my head was: "Hi, my name is Sharon, I am a serial quiller." [I was writing the Hellfire series.] I skipped the forum. Did an online search for books titled 'Serial Quiller'. To my delight there were none. Minutes later, I had a story idea. The rest you know.

This story has everything. New Orleans. Swampland. Mystery. Madness. Murder. Voodoo. Kidnapping. Detectives. Chefs. Restaurants. Suspense. Horror. Sadness. Anger. Humor. A little Romance. Love and Hate. Locusts and Honey. If you haven't read it, I hope you will. If you have read it, I hope you were entertained.

Remembering September 11, 2001

Shrinking Violette Now Available

My short story, SHRINKING VIOLETTE, has gone live on Amazon and Smashwords.

SciFi Horror - Only 99 cents

Synopsis:
Leland Gardner desperately wants to break the ties that bind him to a desk chair in an accounting firm where his ideas are stolen and unrewarded hard work added to the stress. While writing his own how-to book on gardening he learned there are many superstitions and omens associated with plants. In addition, he learned good fortune would smile on him if he heeds these warnings and only grows and sells certain plants. To ensure prosperity while setting himself apart from other florists he invents a machine that turns natural ingredients into an extraordinary green liquid fertilizer. He intends to apply for a patent, and sell this fertilizer in his newly purchased flower shop. When a mouse falls into the machine the formula is dramatically transformed. In order to recreate this magical product that guarantees maximum growth potential along with brilliant flowers he'd have to add two more ingredients. Blood and bones. But, how and where would he get them? His nosy neighbor and tormenter, Violette Breen, gives him a few ideas.

Copyright 2011 Sharon A. Austin All Rights Reserved

Bonnie Parker Smile Now Available

My short story, BONNIE PARKER SMILE, has gone live on Amazon and Smashwords.

Supernatural Crime - Only 99 cents

Synopsis:
After getting fired for stealing the cash box, Martin Gibber, a lazy hand at a dairy farm, turns to highway robbery. He starts by targeting vacationers traveling in recreational vehicles on Route 66 in Missouri. Accosting tourists parked alongside the highway, he discovers grand larceny is far more rewarding than petty theft. Making believe he is Clyde Barrow he envisions Miss Bonnie Parker, her blonde hair caressing her cheek in soft arcs from the open windows of his imaginary 1934 Ford sedan. In order to take her heart and smile away from Clyde, Martin must hone his skills to prove he's a better gangster and loverboy. Little does he know, while he's living out a fantasy while eking out a living, someone else has begun stalking the historic highway.

Copyright 2011 Sharon A. Austin All Rights Reserved

August Coffee Break

I've decided to put two novels on the back burner for a while. The first draft of the untitled Wichita story is completed, and SERIAL QUILLER 2 has a basic outline. I'm setting them aside to concentrate on some of the projects I had planned to do next year.

The first is a couple of short stories I'd like to release before Halloween. Next, I'm writing a YA paranormal romance novella that has a colorful cast of characters.

New Fall Look For Trilogy

It may still be hotter'n forty hells out there but fall is just around the corner. So I've given the Hellfire Trilogy a new look. SMOKE ON THE WATER begins in the fall. The photo was taken in the fall. I think the covers represent the trilogy better than the previous ones. The new covers also look a little "hellfireish". Don't you think?

Of course, if you haven't seen the old covers, this is a moot point. [smile]

The trilogy is one story. You can read sample chapters for free. Click a book cover, then go to Amazon or Smashwords. The books will soon be available on Nook, Sony, Kobo, and Apple. I love this story. I hope you will, too.

On The Road!


New Book Releases For August

LIQUID SMOKE by Jeff Shelby
http://jeffshelby.com/
WYATT by Garry Disher
http://www.garrydisher.com/
THE SIXES by Kate White
http://katewhite.com/content/
DARK TANGOS by Lewis Shiner
http://www.lewisshiner.com/
LOUISE'S WAR by Sarah R. Shaber
http://www.sarahrshaber.com/

THE KILLER IS DYING by James Sallis http://www.jamessallis.com/
THE LANTERN by Deborah Lawrenson http://www.deborah-lawrenson.co.uk/
ICE STATION by Peter Tonkin http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/t/peter-tonkin/
RIP TIDE by Stella Rimington http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/r/stella-rimington/
SEASON OF DARKNESS by Maureen Jennings http://www.maureenjennings.com/
DON'T CRY TAI LAKE by Qiu Xiaolong http://www.qiuxiaolong.com/index2.html
THE DEATH FACTORY by Joe Domenici http://www.texaswriterjoe.com/about.html
NORTHWEST ANGLE by William Kent Krueger http://www.williamkentkrueger.com/
THE BRINK OF FAME by Irene Fleming http://www.historicalnovels.info/Irene-Fleming.html
WHERE THE SHADOWS LIE by Michael Ridpath http://www.michaelridpath.com/index.html
MURDER, MAJORCAN STYLE by Roderic Jeffries http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/j/roderic-jeffries/
THE MAGDALENA CURSE by F.G. Cottam http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/974195.F_G_Cottam

Happy Birthday To Me



Novel Distribution Announcement

My novels are available worldwide now on Smashwords. [linked in right column]

Through Smashwords the novels will soon be available on Nook, Sony, Kobo, Apple, Diesel, and Scrollmotion.

I'll post when the books go live on these eReaders.

Cheers

The Making Of The Hellfire Trilogy

* The trilogy is one continuous story with several subplots. About 440 single-spaced pages. About 200,000 words.
* Smoke on the Water was intended to be a stand-alone mystery novel that was inspired by actual events.
* I loved the characters so much I planned to write six to eight more books, and call it the Point Jove series.
* The first book was originally titled The Cabin. A quick search at the local library revealed 26 titles containing the word Cabin.
* I went through a dozen titles before going with Smoke on the Water.
* A TV docudrama about an arsonist inspired Fire Flicks. The title spawned the trilogy, ending the idea of an ongoing series.
* The title Ashes of Vengeance came from a 1920's movie.
* SOTW is a stand-alone. FF and AOV are not.
* Point Jove, Missouri is a fictitious place.
* Point Jove, Talon Ridge, Eagle Daze: Bird of Jove. Bird of prey. My antagonist.
* I can't say who the antagonist was modeled after without revealing the identity of the antagonist.
* Preston and Julie Terrace were named after the characters portrayed by Henry Fonda and Bette Davis in the movie Jezebel.
* Sheriff Joshua Wolfe could be the actor Sam Elliot at age 53.
* Paige Cole-Denham is someone close to me [but not me].
* Realtor Willard Wiley is a lot like the character Deputy Barney Fife.
* When I worked in retail I met a creepy, unsmiling, elderly couple named Drama and Dru [their names were on the personal check used to pay for their merchandise].
* The church in the movie Jeepers Creepers inspired the description of the church in Ashes of Vengeance.
* Degotoga is a Cherokee word that means, "standing together".
* The colors Gray, Red, and Black [smoke, fire, ash?] were accidentally used throughout the trilogy. I didn't catch it until the final readings.
* I am one of the characters in the trilogy. I'll never say which one.
* Peridot Past: Peridot is my birthstone.
* I used to have an English springer spaniel. Someone poisoned him. His memory lives on with this trilogy.