Tyler Colins's Blog, page 11
November 8, 2023
Day 1
A big [warm-hearted] thank you to Karen at Gautemala Paula Loves to Read and Kelly at Lady Hawkeye for featuring Disco’s Dead and so is Mo-Mo today!
It’s be wonderful if you checked out Mo-Mo on their blogs, but even better if you visited their amazing sites!
http://guatemalapaula.blogspot.com
Thank you both … and Lori Caswell for organizing this! 
November 4, 2023
The Countdown Begins
…until the virtual book tour for Disco’s Dead and so is Mo-Mo begins.
Given I’ll be posting daily starting November 8th, I’ll keep this one super short and sweet.
Here are the tour participants:
November 8 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – SPOTLIGHT
November 8 – Lady Hawkeye – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
November 9 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
November 9 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee – SPOTLIGHT
November 9 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT
November 10 – Mystery, Thrillers & Suspense – SPOTLIGHT
November 10 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT
November 10 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
November 11 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
November 11 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
November 11 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR GUEST POST
November 12 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
November 12 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
November 13 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT
November 13 – My Reading Journeys – SPOTLIGHT
JJ, Rey, Linda—the private eyes from the Triple Threat Investigation Agency—and I hope to see you there.
October 28, 2023
Hola
A short post (it’s been a crazy-busy week).
The Spanish version of The Connecticut Corpse Caper—La Trampa del Cadáver de Connecticut (Los Misterios de Triple Amenaza Libro 1)—is available as an eBook on the BookBeat sales channel. (Gosh, that title sounds so much more intriguing in a Latin language).
STORE LINK:
https://www.bookbeat.co.uk/book/la-trampa-del-cadaver-de-connecticut-1074019
As an FYI, BookBeat is one of the leading eBook subscription services in Europe and operates in 30 countries, including the Nordic & UK markets … and has a native eReading app for both Android and iPhone. (They also offer a free 30-day trial for all new customers.)
If you’re curious how JJ, Rey, and Linda—the pretty private eyes from the Triple Threat Investigation Agency—become said private eyes en español, perhaps you might want to give La Trampa del Cadáver de Connecticut a go?
October 21, 2023
Good Things Come in Threes
So I like to believe. And in the spirit of self-promotion, here are three self-sponsoring tidbits re The Triple Threat Investigation Agency books, featuring JJ, Rey, and Linda, the dogged—and darn pretty—private eyes who don’t/won’t take “no” for an answer.
#1
Can You Hula Like Hilo Hattie? (Book 2) has been added as an eBook to the BookBeat sales channel. (As an FYI, BookBeat has a native eReading app for both Android and iPhone … and they offer a free 30-day trial for all new customers.)
https://www.bookbeat.co.uk/book/can-you-hula-like-hilo-hattie-1167544
In the event you might be wondering what Hula’s about—the aspiring detectives of the Triple Threat Investigation Agency take on their first official paying assignment. They’re to discover the “secret” of an elderly millionaire’s young wife. It seems straightforward enough … until the wife is found floating in the Hawaiian oceanside. As Jill (JJ), Rey and Linda strive to uncover the killer amid a cast of curious, unconventional characters, they stumble across several secrets and a few bodies.
#2
The Bookstore Connection edition of Disco’s Dead and so is Mo-Mo (Book 6) has now been completed. Available in standard hardcover and paperback, as well as mass market paperback and large-pint, it will be offered—with full wrap cover design—to bookstores and brick-and-mortar shops (through the Ingram Catalog).
If you’re not familiar with the latest Triple Threat Investigation Agency case, this one has the trio solving a decades-old murder: who killed mobster Sammy Mo-Mo Martine? The man disappeared in Quebec 40+ years ago and was never heard from again … until he was discovered in a drum in the waters off Oahu. Could it have been the work of an infamous—and very successful—hitman back then? Perhaps more importantly, is he back and once again plying his trade (in abundance)?
#3
Triple Threat Mysteries – Books 1-3 is available for a seasonal promotion with Kobo (thank you, Next Chapter).
PROMOTION NAME: Kobo’s Mystery Promotion
PROMOTION DATES: Oct 17th – Oct 23rd
PROMOTION PRICE: $0.99
LINK TO BOOK PAGE IN STORE: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/triple-threat-mysteries-books-1-3
If you’d like to find out how JJ, Rey, and Linda became private investigators (maybe solving multiple murders in a haunted Connecticut mansion contributed?) and how they fare with their first two official cases, please check out Triple Threat Mysteries – Books 1-3.
And that, my friends, is that. Three promos, three private eyes, three pats on my back, not easy to do with two torn rotator cuffs, but not impossible. 
October 14, 2023
Can’t We Just Get Along?
A valid question once asked by Rodney King. A valid question today. A naïve one too, perhaps. But damn, why can’t we?!
Greed. Lust for power. A wish to exhibit strength. A desire to change economics, religion. A need to crush a perceived adversary. The list, alas, goes on.
Living in Canada and the U.S., we’re not subjected to armed helicopters and aircraft and destructive missiles flying overhead. We don’t hear the constant rat-a-tat of soldiers’ gunfire in nearby neighborhoods. We see it on TV, and it’s horrifying, and unimaginable. And it hits even closer to home when there’s a friend or family member caught in that conflict.
While I may comprehend the basics behind wars and conflicts and the like, I don’t profess to be scholarly or worldly, or know the multifaceted details behind them. What I do understand is the destruction, the senseless loss of lives … the horror, anguish … and the amazing resilience and strength of conviction held by those being persecuted. I find that astounding. God bless them.
I said I’d never post about politics, religion, and the like. And I won’t. I’m not. I’m simply feeling a need to comment on the sad state of the world right now. While we may be more technically savvy, more “advanced”, more knowledgeable (to a degree, anyway), things really haven’t changed over the centuries. History, sadly and truly, does repeat itself.
My view of life and the world leans toward simplistic and naïve … as do my dreams and hopes. And so, I humbly ask …
…why, oh why, can’t we just all get along?
October 7, 2023
Tub-Thumping
Not sure why that word popped into my head as I was thinking of the weekly post, so I looked it up to ensure it was an appropriate heading. It appears to be. The Free Dictionary defines it as: to argue for or promote something vigorously.
So, yeah, I’m promoting something vigorously—Disco’s Dead and so is Mo-Mo (Book #6 in the Triple Threat Investigation Agency series). Woo-hoo!
Not only is Mo-Mo officially available via a universal link …
https://books2read.com/u/3RYyoB
… there’s a book tour coming up in November (thank you, Lori Caswell!).
JJ, Rey, Linda, still fairly new-to-the-scene P.I.s are excited about their latest case and eager to share their crazy adventures solving a decades-old murder. They might just do an interview or three during the tour.
To give you an idea of what the case entails …
Dime-store mobster, Mo-Mo Martine, went missing in Quebec, Canada one night in 1978. Everyone was sure he’d been wasted, but his body was never found … until recently … when it was discovered in a drum off the beautiful crystal-clear waters of Oahu.
What had transpired during those years and over all those miles? Is the person who killed Mo-Mo back then the same one responsible for a recent spate of deaths … someone like Death Angel, an infamous and exceptionally skilled assassin-for-hire? Everyone’s talking, but no one’s saying anything. Will the trio uncover the truth before they become the next targets?
September 30, 2023
Read All About It!
A number of bloggers and writers send out newsletters, something I admire, okay envy. Kudos to them for having the time, creativity, and imagination to do.
Recently, a fellow author and friend decided to do so, and my interest [desire] was piqued. Perhaps I should [finally] do the same?
Can I? Could I? Should I? Yes! … Will I? 
Not today, but it’s worth posting about—the logic and merit of providing newsletters.
As we know, in a definition nutshell: they’re usually used to inform people about news or events or information related to a specific subject, company, product, service, or person. They can prove quite valuable, serving as an effective marketing tool—you get to communicate directly with potential readers/clients. You can sell [promote] your products or services—yes, even books—by providing people with useful [valuable] subject matter.
Sending out regular updates not only keeps recipients (“subscribers”) informed but keeps you in their minds if you’re sending information regularly. Repeated notifications not only helps you remain connected, but demonstrate that you’re committed and dependable (how can you not be when you’re making an obvious—regular—effort to advise and engage).
Well-constructed, enlightening newsletters will keep recipients reading. Be compelling/persuasive. Once they become familiar with you, and like what you offer, they’ll continue to check out your newsletter. More importantly, they’ll buy what you’re selling.
What should the newsletter consist of? How should it be set up? A [strong] subject line; it’s the first thing people will see, so grab their attention from the get-go. Ensure you provide content applicable to the subject and ensure it’s straightforward. It’s a newsletter, so the text mustn’t be overwhelming [too much]. Graphics are nice, but don’t go overboard. The layout should be appealing and easy to follow. Have action buttons, as required. If you’re promoting, don’t let eagerness take the reins.
It’s … a … newsletter. A bulletin. It’s not a thesis. Three to five paragraphs should suffice.
The beauty of newsletters is that they’re fairly easy to do—you merely have to consider what you’re going to say, how you’re going to present (customize) it, and what you’re proposing/selling/advising. Make sure you link back to your site, so readers know all that you have to offer. Consider your audience and ensure your newsletter is tailored towards their needs.
You can also supplement your newsletters using podcasts, vids, posts, and an active social media existence; if you do, announce this accordingly so they’re not done for naught. But if you don’t have the time for the “extras”, stick to the newsletter—and, again, send it out regularly (once a month is good) and ensure it is interesting.
There’s also an analytics component to them. Newsletters enable you to measure how well you’re doing. Google to learn more about analytics (I deal enough with them in my day job, LOL).
Maybe next week’s post will be more focused on why writers, specifically, would benefit from a newsletter. Something to think about.
September 23, 2023
I Feel Like Dancin’, Ye-ahhh
I do feel like dancin’ . . . and so do JJ, Rey, and Linda—the private eyes of the Triple Threat Investigation Agency.
Their latest adventure, Disco’s Dead and so is Mo-Mo (Triple Threat Mysteries Book 6), is officially available! You can find it as an ebook at Google Books, Apple Books, and Kobo (officially known as Rakuten Kobo).
https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=dXnXEAAAQBAJ
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/disco-s-dead-and-so-is-mo-mo
https://books.apple.com/us/book/discos-dead-and-so-is-mo-mo/id6466728893
Mo-Mo has JJ, Rey, and Linda solving the mystery surrounding the disappearance of mobster Mo-Mo Martine in Canada during the days of disco and polyester is finally solved when his body is found in a drum off the sapphire waters of Oahu. Countless people—family, friends, foes—hated Mo-Mo. Anyone could have murdered him. Or was it a professional hit by the notorious, never-miss Death Angel? Is it possible!? The faceless, nameless assassin-for-hire is still plying his trade after all these years? Will the trio figure it out before more murders occur . . . perhaps theirs?
If you do read the latest adventure (and we hope you do), perhaps you’d be so kind as to provide a review? That’ll make us really dance!
I do feel like dancin’ . . . and so do JJ, Rey, and Linda—the private eyes of the Triple Threat Investigation Agency.
Their latest adventure, Disco’s Dead and so is Mo-Mo (Triple Threat Mysteries Book 6), is officially available! You can find it as an ebook at Google Books, Apple Books, and Kobo (officially known as Rakuten Kobo).
https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=dXnXEAAAQBAJ
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/disco-s-dead-and-so-is-mo-mo
https://books.apple.com/us/book/discos-dead-and-so-is-mo-mo/id6466728893
Mo-Mo has JJ, Rey, and Linda solving the mystery surrounding the disappearance of mobster Mo-Mo Martine in Canada during the days of disco and polyester is finally solved when his body is found in a drum off the sapphire waters of Oahu. Countless people—family, friends, foes—hated Mo-Mo. Anyone could have murdered him. Or was it a professional hit by the notorious, never-miss Death Angel? Is it possible!? The faceless, nameless assassin-for-hire is still plying his trade after all these years? Will the trio figure it out before more murders occur . . . perhaps theirs?
If you do read the latest adventure (and we hope you do), perhaps you’d be so kind as to provide a review? That’ll make us really dance!
https://youtu.be/1sqE6P3XyiQ?si=BzSYQebvHkgHZjaN
September 16, 2023
Mi-Mi-Mi … Me, Me, Me … Again!
I’m in a singing mood (fortunately for those folks within hearing distance, I did not inherit my mom’s tone deafness).
To start, the Triple Threat Mysteries Collection, featuring newbie private eyes JJ, Rey, and Linda, has been added to the Apple Sales channel as an ebook (Collection / Box Set). You can find it here:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/triple-threat-mysteries-collection/id6443052045
Apple’s the second largest ebook retail in the world, and their iPhones and iPods all have an app for reading ebooks. Accordingly, you can easily purchase and read a book in 1-2-3. (Sounds great to someone like me who has constant technical challenges.)
On a similar note, the first book in the series, The Connecticut Corpse Caper, which is set in a haunted Connecticut mansion and details how JJ, Rey, and Linda solve a multiple-murder case—and thus get the idea they’d actually like to become P.I.s—can be found at BookBeat.
https://www.bookbeat.co.uk/book/the-connecticut-corpse-caper-733120
BookBeat’s one of the leading ebook subscription services in Europe, operating in 30 countries, including Nordic and UK markets. It has an eReading app for both Android and iPhones. As an FYI, they offer a free 30-day trial to new customers.
If anyone’s read any of the trio’s adventures, perhaps you’d be so kind as to leave a review?
Lastly, as posted recently, Next Chapter has established a relationship with library platforms—in this case, OverDrive, which has its own library app: Libby. It’s free for Androids and iPhones.
IPHONE:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/libby-by-overdrive-labs/id1076402606?pt=211483&ct=meetLibby&mt=8
Through Libby, readers can borrow ebooks from their local library for free by simply using, yes, their library card (remember those?) This provides publishers with a new approach to marketing.
To see which libraries are using Libby, here’s a link:
https://www.overdrive.com/libraries
And if you’d like to check out the first book—The Connecticut Corpse Caper (Triple Threat Mysteries Book 1)—the first of the series which has just been added, you can find it here:
https://www.overdrive.com/media/10102461/the-connecticut-corpse-caper
We’d love it if you’d pay us a visit.
September 9, 2023
Interspersing Promo Posts
Next Chapter is always taking new paths to promotion and marketing. And as an NC author, I’m all in!
They have a new promotional tool: themed months focusing on one marketplace. Barnes & Noble is the first choice. As one of the largest online book retailers around, it holds a sizeable e-book market share in the US with their own Nook eReader . . . and a dedicated Nook app for smartphones.
Next Chapter’s launching a new array of BookBub Ads campaigns dedicated to driving traffic to Next Chapter’s book pages in said Barnes & Noble store. The most important goals of these themed monthly promotions: catch attention, build momentum, and drive more traffic to authors’ book pages through marketing campaigns and posts in social media.
I confess! I’m so not good with social media. It’s more of a time thingy than anything, but working 12+ hours a day, seven days a week, tends to detract from other [fun] things.
But I can intersperse “promotional” posts here and there, like this one. I’m excited to share that currently, you can find the first three sleuthing adventures of my inexperienced but enthusiastic private eyes in Triple Threat Mysteries Books 1-3 at B&N.
The craziness at Aunt Mat’s haunted Connecticut mansion, where bodies drop faster than leaves during a blustery autumn day, encourage JJ, Rey, and Linda to become professional P.I.s They move to Hawaii and set up shop! The first two official [paying] cases prove challenging, but they determine to give it their all. Perhaps they’re newbies, and their methods aren’t exactly conventional, but they get results . . . eventually.
Curious? Please check it out at:
If you have a chance to read one of the trio’s twisty tales—they travel a lot of winding trails as they endeavor to sort clues and circumvent a sundry of red herrings and scheming/suspicious suspects—they (and I) would be most grateful if you’d provide/leave a review.
Hope to catch you again next week.
