Leopold Borstinski's Blog, page 16

That was the week that was

I don’t know about you, but for me it’s been quite a week.

The halfway point in Midtown Huckster has been reached, which was a huge mental barrier for me. Why? Because it is precisely March last year when I had to “put on hold” my attempt at writing a detective novel and all the sense of wasted effort that implies. Whether it is rational or not, I was genuinely concerned that I would suffer a late Winter (in the UK) writer’s block as I had done the two previous years. Phew.

There has also been a blog tour running for East Side Hustler, which has gone swimmingly well so far. I shall give proper feedback on the tour when it is finished. That has made me happy.

Finally, let me talk about the elephant in the room: Covid-19. All I shall say is what is obvious, but still heartfelt. We all have either already been touched by this virus or know people close to us who have. I hope you and yours stay safe and healthy. We all stand together in this.

Leo

Mystery and Thriller giveaway

Here is an oppoertunity for people who want books at zero cost that contain a thrill or two and/or the sniff of an enigma in the Mystery & Thriller Giveaway. So head over if you want to grab yourself a freebie.

Fill your boots.

Just a quick catch up

Like so many others, I am living in a country where there is an effective lockdown. In the UK we are allowed out to either buy essential food or exercise once a day. I have been inundated by emails, mainly from large businesses, telling me what they are doing to help. This blog post is not one of those.

I have remained at home and carried on – in a very British kind of way. All I want to do is to wish you and yours all the best in this trying times. Those of you who remember 1980s British alternative music may recall a band called The Redskins and their song Keep on Keepin’ On. If you get a chance, play the track and live the dream.

Take care

Leo

Colombian Betrayal

Here’s a thriller promo with a bunch of free stories for you to grab and digest, metaphorically speaking. Buried in the pile is the origin story for Alex Cohen and his recently released sequel East Side Hustler.

You know the drill – take some hard-wearing footwear and populate their content with stuff… fill your boots.

Enjoy.

Vanquished

Here’s a steamy little number if that is what floats your boat from fellow author, LeTeisha Newton. I’ll leave the blurb to do the talking…

If I should die before I wake…

Then my soul is Caesar’s to take. He pulls me down, he lifts me up.

And then he leaves me in the muck.

If I should fall before I fly…

Then they know it was the fault of mine. He taught me better, he led the way.

I just didn’t know how to stay.

And if I should not gain his heart…

Fuck that, he made me this way. Curled my thoughts and twisted me.

He belongs to me, forever.

WARNING: This book is DARK. So dark, I barely found my way writing it. Know this. Understand it. Believe it. It’s one long warning from beginning to end, but the love found between the pages is everlasting. This is NOT a conventional couple, and they don’t come together with rainbows and silver linings. There’s pain. There’s violence. There’s blood. You have been warned. Please … Please, walk away if a filthy dark story isn’t right for you. You will find no softness here. But if you like it so dark the sun won’t make you feel warm again, then you’ve found the right place, and Caesar is waiting.

Flash sale…

A brief opportunity to grab some ebook bargains in the Self-Isolation With 99 Cent Book promotion.  There are free stories as well as cheap ones, as the title implies. If you want to grab yourself a bargain, you should go there.

Fill your boots.

Grab yourself a Leo bargain

Over twenty years ago I had a story idea about a guy who gets involved with the Jewish mob in New York. Why? Because of a series of events which turned into a perfect storm. Firstly, I was at a financial services conference and found myself next to an old timer who spent his spare hours learning about the history of Broadway. I don’t mean the area of Manhattan where the theater district lies, but the whole of the road. He explained to me why it was the only street on the island – midtown and higher – not to be part of the grid structure. I heard how it was the main supply line from downtown to Canada – and that prompted me to think about the starting point of that journey.

Around the same time, I found myself intrigued by tough Jews. Or rather, I started using my work time in New York to pop into bookshops and find local books about the Jewish mafia. Why? Because it interested me. Or rather, I began by looking at mob-related books because of my love of The Godfather, and quickly skipped to the Jewish mob because of my interest in Tough Jews.

Roll forward several years and I had built up a pretty cool history of the Jewish and Italian gangs in New York and stories started spinning around my head. Alex Cohen was born.

Now, I am pleased to announce that the second instalment has been launched and for the first week is available for only 99 cents (or local equivalent). Grab your copy while you can at this ridiculously low price. Buy it direct from my web site or from your favorite ebook platform.

I hope you enjoy reading it as least as much as I enjoyed writing it: St Valentines’ Day Massacre, bootlegging, prostitution, union racketeering. You gotta love it, right?

Leo

Deadly mystery straight to you

Now here is something for those who like their stories at zero cost, the Deadly Mystery promotion. If you like your novels comprising death, mystery or thriller then this is the set of books with your name on it. If not, then walk on by, nothing to see here…

Fill your boots.

Mafia book collection

This is a great opportunity for those who like stories about the mob – and I must admit that I’m one of those people. The Mafia Mayhem promotion features novels that will slate your raging thirst. Don’t be disheartened by the number of bare chests, these are crime stories and shouldn’t necessarily contain any steamy elements. The books I’ve included in the promotion are most definitely not like that.

Fill your paid-for boots!

It’s all in the past, man.

Here is a an opportunity for you to grab some historical fiction with a thrilling element called Historical Thriller & Mystery Giveaway. The title of this collection pretty much says all you need to know – apart from the price, which is free, zilch, zip, nada.

Fill your boots.