T.R. Leton's Blog

NEW! Editorial Review of A Cold Blooded Rain

This just in from the folks at Kirkus Reviews:

A disgraced New York City police detective-turned-PI takes a shot at redemption in Leton’s debut crime tale.

In a noir-ish future, homicide cop Maxwell Floyd’s rule-breaking pursuit of a criminal ended in the accidental death of a 7-year-old girl. He started drinking (again) to cope with the guilt, but what seemed the solution to one problem eventually became the cause of other difficulties in his life. After losing his job and his wife, due to his increasingly frequent intoxication and resultant misconduct, Max was forced to try to make ends meet as a private investigator.He’s still struggling with his drinking habit, though, so this is easier said than done; he spends most of his time in Sam Duggin’s Fifth Street Bar, chatting with the attractive owner and bartender, Molly Mitchell. When Max is offered a case by one Mr. Fletcher from the police commissioner’s office—if he completes it to his employer’s satisfaction, he may earn his cop job back—he can’t say no. The crime at hand: the brutal murder of Claire Hemsley, the daughter of a wealthy industrialist. Max must solve the crime without stepping on the toes of the cops who are already working the case, and the PI is motivated and anxious to beat his competition. However, it soon becomes clear that Fletcher hasn’t been completely forthright about the details of the situation—and he may not have been honest about why he came to Max in the first place. As the private eye tracks down leads and closes in on a suspect, he even starts to wonder about his own sanity.

Leton’s fictional world is wonderfully distinctive. Although parts of it feel as if they’ve been lifted right out of Raymond Chandler’s work, as readers get deeper into the story, they realize that it takes place in a New York full of datapads, hovercraft, and handheld weapon scanners. The prose is tense and moody during the suspenseful scenes as well as during the action sequences: “As I ran toward the riverbank, two Air Patrol flyers came screaming in from the distance….Their wailing sirens and thunderous fan-jets provided only a brief satisfaction.” Max fits the hard-boiled detective template to a T, and yet the author somehow avoids making him into a boring stereotype. The PI is just messed up and unreliable enough to make his demons feel authentic, and not just set dressing. Readers will enjoy living inside the detective’s head as he makes his way through the city streets, and they’ll savor attempting to figure out the crime along with him. The novel hits all the familiar notes of the PI genre, plus a few more; its self-awareness and enthusiasm for its milieu are infectious and make the book even more enjoyable. This is only the first in an ongoing series of Max Floyd books, and readers will certainly be curious to see where Leton takes his gumshoe in the future.

A fresh and engaging take on the familiar hard-boiled detective novel.

Learn more about A Cold Blooded Rain: Book 1 From the Files of Maxwell Floyd Private Eye HERE.

Win a Signed Copy of Book 1!

That’s right! I’m giving away a number of signed paperback copies of A Cold Blooded Rain: Book 1 From the Files of Maxwell Floyd, Private Eye!

It’s simple! Just subscribe for updates (top right side of this site), and you’ll be entered to win. A confirmation email will be sent to verify you signed up, so make sure and look for it (be sure and check your spam folder if you haven’t received it after a bit).

Winners will be chosen at random, and will be contacted by email. Book is only available in English, but anyone in the world can win.

Thanks and good luck!

T.R.

Book 2 RELEASED!

It’s official, sports fans! When Wolves Come Calling, Book 2 From the Files of Maxwell Floyd is now available for Kindle!

I am hard at work on the paperback version, with typesetting, page layout, and the cover’s details to finalize—a LOT more work than throwing together an ebook. Plus, I’ll have to order a proof copy or two to make sure I’m satisfied with the final product. SO, that said, give me another week or two at most.

BUT FOR NOW, and if you prefer ebooks, head on over to AMAZON to check out my new release (If you haven’t read the first book, I strongly suggest you do so, though it’s not necessary). You can also check out a couple excerpts from both books on this site.

CHEERS,
T. R.

COMING SUMMER 2019!

Here’s a little update. I’ve been hard at work on the series, and I’m happy to announce that Book Two is right around the corner! When Wolves Come Calling, Book 2 From the Files of Maxwell Floyd, Private Eye is currently in the Beta phase and will release a little later this summer! Learn a little more about it HERE.

Help End Violence Against Women

I began writing for one purpose: To entertain. I love creating worlds and characters and seeing other readers get immersed in my vision. With my newly-released first novel, A Cold Blooded Rain, I set out to tell a fun, entertaining story. Unfortunately, the book also centers on the brutal murder of a young woman. Max Floyd, the main character, is touched deeply by the news of her death and sets out to solve the crime.

But while my book is meant to entertain, the issue at the heart of the matter is very real. According to care.org’s website, “one BILLION women will be victims of violence in their lifetime.” That’s thirteen percent of the planet’s population! Also, “in some countries, up to 7 out of 10 women are beaten, raped, abused or mutilated.” Seventy percent of women in some countries!

Despite portraying a violent act against a woman to drive my story, writing it was, personally, quite difficult for me at times. Over the course of writing, revising, and editing, I often found myself affected while working on those parts of the story. With that in mind, I thought of a way I could show my support for the victims in the real world—by supporting an organization working to help end violence against women.

Beginning with a December 27th post on Twitter and Facebook, I’ve pledged to donate 10% of the proceeds from the sale of my book to care.org’s work to end violence against women. This applies to BOTH versions of the book, paperback and on Kindle, and will continue for an indefinite period of time. Please note that I am not affiliated, associated, authorized, endorsed by, or in any way officially connected with Care.org other than through my personal donations.

While a vicious act against a FICTIONAL character of my own creation ended up having an impact on me, there are way too many REAL people—REAL women—out there experiencing REAL violence. Over the years, writing has brought me many new insights on many different areas of life. It is my sincere hope that my pledge will give others their own insights and ideas on finding ways they can help others.

LEARN MORE AT CARE.ORG

My Goodreads Q&A

After setting up my Goodreads Author Page, it asked me a handful of questions about being an author. I thought I’d share my answers here.

What’s the best thing about being a writer?

Two things: 1. Seeing the world I’ve created flourish, especially watching the characters grow, change, and evolve. For example, I have one character who’s quite young when you first meet her. She’s a little silly and clumsy, but throughout the series of books, you’ll see her grow and mature and actually become a bit of a badass. 2. I love seeing readers grow attached to my characters, thinking about them when they’re not reading, wondering what’s going to happen to them next. Book 1 ends with quite a little question still lingering, and all of my beta readers are DYING to know the answer. I love to see people fall in love with the world and the characters in it, just as I have.

How do you get inspired to write?

Music, first and foremost. I’ve been a musician most of my life, so music has a powerful impact on me. When writing, I listen to a few different soundtracks that fit the genre of my books. I call it night jazz, but there are different names for it. It’s the slow, breathy saxophone stuff. I love it. It puts me in the mood to write. The soundtrack to Chinatown is great, as is White Heat Film Noir, a compilation of different songs. I love John Barry’s score for Body Heat (never saw the movie, and I know it’s not the same genre, but it fits perfectly). A lot of other John Barry music fits the bill. Also big on my list is the soundtrack for the video game L.A. Noire. Oddly enough, sometimes I’m just not in the mood to listen to music, so I listen to white noise to drown out the background. Watching mystery/crime drama TV shows and movies also give me some ideas.

Where did you get the idea for your most recent book?

I’ve always loved crime noir detective stories; the hardboiled detective, the gloomy weather, the grit and shadows. For several years I’d been wanting to write something in the genre. I was at the pub with an old high school buddy, brainstorming ideas for new creative content. The seed just kind of planted itself during the discussion and started to grow. I knew the type of story I wanted to write. I knew who I wanted the killer to be. But I knew very little else. A few days later, I was home sick in bed and reached for my iPad. I just started writing. Six months or so later, I was finished with my rough draft with plans to create an entire series.

How do you deal with writer’s block?

Well, maybe I’m lucky, but I really don’t struggle with writer’s block. If I have a conundrum or continuity issues that need resolving, I’ll often sleep on it. Many times I’ve come up with the solution in my sleep. But actual writer’s block isn’t really a problem. There are some days when I just don’t feel like writing. I’ll take these days and work on some of the graphic elements I use in my books. I’m also a graphic designer and have produced TONS of conceptual art, blueprints, schematics, etc, for my series that I hope to include in a companion guide someday. That said, when I don’t feel like writing, I’ll work on that stuff to keep me in the universe. Chances are, I’ll be back writing the following day.

What are you currently working on?

I just finished working on the Kindle and paperback versions of Book 1, which are now available on Amazon. I’ve since resumed work on revising Book 2 in the series. The rough draft has been complete for a while, so I’ll be spending the next few months grinding the heck out of it.

What’s your advice for aspiring writers?

Not necessarily in order:

1. Read your genre.

2. Take all these “Rules of Writing” you see on blogs and so forth with a grain of salt. Every author has their own opinion, and that’s all these are; opinions. Apparently, Elmore James says “never use a verb other than ‘said’ to carry dialogue.” I personally find that quite boring. But that’s James’ opinion and style and it definitely works for him, so great. You’ll find these so-called “rules” from different famous authors are broken left and right by other famous authors. Use what you learn to create your own style.

3. Read your manuscript out loud. If a sentence you’ve written makes you tongue-tied when you read it aloud, rework it.

4. Revise, Revise, Revise.

5. Programs like Hemingway and Grammarly are great, but they are not to live by. They are not always completely accurate in their assessment. I use them both, and if any sentence or grammar choice is flagged, I THINK long and hard whether or not I really want to right it that way. But the software can be hit or miss at many a time.

6. Join a local writer’s group. This is where you’ll get some of the best feedback. You’ll make new friends. They can definitely help you in your writing endeavor. I found one on meetup.com.

7. Not everyone will love your work. Keep a stiff upper lip when someone critiques you. At the same time, very few people are experts, so they’re just giving another opinion. Use balance and discernment (not pride) to determine if the advice you’re given really will make your writing better, or if the person giving it simply may be wrong. This can be challenging.

8. You’ll often hear “write every day.” I don’t write every day, but I think and plot and create ideas in my head for my books every day. I do SOMETHING every day to keep my mind in my universe. If you can’t write every day, you should be doing something (no matter how small) to further the advancement of your writing.

9. Find an editor. It might be hard to find someone you’ll work with well. Some say, “Pay me, I’ll take X weeks to edit, then give it back to you. End of business deal.” You may be okay with that. I, however, like someone I can work together with through the editing process, bouncing new ideas, concepts, and changes back and forth. This type of arrangement may be harder to find, and I was fortunate. You’ll find editors who’ll work on your script for a few hundred dollars to a few thousand. Just be sure to communicate with them, be clear on what you need, and learn what they are willing to provide.

A Tale of Two Errors

It was the best of grammar, it was the worst of grammar.

Working up to the final version and release of my first novel, I’ve worked tirelessly to make it as perfect as I possibly could. I’ve nitpicked and nagged. Tweaked, added, and removed. So much so, I’ve imagined my editor rolling her eyes with each little last-minute change. But it has to be perfect, right?

Yet here I am, on the eve of the paperback release, well aware of two glaring (in my mind) grammatical errors. At least, two that I know of. And although they’re quite small, many readers are bound to notice. So, why am I releasing my book with these two, easily fixable errors?

THE SHORT VERSION: Because I want to.

THE TL;DR VERSION: The first of these “errors” is in Chapter 5 – A Stranger Calls.  Here’s a quick summary: Lila Howard ends up sleeping on the couch at Max’s (MC) apartment after a late night talk. When Max awakes the next morning, he finds her gone, having left a note:

EXCERPT: Thank you so much for letting me stay the night… I’m glad we got to talk. Things make a little more sence to me now…

Well, clearly “sense” is misspelled, and it wasn’t an accident. Funny story for you: Twenty-five years ago (holy crap!), I dated a girl who often wrote me love letters. For whatever reason, she always spelled “sense” as “sence.” To be honest, it was a little cute, endearing. Well, she’s long gone, but to this very day, I have to stop and think about how to properly spell “sense.” Weird, I know, that I have to think about how to spell such a simple word. With that in mind, I thought I’d place that little gem in my book as a throwback to the curse that has forever plagued me since that relationship.

The second “error” is probably less interesting and is found in Chapter 21 – A Young Woman’s World. Without giving too much away, Max comes across another handwritten note. I won’t say anymore:

EXCERPT: I had a great time with you the other night. I hope you did to.

Obviously, I used “did to” instead of “did, too.”

You’ll notice that BOTH these errors are from handwritten notes (from two different characters). I wanted to portray that characters in books, like characters in real life, don’t always know correct grammar or spelling. The fact that these were handwritten notes, and not dialogue or narrative, gave me what I felt was the opportunity to show some actual human quirkiness. You’ve seen memes that correct the grammar in other posts/memes, and they often make me chuckle. This second “error” of mine is a tribute to this. My editor wasn’t big on either of these two ideas, but I still wanted to slip them in.

So, there you go. Some of my friends have called me a perfectionist (“Release the damn book, already!”), but as I said, it’s got to be perfect. But I’m done nitpicking, nagging, and tweaking. The book is about to release. As far as I know, these are the only two “errors” in the book, but again, these were mistakes made by the characters, not me. I’m sure readers will find others errors elsewhere in the narrative/dialogue, and I’m okay with that. I gave it my best, and am happy with my endeavor and the end result. I just wanted to state, for the record, that the two “errors” I’ve discussed, even though they’re small and will probably go unnoticed by some, were completely intentional and had a reason behind them. Makes sence, er, sense, right?

If you’ve read my book, A Cold Blooded Rain, Book 1 from the Files of Maxwell Floyd, Private Eye, and have found other errors (or just want to say “Hi!”), leave me a comment below!

An Intro to the World of Maxwell Floyd (Part 4 – Future of the Series)

Future of the Series

A Cold Blooded Rain: Book 1 from the files of Maxwell Floyd, Private Eye, is only the jumping off point into a series of many more books. Each will introduce a new case, new characters and places, with ongoing story arcs woven in along the way. With my background in graphic design, I’ve enjoyed producing concept art and other visuals, many of which you can see HERE, to give my readers an idea of my vision.

At Book 1’s release, books 2 & 3 are already written in rough draft form, and I have outlines and notes for many more (9 at the time of this post). It’s been a long journey, but has been worth every moment of it. I hope you find what I’ve created intriguing and immersive, and that you’ll come to love the world and the many characters in it as I have.

This concludes the Intro to the World of Maxwell Floyd posts. I hope you have enjoyed it. Thanks SO much for reading!

T.R.

An Intro to the World of Maxwell Floyd (Part 3 – Characters & Culture)

Characters:

The hero, Max Floyd has more problems than he knows what to do with. But he’s less hard-boiled, not the vindictive tough-guy, and he’ll rarely win in a fight. He’s smart, honorable, and always wants to do the right thing. He’s someone people will relate to, empathize with, and cheer for.

His friends include Sam Duggin, a father figure and fountain of wisdom. Molly Mitchell, the cute, spunky and foul-mouthed sidekick. The gorgeous Lila Howard, who Max can’t seem to keep out of his mind. And Mr. Fletcher, the man who hires Max to solve the murder case, although the two utterly despise one another. Added to that, I’ve written a cast of characters who either help or try to derail Max along the way.

Culture:

Fashion has also come full circle. Men are wearing three piece suits and fedoras again, women usually wear dresses and pin their hair back or style it with victory rolls. It’s just like how many were wearing ’60s style clothing, bell-bottoms for example, again in the 1990s. Some of the old-school terminology has re-entered casual speech. Quite “dandy”, if you ask me. I wanted to create a future with a 1940’s visual style.

To learn more, read Part 4 of An Intro to the World of Maxwell Floyd.

An Intro to the World of Maxwell Floyd (Part 3 – People & Culture)

People

The hero, Max Floyd has more problems than he knows what to do with. But he’s less hard-boiled, not the vindictive tough-guy, and he’ll rarely win in a fight. He’s smart, honorable, and always wants to do the right thing. He’s someone people will relate to, empathize with, and cheer for.

His friends include Sam Duggin, a father figure and fountain of wisdom. Molly Mitchell, the cute, spunky and foul-mouthed sidekick. The gorgeous Lila Howard, who Max can’t seem to keep out of his mind. And Mr. Fletcher, the man who hires Max to solve the murder case, although the two utterly despise one another. Added to that, I’ve written a cast of characters who either help or try to derail Max along the way.

Culture

Fashion has also come full circle. Men are wearing three piece suits and fedoras again, women usually wear dresses and pin their hair back or style it with victory rolls. It’s just like how many were wearing ’60s style clothing, bell-bottoms for example, again in the 1990s. Some of the old-school terminology has re-entered casual speech. Quite “dandy”, if you ask me. I wanted to create a future with a 1940’s visual style.

To learn more, read Part 4 of An Intro to the World of Maxwell Floyd.