C.J. Lyons's Blog, page 7
September 2, 2012
Killer Thrillers: Guaranteed Great Reads!
I’m thrilled to be a part of the new Killer Thriller Collective!PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For Readers Drowning in E-Books, Author Collectives Offer a Lifeline
Detroit, MI August 31, 2012 – In an ocean of self-published titles, two questions surface: How can readers find quality e-books, and how can authors of quality e-books find readers?
Before Amazon’s Kindle changed the face of electronic publishing, in 2006, 51,237 self-published titles were printed as physical books, according to the data company Bowker. Last year, Bowker estimated that more than 300,000 self-published titles were issued in either print or digital form.
How can readers sift through hundreds of thousands of self-published titles to find quality e-books that will be worth their investment of money and time?
Author collectives such as the recently launched “Killer Thrillers” provide one answer. All 22 Killer Thrillers members are award-winning, bestselling, and internationally published thriller authors committed to bringing high standards and professional quality to their self-published works.
Of the 163 self-published titles currently featured on the Killer Thrillers website, many first appeared in print. Others are original e-books. All are written by talented, experienced thriller authors who’ve proven they know how to tell a ripper of a story by winning major awards, becoming regional, national, and international bestselling authors, and seeing their novels translated and published in other countries. Some of the Killer Thrillers titles have also been optioned for television and film.
New York Times bestselling author David Morrell, christened “the father of the modern action novel” for his iconic creation, John Rambo, lists 15 self-published e-books on the Killer Thrillers website including First Blood, the title that introduced the world to John Rambo, The Brotherhood of the Rose, the basis for a television mini-series, and his other Rambo books.
“I’m in the process of archiving my entire 40-year output of novels, essays, short stories, and non-fiction works as e-publications,” Morrell says. “E-books are wonderful for authors. No more out-of-print titles.”
Killer Thrillers authors include Brett Battles, Raymond Benson, Sean Black, Robert Gregory Browne, Blake Crouch, Karen Dionne, Timothy Hallinan, Katia Lief, CJ Lyons, Bob Mayer, Grant McKenzie, David Morrell, Boyd Morrison, J.F. Penn, Keith Raffel, J.D. Rhoades, Jeremy Robinson, L.J. Sellers, Zoë Sharp, Alexandra Sokoloff, Mark Terry and F. Paul Wilson.
July 31, 2012
Buy a Book, Make a Difference
Imagine the thrill you’d feel saving a child’s life or helping a small town
police department receive cutting edge forensic training.
A year ago (almost to the day) I wrote and asked you to help me make a dream come true. You responded by sending BLIND FAITH to #2 on the New York Times Bestseller list.
It was the greatest moment of my career, a true life changing event for me.
Now, with the release of the new edition of BLIND FAITH (revised with a new ending for a character so many of you fell in love with!) I want to aim even higher.
This time I want us to change the world!
(After all, that’s the main reason why I write Thrillers with Heart–and why I became a Pediatric ER doc in the first place–to change the world and make a difference)
For once, I’m not giving away free books or other swag.
This time I’m giving away cash to three worthy causes. And YOU get to decide how much money they get.
*If BLIND FAITH hits either Amazon or BN’s top 100, I’ll donate $1,000 each to St. Jude’s Children’s hospital, Doctors without Borders, and the American Heart Association.
*If BLIND FAITH hits the top 20 at either Amazon or BN, I’ll double the donation.
AND if we drive BLIND FAITH to the USA Today or New York Times bestseller lists, I’ll donate a total of $5,000 to each charity…PLUS I’ll fund an additional three police officers from underserved areas to attend training at the Sirchie Forensic Institution.
(Oh yeah, that last is kind of a secret..I’ve sent several officers to Sirchie this year on a scholarship fund I set up in memory of Jeff, my murdered friend from my internship year…I don’t like to publicize it, but if you know a department that needs help, you can read more about it HERE)
Please help any way you can: Buy a copy for yourself or a friend (hey, the holidays are right around the corner!), share this newsletter with everyone you know, or simply Tweet or Facebook the following:
Buy a Book, MAKE A DIFFERENCE! Help @CJLyonswriter & friends donate to St. Jude,
Drs w/o Borders & Am. Heart Assoc. Here’s how: http://cjlyons.net/?p=2761
I know, it’s a lot of money (gulp!) but you all have done so very much for me, I’m thrilled to be able to give something back!
Thanks for helping me change the world!
CJ
July 8, 2012
New! FBI Terms and Resources
Want an insider’s view into the law enforcement and FBI terms CJ uses in her Thrillers with Heart?
Click HERE to download your copy of her new FBI Terms and Resources PDF
In addition to a glossary of terms, CJ has included some of her favorite links to FBI resources. A must read for thriller lovers and thriller writers.
July 3, 2012
Want to meet Lee Child or Sandra Brown?
You can! Without even leaving home.
Just sign up for the new Thrillers with Heart newsletter to get behind the scenes exclusive interviews with some of today’s bestselling thriller authors.
You can sign up in the subscription box to get your first issue today or go to the Thrillers with Heart website to check out past issues including:
Behind the Scenes with Sandra Brown
An Exclusive Interview with Lee Child
How to Be a Hero with Toni McGee Causey
Each issue comes with special bonus material, free for subscribers.
This month’s issue features a video interview with New York Times bestselling author Lee Child. In it we chat about why stories are so vital to human evolution, the origins of Jack Reacher, Lee’s thoughts on the new Reacher movie starring Tom Cruise, and much, much more!
Sign up today so you won’t miss a thing!
April 15, 2012
Where did Lucy come from?
I was privileged to be interviewed by the Mystery Tribune recently. They were interested in learning how I created the character of Lucy Guardino, my FBI protagonist from SNAKE SKIN and BLOOD STAINED.
Here’s an excerpt, click HERE to read the complete interview and learn how I researched my FBI characters.
What was your inspiration for the character of Lucy Guardino?
CJ: I was tired of reading thrillers featuring female FBI agents who were driven by angst, fleeing demons, fighting addiction, stalked by serial killers, or with dark, forbidden secrets, etc–all things that would never allow them to do their job effectively in the real world.
As a woman who has always worked in a male dominated field (Emergency Medicine), I wanted to create a main character I could relate to. Someone facing the same kind of struggles balancing work and family and who was “real.”
So, I thought, why not go as real as it gets? How about a Pittsburgh soccer mom, who has a loving and supportive family? No angst, no dark past, no addictions or demons…Just the very real need to do her job the best she can while also giving her family as much love and attention as possible.
Of course, I can’t go too easy on her, so I give her the worst possible job, tracking pedophiles and sex offenders. The fact that she happens to be good at it only makes her life more complicated because she fights a constant battle of protecting her family from her work.
She seems to have a reckless attraction to confronting her fears, right?
CJ: Wow, great question! I never thought of it that way, but yes, she is most definitely someone who always confronts her fears, refuses to let them just lie there sabotaging her life.
Part of that comes from me–my entire life has been about facing down fears, both physical ones like flying in helicopters to go get patients or facing off with drunk gang-bangers in the ER, but also emotional fears like finding the courage to make a leap of faith and leave medicine to write full time.
The rest comes from my deep-seated belief that heroes really are born everyday…and re-born with every obstacle and fear that we face. That’s what all of my Thrillers with Heart are about: finding the courage to change the world, one person at a time.
Of course, I haven’t been as successful as Lucy in conquering my fears. Every book still leaves me quivering in panic that I’ll disappoint my readers. Yet, I keep on writing them, even when they take me into deep, dark places like BLOOD STAINED did. That book was as painful for me to write as it was for Lucy to live through.
Want to know more about Lucy and how I researched BLOOD STAINED? Click HERE to keep reading.
PS: BLOOD STAINED just hit Amazon’s Top 100 and is the #1 Police Procedural, so grab your copy today!
February 18, 2012
BLOOD STAINED on Sale Now!
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Readers asked for "More Lucy, Please!"
Now Lucy's back and she's facing the fight of her life:
Just your average Pittsburgh soccer mom, baking brownies and carrying a loaded forty-caliber Glock…
Until recently Supervisory Special Agent Lucy Guardino was a shining star in the FBI's roster. But after killing a man and disobeying orders, Lucy's been sidelined, chained to her desk. When a mysterious letter arrives hinting that, thanks to Lucy, the wrong man was blamed for a string of serial rapes, kidnappings, and killings four years ago, Lucy jumps at the chance to re-open the case–despite orders to leave well enough alone.
Her unofficial investigation takes her back to the small town that thrust her into the spotlight four years ago when she saved the killer's last victims–before the killer took his own life and the life of one final victim, a mother who left a ten year old son and loving husband behind.
What Lucy doesn't know is that what happened four years ago was all a lie, fueled by sacrifice and betrayal, designed to shield the real killer.
With the lives of her family, a group of innocent children, and the future of one desperate boy at risk, Lucy races to stop an innocent from killing and a killer from butchering more innocents.
When it comes to "breathtakingly fast-paced thrillers" (Publishers Weekly), New York Times and USA Today Bestseller CJ Lyons is a "master of the genre." (Pittsburgh Magazine).
#1 New York Times bestselling author Lee Child has called CJ's work "Everything a great thriller should be–action packed, authentic, and intense."
BLOOD STAINED and SNAKE SKIN available now for a limited time at a special sale price.
Think you can handle a trip to the dark side? Download a sample or buy BLOOD STAINED today:
December 13, 2011
USA Today: Indy success stories
Today's USA Today features an article, "Self-published authors find e-success", that features me and several other authors who are doing whatever it takes to reach out to readers.
While I am extremely honored to be mentioned along with such fine authors as Michael Prescott, Amanda Hocking, and Barbara Freethy, I have to say, what really made me smile was the quote from my new publisher at Minotaur, Andy Martin, who said:
Her new publisher, Andrew Martin, says, "I'm not buying a book, I'm building a career with an author." He says an established publishing house lets the author do what he does best — write — while the publisher offers expert marketing, editing, production and aggressive protection against e-books being illegally pirated.
In the midst of this revolution, Martin sees a silver lining for traditional publishers. In the past, editors, agents and publishers depended on their gut about whether a book would connect with readers. Now the stories are being pre-tested in the online marketplace. "It's like the old-fashioned slush pile being road tested — with the cream rising to top."
In the end, Martin selected Lyons for the oldest reason of all.
"She is a storyteller. I think that speaks most to me."
Wow! Now that made my day!
Click HERE to read the whole article.
Thanks for letting me share,
CJ
November 30, 2011
Book Lovers Buffet: All You Can Read!
I'm participating in a fun experiment from a group of authors called the Book Lovers' Buffet. From Dec 1 thru Jan 15th, we're offering some of our favorite titles at the low price of $0.99 on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
NERVES OF STEEL, the first of my bestselling Hart and Drake romantic suspense/medical thriller series is included. But there are many more great books in a variety of genres.
Click HERE to visit the Book Lovers' Buffet and load up without gaining a calorie!
Remember, e-books make for great holiday presents!
Want to grab your copy of NERVES OF STEEL at the special low price of 0.99? Just click below:
November 27, 2011
SNAKE SKIN is a Big Deal!
Save $3.00 for One Week Only!SNAKE SKIN is part of Amazon's Big Deal Sale!
#1 New York Times bestselling author Lee Child has called CJ Lyons' work "Everything a great thriller should be–action packed, authentic, and intense."
Just your average Pittsburgh soccer mom, baking brownies and carrying a loaded forty-caliber Glock…
A loving mom and wife, dutiful daughter, consummate professional, and kick-ass federal agent, Lucy Guardino is living the perfect life.
Until the day she comes up against a predator more vicious and cunning than any she's ever tackled before, one who forces Lucy to choose between the life of the young victim she is fighting to save and her own daughter's….and Lucy's dream life is shattered.
"Combine Dirty Harry with a loving wife and mother and you might end up with Lucy Guardino…You won't be able to put this one down." 4 1/2 stars, RT Book Reviews
Click HERE to sample or buy SNAKE SKIN today for a special low price of $1.99!
October 17, 2011
Halloween Special: A Ghost of a Love Story
Right now you can buy LUCIDITY for a limited time at a Special Sale price 0.99
LUCIDITY is one of those books that pretty much hi-jacked my brain until I wrote it! If you like your stories with multiple layers, a touch of the metaphysical, and complex plots, then LUCIDITY is for you.
It's about free will and the choices we make everyday.
It's about the price we pay for that free will–and the price others around us pay.
But most of all it's a bittersweet love story about a woman who would do anything to be with her lost love–then she's forced to choose between saving the world and saving him.
Click below to buy LUCIDITY in e-book format at a limited time 0.99 sale price. Because who doesn't love a good ghost story?
