Alan Orloff's Blog, page 19

It's Official!

Today is the official release date of KILLER ROUTINE.

Stand Up

The KILLER ROUTINE Blog Tour rolls on! Today's stop: the most excellent blog of Professor Mystery, Margot Kinberg. Click through to Confessions of a Mystery Novelist where I discuss the difference between writing a stand-up routine and reading a stand-up routine. Hint: There's a BIG difference!

Just a Working Stiff

Today, I'm guest blogging at Working Stiffs. The topic? Starting a new writing project. Would you believe procrastination is involved?

FREE BOOKS!

Yes, it's true. You can win FREE BOOKS from Mystery Writers of America. Every month, there's a book giveaway contest. To enter, all you have to do is go HERE, and submit an email message. Couldn't be much easier!

This month, one winner will receive SIGNED copies of each of the following books:

Love Me to Death by Allison Brennan Merciless by Mary Burton Before Cain Strikes by Joshua Corin Rogue Island by Bruce DeSilva So Close the Hand of Death by J.T. Ellison Silent Mercy by Linda Fairstein Love You More by Lisa Gardner Deadly Currents by Beth Groundwater Grace Under Pressure by Julie Hyzy The Ragtime Fool by Larry Karp Beaglemania by Linda O. Johnston A Touch of Gold by Joyce and Jim Lavene Rizzo's Fire by Lou Manfredo Sticky Fingers by Nancy Martin Killer Routine by Alan Orloff I, Alex Cross by James Patterson The Insane Train by Sheldon Russell The Other Side of Dark by Sarah Smith Deadly Diversion by Eleanor Sullivan The Mapping of Love and Death by Jacqueline Winspear Mystery Writers of America Presents...Crimes by Moonlight, edited by Charlaine Harris

If you're counting, that's 21 books! Signed! Free!

Including one by me!

Remember, you've got to play to win!

My Junk Has Come In!

I'm taking a small break in my blog tour to share some fantastic news--I got the following Facebook message recently, and I'm overjoyed! I'm going to be rich! (Poor Cousin Tom, I hardly knew ye!)

Hello dear,

I presumed that all is well with you and your family. Please let this proposal not come to you as a surprise, because we haven't met before. My name is Mr. [name redacted], I'm an employee of Bank of China (UK) Limited London. I am also a member of an Ad hoc committee recently set up by the British Government to look into growing number of dormant accounts in UK banks due to deaths of customers, with a view to finding ways of locating relatives of the dead customers. The British Government is already working with some NGO'S through the unclaimed Assets Register, to confiscate and divert unclaimed depositor's funds to help the bad economy.
Read this article below: [link redacted]

This transaction involves a customer (Late Mr. Thomas Orloff) who shares the same surname with you and also the circumstances surrounding huge deposits of British Pounds made by this client at the private banking arm of my bank "Bank of China, UK". The Bank of China Private Banking customer died in testate and nominated no successor in title over the huge deposits of GBP36,759,000.00 made with my bank. I would respectfully request that you keep the contents of this email private and respect the integrity of the information you come by as a result of this email.

I would respectfully request that you keep the contents of this email private [oops!] and respect the integrity of the information you come by as a result of this email. I'm contacting you independently of our investigation and no one is informed of this communication between you and I. I would like to intimate you with facts that I believe would be of interest to you.I will simply nominate you as the next of kin and have them release the deposit to you. I assure you that I can have the deposit released to you within few days once you accept this proposal. Upon receipt of the deposit, I'm prepared to share the money with you 50/50.

I am aware of the consequences of this proposal. I ask that if you find no interest in this project that you should discard this mail. I ask that you do not be vindictive and destructive. If my offer is of no appeal to you, delete this message and forget I ever contacted you. Do not destroy my career because you do not approve of my proposal. You may not know this but people like me who have made tidy sums out of comparable situations run the whole private banking sector. I am not a criminal and what I do, I do not find against good conscience, this may be hard for you to understand, but the dynamics of my industry dictates that I make this move.

Such opportunities only come ones in a lifetime. I cannot let this chance pass me by, for once; I have found myself in total control of my destiny. These chances won't pass me by. I ask that you do not destroy my chance, if you will not work with me let me know and let me move on with my life but do not destroy me. I am a family man and this is an opportunity to change my life for good. Moreover, my 12 yrs old daughter, my only child, is suffering from Leukemia and she needs an urgent bone marrow surgery in California as advised by my family doctor. But it will cost me around US$100,000.00 to take her for the surgery. And that is why I'm eager to utilize this opportunity since our family doctor has given my daughter just three months to live.

There is a reward for this project and it is a task well worth undertaking. I have evaluated the risks and the only risk I have here is from you refusing to work with me. I am the only one who knows of this situation, good fortune has blessed you with a name that has planted you into the center of relevance in my life. Let's share the blessing.

If you give me positive signals, I will initiate this process towards a conclusion.

I send you this mail not without a measure of fear as to what the consequences, but I know within me that nothing ventured is nothing gained and that success and riches never come easy or on a platter of gold. This is the one truth I have learned from my private banking customers. Do not betray my confidence. If we can be of one accord, we should plan a meeting, soon.

Anticipating your immediate response through my private email-[redacted]
Mr. [name redacted]

It's a Thrill! (No Fooling)

Today, I'd like to point you to a very nice article about KILLER ROUTINE, written by the very nice crime writer Austin Camacho. It's on ITW's (International Thriller Writers) monthly webzine, The Big Thrill. (Yes, I am a proud member of ITW.)

Thanks bunches, Austin!

That Fine Line

Join me today at Patricia Stoltey's place, where I "talk" about why I decided to write a series featuring a stand-up comic.

One Two Two Three

Book One News – On Sunday, I'll be speaking about DIAMONDS FOR THE DEAD at the Hadassah Book Fair at the Reston Barnes & Noble. The Fair starts at 1 p.m., and I "go on" at 2 p.m.

Book Two News – RT Book Reviews had this to say about KILLER ROUTINE:

"Gritty and full of surprises, this is a fascinating glimpse into the world of stand-up comedy; it's definitely worth a read."

To read the entire review, get a copy of the April 2011 issue of RT Book Reviews at your local bookstore.

Thanks, RT Book Reviews!

Book Two News, Part Two – There are still five more days to sign up to win a free copy of KILLER ROUTINE at Goodreads. Click over and enter—you know you want to!

Book Three News – The second book in the Last Laff Mystery Series now has a name. It's…DEADLY CAMPAIGN. In it, Channing helps his friend Thomas Lee investigate some unsavory events surrounding his nephew's run for Congress. Scheduled for an April 2012 release.

Crank it Up

Today I'm blogging at InkSpot. My hibernation is over. Time to crank up the promotion machine and introduce my new baby to the world. Click on over and join the fun!

Festival! Of Books! In Virginia!

For the past few years, I've attended the Virginia Festival of the Book in Charlottesville, VA. Held in March, it's a week-long (give or take) celebration of books.

What could be better than that?

Although I'm tempted by a number of programs throughout the Festival, I only make the two-hour drive for Crime Wave Saturday. All day long, there are panels and talks about crime fiction. In a word: awesome.

In the past, I've been one of the many (thousands) of mystery lovers attending the panels. This year, I was thrilled to be on a panel.

And it was a very, very good panel. Moderated by Cliff Garstang, my fellow panelists were John Connolly, Deanne Raybourn, and Paul Robertson. I was thoroughly entertained (if not thoroughly entertaining). From the audience's feedback, I think (hope) they were entertained as well. (Note to self: work on Irish accent.)

(The panel, with me hogging the mic, as usual. Photo courtesy of Alma Katsu, whose debut novel, THE TAKER, comes out this Fall from Simon & Schuster/Gallery.)

After my panel, I attended a superb luncheon, featuring Kathy Reichs as the keynote speaker. I didn't even freak out when I discovered cheese in my entrée.

In the afternoon, I had a chance to catch up with some of my writer friends, make some new mystery-loving friends, and enjoy a stroll down the pedestrian mall in downtown Charlottesville.

All in all, a terrific day. If you live in Virginia, put this on your calendar for next year. You won't be sorry!