Nick Kolakowski's Blog, page 3
June 14, 2020
'Lockdown' Releases This Week!
For the past few months, I’ve been working alongside co-editor Steve Weddle and publisher Jason Pinter (of Polis Books) on a very special project: Lockdown: Stories of Crime, Terror, and Hope During a Pandemic, an anthology of 20 suspense, noir, and horror stories set against the background of a (fictional) pandemic. One hundred percent of the proceeds from “Lockdown” will go to support BINC, the Book Industry Charitable Foundation, as it seeks to help booksellers recover from the devastating COVID-19 crisis.
Some background: This project came together super-fast by publishing standards, and I’m in awe of how quickly our authors turned around their uniformly excellent, mind-blowing stories—especially since everyone was also scrambling to figure out their self-imposed lockdowns. The pandemic in the book is fictional, which allowed them to play with all kinds of subgenres: heist, zombie, murder-mystery, even an incredible riff on “Peter Pan.” If you want to help booksellers through the pandemic while landing some enjoyable reading, check out “Lockdown” from the following bookstores:
• Bookshop.org
• Indiebound
• Barnes & Noble
• Amazon
The authors include:
• Hector Acosta
• Scott Adlerberg
• Ann Dávila Cardinal
• Gemma Amor
• V. Castro
• Angel Luis Colon
• Jen Conley
• Terri Lynn Coop
• S.A. Cosby
• Alex DiFrancesco
• Michelle Garza/Melissa Lason
• Rob Hart
• Gabino Iglesias
• Nick Kolakowski
• Richie Narvaez
• Cina Pelayo
• Renee Asher Pickup
• Eryk Pruitt
• Johnny Shaw
• Steve Weddle
We’re incredibly proud of this effort, and we hope you like it, too.
Some background: This project came together super-fast by publishing standards, and I’m in awe of how quickly our authors turned around their uniformly excellent, mind-blowing stories—especially since everyone was also scrambling to figure out their self-imposed lockdowns. The pandemic in the book is fictional, which allowed them to play with all kinds of subgenres: heist, zombie, murder-mystery, even an incredible riff on “Peter Pan.” If you want to help booksellers through the pandemic while landing some enjoyable reading, check out “Lockdown” from the following bookstores:
• Bookshop.org
• Indiebound
• Barnes & Noble
• Amazon
The authors include:
• Hector Acosta
• Scott Adlerberg
• Ann Dávila Cardinal
• Gemma Amor
• V. Castro
• Angel Luis Colon
• Jen Conley
• Terri Lynn Coop
• S.A. Cosby
• Alex DiFrancesco
• Michelle Garza/Melissa Lason
• Rob Hart
• Gabino Iglesias
• Nick Kolakowski
• Richie Narvaez
• Cina Pelayo
• Renee Asher Pickup
• Eryk Pruitt
• Johnny Shaw
• Steve Weddle
We’re incredibly proud of this effort, and we hope you like it, too.
December 3, 2019
Crime Fiction, Meet Science Fiction
Over at Mystery Tribune (which is an awesome magazine, BTW, if you're into everything mystery- and thriller-related), there's a great writeup by Tobias Carroll about how science fiction and crime fiction are colliding.
Carroll focuses on three books in particular: "Maxine Unleashes Doomsday," Rob Hart's "The Warehouse," and Alex DiFrancesco’s "All City." All three of these books deal with dystopia; all are pretty... pessimistic when it comes to our chances? In any case, Carroll writes:
If you're looking for holiday books with a sci-fi theme, these three should be at the top of your list (and I wrote one of 'em, which makes me biased... sue me). Here are the requisite links:
MAXINE UNLEASHES DOOMSDAY
THE WAREHOUSE
ALL CITY
Check 'em out!
Carroll focuses on three books in particular: "Maxine Unleashes Doomsday," Rob Hart's "The Warehouse," and Alex DiFrancesco’s "All City." All three of these books deal with dystopia; all are pretty... pessimistic when it comes to our chances? In any case, Carroll writes:
"These are books that get under your skin. The best crime fiction can do that — focusing in on the way people treat one another inhumanely or depicting societal corruption. These opt for similar themes, but do so in vividly rendered near-future settings. As you take in the sights, you almost miss the dangers laying in wait — and then it’s too late. Hopefully, in reading these novels, the same isn’t true for the world we live in now."
If you're looking for holiday books with a sci-fi theme, these three should be at the top of your list (and I wrote one of 'em, which makes me biased... sue me). Here are the requisite links:
MAXINE UNLEASHES DOOMSDAY
THE WAREHOUSE
ALL CITY
Check 'em out!
November 9, 2019
"Maxine Unleashes Doomsday": Early Reviews!
“Maxine Unleashes Doomsday” has been out a week! Thanks to everyone who’s picked up a copy so far; if you feel so inclined, an Amazon and/or Goodreads review is always appreciated (it reportedly affects which books pop up in various searches, etc.).
We’ve also gotten some solid reviews so far. For example, The Irresponsible Reader wrote:
And over at BOLO Books:
And then the Bookwormery!
Aaaand Broadswords and Blasters!
More to come over the next few weeks, but I’m heartened by the response so far—especially since the act of writing is usually a solitary slog, and you’re never quite sure how folks will react to a work once it’s out. Thanks to everyone who’s taken the ride with “Maxine” so far!
We’ve also gotten some solid reviews so far. For example, The Irresponsible Reader wrote:
“Maxine is one of my favorite characters this year—she’s flawed (not as flawed as she thinks), she’s a fighter (not as good as she thinks), self-destructive, optimistic, and driven. She takes a lot of (metaphorical and literal) punches, and while she may not get up right away after them, she doesn’t stop moving forward. Ever. I love reading characters like that.”
And over at BOLO Books:
“Kolakowski blends his usual noir style with a dystopian future, but what makes this book stand apart from the pack is the humor – sometimes darker than melted tar; at other times as subtle as a gentle push off a cliff-side. Maxine is the perfect heroine to follow on this adventure, even if she’s not exactly the girl you want to bring home to mama. (Or maybe she is, no judgement here!)”
And then the Bookwormery!
“I love this book, from its clever little pop culture references, Heisenberg Blue, SkyNet, sick sticks and droogs, (which appeal to the geek in me), to the dystopian world building. Maxine is a strong, intelligent female character, flawed but determined and likeable. A compelling, imaginative, brutal dystopian read and I can thoroughly recommend it.”
Aaaand Broadswords and Blasters!
“This is one hell of a ride of a book packed with gun fights, snowplow thefts, rogue AI, car chases and crime. It’s a twenty minute leap into the future when the world (or at least humanity) is shuffling a bit closer to the edge of extinction, where all the current problems we’re seeing now (rising sea levels, crumbling infrastructure, corporations at the expense of people) is turned up to 11.”
More to come over the next few weeks, but I’m heartened by the response so far—especially since the act of writing is usually a solitary slog, and you’re never quite sure how folks will react to a work once it’s out. Thanks to everyone who’s taken the ride with “Maxine” so far!
October 19, 2019
"Maxine Unleashes Doomsday" Up for Pre-Order
My next book, a noir/sci-fi hybrid titled "Maxine Unleashes Doomsday," is now up for pre-order on Amazon and Barnes & Noble, as well as all the other (usual) venues.
Here's the summary for ya:
The United States has collapsed. Bandits stalk the highways, preying on the weak and unaware.
In order to transport goods between heavily fortified cities, companies hire convoy escorts. Maxine is the best of these new road warriors: tough, smart, and unbelievably fast. But she also has a secret: She's the niece of New York's most notorious outlaw, a man hunted by what's left of the nation's law enforcement.
Maxine wants to live a normal, upstanding life. But a bad incident on the road leaves her mauled, penniless...and fired. If she wants to survive, she's going to need to embrace her outlaw roots--and carry off the biggest heist that the post-apocalypse has ever seen. It's a journey that will take her through obstacle after obstacle to the edge of death itself--and beyond.
"Maxine Unleashes Doomsday" smashes the gritty frenzy of "Mad Max: Fury Road" with the top-notch suspense of a crime saga like "Heat." It's a brutal thriller that offers a terrifying glimpse of our future.
Praise for MAXINE UNLEASHES DOOMSDAY:
"Take one of Richard Stark's 'Parker' novels and throw it in the blender with DVDs of 'Mad Max' and 'The Warriors.' Guess what? You just broke your blender. Find solace in this book, which is what you should have done in the first place." --Rob Hart, author of 'The Warehouse' and 'New Yorked'
"'Maxine Unleashes Doomsday' rolls in with bang-up premise and keeps on punching. This is a trip into the far future and then the near future, where the oceans have swallowed up the coasts, the United States has fractured, and people like Maxine are left in the dust. But Maxine is tough and she's got no patience for any crap and she will survive...one way or another. Filled with a terrific carnival cast of characters, cracker-jack scenes, and Kolakowski's witty prose, 'Maxine Unleashes Doomsday' is a fantastic read and definitely well worth your time." --Jen Conley, author of 'Seven Ways to Get Rid of Harry' and 'Cannibals: Stories from the Edge of the Pine Barrens'
"Loaded with savvy world-building, memorable characters and precise, sharp plotting, I devoured Nick Kolakowski's latest. The post-apocalyptic and wonderfully bonkers 'Maxine Unleashes Doomsday' will keep you turning pages at a breakneck pace." --Alex Segura, author of 'Blackout' and 'Dangerous Ends'
"I don't know which is more terrifying: how wildly inventive this book is, or how close this fractured world is to ours. In 'Maxine Unleashes Doomsday,' Kolakowski gives us the hero we need for the apocalypse we deserve." --Nik Korpon, author of 'Wear Your Home Like a Scar' and 'Old Ghosts'
"If George Miller ('Mad Max') and Sol Yurick ('The Warriors') had a bastard kid, there's a good chance it would be Nick Kolakowski's 'Maxine Unleashes Doomsday.' White hot words and images of a crumbling society leap off the page giving the reader a scary look at a future which, in light of what's going on today, is not so far-fetched. Kolakowski is a master at creating fascinating, horrifying characters fighting for existence in a world gone wild." --Charles Salzberg, Shamus Award-nominated author of 'Swann's Last Song' and 'Second Story Man'
I've been working on this one for years, so I have quite a bit of personal pride in it. Hopefully the future portrayed in the book isn't the one that actually comes to pass.
Here's the summary for ya:
The United States has collapsed. Bandits stalk the highways, preying on the weak and unaware.
In order to transport goods between heavily fortified cities, companies hire convoy escorts. Maxine is the best of these new road warriors: tough, smart, and unbelievably fast. But she also has a secret: She's the niece of New York's most notorious outlaw, a man hunted by what's left of the nation's law enforcement.
Maxine wants to live a normal, upstanding life. But a bad incident on the road leaves her mauled, penniless...and fired. If she wants to survive, she's going to need to embrace her outlaw roots--and carry off the biggest heist that the post-apocalypse has ever seen. It's a journey that will take her through obstacle after obstacle to the edge of death itself--and beyond.
"Maxine Unleashes Doomsday" smashes the gritty frenzy of "Mad Max: Fury Road" with the top-notch suspense of a crime saga like "Heat." It's a brutal thriller that offers a terrifying glimpse of our future.
Praise for MAXINE UNLEASHES DOOMSDAY:
"Take one of Richard Stark's 'Parker' novels and throw it in the blender with DVDs of 'Mad Max' and 'The Warriors.' Guess what? You just broke your blender. Find solace in this book, which is what you should have done in the first place." --Rob Hart, author of 'The Warehouse' and 'New Yorked'
"'Maxine Unleashes Doomsday' rolls in with bang-up premise and keeps on punching. This is a trip into the far future and then the near future, where the oceans have swallowed up the coasts, the United States has fractured, and people like Maxine are left in the dust. But Maxine is tough and she's got no patience for any crap and she will survive...one way or another. Filled with a terrific carnival cast of characters, cracker-jack scenes, and Kolakowski's witty prose, 'Maxine Unleashes Doomsday' is a fantastic read and definitely well worth your time." --Jen Conley, author of 'Seven Ways to Get Rid of Harry' and 'Cannibals: Stories from the Edge of the Pine Barrens'
"Loaded with savvy world-building, memorable characters and precise, sharp plotting, I devoured Nick Kolakowski's latest. The post-apocalyptic and wonderfully bonkers 'Maxine Unleashes Doomsday' will keep you turning pages at a breakneck pace." --Alex Segura, author of 'Blackout' and 'Dangerous Ends'
"I don't know which is more terrifying: how wildly inventive this book is, or how close this fractured world is to ours. In 'Maxine Unleashes Doomsday,' Kolakowski gives us the hero we need for the apocalypse we deserve." --Nik Korpon, author of 'Wear Your Home Like a Scar' and 'Old Ghosts'
"If George Miller ('Mad Max') and Sol Yurick ('The Warriors') had a bastard kid, there's a good chance it would be Nick Kolakowski's 'Maxine Unleashes Doomsday.' White hot words and images of a crumbling society leap off the page giving the reader a scary look at a future which, in light of what's going on today, is not so far-fetched. Kolakowski is a master at creating fascinating, horrifying characters fighting for existence in a world gone wild." --Charles Salzberg, Shamus Award-nominated author of 'Swann's Last Song' and 'Second Story Man'
I've been working on this one for years, so I have quite a bit of personal pride in it. Hopefully the future portrayed in the book isn't the one that actually comes to pass.
August 14, 2019
"Boise Longpig Hunting Club" Turns One!
One year ago, Down & Out Books published "Boise Longpig Hunting Club," my rural-noir thriller about a bounty hunter and his arms-dealer sister who find themselves trapped in the most dangerous game. It's one of my favorite things that I've written, and I'm pleased overall with the response that it's gotten -- including random jokes from fans about monkeys and rocket launchers.
In any case, to celebrate this one-year anniversary, the book is $0.99 on Amazon Kindle, so if you need some beach reading, go for it!
In any case, to celebrate this one-year anniversary, the book is $0.99 on Amazon Kindle, so if you need some beach reading, go for it!
May 16, 2019
Finest Sh*t!
My latest book of short stories, "Finest Sh*t!" is available for pre-order for Kindle, and out in the world as a paperback!
Some elements of this book took some time to come together. For example, many years back, I wrote a short story titled "Barn Burning." It ended up in Carrier Pigeon, an oversized literary journal, with some awesome illustrations. I wrote three sequel stories, all tracing three generations of murder and mayhem within a family in upstate New York. I loved the whole arc dearly, but like many things in publishing, it was a bit too weird (history? hardboiled? prose *and* poetry?) and short to find a suitable home.
When I started putting together "Finest Sh*t!", I revisited those stories and gave them a polish. The resulting novella, "The Farm," is the capper of the collection. I'm glad it's finally out in the world.
In addition, there are a number of short stories in here. Some appeared in Mystery Tribune; others in anthologies such as Lost Highways: Dark Fictions From the Road. One, "Sonny the Wonder Dog," ended up nominated for a Derringer Award after it was published in Flash Fiction Offensive. I'm proud of all of them. I hope you like them, too.
Some elements of this book took some time to come together. For example, many years back, I wrote a short story titled "Barn Burning." It ended up in Carrier Pigeon, an oversized literary journal, with some awesome illustrations. I wrote three sequel stories, all tracing three generations of murder and mayhem within a family in upstate New York. I loved the whole arc dearly, but like many things in publishing, it was a bit too weird (history? hardboiled? prose *and* poetry?) and short to find a suitable home.
When I started putting together "Finest Sh*t!", I revisited those stories and gave them a polish. The resulting novella, "The Farm," is the capper of the collection. I'm glad it's finally out in the world.
In addition, there are a number of short stories in here. Some appeared in Mystery Tribune; others in anthologies such as Lost Highways: Dark Fictions From the Road. One, "Sonny the Wonder Dog," ended up nominated for a Derringer Award after it was published in Flash Fiction Offensive. I'm proud of all of them. I hope you like them, too.
February 8, 2019
"Main Bad Guy" Is Out!
"Main Bad Guy," the third book in the "Love & Bullets" trilogy, is out! Available via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other fine booksellers...
When I started out, I didn't intend to write a trilogy, but the characters kept speaking to me. After I finished "A Brutal Bunch of Heartbroken Saps" (the first book in the trilogy), I found myself continuing to jot down dialogue, action sequences, and so on... and soon enough, "Slaughterhouse Blues" (the second book) began to take shape.
With "Main Bad Guy," I've brought things back full-circle. Bill and Fiona, our protagonists, find themselves back in New York, hunted by villains with wildly different motives. Will they survive? Well, it's the last book, so all bets are off...
When I started out, I didn't intend to write a trilogy, but the characters kept speaking to me. After I finished "A Brutal Bunch of Heartbroken Saps" (the first book in the trilogy), I found myself continuing to jot down dialogue, action sequences, and so on... and soon enough, "Slaughterhouse Blues" (the second book) began to take shape.
With "Main Bad Guy," I've brought things back full-circle. Bill and Fiona, our protagonists, find themselves back in New York, hunted by villains with wildly different motives. Will they survive? Well, it's the last book, so all bets are off...
January 27, 2019
"Main Bad Guy" Available for Pre-Order
"Main Bad Guy," the third book in the "Love & Bullets" trilogy, is available for pre-order today via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple, and other fine retailers. Here's the jacket description for ya:
Bill and Fiona, the lovable anti-heroes of the “Love & Bullets” trilogy, find themselves in the toughest of tough spots: badly wounded, hunted by assorted cops and goons, and desperately in need of a drink (or five).
After a round-the-world tour of spectacular criminality, Bill and Fiona find themselves back in New York. But it’s not exactly home-sweet-home: Locked in a panic room on the top floor of a skyscraper, surrounded by pretty much everyone in three zip codes who wants to kill them, they’ll need to figure out how to stay upright and breathing… and maybe deal out a little payback in the process.
Can they survive?
Even better, can they make a profit off all this?
Main Bad Guy caps a series described as “a Tarantino movie in prose” (Sons of Spade) and “deliciously deranged” (Raven Crime Reads).
Praise for MAIN BAD GUY:
“It’s no surprise that Nick Kolakowski brought the heat with his latest novel Main Bad Guy. The surprise is that you won’t know which landed harder: His stripped-down, hard-boiled prose, the explosive dialogue, or the wickedly insane and diabolical humor. Grab hold of this one with both hands and hold on tight.” —Eryk Pruitt, author of 'Townies' and 'What We Reckon'
***
"Main Bad Guy" is my homage to siege movies such as John Carpenter's original "Assault on Precinct 13." For years, I've wanted to write something that placed my characters in a small, confined, dangerous space; Bill and Fiona finally gave me the opportunity to do so.
To mark the release of "Main Bad Guy," Down & Out Books and Shotgun Honey have re-issued the first two books in the series, "A Brutal Bunch of Heartbroken Saps" and "Slaughterhouse Blues," with new, stunning covers. Amazon is currently running a Kindle sale on those.
Happy Reading!
Bill and Fiona, the lovable anti-heroes of the “Love & Bullets” trilogy, find themselves in the toughest of tough spots: badly wounded, hunted by assorted cops and goons, and desperately in need of a drink (or five).
After a round-the-world tour of spectacular criminality, Bill and Fiona find themselves back in New York. But it’s not exactly home-sweet-home: Locked in a panic room on the top floor of a skyscraper, surrounded by pretty much everyone in three zip codes who wants to kill them, they’ll need to figure out how to stay upright and breathing… and maybe deal out a little payback in the process.
Can they survive?
Even better, can they make a profit off all this?
Main Bad Guy caps a series described as “a Tarantino movie in prose” (Sons of Spade) and “deliciously deranged” (Raven Crime Reads).
Praise for MAIN BAD GUY:
“It’s no surprise that Nick Kolakowski brought the heat with his latest novel Main Bad Guy. The surprise is that you won’t know which landed harder: His stripped-down, hard-boiled prose, the explosive dialogue, or the wickedly insane and diabolical humor. Grab hold of this one with both hands and hold on tight.” —Eryk Pruitt, author of 'Townies' and 'What We Reckon'
***
"Main Bad Guy" is my homage to siege movies such as John Carpenter's original "Assault on Precinct 13." For years, I've wanted to write something that placed my characters in a small, confined, dangerous space; Bill and Fiona finally gave me the opportunity to do so.
To mark the release of "Main Bad Guy," Down & Out Books and Shotgun Honey have re-issued the first two books in the series, "A Brutal Bunch of Heartbroken Saps" and "Slaughterhouse Blues," with new, stunning covers. Amazon is currently running a Kindle sale on those.
Happy Reading!
October 5, 2018
"Boise Longpig Hunting Club" Giveaway!
Hey all!
So Writer Types (which is a fantastic podcast) is doing a #giveaway of "Boise Longpig Hunting Club." In fact, today's the giveaway's last day... head over to Twitter to see how you can potentially win a copy.
So Writer Types (which is a fantastic podcast) is doing a #giveaway of "Boise Longpig Hunting Club." In fact, today's the giveaway's last day... head over to Twitter to see how you can potentially win a copy.
August 13, 2018
"Boise Longpig Hunting Club" is Out!
Hey everybody!
"Boise Longpig Hunting Club" is out in the wild! We got some early reviews that you should definitely check out:
Irresponsible Reader calls it fast, energetic, and fun. "It’s a violent, nasty hunt full of crazy characters, drug dealers, Aryan assassins, corrupt police — and people who are even worse than them."
Over at BOLO Books, there's also a nice tidbit:
And a solid review at Crime Fiction Lover. I like this bit in particular:
If that perks your interest, the Down & Out Books website has links to all the various store portals: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.
Boise Longpig Hunting Club
"Boise Longpig Hunting Club" is out in the wild! We got some early reviews that you should definitely check out:
Irresponsible Reader calls it fast, energetic, and fun. "It’s a violent, nasty hunt full of crazy characters, drug dealers, Aryan assassins, corrupt police — and people who are even worse than them."
Over at BOLO Books, there's also a nice tidbit:
"No one is going to accuse Nick Kolakowski of taking the easy way out. Idaho Noir might seem like a misnomer, but Kolakowski makes it work in unimaginable ways. This modern updating of “The Most Dangerous Game” might, on paper, seem completely implausible, but Kolakowski commits to the concept fully and by the end, readers will be shaken to the core. Since this is a Down & Out book, it probably goes without saying that the level of violence is profound, but I never thought it gratuitous or incongruous. This is not a book for everyone, but for those that enjoy this type of thing – and you know who you are – this might be the existential thriller of the season."
And a solid review at Crime Fiction Lover. I like this bit in particular:
"There are several good set pieces, including a shoot-out in an abandoned family hotel, and a couple of encounters with angry rattlesnakes. Kolakowski makes some attempts to draw some thematic parallels with his protagonists’ situation and the exploitation of the working classes by today’s business elites, but it is no more than window dressing for his pulp-infused thriller. He is sensible enough to make sure it doesn’t slow down proceedings."
If that perks your interest, the Down & Out Books website has links to all the various store portals: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.
Boise Longpig Hunting Club
