Nick Kolakowski's Blog, page 4
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
June 3, 2018
'Boise Longpig Hunting Club' Available for Pre-Order!
'Boise Longpig Hunting Club,' my next novel from Down & Out Books, is now available for pre-order (it comes out August 13). The paperback is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble (where it's being offered at a pre-sale discount), along with the Kindle edition.
Plus the Down & Out Books e-store is running a buy-the-paperback-get-the-ebook deal, although probably for a limited time.
Links to iTunes, etc., should be up soon. Here's the book's official description; I like to frame it as a contemporary update of 'The Most Dangerous Game,' only with more snark and a bit of political subtext...
Early praise for BOISE LONGPIG HUNTING CLUB:
“Nick Kolakowski spins a ripping pulp yarn of smart-ass bounty hunters and bad-ass crime queenpins caught in the Jean-Claude Van God-Damnedest take on 'The Most Dangerous Game' since 'Hard Target,' but with no bad accents.” —Thomas Pluck, author of 'Bad Boy Boogie' and 'Blade of Dishonor'
Plus the Down & Out Books e-store is running a buy-the-paperback-get-the-ebook deal, although probably for a limited time.
Links to iTunes, etc., should be up soon. Here's the book's official description; I like to frame it as a contemporary update of 'The Most Dangerous Game,' only with more snark and a bit of political subtext...
When you want someone found, you call bounty hunter Jake Halligan. He’s smart, tough, and best of all, careful on the job. But none of those skills seem to help him when a shadowy group starts taking his life apart piece by piece.
First Jake comes home to find a dead body in his gun safe. He thinks it’s a warning—and when you drag people back to jail for a living, the list of people who want to send that kind of message is very long indeed. With backup from his sister Frankie, an arms dealer and dapper criminal, Jake plunges into the Idaho underworld, confronting everyone from brutal Aryan assassins to cops who want his whole family in jail.
But as Jake soon discovers, those threats are small-time compared to the group that’s really after him. And nothing—not bounty hunting, not even all his years in Iraq—can prepare him for what’s coming next. Jake’s about to become a player in the most dangerous game ever invented…
Boise Longpig Hunting Club is a wild ride into the dark heart of the American dream, where even the most brutal desires can be fulfilled for a price, and nobody is safe from the rich and powerful.
Early praise for BOISE LONGPIG HUNTING CLUB:
“Nick Kolakowski spins a ripping pulp yarn of smart-ass bounty hunters and bad-ass crime queenpins caught in the Jean-Claude Van God-Damnedest take on 'The Most Dangerous Game' since 'Hard Target,' but with no bad accents.” —Thomas Pluck, author of 'Bad Boy Boogie' and 'Blade of Dishonor'
February 9, 2018
'Slaughterhouse Blues' is Out Today!
The next book in the 'Love & Bullets' trilogy is (finally!) out in the world. Check it out via whatever paper or digital method you prefer.
Here's the synopsis:
"'Slaughterhouse Blues' catches up with Bill and Fiona, the chattery and gun-happy anti-heroes of A Brutal Bunch of Heartbroken Saps, soon after they’ve escaped the Rockaway Mob, the criminal enterprise from which Bill 'borrowed' several million dollars.
"Holed up in Havana, Bill and Fiona know the Mob is coming for them—it’s just a question of time. But they’re not prepared for who the Mob sends: a pair of assassins so utterly amoral and demented, their behavior pushes the boundaries of sanity. Seriously, what kind of killers pause in mid-hunt to discuss the finer points of thread count and luxury automobiles?
"Forced on the run (again), Bill and Fiona will venture from the crumbling streets of Cuba to the steaming jungles of Nicaragua, and finally back to the mean streets of New York City. If they want to survive, our fine young criminals can’t retreat anymore: they’ll need to pull off a massive (and massively weird) heist—and the loot has some very dark history…
Praise for SLAUGHTERHOUSE BLUES:
“Dark, bleak and in-your-face, take-no-prisoners prose, everything you want in crime fiction.” —Frank Bill author of 'Donnybrook' and 'Crimes in Southern Indiana'
Here's the synopsis:
"'Slaughterhouse Blues' catches up with Bill and Fiona, the chattery and gun-happy anti-heroes of A Brutal Bunch of Heartbroken Saps, soon after they’ve escaped the Rockaway Mob, the criminal enterprise from which Bill 'borrowed' several million dollars.
"Holed up in Havana, Bill and Fiona know the Mob is coming for them—it’s just a question of time. But they’re not prepared for who the Mob sends: a pair of assassins so utterly amoral and demented, their behavior pushes the boundaries of sanity. Seriously, what kind of killers pause in mid-hunt to discuss the finer points of thread count and luxury automobiles?
"Forced on the run (again), Bill and Fiona will venture from the crumbling streets of Cuba to the steaming jungles of Nicaragua, and finally back to the mean streets of New York City. If they want to survive, our fine young criminals can’t retreat anymore: they’ll need to pull off a massive (and massively weird) heist—and the loot has some very dark history…
Praise for SLAUGHTERHOUSE BLUES:
“Dark, bleak and in-your-face, take-no-prisoners prose, everything you want in crime fiction.” —Frank Bill author of 'Donnybrook' and 'Crimes in Southern Indiana'
February 2, 2018
"A Brutal Bunch of Heartbroken Saps" is $0.99 This Month
Hey y'all,
The Kindle edition of "A Brutal Bunch of Heartbroken Saps" is a mere $0.99 in February. It's at this low, low price because the sequel, "Slaughterhouse Blues," is coming Feb. 9, and my publisher wanted to give people the chance to read up on the first one before jumping into the second...
The Kindle edition of "A Brutal Bunch of Heartbroken Saps" is a mere $0.99 in February. It's at this low, low price because the sequel, "Slaughterhouse Blues," is coming Feb. 9, and my publisher wanted to give people the chance to read up on the first one before jumping into the second...
January 13, 2018
'Slaughterhouse Blues' is up for pre-order!
Noir lovers: Blatant self-promotion time! (It'll be worth it, I swear.) My new book, "Slaughterhouse Blues," is available for pre-order in paperback and e-versions (#kindle, etc.) from Shotgun Honey and Down & Out Books; it's the sequel to "A Brutal Bunch of Heartbroken Saps," and filled with hardboiled goodness. Here's the description:
"'Slaughterhouse Blues' catches up with Bill and Fiona, the chattery and gun-happy anti-heroes of 'A Brutal Bunch of Heartbroken Saps,' soon after they’ve escaped the Rockaway Mob, the criminal enterprise from which Bill 'borrowed' several million dollars.
"Holed up in Havana, Bill and Fiona know the Mob is coming for them—it’s just a question of time. But they’re not prepared for who the Mob sends: a pair of assassins so utterly amoral and demented, their behavior pushes the boundaries of sanity. Seriously, what kind of killers pause in mid-hunt to discuss the finer points of thread count and luxury automobiles?
"Forced on the run (again), Bill and Fiona will venture from the crumbling streets of Cuba to the steaming jungles of Nicaragua, and finally back to the mean streets of New York City. If they want to survive, our fine young criminals can’t retreat anymore: they’ll need to pull off a massive (and massively weird) heist—and the loot has some very dark history…"
Just in case you haven't started the series, here's some praise for A BRUTAL BUNCH OF HEARTBROKEN SAPS:
“Dark, bleak and in-your-face, take-no-prisoners prose, everything you want in crime fiction.” —Frank Bill, author of 'Donnybrook' and 'Crimes in Southern Indiana'
“Ruthless, off-the-wall and surprisingly heartfelt, A Brutal Bunch of Heartbroken Saps is much more than a heist book, and showcases the skills of an emerging writer in Nick Kolakowski. Featuring memorable characters, a down-on-his-luck protagonist and a story that’s equal parts insane and sincere, Saps is the kind of book you read fast and revisit immediately to savor the experience again.” —Alex Segura, acclaimed author of 'Dangerous Ends' and 'Down the Darkest Street.'
Whew! Here's the link to the Down & Out bookstore, which features all kinds of special discounts, and here's the link to Amazon (if Amazon's your thing).
"'Slaughterhouse Blues' catches up with Bill and Fiona, the chattery and gun-happy anti-heroes of 'A Brutal Bunch of Heartbroken Saps,' soon after they’ve escaped the Rockaway Mob, the criminal enterprise from which Bill 'borrowed' several million dollars.
"Holed up in Havana, Bill and Fiona know the Mob is coming for them—it’s just a question of time. But they’re not prepared for who the Mob sends: a pair of assassins so utterly amoral and demented, their behavior pushes the boundaries of sanity. Seriously, what kind of killers pause in mid-hunt to discuss the finer points of thread count and luxury automobiles?
"Forced on the run (again), Bill and Fiona will venture from the crumbling streets of Cuba to the steaming jungles of Nicaragua, and finally back to the mean streets of New York City. If they want to survive, our fine young criminals can’t retreat anymore: they’ll need to pull off a massive (and massively weird) heist—and the loot has some very dark history…"
Just in case you haven't started the series, here's some praise for A BRUTAL BUNCH OF HEARTBROKEN SAPS:
“Dark, bleak and in-your-face, take-no-prisoners prose, everything you want in crime fiction.” —Frank Bill, author of 'Donnybrook' and 'Crimes in Southern Indiana'
“Ruthless, off-the-wall and surprisingly heartfelt, A Brutal Bunch of Heartbroken Saps is much more than a heist book, and showcases the skills of an emerging writer in Nick Kolakowski. Featuring memorable characters, a down-on-his-luck protagonist and a story that’s equal parts insane and sincere, Saps is the kind of book you read fast and revisit immediately to savor the experience again.” —Alex Segura, acclaimed author of 'Dangerous Ends' and 'Down the Darkest Street.'
Whew! Here's the link to the Down & Out bookstore, which features all kinds of special discounts, and here's the link to Amazon (if Amazon's your thing).
September 23, 2017
Newsletter Incoming!
Apologies for skipping August's #newsletter. Things got crazier than expected, there was a bit of a midnight flight through the woods... you know how it goes.
In any case, September's newsletter is about to drop, featuring a #goodreads #giveaway, a nifty author interview with Marie Crosswell (who wrote the just-released "Texas, Hold Your Queens"), and linkage to my latest short story, "Auditions," which appears in Out of the Gutter.
Signup is here: http://nickkolakowski.com/?page_id=858
In any case, September's newsletter is about to drop, featuring a #goodreads #giveaway, a nifty author interview with Marie Crosswell (who wrote the just-released "Texas, Hold Your Queens"), and linkage to my latest short story, "Auditions," which appears in Out of the Gutter.
Signup is here: http://nickkolakowski.com/?page_id=858
September 11, 2017
Giveaway!
We have a Goodreads giveaway going for "A Brutal Bunch of Heartbroken Saps: five signed copies that'll go to lucky winners. Check it out.
May 12, 2017
Release Day!
"A Brutal Bunch of Heartbroken Saps" is finally (finally!) seeing the proverbial light of day!
We're out in every medium; here are some easy links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.:
Paperback: https://goo.gl/SYmhSl
Amazon Kindle: https://goo.gl/XUgk92
B&N Nook: https://goo.gl/PAZiO9
Apple iTunes: https://goo.gl/kBSclb
And if you *do* pick up a copy, I'd greatly appreciate it if you left a review either here on Goodreads or Amazon; it'll help spread the word.
Happy reading!
N.
We're out in every medium; here are some easy links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.:
Paperback: https://goo.gl/SYmhSl
Amazon Kindle: https://goo.gl/XUgk92
B&N Nook: https://goo.gl/PAZiO9
Apple iTunes: https://goo.gl/kBSclb
And if you *do* pick up a copy, I'd greatly appreciate it if you left a review either here on Goodreads or Amazon; it'll help spread the word.
Happy reading!
N.
May 9, 2017
Newsletter!
You know what humankind needs? Another newsletter. Seriously. Everyone's email inbox is far too empty these days.
Fortunately, I have a solution. I promise - pinky swear! - that I will only fire a newsletter into your inbox once a month, and that it will be filled with only the most delicious content and links. That means not only my stuff (articles, upcoming books, chapter excerpts, etc.) but also things I've found interesting (other folks' books, music, etc.).
Fortunately, I have a solution. I promise - pinky swear! - that I will only fire a newsletter into your inbox once a month, and that it will be filled with only the most delicious content and links. That means not only my stuff (articles, upcoming books, chapter excerpts, etc.) but also things I've found interesting (other folks' books, music, etc.).
April 7, 2017
Tech in Crime Fiction
Hey everybody!
Over at Crimespree Magazine, I wrote a (brief) blog post about the use of technology in crime fiction. Specifically, I talk about how tech can (and often does) serve as a MacGuffin (“We must find the USB drive with the incriminating photos on it!”), an effective Deus ex machina (“My hacking skills will let us escape this impossible situation!”), and, in the case of a lot of thrillers and mysteries, a horrifying or hilarious way to kill people.
So if you're looking for a little Friday reading, check it out:
http://crimespreemag.com/hackers-and-...
In that posting, I also included a YouTube clip that inspired one of the wilder sequences in "A Brutal Bunch of Heartbroken Saps."
Over at Crimespree Magazine, I wrote a (brief) blog post about the use of technology in crime fiction. Specifically, I talk about how tech can (and often does) serve as a MacGuffin (“We must find the USB drive with the incriminating photos on it!”), an effective Deus ex machina (“My hacking skills will let us escape this impossible situation!”), and, in the case of a lot of thrillers and mysteries, a horrifying or hilarious way to kill people.
So if you're looking for a little Friday reading, check it out:
http://crimespreemag.com/hackers-and-...
In that posting, I also included a YouTube clip that inspired one of the wilder sequences in "A Brutal Bunch of Heartbroken Saps."
