Chuck Barrett's Blog, page 4

A preview of DISRUPTION

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What does FOREWORD Reviews have to say about DISRUPTION?

“For fans of Tom Clancy and Robert Ludlum, Disruption is an absolute yes.”

“Things that thriller novels are not: politically correct. Things that thriller novels are: fast-paced, sweat-inducing, heart-pumping. Disruption, the latest shot of adrenaline from best-selling author Chuck Barrett, gets top marks in both categories. Disruption is true to its genre and delivers a satisfying punch.

Disruption is set in the immediate future: an age when cyberterrorists network on Twitter, ditch traceable IP addresses, and take down government tech support with the click of a button. Black-hat and white-hat hackers battle for control over an underworld that trades code the way cartels swap bricks of cocaine. Jake Pendleton, a former naval-intelligence officer turned secret operative, turns up in time to penetrate the mysterious world of cybercrime.

Having saved the day in Barrett’s earlier novels Breach of Power, The Toymaker, and The Savannah Project, Jake is already warmed up and ready to roll. Assisted by his predictably lovely partner Francesca Cataranzo, Jake heads for Italy to track down a hacker named The Jew. Racial stereotypes abound: there seems to be a swarthy terrorist, a ruthless mercenary, and a pinkie-ring-wearing kingpin on every page. However, Barrett sticks with the facts, and while the plot twists may be a bit predictable, that doesn’t diminish the speed of this page-turner one bit.

Barrett’s descriptions of how programming works at the cyber level are compelling and clear, detailed enough to create tension but not overly technical—as with the Collar, a neotech torture device, “a ring of prongs capable of delivering an electric shock to the host [with] an explosive compound inside. With a master’s touch, Barrett leaves lit fuses in every chapter, building to an explosive conclusion.

Though the novel may not break new ground, it is current and extremely provocative in a post-9/11 culture where technology and tech crime are hard facts in our increasingly paranoid world. For fans of Tom Clancy and Robert Ludlum, Disruption is an absolute yes.”

—CLAIRE FOSTER

 

Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The author provided free copies of his/her book to have his/her book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the author for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

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It’s All About Timing!

With DISRUPTION a little over 3 weeks away, the time is now to sign up for my next newsletter. If you have already signed up, thank you. If you haven’t, do it today so you won’t miss out on special pricing discounts on print books and eBooks. It’s all about timing, and if you aren’t signed up, you might miss out on the opportunity to snag DISRUPTION at discounted prices. Also, you will stay informed on future giveaways and holiday specials, not to mention exciting announcements on upcoming projects and releases.

Click on the book cover to sign up…

Worried that I’ll bomb your email account with updates? DON’T! I only send out 3 or 4 newsletters a year—at most. Although I would miss having you on-board, you can unsubscribe at any time with a simple click.

 

 

 

Mailing List

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5-Star Book Reviews for #DISRUPTION—Pre-Order now! Release date-October 25, 2016

From Book Reviewer Margaret Holmes—7/5/2016

“Excellent book. If more people were aware of the precarious cyber security the world would be better off. Believable plot, strong characters. The interaction between the main characters is strong, and it would e great to think that there are still individuals involved in politics who cared more for the people who elect them than their own agenda. I will read more from this well spoken author.”

“My favourite read of the year, and one of my favourite crime thrillers. Very well-written and researched. I will definitely be buying a copy when it’s released!”

—Livia Scarcella, Book Reviewer

“If you are a fan of shows like 24 or Spooks then this book will be right up your street.

Fast paced action with detailed descriptions of characters and locations that make you feel like you are there. It reminded me of the Da Vinci code in the way the characters are rushing from place to place to try to prevent Disruption. It’s also very topical considering the increasing reports of hacking in the media…”

—Jenni Lynn, Book Reviewer

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Advance Book Review for #DISRUPTION—6/27/2016

From book reviewer Linda Quick… (5 out of 5 stars) 6/27/2016

“Loved this book! It takes a basic premise: that everyone has been hacked and is divided by those that know it and those that don’t know it. From that premise, the author has created a complex thriller spanning continents and surrounding the ultimate hack. If you enjoy thrillers, you will love this book. The author has created descriptions of the various locals that make you feel as though you’re there. He has then blended in a great deal of relevant religious history and customs and mixed with political espionage and one country’s goal to exterminate an entire nation. This is a sobering glimpse into evil. Yes, it is fiction, but the actual motivations of the antagonists are very real. This is a must read for fans of the genre. The author is on my must read authors’ list and this novel demonstrates why he is on that list.”

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Advance 5-Star Book Review for #DISRUPTION—6/30/2016

From book reviewer Thadeus Smith… (5 out of 5 stars) 6/30/2016

“Cover: When it comes to the mystery and suspense genre, actually, when it comes to the mass-market paperback subset of publishing in general, the covers start to blend together. You’ll notice that, after a while, all of John Grisham’s novels will start to blend together. The same is true for other big names, such as Dan Brown or James Patterson. You need something to differentiate your book from the rest, and the cover of Disruption was designed expertly. The very first thing you notice is the author’s name, followed by the title. The rest of the cover is centered in between the two, and is able to convey the main plot points while still catching the eye. The continent Europe is where much of the novel is set. The use of  binary (0s and 1s) lets you know it will be a cyber-espionage story, and the use of the color red signifies an impending crisis. This is definitely one of the more well-designed covers in the genre.

Rating: 5/5

Content: The plot of the book took me by surprise with its constant referencing current events, although I’m used to fantasy and YA novels set in entirely fake towns, countries, and earths. It was refreshing, then, to see things that I knew referenced in a work of fiction. (Real-world events such as North Korea hacking Sony, ISIS, and multiple other plot points that are thinly-veiled copies of events such as the Malaysia Airlines plane that disappeared).

There were multiple points in the book itself where it seemed like the author was simply trying to meet a page count. That can be forgiven, however, by the quality of the filler. For example, there is a multi-page chase scene that served only as filler, but was still quality writing, even if it did not advance the plot.

And on the topic of plot, what a plot. I have started reading cyber-warfare thrillers recently, and this book has made me wonder what took me so long. The book’s plot is quick, with twists and cliffhangers every couple chapters (There are 68 chapters). Chuck Barrett kept me on my toes the entire time. Even in the last few pages, there were multiple plot twists, requiring me to pay close attention.

Rating: 5/5

Characters: The characters created by Chuck Barrett are unique, and each has their own, different motivations. The book shifts to follow a separate character every few chapters, and eventually, the many protagonists and antagonists will blend. By the end of the book I was unable to remember if the hacker The Jew and the hacker named Boris were the same person or not. The book could have definitely benefited from having fewer repeating characters.

Rating: 4/5

Overall Rating: 14/15

Letter Grade: A“

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Kirkus Review of #DISRUPTION—Available October 25, 2016. Pre-Order now!

KIRKUS REVIEWS—August 12, 2016

Covert operative Jake Pendleton returns to stop a possibly devastating cyberwarfare alliance between North Korea and Iran in Barrett’s latest series thriller.

Jake’s latest assignment as emissary for Virginia espionage firm Commonwealth Consultants sends him to Italy. He and his partner, Italian intelligence agent Francesca Catanzaro, are searching for a hacker nicknamed “The Jew,” who’d tried to warn two American executives of their company’s cybersecurity breaches. The Defense Department was a major client of both companies, and when the aforementioned executives turn up dead, government officials believe  that Iranian hacking team Tarh Andishan may be responsible. A series of cybercrimes in the United States further indicates that Iran has aligned itself with North Korea. A major cyberattack called “Disruption” appears to be underway, involving the hacking of various countries’ banking systems. The scheme may involve Boris, a cyberterrorist whom Jake once failed to capture in Washington, D.C., and may also be connected to the disappearance of a Malaysian jetliner more than two years ago. Jake, meanwhile, is worried about Francesca, who seems distracted by her former partner and lover, Marco Serreti, the deputy director of Italy’s intelligence agency. Despite this, Jake and Francesca rush to locate “The Jew” before Disruption begins. This high-speed thriller moves quickly through different parts of the world and through the stories of its myriad characters. It’s all very straightforward but maintains a high level of intensity. Barrett wisely keeps the plot simple and the technical jargon at a minimum, defining terminology in the context of the narrative without interrupting the flow. Barrett adds other twists to preserve the momentum, such as when Jake’s love interest, Kyli, gets caught in a lab explosion. Although Jake and Francesca get involved in multiple chases and occasional brawls, their involvement with the actual cyberthreat is often superficial. Early on, Jake admits, “I don’t know much about hacking,” and he needs others to explain concepts, such as a digital signature. This does, however, give a relatively minor character, Commonwealth Consultants analyst George Fontaine, a chance to shine.

An adrenalized, technology-laden actioner.

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And they said readers were a dying breed? I beg to differ!

This morning I finally started catching up on the mounds of reading material that sat patiently waiting on the corner of my desk. Some of it books I promised to read for reviews. Some of it books I want to read. And some of it, a short stack of magazines I just couldn’t seem to get around to picking up.

While I was reading my latest IBPA Independent magazine, a trade magazine for independent publishers by the Independent Book Publishers Association, I ran across a few interesting factoids in an article entitled Go Figure: Upward Momentum. So, instead of giving it to you in a nutshell, I going to give you the quote and the source, verbatim from the IBPA Independent.

“Indie publisher are selling more books, which means more profit for their authors. On average, 39% of a single-author publisher or indie publisher’s revenue goes back to the author.” —amazon.com


“Traditional publishing routes yield an average of $6000 for the author. Self-publishing or indie publishing a book can mean four times that—on average, self- or indie-published authors earn $24,000 in revenue.” —Digital Book World, AuthorEarnings.com


“Independent book retailers reported revenue increased by an average of 4.7% in 2015, including a 3.1% increase during the holiday season.” —“Independent Business Survey,” Institute for Local Self-Reliance, Advocates for Independent Business


“Print books aren’t the only ones slaying the market. Indie published e-book sales saw a 10% increase from February 2014 to February 2016.” —AuthorEarnings.com


“Bookstore sales rose by 3.8% from January 2015 to January 2016”. —American Booksellers Association”

What does all this mean? I don’t know, I was hoping someone would tell me!

My first impression is that, contrary to what so many naysayers in society claim these days, people still read. Book sales keep increasing in all formats—print, digital, and audio.

Print is still alive. Digital isn’t going away. And for those who don’t think they have enough time to read, audiobooks are thriving. All in all, it seems, more people are reading (listening) than ever before. They aren’t watching TV. They aren’t playing video games. They aren’t streaming videos on the countless electronic devices available these days. THEY. ARE. ENJOYING. BOOKS! And that’s the way it should be.

 

Next up: Why Authors Should Cross-Promote!

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Pat Conroy: A Man Who Never Forgot His Past

 

As you may or may not know, another great author has passed away. On the Friday evening, March 4, 2016, New York Times bestselling author Pat Conroy lost his battle with pancreatic cancer.

Unlike many authors who hit the big time by having several of his novels turned into movies, Pat never forgot his beginnings. Never forgot what it was like to be an unknown and to have to struggle with sales. And never thought he was too good to mingle with those, like me, who are not traditionally published or on the the New York Times bestseller list.

A couple of years ago, February 2014 to be exact, I had the distinct privilege to be one of the presenters at the Books Alive Festival of Reading in Panama City, Florida—the town where I spent the first 18 years of my life. Pat Conroy was the keynote speaker that same year where I had the honor of meeting the man and his wife, author Cassandra King. Although I was a last minute add on due to the illness of one of the scheduled presenters, I will never forget Pat Conroy…and here’s why.

During his keynote speech he told a story from his past shortly after the publication of his first book published by a New York traditional publishing house. His publisher, it seemed, thought it would be a good start for his career, even though he was an unknown, if he were placed at an author signing event table with two of their New York Times bestselling authors. They put him in the middle seat figuring he would be bound to get plenty of spillover attention (and sales) from the crowds of fans and readers who came to see the big time authors. The crowds came and lined up on either end of the table waiting to get a book signed from the authors. Lines that extended out the doors. The other authors, that was. Pat said he could have fired a bullet in front of him and never hit a soul.

Now, I can’t really do this story justice because, in his own unique way, in a way only Pat Conroy could do, he made this story hilarious and kept the audience in stitches.

Afterward his keynote speech, all the presenters migrated to their tables in the large atrium outside the auditorium waiting for readers to come by their tables and get a book signed, including Pat whose table, by now, had a line wrapping around the building. After the fans had their book signed, some would wander to the tables of the other authors. A few would buy books from other authors, some would not. After all, they did come to see Pat Conroy and now they had his book clutched tightly under their arm.

As it turned out, what had happened to Pat Conroy in his keynote speech happened to me. And to add insult to injury, I grew up in that town. (I realize some people might question whether I have ever grown up…just older…and bald)

So, I sat at my designated table, alone, waiting for someone to come along and buy my books, any book, just a book would have been great. (Okay not really alone, my wife was sitting next to me, supporting me as she always does)

Anyhow, I could have fired a bullet in front of me and never hit a soul.

As the Books Alive event started winding down and Pat Conroy’s line finally dwindled to nothing, he stood and made his way around the atrium talking to the other authors—they all had at least one or two people standing at their tables.

And then he got to me. He walked up to my table and looked in front of it and then looked back at me. He stuck his hand out and as we shook, he said, “Looks familiar.”

 

Pat Conroy & Chuck Barrett at Books Alive

I guess he felt sorry for me or perhaps he truly was a man who truly remembered his past, or both because he grabbed one of each of my books, stacked them nicely on the corner of my table, pulled out his wallet, and bought them all. Then he said, “You have to sign them all. I don’t want them if they aren’t signed.”

What did I do? Of course, I signed them and thanked him for his generosity. I even told him he didn’t have to do that, but by then his wife, Cassandra, had walked up and told me not to waste my breath. Afterwards, he didn’t walk off to talk to the other authors. He and his wife stayed at my table and talked to my wife and me for quite a while, at least until his publicist came and told him it was time to leave the event.

In that brief few minutes, I got a glimpse into the soul of the man who had written so many wonderful, heartfelt books. A man who was genuine through and through. He wasn’t pretentious. He was full of generosity. A man who, regardless of how much fame had been heaped upon him, never lost touch with his past.

 

Pat Conroy, rest in peace, you will be sorely missed.

 

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Get the entire Jake Pendleton series for only $25.00

Everyone loves a holiday special!

How’s this one?

Get the entire Jake Pendleton series (personalized) in Trade paperbacks for only $25.00 plus S&H. That’s over 50% off retail price. Have them delivered anywhere in the United States.

This set of 3 paperback books makes the perfect Christmas gift, so don’t delay or they won’t make it by the big day… you know how bogged down the mail gets over the holidays.

Click Here (PayPal link) to get this awesome gift offer.

Get this offer while supplies last… Ya snooze, ya lose.

 

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