Benjamin Sobieck's Blog, page 46
January 5, 2012
Video: A Taste of Old Revenge
B.R. Stateham cranks out the kind of volume usually reserved for meat grinders and garage bands. I'm talkin' numbers and intensity. The guy produces more work at a consistently high quality than any crime author I know. So much so that I named his style "red meat crime fiction." Fans know his writing goes well with a cold beer and a burger.
When B.R. told me he's got a new full-length work out, A Taste of Old Revenge, I had to put down the bottle (of Point root beer) and check that mother out. The fertility of B.R.'s mind never ceases to amaze me. First up, here's the video trailer (and speaking of volume, this one goes best with it turned up):
Here's the Amazon description:
Detectives Turner Hahn and Frank Morales, two old pros hailing out of the South Side Precinct, have a couple of vicious homicide cases dumped into their laps. Cases no one else wants to touch. Cases that go back into the past and raise up old specters of hate and revenge.
Their first case has them wondering why a holocaust victim is assassinated while working in the office of his classic car restoration garage. Soon into their investigation they discover the Israeli Mossad has taken an interest, along with the FBI and another secret spy network within the government. When they run across the word ODESSA, suddenly the case takes on a whole new perspective. A very deadly one.
In case number two, the two detectives encounter what at first appears to be a random killing of a convenience store clerk. Deep into the case they discover the victim was a genius who had recently created software to make a computer sentient. And, this same genius was somehow involved in the theft of millions of dollars out of Iraq.
Two tough, perplexing, dangerous cases. For Turner and Frank, it's just another day at the office.
Yeah, that whet my appetite. B.R., you did it again. A Taste of Old Revenge is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and all other fine e-book retailers.
January 4, 2012
Here are My 5 Writing Goals for 2012, What are Yours?
These aren't New Year's resolutions. These are goals. Because resolutions are made to be broken, and goals are more attainable. Unless you're referencing my brief career as the Shuffling Log on a track and field team. Then, not so attainable.
These are the five things I hope to accomplish before the calendar turns to 2013 (or the world blows up Dec. 12). Authors out there, feel free to grab this list idea and run with it. I'm interested to know what other people have in store.
1) Collaborate more with other authors with the Maynard Soloman series. It was, after all, a collaboration with Giovanni Gelati in Who Whacked the Blogger? that launched this short story crime fiction humor series. I can already scratch this one off, because I'll be working with Montreal sex authority Laura Roberts on Maynard Soloman Gets Laid in Montreal. (That's the working title, anyway.)
Sub-goal: Come up with a better term for "short story crime fiction humor series." That's six words too long to describe this thing.
2) Sell more Cleansing Eden crime novels. This should be helped by the print version that will come out in 2012, maybe even this month.
Sub-goal: Stop worrying about everything I should've done differently with Cleansing Eden. Hindsight is always 20/20, especially with writing. "Regret" is too strong of a word. "My writing style changed entirely since I wrote that novel" is a better way to put it. Still, I'm proud of this novel. It's me, even if it's the me that doesn't write that way any more. Writing is a fluid thing. If I hadn't changed since 2008, when I really started hammering it, then I'd be worried. Five years from now, I'll look back at what I'm doing now and shake my head.
3) Finish and publish crime novel number two. The concept for this novel I've kept under wraps for some time. When Giovanni Gelati asked about it in this recent podcast, I said it's "about a fraudulent detective." That's pretty close. Here's the logline, which I've already written in addition to the first 10,000 words:
Fraudulent psychic Irena Politski has seven days to find a missing Wisconsin college student before authorities shut down her paranormal services business.
It's subject to change, of course, but this one sentence helps steer my writing. It also helps to have a logline ready for the query stage. I did a back cover-style description that's a little more lengthy:
When the trail of a missing Wisconsin college student goes cold, authorities turn to psychic Irena Politski to find a breakthrough. Irena knows she has no paranormal abilities, only a keen sense of observation and a history of extraordinary luck. The cops know this, too, and are looking for a reason to shut down her business. While working alongside a saboteur investigator, Irena must find the missing student before her fragile livelihood also disappears.
It is somewhat based on two true stories. First, there really was a "psychic" in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, who conned people out of money before disappearing (i.e. skipped town). The story is set in Stevens Point, which is where my wife and I lived for some time. Central Wisconsin is saturated with Poles, which is why "Irena Politski" is the anti-hero's name. And I'm trying to reach more female readers by having women in the lead positions.
Second, this YouTube clip served as the inspiration for the entire novel:
4) Figure out what to do with the other novel I started. This one is also about fraud, but centered on an alternative energy company in North Dakota. It had a promising start, but petered off a cliff right around 25,000 words. I don't have the gumption right now to fix that sucker. I want to get the other fraud novel down first.
5) Eat healthier. How did a resolution get on this list? It's not so much a hollow dietary commitment as a recognition that when I eat better, my writing is better. The days I started with fruit and oatmeal were much more productive than the ones that raided the cookie supply. My limited medical view attributes this to blood sugar. When it's spiking and crashing, workflow isn't consistent. When it's at an even keel, I can keep my focus.
Sub-goal: Eat more pierogies. I'm a Pollack, I can't help myself.
What are your writing goals for 2012?
December 30, 2011
Your Votes are Making Maynard Soloman #1
Thank you to everyone who voted for Maynard Soloman Proves Santa Claus is Real for Best Short Story of 2011 in the Preditors & Editors Poll. As of this writing, here are the standings:
Yup, Maynard Soloman is numero uno. Thank you!
Voting is still open through Jan. 10. If you haven't already, please click here to vote for Maynard. It's fast and free.
December 29, 2011
Please Vote for Maynard Soloman
Maynard Soloman fans, I need your help. Maynard Soloman Proves Santa Claus is Real was nominated for best short story in the 2011 Preditor & Editors poll. Many of the nominees are authors I look up to, so winning this would mean a lot to me. Please swing by and vote. Thank you in advance!
ePublisherDaily Reviews Maynard Soloman
"With a satirical take on everything from America's war on drugs to immigration law to social security, Maynard Soloman is a mobile home-dwelling crime-fighting dynamo. He may not be the brightest bulb in the box, but he sure is amusing. Don't miss his burger recipe, which may or may not cause you to snort your beverage."
December 27, 2011
Video: Clues About Next Maynard Soloman Installment
Check out my appearance on the G-Zone podcast show here. Highlights:
* Lisa Doctor talks about making the transition from Hollywood screenwriter to teaching writing at the University of California Los Angeles.
* Rob Rees touches on the alternative universe he created for his most recent novel.
* I crack a few jokes that flop, talk about creating the Maynard Soloman character and hint at the next installment. (Clue: It's a collaboration with author/editor/Montreal sex authority Laura Roberts.)
* Erich Beller explains the themes behind his latest novel.
December 26, 2011
Put This E-Book on Your New Kindle or Nook
Load up your new Kindle or Nook with the Cleansing Eden crime novel. It got 5 stars from New York Times bestselling author Debbi Mack.
Click here to get it from Amazon.
December 23, 2011
Are Video Book Trailers Worth the Effort?
Video book trailers do not sell books. Sample chapters, good reviews and word-of-mouth sell books.
Video trailers provide a visual way to draw attention to the fact the work exists. Beyond that, it doesn't say much about the experience of reading. If you bought my Cleansing Eden crime novel from Amazon, you wouldn't be watching a video.
So are they worth the effort? They are if you...
1) Like to make video book trailers.
or
2) Create something buzzworthy.
or
3) You already have a massive audience and want a different way to get the word out.
I fall into 1). Choosing pictures, music and copy is interesting to me. Did it sell the Cleansing Eden novel? I don't think so. But I had fun doing it. As with much of creative writing, this is the litmus test. If I enjoy it, I'm going to do it.
December 21, 2011
A Review of a Crime Novel that Isn't Out Yet
Just wrote a review of Debbi Mack's newest crime novel in the Sam McRae series. It's called, Riptide, although the title could change. I slammed that sucker down in two days. One of the most enjoyable reads I've had all year.
It's not out yet, though, so I can't release the review. I got the ARC. Yep, I'm going to brag about that. This is a novel worth being a dick about.
Until then, here's a link to Mack's latest crime novel, Least Wanted. Check it out, the Sam McRae series is worth your time.
December 20, 2011
Trestle Press Buy One Get One Free Sale Right Now
From the swashbuckling Giovanni Gelati:
All the Trestle Press authors are now engaged in providing readers with a buy one get one free sale from this very moment till the end of the day December 24th,2011. Just send any of us your proof of purchase and we will gladly send you another Trestle Press title of equal or lesser value. Feel free to go to any of these places to get the Trestle Press titles:
www.trestlepresspublishing.com and click on the Amazon Kindle or Barnes & Noble Nook badges.
Email your proof of purchase to:
trestlepress@gmail.com or gelati.giovanni@gmail.com
Thank you and we look forward to hearing from you.
