Iain Rob Wright's Blog, page 4
July 12, 2014
Good old fashioned suspense...by Tracy Sharp
As I'm about to take my first plunge into the straight-up thriller genre with my first Sarah Stone novel, available soon, I thought I would shine a spotlight on the latest entry in the fantastic Leah Ryan series, by Tracy Sharp. Like my Sarah Stone, Leah Ryan is a no nonsense action girl fighting to show that a woman can kick ass as well as any man.
Private Investigator Leah Ryan is on a much needed vacation. A week in Bass Bay, Maine. Nothing but sun, sand and relaxation. No missing people. No murder. No stress.
But an hour into her vacation, Leah almost swims into a dead girl. Shark bites on the victim indicate a horrific shark attack, but closer inspection of the remains suggest that sharks aren't the only predators in Bass Bay.
As the bodies of more young women wash up on the beach, Leah is about to find out that murder doesn't take a vacation.
Red Surf is the 4th in the Leah Ryan thriller series, and mixes humor with edge-of-your-seat, nail-biting suspense.
Some disturbing scenes. Not for the faint of heart!
Grab your copy here!
Private Investigator Leah Ryan is on a much needed vacation. A week in Bass Bay, Maine. Nothing but sun, sand and relaxation. No missing people. No murder. No stress.But an hour into her vacation, Leah almost swims into a dead girl. Shark bites on the victim indicate a horrific shark attack, but closer inspection of the remains suggest that sharks aren't the only predators in Bass Bay.
As the bodies of more young women wash up on the beach, Leah is about to find out that murder doesn't take a vacation.
Red Surf is the 4th in the Leah Ryan thriller series, and mixes humor with edge-of-your-seat, nail-biting suspense.
Some disturbing scenes. Not for the faint of heart!
Grab your copy here!
July 1, 2014
Holes in the Ground...Available now!
It took a long time to get there, but finally the collaboration between J A Konrath and myself, HOLES IN THE GROUND, is available to download on Amazon Kindle. Paperback will follow. Purchase links at the bottom of the post.
Monsters exist.
Linguist Andy Dennison-Jones knows this all too well. He and his veterinarian wife, Sun, have been chased by them before, and barely escaped from a secret underground government facility with their lives.
Now they once again find themselves trapped alongside a collection of creatures straight out of hell. Fighting with them is an unlikely group of misfits, including a misplaced British kid, a former spec-ops soldiers, and a strange Irishman who might be the oldest living thing on earth--if he's even alive at all.
Filled with the kind of slam-bang action, wicked scares, and sly humor that have earned J.A. Konrath and Iain Rob Wright millions of fans, HOLES IN THE GROUND is both a collaboration and a continuation of both authors' previous work (ORIGIN by Konrath and FINAL WINTER by Wright) but also serves as a perfect introduction to their universes.
HOLES IN THE GROUND by J.A. Konrath and Iain Rob Wright
Some secrets have teeth...
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Buy it now on AMAZON.COM or AMAZON.UK
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Monsters exist.Linguist Andy Dennison-Jones knows this all too well. He and his veterinarian wife, Sun, have been chased by them before, and barely escaped from a secret underground government facility with their lives.
Now they once again find themselves trapped alongside a collection of creatures straight out of hell. Fighting with them is an unlikely group of misfits, including a misplaced British kid, a former spec-ops soldiers, and a strange Irishman who might be the oldest living thing on earth--if he's even alive at all.
Filled with the kind of slam-bang action, wicked scares, and sly humor that have earned J.A. Konrath and Iain Rob Wright millions of fans, HOLES IN THE GROUND is both a collaboration and a continuation of both authors' previous work (ORIGIN by Konrath and FINAL WINTER by Wright) but also serves as a perfect introduction to their universes.
HOLES IN THE GROUND by J.A. Konrath and Iain Rob Wright
Some secrets have teeth...
---
Buy it now on AMAZON.COM or AMAZON.UK
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A Deklan Falls Case File
Bryan W. Alaspa's latest novel, FRACKTURED (A Deklan Falls Case File) just hit the presses! Grab a copy now from the link below. :-)
http://bryanwalaspa.com/books/fracktured-a-deklan-falls-case-file/
http://bryanwalaspa.com/books/fracktured-a-deklan-falls-case-file/
June 29, 2014
My boy, Jack.
It was the week from hell, but God if it was not worth it...
My wife was induced on Monday afternoon. My son was born late Thursday night. They came home Friday afternoon. The ordeal lasted five days.
I watched powerless for five days while my wife, Sally, was broken and exhausted from an uncomfortable and painful hospital stay; one where I was forced to leave her alone to suffer every night. We had not slept apart for more than three years. Leaving her alone and in pain every night was one of the most horrendous experiences of my life, and lying in bed at home without her was the loneliest I have ever felt. I even became afraid of the dark again, as lost and frightened as a child without her.
What had been an entirely normal pregnancy became unfortunately complicated in the final few weeks, and getting my son to us healthily meant a lot of suffering for Sally. How she managed to survive what they put her through, I will never know. She has a strength I can only dream of having. She has become my hero; someone I know who can do anything when it comes to me and our son, Jack. She went through agony to get him here safely. She would have died if it had been necessary.
Jack was born at 10.27 PM on the 26th June and weighed 7.8 pounds. He was delivered at 38 weeks exactly. The complications that threatened him reared their ugly head as he emerged from my wife's body. He became choked by the umbilical cord and trapped inside the birth canal. Two midwives, a doctor, and a well-timed surgical cut not only saved his life, but got him out as healthy as can be. The moment when the fetal heart rate monitor plummeted, alarm bells ringing, and a doctor came rushing in, was the most terrifying moment of my entire life. I may be a writer, but that isn't a cliche. I literally felt true terror for the first time in my life. It shook my entire body and was like nothing I have ever felt before. It was primal. When they finally got Jack out, he was completely still for ten seconds - like something not alive. Then he started screaming and I thought I was going to pass out with relief. Instead of hitting the floor, though, I wept; uncontrollably and like I never have before. My son had been born only two minutes, but already I loved him more than anything else on Earth. I suddenly realised that I loved my wife more too; something I had thought impossible up until that point.
While it was an horrendous week. We now have our little Jack and could not be happier. We can't stop staring at him and feel more love in our hearts than we even knew we had the capacity to contain. We are a family, and we have already gotten through our first crisis together by sticking together. I just hope, that if it ever comes to it, I can be as strong as Sally was when it comes to protecting our son.
This video was taken two hours after Jack was born. Sally and I had not slept for over twenty-four hours. Sally had been in agony for several days. Despite all that, we have never been happier than we were right at that moment.
My wife was induced on Monday afternoon. My son was born late Thursday night. They came home Friday afternoon. The ordeal lasted five days.
I watched powerless for five days while my wife, Sally, was broken and exhausted from an uncomfortable and painful hospital stay; one where I was forced to leave her alone to suffer every night. We had not slept apart for more than three years. Leaving her alone and in pain every night was one of the most horrendous experiences of my life, and lying in bed at home without her was the loneliest I have ever felt. I even became afraid of the dark again, as lost and frightened as a child without her.
What had been an entirely normal pregnancy became unfortunately complicated in the final few weeks, and getting my son to us healthily meant a lot of suffering for Sally. How she managed to survive what they put her through, I will never know. She has a strength I can only dream of having. She has become my hero; someone I know who can do anything when it comes to me and our son, Jack. She went through agony to get him here safely. She would have died if it had been necessary.
Jack was born at 10.27 PM on the 26th June and weighed 7.8 pounds. He was delivered at 38 weeks exactly. The complications that threatened him reared their ugly head as he emerged from my wife's body. He became choked by the umbilical cord and trapped inside the birth canal. Two midwives, a doctor, and a well-timed surgical cut not only saved his life, but got him out as healthy as can be. The moment when the fetal heart rate monitor plummeted, alarm bells ringing, and a doctor came rushing in, was the most terrifying moment of my entire life. I may be a writer, but that isn't a cliche. I literally felt true terror for the first time in my life. It shook my entire body and was like nothing I have ever felt before. It was primal. When they finally got Jack out, he was completely still for ten seconds - like something not alive. Then he started screaming and I thought I was going to pass out with relief. Instead of hitting the floor, though, I wept; uncontrollably and like I never have before. My son had been born only two minutes, but already I loved him more than anything else on Earth. I suddenly realised that I loved my wife more too; something I had thought impossible up until that point.
While it was an horrendous week. We now have our little Jack and could not be happier. We can't stop staring at him and feel more love in our hearts than we even knew we had the capacity to contain. We are a family, and we have already gotten through our first crisis together by sticking together. I just hope, that if it ever comes to it, I can be as strong as Sally was when it comes to protecting our son.
This video was taken two hours after Jack was born. Sally and I had not slept for over twenty-four hours. Sally had been in agony for several days. Despite all that, we have never been happier than we were right at that moment.
June 17, 2014
Family Time
Hi everyone. Lately I've been very busy, at work and at home.
My first child is due July 10th, but last week my wife was diagnosed with OC, which means the labour will likely be brought on early. It's likely that within the next two weeks I will be a father. It also means that right now my wife and are are having a tough time and having to visit the hospital a lot. It is hard to be told that there is a problem with the pregnancy when my wife, Sally, has done everything right. She hasn't smoked, drank, or eaten anything bad for the last 8 months and she feels that it is her fault that something is now wrong. Of course that is nonsense and I hope she sees that deep down. There isn't a woman on this earth better suited to being a mother than Sally is. None of this is her fault. While the pregnancy now needs managing closely, she and I will get through it together, and at the end of it we will have a healthy, happy son.
Anyway, once the baby is here, I will be taking some time off. How long, I do not know, but it will likely be at least until September. Anybody likely to miss me will be pleased to know that I'll be leaving behind two new books to mark my sabbatical. The first book is a sequel to J A Konrath's book, ORIGINS, and it has been written by us both with characters from each of our works. It is called HOLES IN THE GROUND, and it should be out early July.
When linguist Andrew Dennison-Jones and his wife, Sun, are yanked from their honeymoon bed by the Secret Service and taken to a top secret facility in the middle of nowhere, they begin to fear the worst. Once they find out what’s buried beneath the ground of a Mexican national park, they find out that reality is worse than their nightmares.
At a secret facility nicknamed ‘The Spiral’, Andy and his wife join ambitious geneticist Thandi Gornman, excitable Dr Chandelling, imposing Head of Security Steve Rimmer, and a hodge-podge of other military and science personnel. Each of them is dedicated to keeping ancient secrets under lock and key for whatever is left of humanity’s future. But when a mysterious guest arrives at the Spiral, along with an old adversary from Andy’s past, the secrets begin to escape. And some of those secrets have teeth.
Things quickly go bad, and very soon Andy isn't just fighting for his life, but the lives of everyone on earth...
Later on in July will see the first book in my Sarah Stone series of action adventures. It is still with the editors and the final cover is being tweaked, but here is a teaser below of what the final artwork will look like.
At Christmas I will release the first book in a new apocalyptic horror trilogy called THE GATES. In 2015, I will release more Sarah Stone novels and potentially the first book in a Fantasy series called the CRACKED KINGDOM. There will also be audio books, foreign editions, comic books,and more. As well as being a father for the first time, I think it's safe to say that I am going to be very busy.
Before I go, I would just like to thank all my fans, friends, and colleagues for being...well, the best. In my day-to-day life, I experience nothing but positivity from you all. You see snippets of my personal life and you are so supportive and kind that it brings me to tears. It makes sharing a piece of myself a whole lot easier. I want to be able to show pictures and videos of my life and family, and the fact that none of your are mean, spiteful, or psychotic makes it a fun and safe experience. I truly feel that what elevates me above some of my peers is the wonderful fan base I have. You look after me, speak kindly to my wife, and show me love and respect every step of the way. Sometimes I have to pinch myself to accept how lucky I am. None of the happiness in my life would be possible without my readers. So, before I begin the next step of my life, I just want to think about the people who got me here and say thank. Thank you so much.
My first child is due July 10th, but last week my wife was diagnosed with OC, which means the labour will likely be brought on early. It's likely that within the next two weeks I will be a father. It also means that right now my wife and are are having a tough time and having to visit the hospital a lot. It is hard to be told that there is a problem with the pregnancy when my wife, Sally, has done everything right. She hasn't smoked, drank, or eaten anything bad for the last 8 months and she feels that it is her fault that something is now wrong. Of course that is nonsense and I hope she sees that deep down. There isn't a woman on this earth better suited to being a mother than Sally is. None of this is her fault. While the pregnancy now needs managing closely, she and I will get through it together, and at the end of it we will have a healthy, happy son.
Anyway, once the baby is here, I will be taking some time off. How long, I do not know, but it will likely be at least until September. Anybody likely to miss me will be pleased to know that I'll be leaving behind two new books to mark my sabbatical. The first book is a sequel to J A Konrath's book, ORIGINS, and it has been written by us both with characters from each of our works. It is called HOLES IN THE GROUND, and it should be out early July.
When linguist Andrew Dennison-Jones and his wife, Sun, are yanked from their honeymoon bed by the Secret Service and taken to a top secret facility in the middle of nowhere, they begin to fear the worst. Once they find out what’s buried beneath the ground of a Mexican national park, they find out that reality is worse than their nightmares.
At a secret facility nicknamed ‘The Spiral’, Andy and his wife join ambitious geneticist Thandi Gornman, excitable Dr Chandelling, imposing Head of Security Steve Rimmer, and a hodge-podge of other military and science personnel. Each of them is dedicated to keeping ancient secrets under lock and key for whatever is left of humanity’s future. But when a mysterious guest arrives at the Spiral, along with an old adversary from Andy’s past, the secrets begin to escape. And some of those secrets have teeth.
Things quickly go bad, and very soon Andy isn't just fighting for his life, but the lives of everyone on earth...
Later on in July will see the first book in my Sarah Stone series of action adventures. It is still with the editors and the final cover is being tweaked, but here is a teaser below of what the final artwork will look like.
At Christmas I will release the first book in a new apocalyptic horror trilogy called THE GATES. In 2015, I will release more Sarah Stone novels and potentially the first book in a Fantasy series called the CRACKED KINGDOM. There will also be audio books, foreign editions, comic books,and more. As well as being a father for the first time, I think it's safe to say that I am going to be very busy.
Before I go, I would just like to thank all my fans, friends, and colleagues for being...well, the best. In my day-to-day life, I experience nothing but positivity from you all. You see snippets of my personal life and you are so supportive and kind that it brings me to tears. It makes sharing a piece of myself a whole lot easier. I want to be able to show pictures and videos of my life and family, and the fact that none of your are mean, spiteful, or psychotic makes it a fun and safe experience. I truly feel that what elevates me above some of my peers is the wonderful fan base I have. You look after me, speak kindly to my wife, and show me love and respect every step of the way. Sometimes I have to pinch myself to accept how lucky I am. None of the happiness in my life would be possible without my readers. So, before I begin the next step of my life, I just want to think about the people who got me here and say thank. Thank you so much.
May 29, 2014
Deklan Falls, P.I.
My good friend and fellow author, Bryan W. Alaspa, is now taking pre-orders for his next book. Here's a brief summary below:
Deklan Falls, private investigator and former cop, is sober for the first time in a long time. These days he’s a millionaire, but also still works for the D.A.’s office in the Ohio city of Oldtowne. He works to try and clean up the police force while also hoping to stop the coming gang war that threatens to destroy the city. It’s a tough life, but he likes it that way.
Now, a billionaire industrialist is bringing the process known as fracking to Oldtowne with the promise of jobs and prosperity. Not everyone is happy about that, and the earthquakes Oldtowne has been having seem to indicate they might have reason to not be happy. Threats have been made and the D.A. wants Deklan Falls to figure out who’s threatening and why.
Then someone ends up dead. Deklan soon finds that, as per usual, nothing is clear cut in Oldtowne. Oldtowne is far more dangerous than even he imagined, and the people running it are more dangerous than the gangsters he’s been worried about.
It’s a battle for the soul of Oldtowne as Deklan battles his own demons. - See more at: http://bryanwalaspa.com/books/fracktu...
Order yourself a copy here:
http://bryanwalaspa.com/books/fracktured-a-deklan-falls-case-file/
Deklan Falls, private investigator and former cop, is sober for the first time in a long time. These days he’s a millionaire, but also still works for the D.A.’s office in the Ohio city of Oldtowne. He works to try and clean up the police force while also hoping to stop the coming gang war that threatens to destroy the city. It’s a tough life, but he likes it that way.
Now, a billionaire industrialist is bringing the process known as fracking to Oldtowne with the promise of jobs and prosperity. Not everyone is happy about that, and the earthquakes Oldtowne has been having seem to indicate they might have reason to not be happy. Threats have been made and the D.A. wants Deklan Falls to figure out who’s threatening and why.
Then someone ends up dead. Deklan soon finds that, as per usual, nothing is clear cut in Oldtowne. Oldtowne is far more dangerous than even he imagined, and the people running it are more dangerous than the gangsters he’s been worried about.
It’s a battle for the soul of Oldtowne as Deklan battles his own demons. - See more at: http://bryanwalaspa.com/books/fracktu...
Order yourself a copy here:
http://bryanwalaspa.com/books/fracktured-a-deklan-falls-case-file/
May 6, 2014
Helpful sites, blogs, and tools...
I'm not the best blogger and I don't have the best advice, so I thought I would do a quick list of the sources I use to keep myself on top of my game. In no particular order:
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The Passive Voice : Great industry-wide article site that will keep you informed of all of the breaking developments in the publishing world. Every Indie author should check it out daily.
Tv Tropes: A fantastic website for studying the intricacies and 'tropes' of creative media. Put your favourite book, film, or TV show into the search box and have a giggle while it lists all of the conventions, cliches, and narrative devices used by other authors, directors, and videogame makers in the creation of their art. It's interesting but also very useful. For an example, check out the word 'horror' to be met with a list of all of the tricks and tools of the trade used in the genre. It's a great way to see what's been done before, what works, and what counts as a cliche.
Brian Keene's Keenedom: Brian is one of the better bloggers in the publishing world. From time to time he will post useful stuff so it's worth checking out his blog every now and then.
Newbie's guide to Publishing: I've already shouted from the rooftops about JA Konrath's blog. If you haven't checked it out already, do so now.
Audiobook Creation Exchange: ACX is now open to UK as well as US authors. Get your books done in audio and placed up for sales via Amazon, iTunes, and Audible. Royalty shares with narrators means no upfront costs!
Calibre: Turn your manuscript into any of the most common ebook formats with this free app; including Kindle, epub, and pdf. Is also useful for checking out your ebooks for formatting issues.
Hugh Howey : One of indie publishing's biggest success stories pays it forward with regular advice on his website.
A New Kind of Book: Good site for formatting tips and creative use of new technologies.
ebookbooster: For those struggling to get in with Bookbub, this low cost alternative can also be effective; especially with freebie promotions.
Humble Nations: While I would advise using original artwork created by a hired professional, this website offers a decent low-cost alternative.
SRB Productions: A world-class artist that charges far less than he could do. If you are a genre author wanting to take their book covers to the next level or create a brand for themselves, look up Stephen and tell him I sent you.
Comixology: Comixology is now an Amazon company with an Indie setup already in place. If you are an artist or can work out a royalty split with one, then this is a potentially new revenue source for your work.
Russell Blake: Another author who loves to share his vast knowledge on his blog.
MemeBase: Just for fun, be hip with the current Internet trends by checking this website every minute, of ever hour, of every day.
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Anyway, I hope some of these sources are helpful to you. I try to share what I know, when I can, but the truth is that most of what I know, I got from the guys above. They are the masters and it is them you should follow. Have a great week folks. :-)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Passive Voice : Great industry-wide article site that will keep you informed of all of the breaking developments in the publishing world. Every Indie author should check it out daily.
Tv Tropes: A fantastic website for studying the intricacies and 'tropes' of creative media. Put your favourite book, film, or TV show into the search box and have a giggle while it lists all of the conventions, cliches, and narrative devices used by other authors, directors, and videogame makers in the creation of their art. It's interesting but also very useful. For an example, check out the word 'horror' to be met with a list of all of the tricks and tools of the trade used in the genre. It's a great way to see what's been done before, what works, and what counts as a cliche.
Brian Keene's Keenedom: Brian is one of the better bloggers in the publishing world. From time to time he will post useful stuff so it's worth checking out his blog every now and then.
Newbie's guide to Publishing: I've already shouted from the rooftops about JA Konrath's blog. If you haven't checked it out already, do so now.
Audiobook Creation Exchange: ACX is now open to UK as well as US authors. Get your books done in audio and placed up for sales via Amazon, iTunes, and Audible. Royalty shares with narrators means no upfront costs!
Calibre: Turn your manuscript into any of the most common ebook formats with this free app; including Kindle, epub, and pdf. Is also useful for checking out your ebooks for formatting issues.
Hugh Howey : One of indie publishing's biggest success stories pays it forward with regular advice on his website.
A New Kind of Book: Good site for formatting tips and creative use of new technologies.
ebookbooster: For those struggling to get in with Bookbub, this low cost alternative can also be effective; especially with freebie promotions.
Humble Nations: While I would advise using original artwork created by a hired professional, this website offers a decent low-cost alternative.
SRB Productions: A world-class artist that charges far less than he could do. If you are a genre author wanting to take their book covers to the next level or create a brand for themselves, look up Stephen and tell him I sent you.
Comixology: Comixology is now an Amazon company with an Indie setup already in place. If you are an artist or can work out a royalty split with one, then this is a potentially new revenue source for your work.
Russell Blake: Another author who loves to share his vast knowledge on his blog.
MemeBase: Just for fun, be hip with the current Internet trends by checking this website every minute, of ever hour, of every day.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Anyway, I hope some of these sources are helpful to you. I try to share what I know, when I can, but the truth is that most of what I know, I got from the guys above. They are the masters and it is them you should follow. Have a great week folks. :-)
April 25, 2014
Introducing Sarah Stone (Chapter One)...
FALLING DOWNSummer was here and so were the bugs. Sarah swatted at a wasp as she hopped off the city bus and headed along the pavement. When the flying menace refused to flee, she gritted her teeth and stopped walking. “Piss off!” she snarled, but the wasp only seemed further aroused by her frustration. As it dove at her head for the third time, Sarah snatched it out of the hair and crushed it in her fist. The dickish creature managed to get off its stinger before it died, but the piercing pain in her palm was worth the satisfaction of feeling its tiny body crunch beneath her fingers. She threw its dead carcass to the pavement and resumed her journey. Shit happens, Mr Wasp.As Sarah marched through the high street, she could have ignored the frequent glances from strangers — it would have been the normal thing to do — but instead, she met their leering stares until they were forced to look away. If they wanted to stare at her, then she had the right to stare back at them. Either that or they could pay her money for the freakshow.It didn’t take Sarah long to reach the bank. It was in the middle of Birmingham’s busy Corporation Street and barely a hundred yards from the bus stop she had gotten off at. The thing that would sap her time, was the ridiculously long queue winding from the bank’s entrance all the way to the two lonely tellers at the far end of the room. Sarah noticed the four vacant serving windows and hissed. She looked at the exposed arse of the fat woman queueing in front of her and hissed. She looked at the sticky, snot-nosed toddler, running around and making noise, and hissed. Sarah hated the bank.The pudgy toddler spotted her face and gawped at her with a mixture of confusion and horror. Sarah bared her teeth in an unfriendly grimace until the child tottered away to its ignorant mother, who was too busy with her iPhone to give a shit. If Sarah could have helped it, she would do away with her quarterly bank trips. All other aspects of her life she dealt with via the Internet or over the phone, but she had no choice but to come into the city once every three months to pay in her foreign cheques for US dollars. The money came from the Department of Defense: her widows benefit and insurance payments for the loss of her husband. He was from Jackonsville, Florida and she was from Warwick, yet somehow they had found each other. A Hellfire missile had parted them before their lives had truly even got started.“Come on,” Sarah mumbled as the line moved down by a single body. She hated being in public. Other people frustrated her. They strolled about in their stupors, squawking about things which didn’t matter and filling their faces with deep-fried death, all the while believing themselves to be the centre of the universe. Sarah didn’t understand what counted as the human race. Surely she was the normal one? But no, she seemed to be the outsider looking in at a species that made very little sense to her. Was I always like this? Her wasp sting was itching so she ran her rough nails over her palm. No, I was different once, before I got crushed like a wasp and left to die. Suddenly she regretted having crushed the flying insect, who no doubt had had things tougher than her, but she willed the guilt away. There was enough to deal with for now. Like waiting for this friggin queue to get moving.A handsome businessman strolled away from the tellers after having been seen. He smiled at Sarah as he passed, but once he got close enough to see the far side of her face, he switched his gaze to the floor and sped up. He may as well have run screaming, Sarah thought to herself as she let our a sigh. Lots of men would often give her a smile if they caught her good side, but as soon as they glimpsed the left side of her face their stomachs would turn and they acted like they’d accidentally flirted with a lizard. They would make their quick exits and try to disguise the shame written across their faces with an awkward smile, but it was always obvious. It had gotten to a point where Sarah didn’t even consider making polite conversation anymore. Her scars made it impossible.The queue inched forward another foot. Sarah shuffled along irritably. It was a Monday morning. Didn’t the bank expect to have so many customers? What made it worse was that Sarah could clearly see another three members of staff hanging around in the office area behind the serving window. One guy swigged coffee and chuckled at the jokes of his colleagues, while less then twenty feet away a queue of a dozen sweating people wasted minutes of their lives waiting to be acknowledged. It made Sarah think about what had happened yesterday morning, about the bomb that had gone off in the village of Clitheroe. Were all those people hanging around just like this, thinking everything was normal? Did they even see it coming? I never saw it coming…. I didn’t know what had happened until I opened my eyes and found myself hanging upside down. Sarah had visited Clitheroe once upon a time. It was a little place outside Manchester. It had a lovely little Italian place that served the best Ravioli she’s ever tasted. She had eaten there with her husband the night before they were due to catch a flight out from the city’s airport. It had been a nice, friendly little hamlet. Sarah had been shocked to see it littered with bodies on the evening news last night. Sarah had picked up most of the details on this morning’s news, but did her best not to dwell. She tried not to pay attention to the grim realities of the world. It was a habit of hers, though, to take an interest in events, whether she liked to or not. The news had reported that a disgruntled pensioner was behind the attack, but that just raised more questions than it answered. Like how does a retired postal worker learn how to make a nail bomb? And why attack Clitheroe? Most people haven’t even heard of the place.The line of bank customers shuffled up another half step. Four of the six serving windows were still empty. The guy in the back was still sipping coffee with his two colleagues.Sarah had suffered enough. She exited the line and marched towards the window. She ignored the two exhausted tellers actually doing their jobs and bashed on the glass of one of the vacant serving booths. “Hey, d’you think you might come out and do your jobs for a while? There’s a few people waiting out here, in case you hadn’t noticed.”There were a few chuckles from the people standing in the queue, but mostly awkward silence. Sarah knew most people didn’t like confrontation, but they were downright scared of it when it came from her. A person with a face covered in scars could be capable of anything. Why, Sarah might just grab the unattended toddler and eat him, for all that they knew. Yum yum yum, snot-nosed toddler.The guy with the coffee ambled towards the window like a swaggering cowboy. He was wearing a cheap suit with garish cufflinks that he clearly thought were stylish. His badge read: ASSISANT BRANCH MANAGER. Sarah wondered if the idiot had noticed the spelling mistake as quickly as she had, or not at all.When the man noticed the scars on her face, he stumbled mid-step, but recovered well enough to make it up to the window as if he hadn’t even noticed. “Ma’am, you need to join the queue.” He spoke to her as if she were a child.“I did join the queue, but I’m worried that by the time you people get to me I may have joined the afterlife.”There were more chuckles from the queue, but still mostly awkward silence.“Ma’am, if you won’t join the line and wait to be served, I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”“And I’m going to have to ask you to kiss my ass. All these people are waiting and you’re standing around and having a chat. Perhaps it’s time to get to work, you think?”The Assisant Branch Manager adjusted his tie and looked down his nose at her. “I’m now asking you to leave, ma’am.”Sarah folded her arms. “So you’re not going to let me cash the cheque that I get from the US Army for my dead, blown-up husband? Is that what you’re saying? What about the money I get for losing half my face? Will you not help me with that? I understand that you like coffee, but I need my money to live.”The man shifted uncomfortably. “I’m…very sorry to hear about that, but I’m afraid you’re going to have to leave if you’re going to be difficult. Please call our customer services number if you have a complaint.”Sarah moved her face right up to the glass so that the smarmy sod could get a good look at her. “I’m not the one being difficult, mate. Don’t you people get paid enough to not treat your customers like a nuisance? Your job is to serve us but you make it seem like you’re doing us a favour. We give you our money and you act like it’s yours. We ask for it back and you make us jump through hoops. You fine and charge us every chance you get, then refuse to explain why, as if we should just accept that you make the rules. Well, let me tell you something, Mr Assisant Manager, I got my face blown off fighting in a foreign country so that oil companies and fat cat bankers like your bosses could keep their big houses and shiny sports cars; so when I say get your slimy arse out here right now and do your friggin job, I think I’m bloody well entitled to say so.”There was an outright cheer from the queue now. It was an unexpected turn of events, but the other customers were solidly behind her. The Assisant Manager was not, however. He nodded over Sarah’s shoulder as if he were Caesar having a slave executed. Sarah span around to see a wide-shouldered security guard stomping towards her. With his bald head and tattoos, he looked silly in the smart uniform they’d given him.“Ma’am, you’ve been asked to leave.”“And yet I’m still here. Whatever should we do?”More chuckles. The crowd were egging her on, eager to see what happened. Sarah rolled her eyes. Happy to let a disfigured freak entertain them for a while.“You need to leave,” said the guard, giving her his best impression of a snarling bear.Sarah waved a hand. “And you need to take a breath mint.”“Ma’am,” the guard reached out his hand and tried to grab her shoulder.Without thinking about it, Sarah grabbed the guard’s hand and twisted it. She yanked him one way and then the other, flipping him over his own wrist. It was a basic Aikido throw and one which had become second-nature to her. Like riding a rusty old bike.The guard rose up to a sitting position and looked about dazedly. He wasn’t hurt, but was more than a little surprised. Sarah stood over him and snarled. “I’d advise against standing up, mate, or else I’m going to have to make a deposit up your arse with my foot.”The queue of customers cheered loudly. Their bloodlust was up and the violence had excited them. Sarah had seen enough mobs to know how people’s morals soon changed when their neighbours acted up. It was time to leave. She had made her point.Sarah looked back at the stunned Assisant Manager behind the glass and pointed a finger at him. “Get your name badge replaced, dickhead. It gives away how much of an idiot you are.” Then she strolled out of the bank and into the crisp air of late-May, wondering how the hell she was going to get by without her cheque being cashed. Maybe if I come back tomorrow they won’t remember me.Yeah right!She picked up pace and hurried away from the bank. If they called the police she wouldn’t be hard to identify. Heavily-scarred women wearing jeans and work boots were pretty easy to spot. The last thing she needed was to spend an afternoon in the nick. Hopefully, the bank staff would just forget about it. The guard had put his hands on her first.But it didn’t take long before Sarah was sure she was being followed.The man was staying far back, slipping behind pedestrians and remaining close to the various market stalls that lined the middle of the high street, but Sarah knew when she was being tailed. Every time she looked back at him, he looked away and pretended to be busy with his phone or the produce of the nearest market stall. He wore a grey woollen jacket that made him look like a middle-class car salesman, rather than a police officer or security guard. So why the hell is he following me?Sarah slid into an alleyway between two estate agents and headed around the back of the high street. There were only parking spaces and a dingy hairdressers back there, but she was in no mood for a hair cut and she didn’t own a car. She picked up speed and glanced back over her shoulder. The man could make no secret of following her now. His footsteps echoed on the tarmac behind her, keeping pace rather than trying to catch up. He was apparently in no rush to catch her.Sarah rounded a brick wall that sectioned off the parking yard for the bank — of all places — and slid herself behind a large steel wheelie bin. Her pursuer would have seen her sneak around the wall, but not around the bin. What does he want? So I made a scene at the bank? Is that really so serious? Bloody bankers think they’re above the law. How dare anybody question them, right?The stranger approached, his footsteps growing louder. Sarah crouched down and waited.Clip clop clip clop.The man was close, definitely coming for her.Sarah took a breath…. Then pounced. She leapt up from behind the wheelie bin and swung her leg around in a flying roundhouse. It was a knockout blow, designed to end the confrontation before it even had chance to start. If the stranger was indeed some kind of off-duty police officer then taking his head off was probably a bad idea, but he’d asked for it when he started with the cloak and dagger bullshit.The stranger ducked Sarah’s leg and swept her feet out from under her as she landed. So surprised was she, that her head struck the concrete on the way down and left her lying there in a daze.“Captain Stone,” said the stranger. “I prefer to shake hands upon meeting, but I am open to other customs too. Would you like to get up and try something easier?”Sarah gazed up at the man and saw that he was grizzled, yet handsome. His chin jutted out like a superhero’s and his sideburns looked like they’d been cut with a buzz saw. Not a single crease had found its way onto his finely-tailored shirt. This guy is certainly not a plod. He called me ‘Captain.’Sarah shoved herself backwards into a roll and sprung to her feet. She leapt at the man again, this time opting for fists. Her first blow missed, glancing sideways off a blocking forearm. Her follow up blows hit only air as the man jinked and twisted out of the way of them. He compounded her humiliation by once again sweeping her legs out from under her.Sarah wasted no time in leaping back up this time and launched straight into another attack. This time the man pulled a gun from the inside of his woollen jacket and pointed it at her forehead. “You’re testing my patience, Captain Stone. Please, calm down.”She let her fists drop to her sides. “Who the hell are you?” she demanded.“You can call me Howard.”Sarah frowned. The man didn’t look like a ‘Howard.’ “What do you want with me…Howard?”“Just an afternoon of your time.”“Sorry, I’m busy.” Sarah went to turn away.“Busy with what? Cashing the pittance that the US Government begrudgingly pays you? Or the marginally more generous giro the British Government gives to you for taking half your face?”Sarah snarled at the man. The mention of her scars seemed to make them tingle. Her left eye blinked sorely where the pink creases met her eyelid. “You know nothing.”“I know that you made a fine Captain until an IED took your face on the same day that a British ASM mistakenly took your heart. I know that you have been slinking around for the last eighteen months like a feral fox, snapping at anybody who comes too close. I know you’re angry, Sarah.”Sarah let out a breath through her nose and ended up snorting like a bull. “So what,” she said. “Half the world is angry. The other half are pussies. What’s it to you?”Howard looked at her — really looked at her. It had been a long time since any man could keep his eyes on Sarah for more than two seconds. When he spoke, he spoke like an old friend. “I can give you the chance to do some good again, Sarah; to take down the bad guys who are responsible for the kind of monstrous acts that ruin lives, like the one that ruined yours. I’m giving you a chance to pull yourself out of that pit of despair you’ve found yourself in and have some purpose again.”“Who are you?” she asked again. She was getting tired of the fluffy talk and wanted straight answers. “Who do you work for?”“An agency you’ve never heard of. An agency whose job it is to keep this country safe. “Go to Hell.”“I work for the Government.”Sarah smiled. “Oh, well, why didn’t you say so? In that case, you can go to Hell twice.” She went to walk away again.“That bomb that went off on Sunday….”Sarah stopped walking and laughed spitefully. “Yeah, good job at protecting the country there. How many were there who died?”“Forty-two. The people responsible have owned up to it.”“I heard it was some old geezer with a grudge.” Sarah tried, once again, to walk away.“It was,” said Howard. “The grudge was his, but the bomb came from Shab Bekheir.”Sarah froze. For a moment she could not move at all. Slowly, she managed to turn around and face Howard. “You’re telling me that Good Night, a terrorist cell from Afghanistan is responsible for a pensioner blowing up a village in Lancashire?” She couldn’t help but laugh. It was ridiculous.But Howard seemed completely serious. “We received a videotape this morning taking credit for the attack. Al Al-Sharer made the claim himself.” Sarah’s eyes went wide. Her scars stretched and itched. The wasp sting on her palm throbbed. “That’s right,” said Howard. “Al Al-Sharir, the man responsible for the IED that hit your squad. You’re the only one who survived, right?”Sarah shook her head. “No, I died too.”Howard sighed and nodded thoughtfully. “Fancy a chance at getting even?”Sarah didn’t have to think about it. She nodded. “Where are we going?”Howard grinned. “Some place no one knows about.”Sarah was about to ask what he meant when a door suddenly opened at the back of the car park. A man stepped out of the bank’s rear exit and stepped onto the tramac. To Sarah’s surprise, it turned out to be the Assisant Manager, stepping out for a cigarette while the bank’s queue no doubt still trailed out of its doors. Sarah looked at Howard and let out a long sigh. “Just let me deal with this arsehole, and then I’ll be right with.”Howard seemed confused, but shrugged his shoulders and said, “Okay.”When the Assisant Manager saw Sarah coming towards him, he seemed at first surprised, then worried, but he chose to stand his ground, chest puffed up like a peacock. Men never ran from a woman; they always felt like they were the ones with the power in any situation.
Sarah kicked the smug git in the bollocks, then turned and walked back over to Howard. “Okay,” she said to him. “Now we can go.”
Sarah kicked the smug git in the bollocks, then turned and walked back over to Howard. “Okay,” she said to him. “Now we can go.”
April 8, 2014
The Prologue to the 1st Sarah Stone Novel....
PROLOGUE
Birds flocked around the village square as young and old alike sat merrily eating chips, hotdogs, and candy floss. Scooching bottoms filled every bench as an exuberant band filled the air with tunes from the Beatles. Those who could find no seats stood and raised their plastic beer cups in the air along with the music. Jeffrey stood beneath the red, blue, and white bunting hanging between the bandstand and the Green Man pub. He stared up at the clear blue sky and smiled. The day was crisp and clear. The smell of freshly cut grass washed over him and the squawking of seagulls provided the backdrop to a lovely day. Just a pity there are so many people here to truly enjoy it.Standing out in the open was something he had enjoyed since his childhood on his granddaddy’s farm. As a lad, he had often stood amongst the cows, breathing in the heady aromas of fresh air and fresh dung. Thirty-five-million cars had sent the fresh air away, and the cow dung had been replaced by unattended dog shit on every pavement. Even standing had become a chore, his worn knees clicking and yelling at him to sit down. When did things change so badly? And when did I get so old?Up ahead, a little girl held her doggy by a lead, sapphire ribbons tied into her pigtails and a stuffed bear tucked under one arm. Jeffrey fancied a bit of small talk before the day was through. He approached and stood behind her, taking in her scent for a couple of moments. His hairy nostrils picked up mummy’s perfume mixed with sugary sweets. It was the smell of childhood mixed with the impatience of wanting to grow up. Jeffrey wandered if he had ever tried to wear his father’s aftershave as a kid, but couldn’t remember. It was so hard to remember anything these days. The little girl turned around and noticed him standing there. “Hello,” she said warily - but not too warily; Jeffrey was an old man, after all. “Hello, there,” Jeffrey said. “How are you today, young lady? Enjoying the fete?”The girl nodded and grinned. Two of her front teeth had fallen out, revealing the buds of permanent ones coming through. “I won a teddy bear,” she gushed, showing him the badly-stitched gypsy rubbish she had beneath her arm. “On the darts game.”Jeffrey raised his bushy eyebrows. “Really? How splendid.” He knelt down and patted her dog on the head. It was a beagle. “And what is this little fellas name?”“Ruby. She’s a girl.”“Ruby? Nice name. Why did you call her that?”“Because I like rubies. One day, when I get married I’m going to have a big fat ruby on my wedding ring.”Jeffrey sighed. Young people today, so obsessed with wealth and fortune. “Don’t you dream of doing something special?” he asked the little girl. “Don’t you want to do something that matters, besides getting married and having an expensive ring?”The little girl pulled her dog a little closer and half-turned away. Jeffrey’s scolding tone had obviously upset her. “I want to be a vet,” she said uncertainly.Jeffrey nodded. He reached down and patted her head, ignoring the fact that she tried to flinch away. “Now, that’s a good profession. Your mummy and daddy will be very proud.”“I don’t have a daddy,” the little girl snapped. “Just a mummy.”Jeffrey shook his head and sighed. “Another careless pregnancy, no doubt. Women today, such whores.”The little girl’s eyes went wide and she backed away. “You said a bad word.”“A bad word I would not have even recognised at your age.”“Mummy!” The little girl scanned the crowd urgently, yanking at the poor dog’s neck with the lead. Jeffrey stood patiently until a heavyset woman appeared with a beaker full of lager in one hand and a greasy burger in the other. Her breasts were hanging out and she had one of those ghastly tattoos on her foot. Looks like she stepped in something.“What is it, sweetie?” The woman asked her daughter in a Birmingham accent.Ugly way of talking, Jeffrey thought to himself. If ever there was a region proud of being thick, it’s Birmingham.“The man said a bad word,” the little girl said, pointing an accusing finger at Jeffrey.The mother stared at him, narrowing her heavily made-up eyes. Jeffrey hid his disdain of the woman with a polite smile. “My apologies, Miss. I was just passing the time and misspoke. Mind starts to go at my age, I’m afraid.”The woman put an arm around her daughter and moved her and the dog away. “No problem,” she said, but as she walked away she clearly muttered the words ‘old perv.’ Jeffrey shook his head and rolled his eyes. Can’t even have a conversation these days without somebody accusing you of something. Probably because most people are up to no good these days. He thought about showing them what he had beneath his anorak, but decided to wait a little longer. It wasn’t time yet. Almost, but not quite. I can’t wait for the look on their faces when they see it.Up ahead, a drunk teenager writer up against an older boy, while his mates leered at the thong peeking out from her jeans. Nobody else stared, though. It was just normal. People danced and drank all around, and the sight of flesh on flesh and tongue in mouth wasn’t anything anybody had a problem with these days. I wonder where it will end. Will people fuck in the street fifty years from now, without anybody batting an eyelid?Jeffrey remembered the green and pleasant land from his childhood and missed it dearly. He remembered when a foreigner was a pleasant novelty, instead of a sucking parasite or a potential criminal. He remembered when woman had self-respect and men knew what hard work was. He remembered when children were seen and not heard. But it had all gone to fucking shit.I’ve seen enough. I’ve seen more of this life than I ever intended to. It’s making me sick.Jeffrey pushed his way into the crowd, receiving a drenched elbow from a carelessly held bottle of cider for his troubles. He winced and frowned as a dozen swear words flew over his head, released into the atmosphere by vile mouths. He saw cleavage and bottoms beyond count, puddles of alcohol and half-eaten food. All around him, people danced in their own tawdry filth and blocked his path with their flailing arms and elbows.But Jeffrey made it to the bandstand. By the time he reached it, his artritic knees felt like hot coals.The tribute band had just finished their latest number and were interacting with the crowd. “Who’s enjoying themselves?” the lead singer shouted.The audience yelled. Beer flew from their cups.“Is everyone ready for the Summer?”More cheers.“Now, before we play our next number, me and the band would just like to thank you for being such a wonderful audience. You people really know how to have a good time.”Depends on your idea of a good time, thought Jeffrey, and it’s ‘the band and I’. In case he had any doubt about what he was going to do, Jeffrey eyeballed the crowd all around him to remind himself. To his horror, he managed to spot a group of people his own age acting without decency. They gyrated and snogged like young lovers a third their age. It was sickening.Jeffrey took the first step up to the bandstand.The lead singer noticed him immediately. “Hey up, we’ve got a new member of the band. You lost old fella?”Jeffrey ignored the singer and carried on up the steps.That only amused the man more. “Looks like he’s coming to sing one for us. Do we want to see the old fella sing? I’m not sure we have anything by George Formby.”The crowd cheered and laughed.Jeffrey made his way up to the bandstand and took advantage of the band’s confusion. They allowed him to stroll directly up to the nearest microphone stand, where he proceeded to say exactly what he came to say.
“You people disgust me,” Jeffrey said and then pulled open his anorak and detonated the bomb around his waist.
Birds flocked around the village square as young and old alike sat merrily eating chips, hotdogs, and candy floss. Scooching bottoms filled every bench as an exuberant band filled the air with tunes from the Beatles. Those who could find no seats stood and raised their plastic beer cups in the air along with the music. Jeffrey stood beneath the red, blue, and white bunting hanging between the bandstand and the Green Man pub. He stared up at the clear blue sky and smiled. The day was crisp and clear. The smell of freshly cut grass washed over him and the squawking of seagulls provided the backdrop to a lovely day. Just a pity there are so many people here to truly enjoy it.Standing out in the open was something he had enjoyed since his childhood on his granddaddy’s farm. As a lad, he had often stood amongst the cows, breathing in the heady aromas of fresh air and fresh dung. Thirty-five-million cars had sent the fresh air away, and the cow dung had been replaced by unattended dog shit on every pavement. Even standing had become a chore, his worn knees clicking and yelling at him to sit down. When did things change so badly? And when did I get so old?Up ahead, a little girl held her doggy by a lead, sapphire ribbons tied into her pigtails and a stuffed bear tucked under one arm. Jeffrey fancied a bit of small talk before the day was through. He approached and stood behind her, taking in her scent for a couple of moments. His hairy nostrils picked up mummy’s perfume mixed with sugary sweets. It was the smell of childhood mixed with the impatience of wanting to grow up. Jeffrey wandered if he had ever tried to wear his father’s aftershave as a kid, but couldn’t remember. It was so hard to remember anything these days. The little girl turned around and noticed him standing there. “Hello,” she said warily - but not too warily; Jeffrey was an old man, after all. “Hello, there,” Jeffrey said. “How are you today, young lady? Enjoying the fete?”The girl nodded and grinned. Two of her front teeth had fallen out, revealing the buds of permanent ones coming through. “I won a teddy bear,” she gushed, showing him the badly-stitched gypsy rubbish she had beneath her arm. “On the darts game.”Jeffrey raised his bushy eyebrows. “Really? How splendid.” He knelt down and patted her dog on the head. It was a beagle. “And what is this little fellas name?”“Ruby. She’s a girl.”“Ruby? Nice name. Why did you call her that?”“Because I like rubies. One day, when I get married I’m going to have a big fat ruby on my wedding ring.”Jeffrey sighed. Young people today, so obsessed with wealth and fortune. “Don’t you dream of doing something special?” he asked the little girl. “Don’t you want to do something that matters, besides getting married and having an expensive ring?”The little girl pulled her dog a little closer and half-turned away. Jeffrey’s scolding tone had obviously upset her. “I want to be a vet,” she said uncertainly.Jeffrey nodded. He reached down and patted her head, ignoring the fact that she tried to flinch away. “Now, that’s a good profession. Your mummy and daddy will be very proud.”“I don’t have a daddy,” the little girl snapped. “Just a mummy.”Jeffrey shook his head and sighed. “Another careless pregnancy, no doubt. Women today, such whores.”The little girl’s eyes went wide and she backed away. “You said a bad word.”“A bad word I would not have even recognised at your age.”“Mummy!” The little girl scanned the crowd urgently, yanking at the poor dog’s neck with the lead. Jeffrey stood patiently until a heavyset woman appeared with a beaker full of lager in one hand and a greasy burger in the other. Her breasts were hanging out and she had one of those ghastly tattoos on her foot. Looks like she stepped in something.“What is it, sweetie?” The woman asked her daughter in a Birmingham accent.Ugly way of talking, Jeffrey thought to himself. If ever there was a region proud of being thick, it’s Birmingham.“The man said a bad word,” the little girl said, pointing an accusing finger at Jeffrey.The mother stared at him, narrowing her heavily made-up eyes. Jeffrey hid his disdain of the woman with a polite smile. “My apologies, Miss. I was just passing the time and misspoke. Mind starts to go at my age, I’m afraid.”The woman put an arm around her daughter and moved her and the dog away. “No problem,” she said, but as she walked away she clearly muttered the words ‘old perv.’ Jeffrey shook his head and rolled his eyes. Can’t even have a conversation these days without somebody accusing you of something. Probably because most people are up to no good these days. He thought about showing them what he had beneath his anorak, but decided to wait a little longer. It wasn’t time yet. Almost, but not quite. I can’t wait for the look on their faces when they see it.Up ahead, a drunk teenager writer up against an older boy, while his mates leered at the thong peeking out from her jeans. Nobody else stared, though. It was just normal. People danced and drank all around, and the sight of flesh on flesh and tongue in mouth wasn’t anything anybody had a problem with these days. I wonder where it will end. Will people fuck in the street fifty years from now, without anybody batting an eyelid?Jeffrey remembered the green and pleasant land from his childhood and missed it dearly. He remembered when a foreigner was a pleasant novelty, instead of a sucking parasite or a potential criminal. He remembered when woman had self-respect and men knew what hard work was. He remembered when children were seen and not heard. But it had all gone to fucking shit.I’ve seen enough. I’ve seen more of this life than I ever intended to. It’s making me sick.Jeffrey pushed his way into the crowd, receiving a drenched elbow from a carelessly held bottle of cider for his troubles. He winced and frowned as a dozen swear words flew over his head, released into the atmosphere by vile mouths. He saw cleavage and bottoms beyond count, puddles of alcohol and half-eaten food. All around him, people danced in their own tawdry filth and blocked his path with their flailing arms and elbows.But Jeffrey made it to the bandstand. By the time he reached it, his artritic knees felt like hot coals.The tribute band had just finished their latest number and were interacting with the crowd. “Who’s enjoying themselves?” the lead singer shouted.The audience yelled. Beer flew from their cups.“Is everyone ready for the Summer?”More cheers.“Now, before we play our next number, me and the band would just like to thank you for being such a wonderful audience. You people really know how to have a good time.”Depends on your idea of a good time, thought Jeffrey, and it’s ‘the band and I’. In case he had any doubt about what he was going to do, Jeffrey eyeballed the crowd all around him to remind himself. To his horror, he managed to spot a group of people his own age acting without decency. They gyrated and snogged like young lovers a third their age. It was sickening.Jeffrey took the first step up to the bandstand.The lead singer noticed him immediately. “Hey up, we’ve got a new member of the band. You lost old fella?”Jeffrey ignored the singer and carried on up the steps.That only amused the man more. “Looks like he’s coming to sing one for us. Do we want to see the old fella sing? I’m not sure we have anything by George Formby.”The crowd cheered and laughed.Jeffrey made his way up to the bandstand and took advantage of the band’s confusion. They allowed him to stroll directly up to the nearest microphone stand, where he proceeded to say exactly what he came to say.
“You people disgust me,” Jeffrey said and then pulled open his anorak and detonated the bomb around his waist.
April 4, 2014
Bookbub Results...
So, during an email exchange with Joe Konrath, he told me that Bookbub was currently the key to successful promotion. The day of giving books away for free and getting a sales bump afterwards were over, he told me, and the way to go was 99c sales in conjunction with a paid Bookbub promotion. As Joe has never steered me wrong in the past (ever!), I decided to take the plunge.
As a horror writer, I benefited from being on one of Bookbub's lower tariffs. Taking advantage of their Horror subscribers list cost me $160, but other genres can cost up to 10x times that amount, so cost is a key factor in deciding whether to use their services or not. It is, after all, a bit of a gamble. Hopefully what I am about to share can lower the risk for those thinking whether or not to take the plunge.
Now, March and April are poor months for me, so I decided to centre my promotional activity around this time to avoid the seasonal lull in sales that I get. In the month of March I placed 4 books on Kindle Countdown deals (only available as a KDP Select member). Those books were Ravage, Sea Sick, The Final Winter, and The Housemates. I selected The Final Winter for a Bookbub promotion. It is my oldest book and sales have flagged recently, so I wanted to have a go at reinvigorating.
So, here are the results of the 4 promotions I did during March. One with a Bookbub promotion, and 3 without. Remember, The Final Winter was the one that Bookbub were paid to promote for me. Each promotion lasted five days. Sea Sick was on sale during the first week of the month, while the other three books were on sale concurrently at the end of the month (they all went on Countdown sales at the same time).
RESULTS (US sales only, as UK results saw no impact from the Bookbub promotion)
SEA SICK
90 Copies sold - $122.10
RAVAGE
368 copies sold - $226.94
THE HOUSEMATES
309 copies sold - $199.51
THE FINAL WINTER (Bookbub promoted)
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1697 copies sold - $1082.31!
So, as you can see, The Final Winter massively outsold the non-Bookbub promoted titles. If you consider what the non-promoted books made and assume that The Final Winter would have made the same without Bookbub, it made approximately $850 extra. Subtract what Bookbub charged me in fees and I made an additional $740 to what I would have made without using Bookbub. In simple terms, a gamble of $160 to Bookbub resulted in a return of $740. You can also assume that the reason Sea Sick performed worse than the other books was because it was on sale before the Bookbub promotion began. The Housemates and Ravage did better purely for being on sale at the same time that The Final Winter was on Bookbub promotion. Therefore, I would advise timing promotions together for maximum effect. During the last week of the month, I reached #4 in the Horror Author Charts (between Stephen King and Dean Koontz) and stayed there for a while. This, in itself, led to a sales increase across the board for all my titles.
If you are a Horror writer, then I would implore you to make use of Bookbub to advertise your Countdown promotions. It really works. If you have enough books out then you could potentially have promotions running regularly and seeing a healthy return. I don't want anyone to miss out on all those dollars.
As an additional note, I would add that my sales have increased since the Bookbub promotion ended and my bad period during March and April have been very successful this year, earning about three times what I did last year. There are a lot of people saying ebooks are declining, but it's a bunch of rubbish. So far this year I am heaps ahead of where I was this time last year. So keep going everyone. Success is out there. And Bookbub can help.
You can take a look at Bookbub here: www.bookbub.com/home
As a horror writer, I benefited from being on one of Bookbub's lower tariffs. Taking advantage of their Horror subscribers list cost me $160, but other genres can cost up to 10x times that amount, so cost is a key factor in deciding whether to use their services or not. It is, after all, a bit of a gamble. Hopefully what I am about to share can lower the risk for those thinking whether or not to take the plunge.
Now, March and April are poor months for me, so I decided to centre my promotional activity around this time to avoid the seasonal lull in sales that I get. In the month of March I placed 4 books on Kindle Countdown deals (only available as a KDP Select member). Those books were Ravage, Sea Sick, The Final Winter, and The Housemates. I selected The Final Winter for a Bookbub promotion. It is my oldest book and sales have flagged recently, so I wanted to have a go at reinvigorating.
So, here are the results of the 4 promotions I did during March. One with a Bookbub promotion, and 3 without. Remember, The Final Winter was the one that Bookbub were paid to promote for me. Each promotion lasted five days. Sea Sick was on sale during the first week of the month, while the other three books were on sale concurrently at the end of the month (they all went on Countdown sales at the same time).
RESULTS (US sales only, as UK results saw no impact from the Bookbub promotion)
SEA SICK
90 Copies sold - $122.10
RAVAGE
368 copies sold - $226.94
THE HOUSEMATES
309 copies sold - $199.51
THE FINAL WINTER (Bookbub promoted)
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1697 copies sold - $1082.31!
So, as you can see, The Final Winter massively outsold the non-Bookbub promoted titles. If you consider what the non-promoted books made and assume that The Final Winter would have made the same without Bookbub, it made approximately $850 extra. Subtract what Bookbub charged me in fees and I made an additional $740 to what I would have made without using Bookbub. In simple terms, a gamble of $160 to Bookbub resulted in a return of $740. You can also assume that the reason Sea Sick performed worse than the other books was because it was on sale before the Bookbub promotion began. The Housemates and Ravage did better purely for being on sale at the same time that The Final Winter was on Bookbub promotion. Therefore, I would advise timing promotions together for maximum effect. During the last week of the month, I reached #4 in the Horror Author Charts (between Stephen King and Dean Koontz) and stayed there for a while. This, in itself, led to a sales increase across the board for all my titles.
If you are a Horror writer, then I would implore you to make use of Bookbub to advertise your Countdown promotions. It really works. If you have enough books out then you could potentially have promotions running regularly and seeing a healthy return. I don't want anyone to miss out on all those dollars.
As an additional note, I would add that my sales have increased since the Bookbub promotion ended and my bad period during March and April have been very successful this year, earning about three times what I did last year. There are a lot of people saying ebooks are declining, but it's a bunch of rubbish. So far this year I am heaps ahead of where I was this time last year. So keep going everyone. Success is out there. And Bookbub can help.
You can take a look at Bookbub here: www.bookbub.com/home
