R.C. O'Leary's Blog, page 5
February 10, 2014
Book Review: A Pitch for Justice by Harold Kasselman
Original Thought-Provoking Premise Forms the basis of a Legal thriller Having written a legal thriller that involves elements of baseball as part of the plot, I was curious to read Harold Kasselman's book "A Pitch for Justice," a book that begins with the idea that a major league baseball player could face criminal charges for actions taken during a game. In this case, for what a prosecutor deemed reckless behavior that led to the death of a player on the Mets. (One small note--the timing of the review coincides with the book being discounted on Amazon to .99 for a couple of more days. Disclosure, I was not aware of the sale and purchased book beforehand.) 
I found it to be a very interesting concept and one that became more realistic as the story progressed. Upon first reading the book's blurb I thought the idea was a bit unrealistic--would a major league pitcher really get charged with murder for beaning a batter?--but Kasselman (who, more full disclosure, I have had some interactions with re: his book and mine on goodreads) creates an extremely plausible sequence of events and decision making that makes the idea seem completely credible. As a matter of fact, God forbid a major league player is killed by a bean ball, but if it happened, I think this book might be used as justification to potentially charge him.
As a matter of fact, I would recommend all high school, college and Major League pitchers read this book so they can be fully informed of the potentially life-altering consequences of ever throwing at someone's head.
I also think pre-law and law students would enjoy and greatly benefit from this book. Without a doubt, the strength of this book is the legal maneuvering and the pre-trial and courtroom scenes depicted. Harold Kasselman takes full advantage of his thirty year career to paint a very realistic picture of what happens in a trial. Unlike my book, Hallways in the Night, in which I take some artistic license with some of the rules of criminal procedure, Kasselman's book is "pitch perfect" on the law and procedure.
Everything from the grand jury setting, one of the best and most informative descriptions I have read, through hearsay exceptions, such as "excited utterances," you can learn some practical lessons about being an attorney. For example, even though I'm a law school graduate, I had no idea a grand jury can vote to bring a more severe charge than the prosecutor is seeking or how much of the proceeding is actually a conversation with those sitting on the grand jury.
Throughout the book, Kasselman offers some very interesting facts about baseball history, as well as some interesting facts about the speed and reaction times needed to hit a major league fastball.
Like most legal thrillers, Pitch for Justice ends with a trial. I honestly did not know which way the jury would vote at the end and I'm still not 100% sure if I agree with their verdict.
I enjoyed Pitch for Justice and the fact it made me continually think throughout the story. It forces readers to face a dilemma in which I'm not sure there is a black and white answer.
Law professors could probably use the premise as a good basis for a legal practice course using the facts as a set-up for a case that students are forced to try. I think it would be a great "case" to use because I bet jury verdicts would be different based upon the performance and effectiveness of those arguing the case, as well as some of the decisions of the Judge.
End of the day, I think both sides in this case can lay claim to the moral high ground. That is one of the things I enjoyed the most. Far from simplistic, it's a realistic and enjoyable read of an excellent premise that will keep you reading to the end to find out the eventual verdict and it will be up to you to decide if, in the end, justice is ultimately served.
I found it to be a very interesting concept and one that became more realistic as the story progressed. Upon first reading the book's blurb I thought the idea was a bit unrealistic--would a major league pitcher really get charged with murder for beaning a batter?--but Kasselman (who, more full disclosure, I have had some interactions with re: his book and mine on goodreads) creates an extremely plausible sequence of events and decision making that makes the idea seem completely credible. As a matter of fact, God forbid a major league player is killed by a bean ball, but if it happened, I think this book might be used as justification to potentially charge him.As a matter of fact, I would recommend all high school, college and Major League pitchers read this book so they can be fully informed of the potentially life-altering consequences of ever throwing at someone's head.
I also think pre-law and law students would enjoy and greatly benefit from this book. Without a doubt, the strength of this book is the legal maneuvering and the pre-trial and courtroom scenes depicted. Harold Kasselman takes full advantage of his thirty year career to paint a very realistic picture of what happens in a trial. Unlike my book, Hallways in the Night, in which I take some artistic license with some of the rules of criminal procedure, Kasselman's book is "pitch perfect" on the law and procedure.
Everything from the grand jury setting, one of the best and most informative descriptions I have read, through hearsay exceptions, such as "excited utterances," you can learn some practical lessons about being an attorney. For example, even though I'm a law school graduate, I had no idea a grand jury can vote to bring a more severe charge than the prosecutor is seeking or how much of the proceeding is actually a conversation with those sitting on the grand jury.
Throughout the book, Kasselman offers some very interesting facts about baseball history, as well as some interesting facts about the speed and reaction times needed to hit a major league fastball.
Like most legal thrillers, Pitch for Justice ends with a trial. I honestly did not know which way the jury would vote at the end and I'm still not 100% sure if I agree with their verdict.
I enjoyed Pitch for Justice and the fact it made me continually think throughout the story. It forces readers to face a dilemma in which I'm not sure there is a black and white answer.
Law professors could probably use the premise as a good basis for a legal practice course using the facts as a set-up for a case that students are forced to try. I think it would be a great "case" to use because I bet jury verdicts would be different based upon the performance and effectiveness of those arguing the case, as well as some of the decisions of the Judge.
End of the day, I think both sides in this case can lay claim to the moral high ground. That is one of the things I enjoyed the most. Far from simplistic, it's a realistic and enjoyable read of an excellent premise that will keep you reading to the end to find out the eventual verdict and it will be up to you to decide if, in the end, justice is ultimately served.
February 6, 2014
A nice Blog Comment from a reader of Hallways in the Night
I was doing some work and book marketing on either Monday or Tuesday night when I got an email message there was a new comment up on the blog. Comments are infrequent enough that I always appreciate getting them. The comment was from Andy Mason who was kind enough to convey the following after reading the book. I do think Hallways in the Night would make a great read on a plane, train or long car ride as it will keep you engaged. Here's the comment from Andy that he posted:
Rob, I thoroughly enjoyed your book. I have to admit I read few books but this book makes me want to read more. I was able to read the book on a flight up and back to Chicago from Tampa. I was racing at the end to know the outcome. The elevator scene was tremendous. I could feel the tension.
Rob, I thoroughly enjoyed your book. I have to admit I read few books but this book makes me want to read more. I was able to read the book on a flight up and back to Chicago from Tampa. I was racing at the end to know the outcome. The elevator scene was tremendous. I could feel the tension.
February 5, 2014
A Guest Post with My take on the Meaning of Life
I was fortunate enough to be offered an opportunity to do a guest post on what i consider to be the meaning of life. It was on a very artistic blog titled Dancing with Fireflies. The proprietor of the blog, Crysta, was great to work with and she has some great pieces on her blog. You can find her blog and my post here.
February 3, 2014
Another Positive Review to Go Along with the Recent 5-star book Review for Hallways in the Night
This review was Completed by Diane donovan, ebook Reviewer for the Midwest Book Review It's always nice to get a positive review on a book. Last week, I was excited to get a 5- Star Review on Lance Smith's blog, "The Guy who Reviews Sports Books," and Mr. Smith was kind enough to also post his review on Amazon. So far, Hallways in the Night has 9 five star reviews. I don't expect all reviews will be 5 stars but I am glad to see that many people seem to really be enjoying the book. As a writer the best compliment I could receive is that people enjoy the book and refer it to family and friends. Here is the review in full from Ms. Donovan. (Please note, I did reduce the price to 2.99 for ebooks, although I do understand that time, not money is truly the biggest investment readers make in a book.) The full review is posted below and here is the direct link to read it on MBR's site.
Hallways in the Night
R.C. O'Leary
Haywood Street Press
ASIN: B00HCLRPPS $3.99
http://www.amazon.com/Hallways-Night-...
Hallways in the Night is thriller writing quite different from your standard approach, and centers around a baseball star, a stakeout that takes a very different turn when a cop is prompted to pursue a speeding suspect, and a murder that changes lives. It's a recommendation for any who want something different in their mystery/legal thriller reading and it delivers on this promise with a tightly-wound story of suspense and intrigue that will keep even seasoned mystery and legal thriller readers guessing to the end.
One powerful element of Hallways in the Night is its focus on racial encounters that entangle a community and pit cops against blacks. That's what Dave faces when his probe of a serial killer who targets kids becomes entwined with a community's perceptions of the special interests and prejudices of police charged with protecting lives.
And so what evolves from a series of murders and a half-drunk baseball player's demise over a speeding ticket becomes a highly charged trial focusing on civil liberties as much as murder, with marchers and rioters adding tension and further complexity to a volatile situation.
It's this multifaceted perspective on how murder adopts political and social proportions that keeps Hallways in the Night far more than your standard 'whodunnit'. The web of intrigue holds motivations that move into personal realms as a policeman stands trial for a suspect's death and faces accusations that he has overstepped the boundaries of his profession by leaving a stakeout and acting recklessly.
Dave's impulsive decision one fatal night holds the power to not just change his life, but promote the political ambitions of a District Attorney who sees this case as a way of gaining fame and a toehold in Congress.
All this Dave realizes too late, after his love for Atlanta is forever destroyed and after events make their indelible mark on his future. Readers follow Dave's evolution and revelations with bated breath largely because these aren't evident from the beginning, but slowly evolve from the roots of confrontation and deceit.
R.C. O'Leary's story is complex on many levels; but perhaps its most satisfying quality is a continuing element of surprise, with unexpected chains of events and protagonist growth paired with legal and social changes. From the story of how a conscientious cop finds himself backed into a corner to how political ambitions play on circumstance to change lives, Hallways in the Night tackles one of the most basic issues of a public servant's life: balancing ideals with career demands and living with choices necessarily made as an impulse in the process of ensuring survival and safety.
Whether innocent or guilty, the focus here isn't on the serving of justice or its tenuous roots in the legal and criminal justice system, but on how individuals live with, react to and ultimately are changed by their choices and service. In the end it boils down to being "...honest about who you are".
Hallways in the Night thus will attract and satisfy readers looking for more than a light 'whodunit' mystery.
Hallways in the Night
R.C. O'Leary
Haywood Street Press
ASIN: B00HCLRPPS $3.99
http://www.amazon.com/Hallways-Night-...
Hallways in the Night is thriller writing quite different from your standard approach, and centers around a baseball star, a stakeout that takes a very different turn when a cop is prompted to pursue a speeding suspect, and a murder that changes lives. It's a recommendation for any who want something different in their mystery/legal thriller reading and it delivers on this promise with a tightly-wound story of suspense and intrigue that will keep even seasoned mystery and legal thriller readers guessing to the end.
One powerful element of Hallways in the Night is its focus on racial encounters that entangle a community and pit cops against blacks. That's what Dave faces when his probe of a serial killer who targets kids becomes entwined with a community's perceptions of the special interests and prejudices of police charged with protecting lives.
And so what evolves from a series of murders and a half-drunk baseball player's demise over a speeding ticket becomes a highly charged trial focusing on civil liberties as much as murder, with marchers and rioters adding tension and further complexity to a volatile situation.
It's this multifaceted perspective on how murder adopts political and social proportions that keeps Hallways in the Night far more than your standard 'whodunnit'. The web of intrigue holds motivations that move into personal realms as a policeman stands trial for a suspect's death and faces accusations that he has overstepped the boundaries of his profession by leaving a stakeout and acting recklessly.
Dave's impulsive decision one fatal night holds the power to not just change his life, but promote the political ambitions of a District Attorney who sees this case as a way of gaining fame and a toehold in Congress.
All this Dave realizes too late, after his love for Atlanta is forever destroyed and after events make their indelible mark on his future. Readers follow Dave's evolution and revelations with bated breath largely because these aren't evident from the beginning, but slowly evolve from the roots of confrontation and deceit.
R.C. O'Leary's story is complex on many levels; but perhaps its most satisfying quality is a continuing element of surprise, with unexpected chains of events and protagonist growth paired with legal and social changes. From the story of how a conscientious cop finds himself backed into a corner to how political ambitions play on circumstance to change lives, Hallways in the Night tackles one of the most basic issues of a public servant's life: balancing ideals with career demands and living with choices necessarily made as an impulse in the process of ensuring survival and safety.
Whether innocent or guilty, the focus here isn't on the serving of justice or its tenuous roots in the legal and criminal justice system, but on how individuals live with, react to and ultimately are changed by their choices and service. In the end it boils down to being "...honest about who you are".
Hallways in the Night thus will attract and satisfy readers looking for more than a light 'whodunit' mystery.
January 30, 2014
An Idea for President Obama to Help the country and Strengthen His Legacy: A Bi-Partisan Commission on the Culture
Back in the late 90s, President Clinton formed a bi-partisan commission to have a dialogue on race in America. It was called "One America in the 21st. Century: The President's Initiative on Race. It helped to accelerate a conversation that was already taking place and was one of the major catalysts that helped improved race relations in the United States.
That to me, is a major part of Bill Clinton's legacy. As a matter of fact, America's record on race this Century has been one of our major accomplishments. While not perfect, certainly the underlying framework, belief structure, and momentum is firmly in place to where we are truly on our way to becoming One America. I truly believe that in my children's lifetime, race will no longer be an issue that serves to divide. I make that statement based upon the huge positive strides I have seen in my lifetime.
The same cannot be said for our culture. No matter where you stand on the ideological spectrum, I'm fairly certain you agree that our popular culture is not in a very healthy condition. As a matter of fact, our popular culture does not come close to measuring up to the decency of the American people.
That to me is a huge disconnect. On an individual basis, the vast majority of Americans treat each other with respect, empathy, generosity and kindness. Look around at any of our local communities and you'll see people (from all different sides of the political landscape) working together to improve their communities.
Unfortunately, this doesn't seem to translate to our overall culture. While the American people are kind and respectful, are culture is rude and coarse. While the American people are generous and caring, our culture is increasingly vulgar and vapid. It is truly a shame and the biggest victims of the coarsened culture will be our children raised in it. That's a fact. No matter how people say it's parents responsibility to raise their children right, the fact of the matter is that culture has a huge, at times seemingly insurmountable, influence on our kids. No matter how much you try to protect your kids, it's impossible if you plan on letting them lead even remotely normal lives.
I'm not going to list all our societal ills because I'm sure you have your own list. What I am going to do is ask President Obama to form a commission, similar to what Bill Clinton did, to address and improve the culture. Even in divided Washington, this is an issue, the degradation of our culture, upon which both sides can find common ground.
This would offer President Obama an opportunity to unite people around an issue. Think about how nice that might be: a big issue upon which the rhetoric is inspiring instead of divisive. And with the advent of social media, the American people can really have a say in the process. I'm really confident that some simple steps can be taken to improve our culture. And if President Obama could be one of the driving forces to make it happen, it would be a great (and doable) accomplishment for his second term.
All Americans want our culture to be the best it can be. We have so much room to make improvements, and there is so much common ground that just having the discussion will be helpful in bringing our divided populace just a little more together.
That to me, is a major part of Bill Clinton's legacy. As a matter of fact, America's record on race this Century has been one of our major accomplishments. While not perfect, certainly the underlying framework, belief structure, and momentum is firmly in place to where we are truly on our way to becoming One America. I truly believe that in my children's lifetime, race will no longer be an issue that serves to divide. I make that statement based upon the huge positive strides I have seen in my lifetime.
The same cannot be said for our culture. No matter where you stand on the ideological spectrum, I'm fairly certain you agree that our popular culture is not in a very healthy condition. As a matter of fact, our popular culture does not come close to measuring up to the decency of the American people.
That to me is a huge disconnect. On an individual basis, the vast majority of Americans treat each other with respect, empathy, generosity and kindness. Look around at any of our local communities and you'll see people (from all different sides of the political landscape) working together to improve their communities.
Unfortunately, this doesn't seem to translate to our overall culture. While the American people are kind and respectful, are culture is rude and coarse. While the American people are generous and caring, our culture is increasingly vulgar and vapid. It is truly a shame and the biggest victims of the coarsened culture will be our children raised in it. That's a fact. No matter how people say it's parents responsibility to raise their children right, the fact of the matter is that culture has a huge, at times seemingly insurmountable, influence on our kids. No matter how much you try to protect your kids, it's impossible if you plan on letting them lead even remotely normal lives.
I'm not going to list all our societal ills because I'm sure you have your own list. What I am going to do is ask President Obama to form a commission, similar to what Bill Clinton did, to address and improve the culture. Even in divided Washington, this is an issue, the degradation of our culture, upon which both sides can find common ground.
This would offer President Obama an opportunity to unite people around an issue. Think about how nice that might be: a big issue upon which the rhetoric is inspiring instead of divisive. And with the advent of social media, the American people can really have a say in the process. I'm really confident that some simple steps can be taken to improve our culture. And if President Obama could be one of the driving forces to make it happen, it would be a great (and doable) accomplishment for his second term.
All Americans want our culture to be the best it can be. We have so much room to make improvements, and there is so much common ground that just having the discussion will be helpful in bringing our divided populace just a little more together.
January 29, 2014
Pre-Recorded Scripts--the Ultimate Tool for Successful Tele-marketing!!
Insult People's Intelligence, get Rid of your Employees and Start Banking $$$$$ I just (almost) had the most wonderful buying experience from a telemarketer who goes by the name of Ashley. Normally, anyone who knows my wife and me, know we usually don't run to pick up the phone. (Same for doorbells during the weekend, by the way) but this evening I just felt compelled to pick up. I guess I was in kind of a buying mood.
And boy, let me tell you, what a positive experience it was. Whoever came up with the idea to use pre-recorded answers, or as one of the pre-recorded answers referred to it as "scripts" is truly a marketing genius. I mean, think about it. If you're like me, you probably love getting tele-marketing calls around dinner hour. Right as you're settling in, battling about homework or explaining why eating at home is superior to McDonald's, nothing could be better than somebody calling up with an exclusive offer just for "me."
Or so I thought. I just found out what could be better: When the offer doesn't even come from a live voice on the other line but instead comes from a computer generating answers in response to my statements.
The success rates of this sales process must be through the roof. What indicates you have something of great value to sell or that you really value my potential business more than trying to get me to have a conversation with a automatd software program.
Talk about complimenting my intelligence! Some people might consider being forced to dialogue with a glorified modem to be an insult of their intelligence, but I take it as a compliment that they think I'm tech savvy.
And what a great customer experience, too. I can just imagine the sales pitch when the companies who buy these programs get sold:
"No. No, no, no. People don't dislike being talked to by a machine with a finite number of pre-recorded answers, they actually love it. They love the consistency of our answers Especially when our software repeats the same answer three times in a row. It creates complete clarity. And think about it, no employees. No salaries, no late arrivals, no benefits, just one upfront cost and our software will work for you 24-7. It's the ultimate salesperson. Think of how rich you’ll become when you don’t actually have to pay anyone to actually do the selling!”
"But do you think people will really buy from us if we use the system? You don’t think they’ll be offended we’re talking at them with pre-recorded answers. Are people really that dumb?"
"The phone company has been using it for years, haven’t they?"
"But isn't that because they already have a captive audience? It’s one thing to make them listen to answers and punch buttons if they have any hope of speaking to a person, but this is about my company trying to sell something and gain new customers."
“Are you really as stupid as you sound? You're missing the entire point. This software replaces your salesforce. No more commissions or wasting money training people how to sell or to listen or to provide customer service. This is automation, Bro. This is the future. Don’t think about the customers experience, think about the cash you’ll be banking when you don’t have to pay for any employees. Do you want to get rich or what?”
At this point, 99% of people with a brain politely decline what they know to be an idiotic idea: using recorded scripts to try and get somebody to buy something over the phone. But apparently, there is 1% of companies out there who decide to try it, (Maybe the person who orders it is actually trying to undermine their company?) and it ends up like the phone call I just had. No sale, annoyed, and SMH that any company could be so short-sighted and stupid.
After my third question in which the script was repeated third time, I asked Ashley if this was truly the best way to try and sell me something.
"I'm interested in what you're selling,” I said. “I'm actually ready to listen to the whole pitch. This is your lucky day, you caught me at a weak moment. All I ask before I commit to buy something from you is to speak to a live person."
With that request, asking to speak with a live person, the line went dead. I guess the software didn't have an appropriate script for the question of "would you be offended if I wanted to speak with an actual person?"
My wife was right. I should have let my phone go to voicemail and let the pre-recorded messages have a chance to speak with each other.
And boy, let me tell you, what a positive experience it was. Whoever came up with the idea to use pre-recorded answers, or as one of the pre-recorded answers referred to it as "scripts" is truly a marketing genius. I mean, think about it. If you're like me, you probably love getting tele-marketing calls around dinner hour. Right as you're settling in, battling about homework or explaining why eating at home is superior to McDonald's, nothing could be better than somebody calling up with an exclusive offer just for "me."
Or so I thought. I just found out what could be better: When the offer doesn't even come from a live voice on the other line but instead comes from a computer generating answers in response to my statements.
The success rates of this sales process must be through the roof. What indicates you have something of great value to sell or that you really value my potential business more than trying to get me to have a conversation with a automatd software program.
Talk about complimenting my intelligence! Some people might consider being forced to dialogue with a glorified modem to be an insult of their intelligence, but I take it as a compliment that they think I'm tech savvy.
And what a great customer experience, too. I can just imagine the sales pitch when the companies who buy these programs get sold:
"No. No, no, no. People don't dislike being talked to by a machine with a finite number of pre-recorded answers, they actually love it. They love the consistency of our answers Especially when our software repeats the same answer three times in a row. It creates complete clarity. And think about it, no employees. No salaries, no late arrivals, no benefits, just one upfront cost and our software will work for you 24-7. It's the ultimate salesperson. Think of how rich you’ll become when you don’t actually have to pay anyone to actually do the selling!”
"But do you think people will really buy from us if we use the system? You don’t think they’ll be offended we’re talking at them with pre-recorded answers. Are people really that dumb?"
"The phone company has been using it for years, haven’t they?"
"But isn't that because they already have a captive audience? It’s one thing to make them listen to answers and punch buttons if they have any hope of speaking to a person, but this is about my company trying to sell something and gain new customers."
“Are you really as stupid as you sound? You're missing the entire point. This software replaces your salesforce. No more commissions or wasting money training people how to sell or to listen or to provide customer service. This is automation, Bro. This is the future. Don’t think about the customers experience, think about the cash you’ll be banking when you don’t have to pay for any employees. Do you want to get rich or what?”
At this point, 99% of people with a brain politely decline what they know to be an idiotic idea: using recorded scripts to try and get somebody to buy something over the phone. But apparently, there is 1% of companies out there who decide to try it, (Maybe the person who orders it is actually trying to undermine their company?) and it ends up like the phone call I just had. No sale, annoyed, and SMH that any company could be so short-sighted and stupid.
After my third question in which the script was repeated third time, I asked Ashley if this was truly the best way to try and sell me something.
"I'm interested in what you're selling,” I said. “I'm actually ready to listen to the whole pitch. This is your lucky day, you caught me at a weak moment. All I ask before I commit to buy something from you is to speak to a live person."
With that request, asking to speak with a live person, the line went dead. I guess the software didn't have an appropriate script for the question of "would you be offended if I wanted to speak with an actual person?"
My wife was right. I should have let my phone go to voicemail and let the pre-recorded messages have a chance to speak with each other.
January 27, 2014
5 Star Rating for Hallways in the Night from "The Guy Who Reviews Sports Books"
I'm very proud (and humbled) to announce that Hallways in the Night earned a five out of five star review from "The Guy Who Reviews Sports Book Blog." This is a great book review blog run by Lance Smith, who specializes in reviewing sports books.
Most of Lance's reviews are non-fiction books, and if you are ever seeking some good recommendations on what to read and it pertains to sports, his site is a wonderful place to start. He has a template he uses for each book, which ensures that each review is thorough and also allows for "apples to apples comparison." He gives a star rating, an analysis of the book which some info on the plot and character, as well as his opinion on the pace of the book, whether or not he skimmed it and would he recommend the book.
Lance has a wide range of tastes so you might see a book about tennis, the Negro Baseball leagues, or a Hockey memoir. Definitely a great source for some good sports books.
For anyone who is also on Goodreads, Lance also posts his reviews and book ratings there. He posted his review of Hallways in the Night on Saturday, and it definitely made my weekend. It's always great to get your book reviewed, but to get a 5 Star rating on a novel from someone who specializes in reviewing sports books is even sweeter. What was so great about reading Lance's review was that he picked up on many of the aspects of the book which were my favorite.
Specifically, there is a post-verdict scene that was one of the toughest to write for me. In several earlier drafts of the novel, there was a different ending and this "reveal" was handled differently. Finally, after more thought and struggle than I want to think about, I came up with a scene that handled it in a different way. It's an important scene to the book in many ways, and one that the reviewer specifically identified as one he enjoyed reading.
Here is the actual direct quote that Mr. Smith put in his review:
"However, what really set this legal thriller apart from others I have read for me was that after the verdict was reached, Mackno and the district attorney Maurice Bass got on the same elevator. The conversation that took place there was an even better finale to the story than the verdict. Outstanding story that should be read by all fans of legal thrillers."
That quote really made my weekend because one of my goals in writing a legal thriller was to try and find a scene or event which would have more of an exclamation point after the trial. And, I wanted it to be a bit of a surprise. One of the things I have always enjoyed are books that have a twist or surprise at the end. Because I like them, that's what I tried to do in my own novel. So to see that a reviewer appreciated it, was truly an awesome moment for me.
I'm not going to reprint the full review here, instead, I highly recommend you click through to see the review, and more importantly, see Lance's website. I'm confident that if you bookmark it and spend some time there you will find some great reads recommended by him. Click here to go directly to The Guy Who Reviews Sports Books website.
Most of Lance's reviews are non-fiction books, and if you are ever seeking some good recommendations on what to read and it pertains to sports, his site is a wonderful place to start. He has a template he uses for each book, which ensures that each review is thorough and also allows for "apples to apples comparison." He gives a star rating, an analysis of the book which some info on the plot and character, as well as his opinion on the pace of the book, whether or not he skimmed it and would he recommend the book.
Lance has a wide range of tastes so you might see a book about tennis, the Negro Baseball leagues, or a Hockey memoir. Definitely a great source for some good sports books.
For anyone who is also on Goodreads, Lance also posts his reviews and book ratings there. He posted his review of Hallways in the Night on Saturday, and it definitely made my weekend. It's always great to get your book reviewed, but to get a 5 Star rating on a novel from someone who specializes in reviewing sports books is even sweeter. What was so great about reading Lance's review was that he picked up on many of the aspects of the book which were my favorite.
Specifically, there is a post-verdict scene that was one of the toughest to write for me. In several earlier drafts of the novel, there was a different ending and this "reveal" was handled differently. Finally, after more thought and struggle than I want to think about, I came up with a scene that handled it in a different way. It's an important scene to the book in many ways, and one that the reviewer specifically identified as one he enjoyed reading.
Here is the actual direct quote that Mr. Smith put in his review:
"However, what really set this legal thriller apart from others I have read for me was that after the verdict was reached, Mackno and the district attorney Maurice Bass got on the same elevator. The conversation that took place there was an even better finale to the story than the verdict. Outstanding story that should be read by all fans of legal thrillers."
That quote really made my weekend because one of my goals in writing a legal thriller was to try and find a scene or event which would have more of an exclamation point after the trial. And, I wanted it to be a bit of a surprise. One of the things I have always enjoyed are books that have a twist or surprise at the end. Because I like them, that's what I tried to do in my own novel. So to see that a reviewer appreciated it, was truly an awesome moment for me.
I'm not going to reprint the full review here, instead, I highly recommend you click through to see the review, and more importantly, see Lance's website. I'm confident that if you bookmark it and spend some time there you will find some great reads recommended by him. Click here to go directly to The Guy Who Reviews Sports Books website.
January 20, 2014
The Aforementioned Updated Book Description
I mentioned in my post yesterday that I updated my book description for Hallways in the Night based upon advice from @bookgal through Joel Friedlander's site. Below is the new description. Would love to hear any feedback you have on it and any suggestions on how it might be improved.
When a veteran cop tries to arrest baseball's home run king, one of them will end up on trial and the other will end up dead.
A routine stakeout is almost over when Dave Mackno decides to pursue a speeding Porsche. It’s a decision that will have deadly consequences because the Porsche is being driven by Remo Centrella.
There’s no way Remo is going to let himself get arrested. Not when the woman in his car has a fresh black eye. And not when he's at the tail-end of a steroid cycle that makes him feel invincible.
For Ray Manning, owner of the Atlanta Barons, the timing of the shooting couldn’t be worse. His oil company is on the verge of a financial death spiral, he's running out of cash, and his investment bankers at Cohen, Wolfe are lining up to take full advantage of his situation. He’s in desperate need of the kind of justice that only money can buy.
R.C. O’Leary has written a compelling novel with a fast-paced plot that keeps the pages turning. A legal thriller that features a mix of colorful characters, backroom dealing, and well-written action.
Hallways in the Night starts off strong and never lets up: from the initial confrontation through a courtroom showdown in which the stakes are much too high for anybody to tell “the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.”
All the elements necessary to make it a satisfying and enjoyable read, and plot twists that will keep readers guessing until the very end.
Once begun, it’s hard to put down.
__________________________________________
About
Hallways in the Night is a legal thriller, but it is also much more. It is a novel with plot twists that surprise and will keep you guessing as you read the story. As each character joins the story, the novel widens out and becomes more complex. Each character helps add complexity to the novel because each character is pursuing their own agenda, usually at the expense of others. There's enough money, power, and consequences at stake that each character is impacted by it and it influences not only the choices they make, but also forces them to decide how much of the truth they are willing to tell and how much of the truth must be sacrificed in order to either maintain the life they have or to achieve a life they desire. As a result, two of the most powerful emotions fear and ambition have as much to do, if not more, with the outcome than the actual truth of what happened.
This novel also is a story about race and power. It's a story of how those with power wield it, often with little regards for those who will be negatively impacted by it and how they, themselves are impacted by it.
The novel also shows not only the role that race plays in modern day America, but how race relations have evolved over time and how that evolution affects the lives of those living when it takes place.
In all it's a book that will keep the pages turning. It manages to combine a complex and entertaining plot with an ease of prose that ensure an enjoyable read. By the end, the book wraps up in a way that respects the reader's time and ensures that the book was an enjoyable and satisfying read.
When a veteran cop tries to arrest baseball's home run king, one of them will end up on trial and the other will end up dead.
A routine stakeout is almost over when Dave Mackno decides to pursue a speeding Porsche. It’s a decision that will have deadly consequences because the Porsche is being driven by Remo Centrella.
There’s no way Remo is going to let himself get arrested. Not when the woman in his car has a fresh black eye. And not when he's at the tail-end of a steroid cycle that makes him feel invincible.
For Ray Manning, owner of the Atlanta Barons, the timing of the shooting couldn’t be worse. His oil company is on the verge of a financial death spiral, he's running out of cash, and his investment bankers at Cohen, Wolfe are lining up to take full advantage of his situation. He’s in desperate need of the kind of justice that only money can buy.
R.C. O’Leary has written a compelling novel with a fast-paced plot that keeps the pages turning. A legal thriller that features a mix of colorful characters, backroom dealing, and well-written action.
Hallways in the Night starts off strong and never lets up: from the initial confrontation through a courtroom showdown in which the stakes are much too high for anybody to tell “the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.”
All the elements necessary to make it a satisfying and enjoyable read, and plot twists that will keep readers guessing until the very end.
Once begun, it’s hard to put down.
__________________________________________
About
Hallways in the Night is a legal thriller, but it is also much more. It is a novel with plot twists that surprise and will keep you guessing as you read the story. As each character joins the story, the novel widens out and becomes more complex. Each character helps add complexity to the novel because each character is pursuing their own agenda, usually at the expense of others. There's enough money, power, and consequences at stake that each character is impacted by it and it influences not only the choices they make, but also forces them to decide how much of the truth they are willing to tell and how much of the truth must be sacrificed in order to either maintain the life they have or to achieve a life they desire. As a result, two of the most powerful emotions fear and ambition have as much to do, if not more, with the outcome than the actual truth of what happened.
This novel also is a story about race and power. It's a story of how those with power wield it, often with little regards for those who will be negatively impacted by it and how they, themselves are impacted by it.
The novel also shows not only the role that race plays in modern day America, but how race relations have evolved over time and how that evolution affects the lives of those living when it takes place.
In all it's a book that will keep the pages turning. It manages to combine a complex and entertaining plot with an ease of prose that ensure an enjoyable read. By the end, the book wraps up in a way that respects the reader's time and ensures that the book was an enjoyable and satisfying read.
January 19, 2014
I updated My Book Description based on advice from Penny Sansevieri (@bookgal)
I started my Sunday morning off by reading a great article by Penny Sansevieri (@bookgal) that was previously guest posted on Joel Friedlanders' site. it was a great read because the article gave me hope that I can get some more attention from Amazon.
Penny is one of publishing's most respected experts for marketing your books and she wrote a great post for Joel Friedlander on his Book Designer Blog. The article by Penny talked about how to get more recognition from Amazon's algorithm.
It's definitely an excellent read that you can find here. Her article discuses Keywords, SEO, categories and book descriptions. She also gives some very good insight on Amazon's algorithm. Some (but not all) of the key pieces of information I learned from her article are:
You need to have at least 500 words in your book description to get picked up by Amazon's search engine. When I looked at mine it was 299. I actually thought it was okay because my word count was about the same as John Grisham's. The difference is John Grisham doesn't need Amazon algorithm to find his books and promote them. Readers ping him enough he'll always get to the top. I do need to get Amazon to notice so I upped my word count.Keywords: This was again where I was not taking full advantage of the Amazon opportunity. I think when I looked back at it I only had about 4 of the 7 categories. Not very smart on my part. Thankfully Amazon makes it very easy to make changes on the back end so I went in and added keywords to make it to 7. Subtitle--My subtitle had been blank. I cannot manually change on Createspace so I sent a note to support and if that does not work I plan to go through Author Central. On KDP you can make the change yourself, which I did. Changes to book description and blog: Google loves blogs that update their content and Penny thinks Amazon's algorithms may too. So it may make sense to tweak my description once in a while.
One other change I made, which I am probably way too proud about is that I figured out how to do some html coding so that my description, esp for the paperback version, should look much better. I did some bold, added paragraph breaks and even did an italics. I'm going to review some book descriptions today, especially from independently published authors, and see how many use html to improve the aesthetics of their descriptions versus those who were making the mistake of just having simple block text.
I'm excited to see how the changes look and I will up post the new description here in a future post. (What? You don't think I was going to post in this same post did you? Not after I learned that Google loves blogs that are frequently updated. The description is over 500 words which is what google likes so I'll show them some love by creating a separate post for them.)
If you want to learn more about Penny, you can find her on her blog http://www.amarketingexpert.com.
Reminder:
Please don't forget, you can sample the first 3 chapters of Hallways in the Night for free via PDF download. Simply navigate to the page and click on the Adobe logo. You can read right away or save to desktop.
Penny is one of publishing's most respected experts for marketing your books and she wrote a great post for Joel Friedlander on his Book Designer Blog. The article by Penny talked about how to get more recognition from Amazon's algorithm.
It's definitely an excellent read that you can find here. Her article discuses Keywords, SEO, categories and book descriptions. She also gives some very good insight on Amazon's algorithm. Some (but not all) of the key pieces of information I learned from her article are:
You need to have at least 500 words in your book description to get picked up by Amazon's search engine. When I looked at mine it was 299. I actually thought it was okay because my word count was about the same as John Grisham's. The difference is John Grisham doesn't need Amazon algorithm to find his books and promote them. Readers ping him enough he'll always get to the top. I do need to get Amazon to notice so I upped my word count.Keywords: This was again where I was not taking full advantage of the Amazon opportunity. I think when I looked back at it I only had about 4 of the 7 categories. Not very smart on my part. Thankfully Amazon makes it very easy to make changes on the back end so I went in and added keywords to make it to 7. Subtitle--My subtitle had been blank. I cannot manually change on Createspace so I sent a note to support and if that does not work I plan to go through Author Central. On KDP you can make the change yourself, which I did. Changes to book description and blog: Google loves blogs that update their content and Penny thinks Amazon's algorithms may too. So it may make sense to tweak my description once in a while.
One other change I made, which I am probably way too proud about is that I figured out how to do some html coding so that my description, esp for the paperback version, should look much better. I did some bold, added paragraph breaks and even did an italics. I'm going to review some book descriptions today, especially from independently published authors, and see how many use html to improve the aesthetics of their descriptions versus those who were making the mistake of just having simple block text.
I'm excited to see how the changes look and I will up post the new description here in a future post. (What? You don't think I was going to post in this same post did you? Not after I learned that Google loves blogs that are frequently updated. The description is over 500 words which is what google likes so I'll show them some love by creating a separate post for them.)
If you want to learn more about Penny, you can find her on her blog http://www.amarketingexpert.com.
Reminder:
Please don't forget, you can sample the first 3 chapters of Hallways in the Night for free via PDF download. Simply navigate to the page and click on the Adobe logo. You can read right away or save to desktop.
January 16, 2014
Could writers band together to Create a "Super-Author" BRAND?
Without a doubt, one of the best ways for an author to increase both visibility and sales is to write multiple books. It’s one of the bedrock principles of book selling, an author’s books have a synergistic relationship with each other. They help the author build an audience, reach the critical mass necessary to get noticed and build a brand.
When it comes to publishing, 1 + 1 almost equals more than 2. Sometimes just having a lot of books on the market can be enough to break through the noise and establish a presence.
My question in this blog post is whether it would make sense for multiple authors to publish multiple titles under one common name. To create a “super-author” in a sense.
We all know about the use of pseudonyms by authors and that in the pre-Digital world some authors used fictitious names because they were publishing too quickly (times have certainly changed). I’m sure you’re also familiar with authors who collaborate with each other, and even some like James Patterson and Joe Konrath who are working with co-authors in what resembles a franchising model where they leverage their personal brand and trust other authors to write with their characters. (Probably the type of thing that drove J.D. Salinger into isolation.)
But I’m not aware---correct me if I’m wrong---of multiple authors who have similar styles of writing working together to publish titles under one author/brand name.
While such an arrangement would be bereft with pitfalls-- a ironclad agreement up front would probably be essential—I think that it might both plausible and powerful. Think about if, for example, three writers got together and agreed on the books each would write, they could bring out books at a very fast clip. That would result in them increasing their reach, sales and name recognition far beyond what each of them could do individually.
This concept would likely make more sense for some genres than other. Serial Detective stories, cozies, heck even erotica where it seems like there may have been a slight increase in titles and authors over the past few years. For some kinds of books (Malcolm Gladwell and memoirs are two obvious examples) the synergies would likely be less. But for many book categories, bringing multiple books together under the same umbrella—author name, blog, advertising, social media, etc—could generate some serious economies of scale.
It would likely have a force multiplier effect to the point where one-third of the sales from their writing “brand” name could end up being a lot more than 100% of what each one does by themselves. It’s why 500 hotels called Comfort Inn do better than 500 hotels named after each owner.
As I write this I’m also reminded of the "fist" analogy that Duke’s Coach K likes to use. As he likes to explain, if you try to hit somebody with an individual finger, it’s not going to do much damage. It might even hurt you more than your target. But if you combine your fingers together into a fist, you have a lot better chance to make a powerful impact. It’s an analogy I have always liked and makes sense to me.
To be honest, I have a lot more questions than answers about this idea.
What do you think about writers (especially independents) doing this? Would it make sense for some writers to band together under a common author name in order to make more of an impact? Would the upside be worth it? How much synergy do you think could be had if this hypothetical “super author” was bringing out books every six months?
Do you think somebody might already be doing this? Has this idea already been re-hashed to death? Would it never work?
What about you as a writer? Would you be willing to give up the psychological income and praise in exchange for higher sales? Would this arrangement be unethical or is it capitalism at work creating a business model that might give you a long-term competitive advantage?
Okay, you’re right. Enough with the questions, you get the point: I would love to hear what you think about this concept.
When it comes to publishing, 1 + 1 almost equals more than 2. Sometimes just having a lot of books on the market can be enough to break through the noise and establish a presence.
My question in this blog post is whether it would make sense for multiple authors to publish multiple titles under one common name. To create a “super-author” in a sense.
We all know about the use of pseudonyms by authors and that in the pre-Digital world some authors used fictitious names because they were publishing too quickly (times have certainly changed). I’m sure you’re also familiar with authors who collaborate with each other, and even some like James Patterson and Joe Konrath who are working with co-authors in what resembles a franchising model where they leverage their personal brand and trust other authors to write with their characters. (Probably the type of thing that drove J.D. Salinger into isolation.)
But I’m not aware---correct me if I’m wrong---of multiple authors who have similar styles of writing working together to publish titles under one author/brand name.
While such an arrangement would be bereft with pitfalls-- a ironclad agreement up front would probably be essential—I think that it might both plausible and powerful. Think about if, for example, three writers got together and agreed on the books each would write, they could bring out books at a very fast clip. That would result in them increasing their reach, sales and name recognition far beyond what each of them could do individually.
This concept would likely make more sense for some genres than other. Serial Detective stories, cozies, heck even erotica where it seems like there may have been a slight increase in titles and authors over the past few years. For some kinds of books (Malcolm Gladwell and memoirs are two obvious examples) the synergies would likely be less. But for many book categories, bringing multiple books together under the same umbrella—author name, blog, advertising, social media, etc—could generate some serious economies of scale.
It would likely have a force multiplier effect to the point where one-third of the sales from their writing “brand” name could end up being a lot more than 100% of what each one does by themselves. It’s why 500 hotels called Comfort Inn do better than 500 hotels named after each owner.
As I write this I’m also reminded of the "fist" analogy that Duke’s Coach K likes to use. As he likes to explain, if you try to hit somebody with an individual finger, it’s not going to do much damage. It might even hurt you more than your target. But if you combine your fingers together into a fist, you have a lot better chance to make a powerful impact. It’s an analogy I have always liked and makes sense to me.
To be honest, I have a lot more questions than answers about this idea.
What do you think about writers (especially independents) doing this? Would it make sense for some writers to band together under a common author name in order to make more of an impact? Would the upside be worth it? How much synergy do you think could be had if this hypothetical “super author” was bringing out books every six months?
Do you think somebody might already be doing this? Has this idea already been re-hashed to death? Would it never work?
What about you as a writer? Would you be willing to give up the psychological income and praise in exchange for higher sales? Would this arrangement be unethical or is it capitalism at work creating a business model that might give you a long-term competitive advantage?
Okay, you’re right. Enough with the questions, you get the point: I would love to hear what you think about this concept.
