Brian Freeman's Blog, page 36

Shawano Library

Brian returns to the library in Shawano, Wisconsin -- home to his all-new Jonathan Stride e-novella TURN TO STONE. He'll be talking about how the Shawano setting inspired his latest work -- and doing a special reading from the novella!

The Bookworm

Brian visits Omaha for an event at the wonderful store The Bookworm! He'll be talking about his latest Jonathan Stride novel THE COLD NOWHERE and doing Q&A with readers. Don't miss it!

Cornerstone Cottage

Get ready for...Mayhem and Margaritas! Brian is in Hampton Iowa on his tour for THE COLD NOWHERE, and the lovely folks at Cornerstone Cottage are celebrating with ice, lime, and tequila. Give them a call about tickets for this fun event at a local Mexican restaurant!

Dragon Fly Books

Brian visits Dragon Fly Books in Iowa as he tours the Midwest for his latest Jonathan Stride novel THE COLD NOWHERE. Come listen to him talk about his books, and get all your questions answered.

Start Reading SPITTING DEVIL Now

You can start reading my Jonathan Stride short story "Spitting Devil" right now. Just click over to the special SPITTING DEVIL page on my web site to find an excerpt.

This story is available exclusively as an e-book, which you can find in the Kindle store, the Nook store, Kobo store, Sony e-book store, or Google Play store.

Remember, if you don't have an actual Kindle or Nook device, you can still get free Kindle or Nook apps that will allow you to read e-books on any tablet, smartphone, PC, or Mac.

Some readers who love print editions have asked why a lot of bonus content from authors is coming out solely in electronic format. Unfortunately, they're right -- that's a definite trend in the publishing industry, and it's a decision made by publishers, not authors. As authors, we'd love to have all of our work available in every edition possible: print, audio, e-book, etc. But there are economic realities these days, and particularly for short stories and novellas, many publishers have concluded that the cost of printing and distribution makes it impractical to release everything in print editions.

I don't think we have to live in an "either or" world. I still love print editions, too, just as I love browsing the shelves of independent bookstores. However, I have an iPad, too, and I enjoy reading e-stories. You don't have to give up print books just by embracing e-books, too...there's room in this world for both.

So enjoy the e-book of "Spitting Devil" and, very soon, my Stride novella TURN TO STONE.

SPITTING DEVIL

My 16,000-word Jonathan Stride short story "Spitting Devil" is now available in the U.S. Kindle store!

This story actually began in Spain. My Spanish publisher Circulo de Lectores was preparing a crime anthology, and they asked me to submit a short story to the collection. The theme of the anthology was "the perfect crime," and I decided to take an unusual twist on that idea. In this case, what's been stolen is someone's perfect life.

Alison Malville seemingly has it all. Happy marriage. Beautiful child. A lovely, expensive new house in Duluth. And yet Alison is being haunted by nightmares. Ants keep creeping into her dreams, invading her body, working their way inside her clothes.

"She dreamed of the ants almost every night now. When she closed her eyes, there they were, waiting to slip out through the walls. They had even begun to march from her sleep into her waking life. She couldn't escape them. Wherever she went in the house, she heard them massing in the ceiling, watching her like spies.

Alison understood what was happening to her. It wasn't about the ants at all. It was about her husband. He was driving her into madness."

Alison is the heroine of "Spitting Devil" -- but this is also a Jonathan Stride story. At the time I wrote it, I had been away from Stride for a year. I'd finished THE BURYING PLACE and was in the middle of my first Cab Bolton novel, THE BONE HOUSE. But this story gave me a chance to catch up on Stride's life. So as Alison deals with the ants, Stride is dealing with a malevolent killer whom the media has nicknamed "Dead Red."

"Spitting Devil" is a short story -- it's about 15% of the length of a full novel -- but I think it brings a lot of depth to the format. One of my favorite comments came from a reader who wrote: ""Spitting Devil" is one of the best thriller short stories I have ever read. So scary and suspenseful. Couldn't believe how well you developed those characters in such a short story."

When the story was released in the UK Kindle store, it spent several weeks at #1. And now it's finally available in the U.S. Kindle store, too. As we get ready for two big "Stride releases" in the weeks ahead -- TURN TO STONE on February 18 and THE COLD NOWHERE on April 1-- "Spitting Devil" is a great way to whet your appetite for more scary twists and turns ahead.

Want to read "Spitting Devil" in another language? It's also available in Spanish as LA MUERTE ROJA and Italian as FORMICHE.

Prepare to Launch

It's almost February. And that means we're almost ready to launch. For readers in the U.S. -- who have been waiting a long time -- we've got four major releases in the next three months.

On February 4, my 16,000-word Stride short story "Spitting Devil" finally arrives in the U.S. Kindle store. (You can find it here.) This story revolves around a wife who's slowly being driven mad by her nightmares...and by her suspicions that her husband may really be a serial killer. The story hit #1 in the UK Kindle store...don't miss it!

On February 18, my ALL NEW Stride novella TURN TO STONE will be available in e-book and audio formats. (Click to find it on Kindle, Nook, Kobo, or Google.) This novella (half the length of a full novel!) [image error]takes place in the days immediately before THE COLD NOWHERE as Stride is driving home across rural Wisconsin on a snowy night. He stops in the small town where his mother is buried...but he becomes a witness to a terrible tragedy in that empty cemetery. And soon he is caught up in a race to prevent a horrific crime.

On March 3, my stand-alone novel SPILLED BLOOD -- which won the award for Best Hardcover Novel in the 2013 Thriller Awards -- finally arrives in paperback! [image error]You can pre-order the paperback edition at Amazon, BN, or Books-a-Million, or you can place your order at your local bookstore.

And then the big one! The new full-length Stride novel THE COLD NOWHERE arrives everywhere on April 1. It will be available in hardcover, e-book, and audio...and early readers have been calling it the best Stride novel yet. [image error]The book was just named a finalist for the Minnesota Book Award this past weekend, and the most recent UK review called it "one of the best American thrillers of 2013." (Pre-order THE COLD NOWHERE at Amazon, BN, Books-a-Million, or your local bookseller right now!)

Want to start reading THE COLD NOWHERE? You can find an excerpt right here.

So get ready for launch season! The countdown is on!

The Cold Nowhere

We're getting ready for a busy winter and spring for book launches. In February, two new Stride stories will be released: "Spitting Devil" (a Stride short story), which will arrive on Kindle on February 4, and TURN TO STONE (a Stride novella, half the length of a full novel), which will be released as an e-book and audio exclusive on February 18.

My stand-alone SPILLED BLOOD, which won the award for Best Hardcover Novel in the 2013 Thriller Awards, will arrive in paperback on March 3. And finally, on April 1, U.S. readers will enjoy the long-awaited release of my full-length Jonathan Stride novel THE COLD NOWHERE.

The most recent UK review of THE COLD NOWHERE called it "one of the best American thrillers of 2013." I also just got a note from a U.S. bookseller with an advance copy who told me: "The only problem with a book as gripping and fast-paced as The Cold Nowhere is that it doesn't last long enough!"

Meanwhile, Marcia will be enjoying a bit of "the cold nowhere" ourselves. We'll be heading north to Duluth soon as I scout locations and do research for my next full-length Stride novel. Hopefully, the bitter winter temps will ease just a bit as we explore the back roads of the Zenith City.

Totally Criminal Cocktail Hour

Brian makes a return visit to the Totally Criminal Cocktail Hour, sponsored by the Valley Bookseller in Stillwater and hosted at the Dock Cafe. Join Brian for drinks and appetizers, and listen to him introduce his latest Duluth-based novel THE COLD NOWHERE. Be sure to pick up a signed copy! Reservations are required, and tickets for the event are available from the Valley Bookseller.

Once Upon a Crime

Brian is back at the Raven award-winning bookstore Once Upon a Crime to kick off the Twin Cities segment of his tour for THE COLD NOWHERE. Stop by for a glass of wine and chat with Brian about the new book and what's next for Jonathan Stride and Cab Bolton. Get a signed copy of the new book!