P.D. Workman's Blog, page 121

Excerpt from Challenger Deep

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme. Read the rules at Books and a Beat. Anyone can play along!

I released Loose the Dogs yesterday! Click to read a couple of chapters for free.

Today’s teaser comes from Neal Shusterman’s Challenger Deep. Challenger Deep was previously mentioned in my Reading list: Young Adult Fiction about Psychosis, but I didn’t read it until recently. It is not an easy read; you dive straight into the brain of schizophrenic teen Caden Bosch, and it takes a while to start sorting out the threads of reality. It is a satisfying and insightful read.

There are times I feel like I’m the kid screaming at the bottom of the well, and my dog runs off to pee on trees instead of getting help.

Challenger Deep, Neal Shusterman

Caden Bosch is on a ship that’s headed for the deepest point on Earth: Challenger Deep, the southern part of the Marianas Trench.

Caden Bosch is a brilliant high school student whose friends are starting to notice his odd behavior.

Caden Bosch is designated the ship’s artist in residence to document the journey with images.

Caden Bosch pretends to join the school track team but spends his days walking for miles, absorbed by the thoughts in his head.

Caden Bosch is split between his allegiance to the captain and the allure of mutiny.

Caden Bosch is torn.

Release the Dogs!

Release of Loose the Dogs

I am happy today to be able to unleash Loose the Dogs. This is my nineteenth published book, the fifth adult (rather than YA) book. If you’re looking for something a little scary to read tonight, why don’t you pick it up? It is a fairly short read, but it might just keep you up a bit later than expected.

Read a sample

Here is a quick synopsis; be sure to scroll down for more new releases by other authors:

You’ll never look at your dog the same way

Award-winning author P.D. Workman takes you on a journey to discover the dark side of man’s best friend. Each incident is inspired by actual events. Loose the Dogs will grab you by the throat and shake you to your toes. You will learn just how fast a bright sunny day can turn to the darkest despair.

Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war!

Seven dogs are adopted by families all across the country who do not know their history…

“Of one thing I am sure,” Glenn declares. “These dogs are perfectly harmless.”

Frank knew it wasn’t true.

He would never forget walking into that trailer. He saw it in his mind every time he closed his eyes. He woke up in the middle of the night drenched in sweat, seeing those eyes and those teeth, screaming soundlessly, gasping for breath.

“He never saw those dogs. How could anyone make such a stupid a decision, knowing what they did?”

Praise for Loose the Dogs

“I loved reading Loose the Dogs. The pages almost turned themselves. P.D. Workman really hits a nerve with this one.”

“Loose the Dogs… had me on pins and needles from the get go. What a marvelous story!”

“Loose the Dogs was really scary! Just say no to dogs.”

“I was wondering in which way this book was going to go, but my goodness it sure did pack a punch into the mix.”

Praise for P.D. Workman

“Every single one of [P.D. Workman’s] books has spoken to me in ways no one or almost anything else has. And I have found strength in the books I’ve read.”

“The way that P.D. Workman writes just flows amazingly and allows the reader to get really invested in a book.”

“This is one author I certainly will be looking out for, I can’t recommend it enough. A fantastic book.”

Other new releases

I scoured the internet  (or at least asked my indie author friends) for some other brand new releases to share with you. Here they are, in no particular order:

              

              

One way to avoid burnout and improve your writing productivity

My “When Do you Find Time to Write” article has been a very popular post among writers.

I was recently on a “Productivity for Writers” panel at a writing conference, and as I was preparing for that panel, I jotted down my top tips for writing productivity. You can download those tips here! 

An interesting thing happened at the conference. Yes, we discussed daily routines, tools of the trade, challenges, and stress-busters. All of the things that you would expect. At the end, as the moderator was wrapping up, she said something to the effect that the biggest thing you could do for your writing productivity was to write every day. This had not been discussed by the panel, and since it was part of the wrap-up, there was no opportunity to discuss it further.

Myth: You must write every day

I have seen this advice given many times. On the surface, it makes perfect sense. The more you practice something, the better you get. The more days you write, the more writing you will get done. If you are writing every day, you are less likely to lose the thread of what you started, since there is no more than a day between sessions.

But here’s the thing. I don’t write every day.

When I am writing a first draft, I write Monday through Saturday, and I take Sunday off.

And when I am not writing a first draft, then Monday through Saturday I am reviewing, editing, rewriting, researching, formatting, publishing, promoting, etc. Still ‘writing business’ tasks even if it is not virgin copy.

But do you notice the pattern? No writing work on Sunday. Is it because I don’t have enough work to fill seven days a week? I don’t feel like writing every day?

Not at all. I have more than enough work to fill seven days. And when I was writing as a hobby, I spent a good amount of time writing on Sundays. I love to write; it is relaxing and enjoyable. Sunday is the one day a week that I don’t go to my day job, work out, or run errands, so it is naturally a good day for writing.

When I decided to start publishing and to write as a business, that changed. All my life, I have kept the Sabbath. The fourth commandment says, “Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work.” So when writing was only a hobby for me, I felt comfortable with writing on the Sabbath. Yes, I did plenty of other things to observe the Lord’s day, including church attendance and family time, but I also rested from my labours by writing.

But when I started writing as a business, I felt that if I wanted the Lord to bless my labours, I needed to abstain from working on the Sabbath. So, as difficult as it was (and is,) for me to do, I resolved not to write on Sunday or to do other writing/publishing work. I am not always successful; sometimes I approve a digital proof on Createspace and place an order for a physical proof so that I can publish a book earlier in the week; sometimes I pick up one of my books to read for recreation and end up noticing a typo that needs to be fixed; sometimes I have a great idea for a book or promo and need to jot my thoughts down before I lose them. But for the more part, I have been successful in not letting my writing business encroach on the Sabbath.

But why do you care? Here are some benefits that I have found from not working one day a week. I truly believe that “the Sabbath was made for man,” and God knew what he was talking about when he said to rest from our labours for one day out of seven:

First and foremost – avoiding burnout. Working at the pace that I do, putting in as many hours as I do, I would run a huge risk of burnout and reduced immunity to illness if I did not take a day of rest.
Getting away from my writing for a day, much like taking a shower or going out for a walk, helps to clear my mind. My subconscious starts to wonder why I’m not creating anything and starts producing some great new ideas.
A Saturday-night cut-off provides a deadline for the week. Working against a deadline increases productivity for many people. There are a lot of times when I am tired Saturday night, and if I did not have that deadline, I would just put my work to the side to tackle the next day. With the deadline, knowing that I won’t be able to get back to it until Monday, I have a bit more of a push to get things done and squared away by bedtime Saturday.
Family time. Putting aside work for one day leaves time for worship, for service, for going for a walk in the park, or for preparing a special meal. It is easy for me to get so wrapped up in work that I don’t leave the time for my loved ones or for nurturing myself in other ways.
Making Sunday a day of rest and renewal means that I can start the week out with more energy. I look forward to kicking off my writing on Monday. I am eager to start my week and to get back to my stories. Rather than feeling worn thin by an unrelenting schedule, I am ready to get going again.

Do I still observe the Sabbath during Nanowrimo or other deadline-driven projects? You bet. When I schedule my writing time and calculate my writing goals, it is with a six-day week in mind rather than seven days.

I truly believe that what I ‘lose’ by not writing on the Sabbath is given back to me during the week in increased productivity. By taking the time to renew and refresh myself, I am a better, more productive writer than I would be if I wrote every day.

Excerpt from The Rest of Us Just Live Here Teaser Tuesday Double Header

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme. Read the rules at Books and a Beat. Anyone can play along!

Since my new book is coming out soon, I am going to post a teaser from Loose the Dogs as well, so scroll down after the first teaser for a bonus!

Teaser #1

I just started reading The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness. A funny, anti hero-trope book with some serious underlying messages about real life.

The indie kids, huh? You’ve got them at your school, too… Nice enough, never mean, but always the ones who end up being the Chosen One when the vampires come calling or when the alien queen needs the Source of All Light or something… They’ve always got some story going on that they’re heroes of. The rest of us just have to live here…

Having said that, the indie kids do die a lot. Which must suck.

The Rest of Us Just Live Here, Patrick Ness

What if you aren’t the Chosen One? The one who’s supposed to fight the zombies, or the soul-eating ghosts, or whatever the heck this new thing is, with the blue lights and the death?

What if you’re like Mikey? Who just wants to graduate and go to prom and maybe finally work up the courage to ask Henna out before someone goes and blows up the high school. Again.

Because sometimes there are problems bigger than this week’s end of the world, and sometimes you just have to find the extraordinary in your ordinary life.

Even if your best friend is worshipped by mountain lions.

Teaser #2

And here is a second teaser from my upcoming book Loose the Dogs. A little bit of thriller/suspense.

Frank stared in horror. “They are letting them go?” he said to Janice, in shock. “They are letting them all go?” He was aware he was shouting at her, even though it wasn’t her fault. “Those animals should be destroyed! They are killers! You can’t just unleash killers on an unsuspecting public!”

Loose the Dogs, P.D. Workman

You’ll never look at your dog the same way again.

Award-winning author P.D. Workman takes you on a journey to discover the dark side of man’s best friend. Each incident is inspired by actual events. Loose the Dogs will grab you by the throat and shake you to your toes. You will learn just how fast a bright sunny day can turn to the darkest despair.

Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war!

Seven dogs are adopted by families all across the country who do not know their history…

“Of one thing I am sure,” Glenn declares. “These dogs are perfectly harmless.”

Frank knew it wasn’t true.

He would never forget walking into that trailer. He saw it in his mind every time he closed his eyes. He woke up in the middle of the night drenched in sweat, seeing those eyes and those teeth, screaming soundlessly, gasping for breath.

“He never saw those dogs. How could anyone make such a stupid a decision, knowing what they did?”

Praise for Loose the Dogs

“I loved reading Loose the Dogs. The pages almost turned themselves. P.D. Workman really hits a nerve with this one.”

“Loose the Dogs… had me on pins and needles from the get go. What a marvelous story!”

“Loose the Dogs was really scary! Just say no to dogs.”

“I was wondering in which way this book was going to go, but my goodness it sure did pack a punch into the mix.”

Praise for P.D. Workman

“Every single one of [P.D. Workman’s] books has spoken to me in ways no one or almost anything else has. And I have found strength in the books I’ve read.”

“The way that P.D. Workman writes just flows amazingly and allows the reader to get really invested in a book.”

“This is one author I certainly will be looking out for; I can’t recommend it enough. A fantastic book.”

Excerpt from The Rest of Us Just Live Here TeaserTuesday Double Header

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme. Read the rules at Books and a Beat. Anyone can play along!

Since my new book is coming out soon, I am going to post a teaser from Loose the Dogs as well, so scroll down after the first teaser for a bonus!

Teaser #1

I just started reading The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness. A funny, anti hero-trope book with some serious underlying messages about real life.

The indie kids, huh? You’ve got them at your school, too… Nice enough, never mean, but always the ones who end up being the Chosen One when the vampires come calling or when the alien queen needs the Source of All Light or something… They’ve always got some story going on that they’re heroes of. The rest of us just have to live here…

Having said that, the indie kids do die a lot. Which must suck.

The Rest of Us Just Live Here, Patrick Ness

What if you aren’t the Chosen One? The one who’s supposed to fight the zombies, or the soul-eating ghosts, or whatever the heck this new thing is, with the blue lights and the death?

What if you’re like Mikey? Who just wants to graduate and go to prom and maybe finally work up the courage to ask Henna out before someone goes and blows up the high school. Again.

Because sometimes there are problems bigger than this week’s end of the world, and sometimes you just have to find the extraordinary in your ordinary life.

Even if your best friend is worshipped by mountain lions.

Teaser #2

And here is a second teaser from my upcoming book Loose the Dogs. A little bit of thriller/suspense.

Frank stared in horror. “They are letting them go?” he said to Janice, in shock. “They are letting them all go?” He was aware he was shouting at her, even though it wasn’t her fault. “Those animals should be destroyed! They are killers! You can’t just unleash killers on an unsuspecting public!”

Loose the Dogs, P.D. Workman

You’ll never look at your dog the same way again.

Award-winning author P.D. Workman takes you on a journey to discover the dark side of man’s best friend. Each incident is inspired by actual events. Loose the Dogs will grab you by the throat and shake you to your toes. You will learn just how fast a bright sunny day can turn to the darkest despair.

Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war!

Seven dogs are adopted by families all across the country who do not know their history…

“Of one thing I am sure,” Glenn declares. “These dogs are perfectly harmless.”

Frank knew it wasn’t true.

He would never forget walking into that trailer. He saw it in his mind every time he closed his eyes. He woke up in the middle of the night drenched in sweat, seeing those eyes and those teeth, screaming soundlessly, gasping for breath.

“He never saw those dogs. How could anyone make such a stupid a decision, knowing what they did?”

Praise for Loose the Dogs

“I loved reading Loose the Dogs. The pages almost turned themselves. P.D. Workman really hits a nerve with this one.”

“Loose the Dogs… had me on pins and needles from the get go. What a marvelous story!”

“Loose the Dogs was really scary! Just say no to dogs.”

“I was wondering in which way this book was going to go, but my goodness it sure did pack a punch into the mix.”

Praise for P.D. Workman

“Every single one of [P.D. Workman’s] books has spoken to me in ways no one or almost anything else has. And I have found strength in the books I’ve read.”

“The way that P.D. Workman writes just flows amazingly and allows the reader to get really invested in a book.”

“This is one author I certainly will be looking out for; I can’t recommend it enough. A fantastic book.”

Excerpt from Dead Ringer

In case you haven’t yet picked it up, check out my pre-release promotion for Loose the Dogs! Just click on the graphic in the sidebar. This promo will only be available for a few more days until Loose the Dogs is released.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme. Read the rules at Books and a Beat. Anyone can play along!

I am just about finished reading Dead Ringer (Rosato and Associates Series) by Lisa Scottoline. This is not my first read by Lisa Scottoline. I previously read Accused, the first book in the Rosato and DiNunzio series. Same characters, but from a different lawyer’s perspective. Cool to see the same characters again from a different perspective. Lisa Scottoline writes good suspense with lots of tongue-in-cheek humour.

“No, I have to get ready for the meeting,” Bennie said, but she wasn’t sure she could stand anyway. The control-top waistband bisected her ovaries like a do-it-yourself hysterectomy.

Dead Ringer, Lisa Scottoline

Bennie Rosato is fighting the battle of her life — against her own twin. The action starts innocently enough, with a stolen wallet, but in no time events escalate and the twin wreaks havoc that can be created only by a dead ringer. Her twin tries to destroy Bennie’s law firm, Rosato & Associates, and then strikes at her very heart — which just happens to be otherwise engaged by a handsome, hunky stranger with the perfect amount of chest hair. But when a brutal murder occurs, Bennie realizes that the stakes have turned deadly. And the face of evil looks like her own.

Book Review In the Tick of Time

My sweet hubby has posted a review of In the Tick of Time. Reblogged from Flamestr’s Thoughts.

Are you afraid of insects?  Well, I think Matt Malloy can relate to you,  Until now, Matt Malloy figured he had all pretty sound knowledge of infectious diseases.  Well… hold the phone; not so fast, Mr. Malloy.

Matt finds himself trying figure out what is going to cause a cluster of infections at Buffalo Head.   The further he investigates, the more suspicious he becomes.  Matt puts his knowledge of infectious diseases into action.  Matt furthers reviews a suspicious death, with symptoms he has never seen before. He just can’t quite put his finger on it. Then he has to put his finger on it, or he becomes a suspicious case.

Is Matt going crazy? He begins to doubt himself.  He develops more symptoms.  People start to question his professionalism.  He is obsessed with it, and he cannot sleep at night. His health begins to deteriorate; he becomes more and more paranoid. He is constantly trying to find a cure and locate the person who infected him in the first place.  Someone is trying to kill him, stopping him at every corner.  Will he be able to stop them?  Or will become another casualty?  This book will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout.  You won’t be able to put it down, and it will give you a new respect for infectious disease departments everywhere!

Excerpt from Nerve by Jeanne Ryan

I had a great time this weekend at Calgary’s “When Words Collide” writer’s conference. Had fun presenting on several panels, made some new friends, met a few I had previously only met online, and was even on a panel with Angela Ackerman, one of the writers of the Emotion Thesaurus, a great writing resource!

In case you haven’t yet picked it up, check out my pre-release promotion for Loose the Dogs! Just click on the graphic in the sidebar. This promo will only be available until Loose the Dogs is released.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme. Read the rules at Books and a Beat. Anyone can play along!

I am currently reading Nerve by Jeanne Ryan. This young adult novel has been adapted into a motion picture currently in theatres. An online game of truth or dare gets out of control! The tagline is “to survive this game, choosing dare is your only option.”

“I’m not doing any dare.”

He types something into my phone. “I know you won’t. Just messing with ya ‘cause you’re so cute when you blush.”

Nerve, Jeanne Ryan

A high-stakes online game of dares turns deadly

When Vee is picked to be a player in NERVE, an anonymous game of dares broadcast live online, she discovers that the game knows her. They tempt her with prizes taken from her ThisIsMe page and team her up with the perfect boy, sizzling-hot Ian. At first it’s exhilarating–Vee and Ian’s fans cheer them on to riskier dares with higher stakes. But the game takes a twisted turn when they’re directed to a secret location with five other players for the Grand Prize round. Suddenly they’re playing all or nothing, with their lives on the line. Just how far will Vee go before she loses NERVE?

Excerpt from Best Boy

In case you missed it, check out my pre-release promotion for Loose the Dogs! Just click on the graphic in the sidebar.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme. Read the rules at Books and a Beat. Anyone can play along!

My teaser today comes from Best Boy by Eli Gottlieb. This is a novel written in the first-person point of view of an adult with autism who is living in an assisted living facility. A quick look at Twitter reveals that Eli Gottlieb’s brother is autistic. I enjoyed Todd Aaron’s journey through the progress of the story.

Until recently, I was very happy at Payton, where I live with the other “villagers” in cottages with painted numbers on them arranged in a circle on a big plate of grass.

Best Boy, Eli Gottlieb

 

Sent to a “therapeutic community” for autism at the age of eleven, Todd Aaron, now in his fifties, is the “Old Fox” of Payton LivingCenter. A joyous man who rereads the encyclopedia compulsively, he is unnerved by the sudden arrivals of a menacing new staffer and a disruptive, brain-injured roommate. His equilibrium is further worsened by Martine, a one-eyed new resident who has romantic intentions and convinces him to go off his meds to feel “normal” again. Undone by these pressures, Todd attempts an escape to return “home” to his younger brother and to a childhood that now inhabits only his dreams. Written astonishingly in the first-person voice of an autistic, adult man, Best Boy—with its unforgettable portraits of Todd’s beloved mother, whose sweet voice still sings from the grave, and a staffer named Raykene, who says that Todd “reflects the beauty of His creation”—is a piercing, achingly funny, finally shattering novel no reader can ever forget.

Pre-launch Promo Offer—3 Free books!

Loose the Dogs is going to be released later this month. In anticipation of the release, I am offering you three free suspense-filled ebooks! Click here or on the graphic below or in the sidebar to get yours now!

This offer will end when Loose the Dogs is released, so sign up now!

You will receive free Kindle or ePub copies of Looking Over Your Shoulder, Pursued by the Past, and In the Tick of Time (a recent release—it just came out in June!)