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Welcome Cole's Blog
April 19, 2016
2016 Next Generation Indie Book Awards
I just received notice that Henry's Re-entry has been named the Winner in the SECOND NOVEL category of the 2016 Next Generation Indie Book Awards.
I'm very proud of this award, and am grateful for Next Generation Indie Books for this honor. Henry has certainly made the rounds these past couple years, with two previous wins and critical reviews from Kirkus and IndieReader.
My next book, The Diego Vega Project, will be released by the end of May, 2016
Thank you for your time and support.
Welcome
I'm very proud of this award, and am grateful for Next Generation Indie Books for this honor. Henry has certainly made the rounds these past couple years, with two previous wins and critical reviews from Kirkus and IndieReader.
My next book, The Diego Vega Project, will be released by the end of May, 2016
Thank you for your time and support.
Welcome
December 2, 2015
Best Indie Book of the Year 2015
Just got the news from IndieReader that "Henry's Re-entry" made the list for the best indie books of 2015. This list will be published in the "Publishers Weekly" blog this month. It won in the category of "Literary Fiction". That's the third best book of the year award this book has received.
Celebrating tonight! WOOT! This book is now available for free ebook download on my author's website: www.WelcomeCole.net
Enjoy!
Celebrating tonight! WOOT! This book is now available for free ebook download on my author's website: www.WelcomeCole.net
Enjoy!
September 24, 2015
Pleasure of Memory
As promised, and more or less on schedule (mostly less), I've (I mean, Welcome Cole) posted the first volume of The Blood Caeyl Memories (The Pleasure of Memory) on my site. Also as promised, it's available for the insanely low price of absolutely NOTHING!
Seriously, if you enjoy the book, please spread the word. If you hate it, feel free to spread the word anyhow. It's just good karma! And as they say in Show Biz, any press is good press. Just ask Donald Trump.
For your free books, go to www.welcomecole.net.
Thank you!
Seriously, if you enjoy the book, please spread the word. If you hate it, feel free to spread the word anyhow. It's just good karma! And as they say in Show Biz, any press is good press. Just ask Donald Trump.
For your free books, go to www.welcomecole.net.
Thank you!
September 10, 2015
Henry for Free...
In anticipation of a late year release of my third and final installment of the Blood Caeyl Memories, I'm releasing my first two books free on my website (www.welcomecole.net). If you have any problems, contact me at WelcomeCole@Caelstone.com and I'll send it to you directly.
I've posted "Henry's Re-entry" free in iBook, Nook, and Kindle ebook formats. Henry won best book of the year from Kirkus Reviews in 2014 and IndieReader Discovery Awards in 2015. I will be releasing "The Pleasure of Memory", first volume of the Blood Caeyl Memories free in two weeks.
On the navigation bar, go to "Free Words" and enter your email and a fake phone number. The site is hardwired to require your name and address, but you're all clever enough to simply make something up. NO credit card information is required.
I hope you enjoy these stories. If you do, please spend many late nights sharing the link to my pages with as many other readers as you can possibly manage, including but not limited to neighbors, friends, family, colleagues, police officers, store clerks, cab drivers, strangers at the mall, creepy clowns, Canadians... pretty much anyone you please.
Thank you all so much for your support!
I've posted "Henry's Re-entry" free in iBook, Nook, and Kindle ebook formats. Henry won best book of the year from Kirkus Reviews in 2014 and IndieReader Discovery Awards in 2015. I will be releasing "The Pleasure of Memory", first volume of the Blood Caeyl Memories free in two weeks.
On the navigation bar, go to "Free Words" and enter your email and a fake phone number. The site is hardwired to require your name and address, but you're all clever enough to simply make something up. NO credit card information is required.
I hope you enjoy these stories. If you do, please spend many late nights sharing the link to my pages with as many other readers as you can possibly manage, including but not limited to neighbors, friends, family, colleagues, police officers, store clerks, cab drivers, strangers at the mall, creepy clowns, Canadians... pretty much anyone you please.
Thank you all so much for your support!
May 29, 2015
IndieReader Discovery Awards Winner
Henry's Re-entry has won first place in the IndieReader Discovery Awards category of Popular Fiction, receiving a five-star rating.
I'd like to thank the reviewers and IndieReader for this honor. More to come...
I'd like to thank the reviewers and IndieReader for this honor. More to come...
February 20, 2015
Henry's Re-entry: 5 Star IndieReaders Review
Thank you to IndieReader for this wonderful review of Henry's Re-entry:
A wry, self-loathing nihilist reconnects with humanity.
Henry wakes up from his latest bender in a filth-coated gas station restroom. He’s missing his belt, his wallet, his car, and one of his shoes. This sort of awakening hasn’t been uncommon for Henry since his wife died four years ago: her death sent him into guilt-ridden spiral of self-destruction that he’s certain will end in his own demise sooner or later. (He’s basically counting on it.) The odd thing about this gas station restroom, though, is that it’s in the New Mexican desert, hundreds of miles from his home in California. Henry’s attempt to hitch back home again turns into an American road trip of a grand variety: along the way he meets a number of characters (including a preacher, a social worker, a criminal, and a medium) who not only help him on his journey, but force him to shed some of his self-hating, bourbon-swilling, devil-may-care exterior and confront the still-living Henry underneath. The closer he gets to California, the closer he is to realizing that it isn’t just home he’s headed toward: it’s the rest of his life.
Awkward title aside, Cole’s writing is a feat of frenetic storytelling. The prose is lively, funny, sharp, and frequently subverting the expectations of the reader: the very first page reads like the account of a tortured prisoner of war until it is revealed to simply be hung over Henry in a dirty bathroom. The characters turn a very simple plot into a compelling modern odyssey: the foul, folksy wisdom of bartenders and road companions transfigure simple dialogues into highly entertaining set pieces. The conversations are executed in an organic, seamless way that hides their intention: Cole’s characters discuss philosophy and personal ideology without it feeling forced or pretentious (or rather the pretentiousness is undercut by Henry calling attention to it). Henry himself is a magnetic unlikely hero: a similar character — boozy, snarky, damaged, lost — would feel cliché in lesser hands, but Henry is legitimately funny and largely sympathetic. The desert road with its dusty hamlets forms the perfect backdrop to this morality tale: life and death appear in stark relief, as do honesty and disingenuousness, forgiveness and regret. This is a simple story, inhabited by great characters, told in an exciting, energetic way: there’s nothing else to ask for – well, maybe a better title.
This is a welcome addition to the quirky tradition of American road novels.
- See more at:
http://indiereader.com/2015/02/henrys...
A wry, self-loathing nihilist reconnects with humanity.
Henry wakes up from his latest bender in a filth-coated gas station restroom. He’s missing his belt, his wallet, his car, and one of his shoes. This sort of awakening hasn’t been uncommon for Henry since his wife died four years ago: her death sent him into guilt-ridden spiral of self-destruction that he’s certain will end in his own demise sooner or later. (He’s basically counting on it.) The odd thing about this gas station restroom, though, is that it’s in the New Mexican desert, hundreds of miles from his home in California. Henry’s attempt to hitch back home again turns into an American road trip of a grand variety: along the way he meets a number of characters (including a preacher, a social worker, a criminal, and a medium) who not only help him on his journey, but force him to shed some of his self-hating, bourbon-swilling, devil-may-care exterior and confront the still-living Henry underneath. The closer he gets to California, the closer he is to realizing that it isn’t just home he’s headed toward: it’s the rest of his life.
Awkward title aside, Cole’s writing is a feat of frenetic storytelling. The prose is lively, funny, sharp, and frequently subverting the expectations of the reader: the very first page reads like the account of a tortured prisoner of war until it is revealed to simply be hung over Henry in a dirty bathroom. The characters turn a very simple plot into a compelling modern odyssey: the foul, folksy wisdom of bartenders and road companions transfigure simple dialogues into highly entertaining set pieces. The conversations are executed in an organic, seamless way that hides their intention: Cole’s characters discuss philosophy and personal ideology without it feeling forced or pretentious (or rather the pretentiousness is undercut by Henry calling attention to it). Henry himself is a magnetic unlikely hero: a similar character — boozy, snarky, damaged, lost — would feel cliché in lesser hands, but Henry is legitimately funny and largely sympathetic. The desert road with its dusty hamlets forms the perfect backdrop to this morality tale: life and death appear in stark relief, as do honesty and disingenuousness, forgiveness and regret. This is a simple story, inhabited by great characters, told in an exciting, energetic way: there’s nothing else to ask for – well, maybe a better title.
This is a welcome addition to the quirky tradition of American road novels.
- See more at:
http://indiereader.com/2015/02/henrys...
December 15, 2014
Henry's Re-entry Gets Kirkus Top Indie Books of 2014
Henry's Re-entry made the Kirkus Reviews list of Best Indie Books of 2014. You can read it here:
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/lists/b...
It's been a good year for Henry, and I want to thank everyone for your enthusiastic support. Wishing you happy holidays and a prosperous and joyful 2015!!!
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/lists/b...
It's been a good year for Henry, and I want to thank everyone for your enthusiastic support. Wishing you happy holidays and a prosperous and joyful 2015!!!
December 11, 2014
IndieReaders Promotion
I was so pleased to get an email from Amy Edelman from IndieReader Author Services (www.IndieReader.com) stating that Henry's Re-entry has been included as one of the selections in an article called "7 Books You Must Read in Your 30s".
Thank you very much, Amy, for this honor.
Of course, the joke is that I wrote that book in my Fabulous Fifties. Shit, did I actually say that out loud?
IndieReader is a new site to me, but I'm thrilled to have crossed its path. It's a beautiful site to look on and navigate, and I highly recommend you all visit IndieReader and review their recommendations. They really get out of the usual indie zone by discussing some extremely avant-garde and unique novels. Please visit them.
Thank you very much, Amy, for this honor.
Of course, the joke is that I wrote that book in my Fabulous Fifties. Shit, did I actually say that out loud?
IndieReader is a new site to me, but I'm thrilled to have crossed its path. It's a beautiful site to look on and navigate, and I highly recommend you all visit IndieReader and review their recommendations. They really get out of the usual indie zone by discussing some extremely avant-garde and unique novels. Please visit them.
November 21, 2014
The Burden of Memory
The Burden of Memory, Volume II of the Blood Caeyl Memories (sequel to The Pleasure of Memory) is now out.
This volume introduces several new characters and delves significantly deeper into Beam's plight, the mechanics of Caeyl Magic, and the history of Calevia. It takes the characters to the point of no return as all the forces of Lamys te'Faht unite to fight the threat from the Wyr.
The Burden of Memory
This volume introduces several new characters and delves significantly deeper into Beam's plight, the mechanics of Caeyl Magic, and the history of Calevia. It takes the characters to the point of no return as all the forces of Lamys te'Faht unite to fight the threat from the Wyr.
The Burden of Memory
July 13, 2014
Outtakes from The Burden of Memory
In anticipation of the upcoming release of the second volume of The Blood Caeyl Memories, The Burden of Memory, I'm posting random chapters to my website (www.welcomecole.net).
I hope you will find as much enjoyment in reading these new characters as I had in writing them. Spoiler alert: some of the content may reveal the fates of some characters from volume one, The Pleasure of Memory.
Thank you all so much for your support.
I hope you will find as much enjoyment in reading these new characters as I had in writing them. Spoiler alert: some of the content may reveal the fates of some characters from volume one, The Pleasure of Memory.
Thank you all so much for your support.
