Top Nine Reasons to Buy A Soul to Steal (Revised and Expanded)

By far the worst part about publishing a book is that,instead of leaning back in a comfy chair with a pipe and watching the salesroll in, you have to really hustle to sell it. Sure, Stephen King doesn't havethis problem, but if you are a new author like me starting out, it's tough tomake an impression.
So, at the risk of being crass, I'd like to take thisopportunity to convince you to take a chance on a newbie author. I think you'lllike my novel, A Soul to Steal. Howcan I say that? Why do I think you would like the book? Let me count the ways:
9. You won't guessthe killerI never set out to write a mystery, instead thinking I waswriting a suspense/thriller. But a key question overhangs the book: who is LordHalloween, the elusive serial killer who targets Leesburg, Virginia?When I wrote the novel, I worried everyone would figure it out. But I've beentold by virtually every person who read the book that they had no idea who itwas (the sole exception is my sister, but of course older sisters knoweverything). Yet I didn't pull a cop-out, either. The novel does not end withme suddenly introducing a random new character who turns out to be the killer("Look Scoob, it's old man Winters who runs the haunted amusement park!").Think of this as a challenge: if you figure out who the murderer is, you willbe in the top echelon of elite readers.
8. The price is rightI understand that people might not want to take a risk witha new author. When you buy a Dean Koontz or Jim Butcher, you know you aregetting quality. But at $2.99, my novel costs about as much as a cup of coffee.And it lasts so much longer! Your coffee is done within 10 minutes. But thisbook, at over 100,000 words, lasts as long as you want it to. Unfortunately,just like coffee, the novel may keep you up at night.
7. Instant indie credIf I become a mega best-selling novelist one day, you cantell all your friends you read my book before I made it big. "I discovered himfirst," you'll say. Then you'll go on to detail all the ways in which I'm nolonger as good as I once was and I've become too commercial. "He sold out,"you'll say, with your friends nodding sagely. "He used to be original, but eversince he wrote A Soul to Steal andZombies, it just feels like his heart isn't in it."
6. It's a fascinatinglook at your local paperOne thing I've been surprised to hear is how much readersenjoy the setting at a local community newspaper in Loudoun County, Va.I've been a journalist my entire professional career, including working atseveral local papers, one in Leesburg. The setting feels authentic because itis. I worked at that paper for three years and learned a lot about being areporter at a small town newspaper. I also came to love Loudoun County.It is a place rich in history and atmosphere and I wanted it to be as much acharacter in the novel as anyone else.
5. It has greatreviewsPlease don't just take my word for it that the novel is anygood. As of this writing, there are 59 great reviews (including 49 5-stars) forthe novel on Amazon. Can 49 5-star reviews be wrong? Actually, don't answerthat. I'm sure 49 people have been collectively wrong about lots of things inthe past. There are probably 49 people who believe the world is flat and thatthe Jersey Shore is quality television. Butstill, in this case, they aren'twrong.
4. It has theHeadless HorsemanSince I was a kid, the Legend of Sleepy Hollow has been oneof my favorite stories. I've always loved the Headless Horseman, one of thescariest figures in American horror. I've built an original novel that uses theHorseman—but doesn't repeat the characters or plot of Washington Irving'sclassic tale. This is not "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Zombies," though nowI would like to officially trade-mark that title for future use. In allseriousness, I've found a unique way to use the Horseman. This isn't ahalf-baked sequel or knock-off.
3. It's surprisinglyfunnyI am not a terribly serious person. So despite the fact thatthe novel involves a serial killer, the Headless Horseman, an ancient Celticmyth and a bunch of innocent people dying, it also has a fair amount of humor.One consistent feedback I've received is that my characters are well-developedand likeable. For example, Janus, who provides much of the comic relief, hasproven to be one of the most popular characters in the book.
2. It's scary, butnot goryThe novel is a mix of mystery, suspense and the paranormal,and technically falls under the Horror category on Amazon. If you like thrillsand chills, the novel has plenty. But it's not a gory book. If you are scaredof words like entrails, spewing and mangled, you're in luck! None of thosewords appear in the novel (although they do appear in this blog post, for whichI now must apologize). I don't like gore. It's not that it bothers me, I justdon't find it interesting and it can ruin a perfectly good scary scene.Accordingly, you won't find gore in ASoul to Steal.
1. The ending is"amazing."I could tell you a lot of thingshere, including that the book is an addictive page-turner or the first in a trilogythat promises to get even better as it goes on. But probably the novel's bestselling point is its ending. When I started writing A Soul to Steal, the ending is what I had in mind. Everythingbuilds to that point. Yes, it's part of a trilogy, but this is a complete book.I'm not trying to hold back for the sequel. This novel is carefully structuredto lead to a satisfying conclusion—one you won't see coming. But don't take myword for it, read the reviews. Vanessa the Jeep Diva wrote: "When everythingcame together and all the pieces finally fell into place I was completely shocked.The ending was fantastic."
So what are you waiting for? A Soul to Steal is a top-ratedmystery/thriller with a supernatural twist. Buy it now and see what all thefuss is about.http://www.amazon.com/A-Soul-To-Steal-ebook/dp/B005JVEXX0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1330125591&sr=8-2
If you want to find out moreabout the novel, find me on Facebook here: www.facebook.com/asoultosteal
Find me on Twitter at @hobbinb