Monday, February 26, 2024

Coming up: Happy Read an Ebook Week! And More.

Promo image for Smashwords Read an Ebook
 

Happy Read an Ebook Week! Don’t miss the massive celebratory sale going on next week @Smashwords! There are deep discounts on thousands of books, but only between March 4 and March 9. Check it out at Smashwords Promo! #ebookweek24 #Smashwords
 

Promo Image Smashwords Read an Ebook


So, obviously Smashwords, the book distributer, is running a sale from March 4 through the 9th. Authors or publishers choose what discount (ranging from 25% off to free) will apply to their books. I signed up to allow all my books to be free, and I’m waiting to see if that works. More next week. Whether or not, go and see what you might like!

As expected, We Are Not That Girl came together pretty quickly, and it’s available for preorder now, with the release on March 4, as I said in an earlier post.



Preorder at Amazon        Books2Read        in Paperback (Amazon)

Today, the plan is to release the last two Dragons Run My Life books at two week intervals, so Ruling on March 18th and then One Pole At A Time on April Fool’s Day. While the two following those have been written, I fear they’ll need more work before showing their public appearances. Also, I need to make some decisions affecting the future.


The thrillers, Rebecca Jamse’s stories, have two more mostly written. Some may recall my earlier comment about the conflict between Israel and Hamas interfering with the story in The Girl in the Bag; it is no less true now. Hazards of writing in a largely true-to-life setting into the future. Oh, well.


Part of the issue with the novella that precedes The Girl in the Bag is that it needs substantial rewriting, and that’s something that I’ve never been able to do. Once I’ve written something, it’s gone. So if I can’t overcome that, I’ll have to provide the backstory for the several characters some other way. My problem, not yours, unless you’re anxious to read about Síne, Larysa and Tarquin.

Comments and questions welcome, as always!


 


Monday, February 19, 2024

It's Monday, and there's a little news.

 So, while the northeaster this week was kind of a disappointment right here, the two books in the Dragons series are available for purchase as Amazon and wide. Links are below the cover images. They open in a new window. The Print link takes you to Amazon, but not to the Kindle page.

Amazon    Books2Read (epubs)    Print

 

 

Amazon    Books2Read (epubs)    Print

 

On March 4, the next book in the Dragons series, We Are Not That Girl, will be released. I plan to open the pre-order on the 26th.


The two books that follow so far, Ruling and One Pole at a Time, will be dropped at two week intervals.

I’ve been working on a pair of collections to reward people willing to sign up for my newsletter. Also, determining the best way to do the newsletter sign-ups.

Comments and questions welcome!

Monday, February 12, 2024

The Promised Monday update.

 Update:

As the Superbowl winds down. In addition to below, I did a read-through of Book 8 of the Dragons series, We Are Not That Girl, and it looks pretty good. I’m contemplating releasing it the first week of March, part of a three week promotion. More details as they appear in my mind. Thanks for reading and best of luck whatever your goals may be. Reminder, also last Friday, I posted the sales links for the new releases and the couple of re-releases.
 
Comments welcome, or email me at tony(at) tonylavelyauthor.com if you like.

I repeat the links for the two books that I didn’t have links for the paperback versions here.

 

For the pre-order of Father’s Day (2/12/24). Note: This was previously published as Low Places. While the cover and title have changed and the front and back matter revised, the story has had inconsequential changes.

 Amazon (Kindle, etc.)      Books2Read       Paperback (Amazon)


 

For the pre-order of The Prophecy (2/19/24):

Amazon (Kindle, etc.)      Books2Read       Paperback (Amazon)

 

What else happened this week?

Monday, 2/5

First, Nursing Girls went live on Tuesday the fifth. Because it’s a revision, Amazon doesn’t allow delayed release, so the ebook is live. The print version isn’t yet approved.

Father’s Day is now live to pre-order, going live on Monday, February 11. Again, the print version is on its own schedule.

For D2D, who handle the distribution of epub3 books (Nook, Kobo, Books on your Mac), I’ve launched a question to discover what the best practice is for retiring a listed book and replacing it. We’ll see. [Answer 2/8: since the story hasn't changed perceptibly, edit the books as they are currently listed.]

Friday, 2/10

In the Dragons Run My Life series, Father Maman, the novella between The Journeys Home and Queen Immured has been republished with a revised cover and updated front and back matter, and minimal changes to the story. Both in ebook and paperback. Additionally, books six and seven, The Prophecy and Lovers Reunited are set to release on February 19 in both ebook and paper at Amazon and via Books2Read, in wide distribution. Both are accepting pre-orders until then.
 
The Rebecca Jamse Thrillers series hasn’t been neglected. Status at Amazon and wide. As I reported above Nursing Girls is live. Blood Moon, the sixth story in the series starring Amy Rose Ardan, mostly, is set for release on Wednesday, Valentine’s Day. You can pre-order it at Amazon and those other retailers that do pre-orders. Father’s Day, since it’s a new edition, is set for release tomorrow, February 12, in ebook. The paperback is still in process.

Going forward.

I am putting finishing touches on the novella that comes next in the Rebecca Jamse Thriller series, and waiting and watching to see how much the idiocy in Israel, Gaza and Syria damages the story of The Girl in the Bag. It’s finished, but may need revision or a strongly worded statement that the setting is only an approximation to the real world! In any event, those are the next Rebecca Jamse stories, and not ready for prime time, yet.
Dragons stories eight, nine and ten, We Are Not That Girl, Ruling, and One Pole at a Time are ready, save final passes and back matter updates. I haven’t decided on a release schedule for them yet, or if I want to try reduced prices for them or the other books in the series, to celebrate getting ten books and two novellas in front of you.
There are at least two more books in fair condition, once I decide the direction of the series following them.
 
I repeat, comments welcome!


Friday, February 9, 2024

 Update with Sales Links.

As of Friday, February 9, 2024. Links open in a new window.

Rebecca Jamse Thrillers releases.


For the revised Nursing Girls:
 Amazon (Kindle, etc.)      Books2Read       Paperback (Amazon)


For the pre-order of Blood Moon (2/14/24):

Amazon (Kindle, etc.)      Books2Read       Paperback (Amazon)



For the pre-order of Father’s Day (2/11/24). Note: This was previously published as Low Places. While the cover and title have changed and the front and back matter revised, the story has had inconsequential changes.

 Amazon (Kindle, etc.)      Books2Read       Paperback (Amazon)

The Dragons Run My Life releases.



For the revised Father Maman:

 Amazon (Kindle, etc.)      Books2Read       Paperback (Amazon)


For the pre-order of The Prophecy (2/19/24):

Amazon (Kindle, etc.)      Books2Read       Paperback (Amazon)




For the pre-order of Lovers Reunited (2/19/24):

 Amazon (Kindle, etc.)      Books2Read       Paperback (Amazon)


Don’t hesitate to click through any or all of them for descriptions or (of course) to purchase one or more.

The two missing paperback links are coming soon.

Sunday, February 4, 2024

Brief update and Plans

It has been a long while since I visited here.
Added: even longer now!
 

With everything going on, I spent more time writing than communicating as directly as I do here To the good, I have three Rebecca Jamse stories (two long and one novella) ready to put up at various retailers. The Dragons Run My Life series has five books in the continuing series.
 

I came to a stopping point with Dragons, and I still am unsure where the story needs to go from this point.
 

I’ve been working on my web site; that has been a learning experience!

My wonderful first reader has moved along in her life, which has left me trying to follow Dean Wesley Smith’s advice to not have anyone read your work except to proofread. And I use ProWriting Aid for that, mostly. If there are any volunteers to be a first reader, send an email, please.     Over the next week, beginning Feb 12, ’24, I plan to release  the following books:
 

On Monday, a new edition of Father’s Day (formerly Low Places), wide. A new cover and reworked front and back matter, the story has had only a few inconsequential edits.
 

Also on Monday, a similar new edition of the novella, Nursing Girls will appear, Amazon willing. As with Father’s Day, the new Nursing Girls sports a fresh cover, revised front and back matter, and inconsequential edits to the story.

Cover of Father's Day.

Father’s Day

Beckie and Ian accept a standard “cost plus half-spoils” contract to prevent a Mexican prosecutor from receiving a Father’s Day present he doesn’t want: his daughter’s head, gift-wrapped.
 

Both the girl and the drug cartel - the one the prosecutor’s working to eliminate - provide lots of opportunities to save her life. One of those ‘opportunities’ may allow the “half-spoils” clause to go into effect while exposing a blackmail operation that has few qualms about under-age prostitutes.
 

Sonora state in Mexico provides a beautiful setting for action that hardly stops for the life of this contract.

Father’s Day, the seventh book in the Rebecca Jamse Thriller series, is a thriller set in an approximation to the real world. While it stands alone, readers unfamiliar with previous books may find the history preceding Father’s Day of interest. Real language is used; it is recommended for 15+.

Cover of Nursing Girls.

Nursing Girls

Consensual sex: fun, but comes with consequences.  Hardly unexpected but infelicitous none the less.
 

Angel, unmarried, and her friend Tammy, married, both pregnant, faced poverty even without the babies.

Rebecca Jamse, widowed, must travel to Pakistan to support her team. Not a suitable environment for two month-old Ralf, her son.
 

Shalin deVeel knows the Imam of Tammy’s mosque strives to assist girls like these; she mentions Beckie’s need for a wet nurse. Since he has just assisted Angel and Tammy finding a Women’s Shelter, their availability is clear.

Nursing Girls solves Beckie’s problem and introduces Angel and Tammy and their families. The key action runs parallel to Discoveries.

Back to plans

Next following those two are two more, one from Rebecca Jamse Thrillers and the second from Dragons Run My Life, the epic fantasy following three red-haired sisters as they attempt to save the world as they know it. Or keep the rate of change acceptable.

The plan, then, is for the long-delayed Book Six of the Rebecca Jamse Thrillers, Blood Moon, to appear on Tuesday, when Friday the thirteenth comes this February, followed by The Prophecy. You knew the prophecy from Forbidden Islands wouldn’t just fade away, didn’t you?

Cover of Blood Moon

Blood Moon

South of Maidstone, England, Wendel Tate’s mum dies. Wendell’s reaction is disbelief; she wasn’t sick! Months railing against the Establishment has little effect, so he plans a more direct protest. The upcoming lunar eclipse suits him perfectly.
 

Before she disappears, Cecilia Stone’s friends interfere with Wendel’s plans.

Amy Rose Ardan wants a tractable assignment from Beckie and Ian to help her decide her future with Dylan. Beckie believes looking for Cissy Stone suits.
 

But Cissy unintentionally leads Amy to strange events that send her on a day trip to Pakistan and enlighten her about her past. A little, at least.
 

A kidnapping followed by finding, then losing, what she didn’t know she had galvanize her search for an answer to Dylan’s question… and hers.

Blood Moon is a romantic political thriller dealing with lies, self-delusion and growing up in an approximation to the real world. It is intended for 15 up; it includes real language.


Cover of The Prophecy

The Prophecy


End of the world prophecies: so prosaic. Unless it’s your prophecy.

Three red-headed sisters worry it’s theirs.

    ◦    Princess Tanial returns from the Forbidden Islands with a dire prophecy: unless she and her sisters prevent it, war will bring the death of all the residents of their lands.
    ◦    Queen Miriajona wrestles with her doom: to rule until her mate rejoins her.
    ◦    King Jenoele cannot abide the thought that her continued rule may require giving up control.

They believe a threat to Miri and Jenoele from the religious cult calling itself Ny Regole has been quashed. Tanial then makes her first foray toward Maman’s home in Slot Minear, the largest city in the Lindebalgh on the western slopes of the mountains dividing Jenoele’s kingdom.
Maman awaits there with her own mysteries. So, too, do the Ny Regole.

The prophecy reminds Tanial that she misses Maman and her wisdom. Her advice, not so much; she is young.
 

Even in a land where travel and communications are limited to the speed of walking or at best, horseback, calamities rise with fearsome speed.
The Prophecy is Book Six of the Dragons Run My Life series.

Going on

I plan to post weekly. We’ll see how that goes.