Wednesday, January 26, 2011


Here's a book review that I just received from Apex Reviews. I know the type is too small to read, but if you want to read it, just click on it and it will open in a new window. You should be able to click on it and enlarge it at that point.




Monday, January 24, 2011

There's still time.


If you haven't sent off your entry to the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Competition, entries are still being accepted. Buy you may want to hurry a bit.

This could be an excellent opportunity to get your work published by one of the most prestigious publishers in the industry.

Here's the LINK.

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Amazon Breakthrough Novel Pitch

This is about version six or seven. I would love your comments and suggestions.


The Golden Disk was legend.

And, as is often the fate of legendary objects, it vanished.

Richie Armstrong and his father have traveled the world in their quest for the ancient time-travel device. A cryptic clue they’ve unearthed in Caracas leads them in a new direction, but their adventure comes to a tragic end when Richie’s father dies unexpectedly, leaving him a great fortune and his final instructions:

The Disk is near Lima. Find it!

All clues lead to dead ends until, a year later, Angus Callahan and his little monkey enter the Emporium of Nautical Charts where Richie is working. Angus has a map, and he spins a tale of a fabulous treasure hidden inside a pyramid on an uncharted island off the coast of Peru. Richie’s heart races when he realizes what Angus is describing. Unfortunately, he doesn’t notice that his archenemy, Hans Von Hisle, is eavesdropping.

Later, Richie convinces Angus to accompany him on The Seahorse, the flagship of the Armstrong Steamship Line. When Richie spots the Von Hisle's dirigible shadowing them, he realizes getting to the Disk first might require a little more than a treasure map.

When they arrive at the island, the dirigible is there. Deep inside the pyramid, Richie finds another surprise. His best friend, Wren Remington, is tied to the sacrificial altar. Before he can rescue Wren, the Cannibals emerge from the shadows, and the poison darts start flying.

Richie finds the Disk, but when he removes it from the throne, the ancient clockwork mechanism beneath the pyramid is set in motion, and the stone walls begin crumbling around them. There’s no time to waste, and unless Richie can decipher the cryptic secrets of the Golden Disk, he and his friends will be buried alive. Forever.

Amazon Breakthrough Novel


On January 24th, Amazon and CreateSpace will open the entries for the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Competition. And they're going to accept 5,000 entries in each of two categories: adult fiction and young adult fiction.

The first stage is to submit a 300-word pitch for your project. Those will be judged on factors other than putting in the correct number of words. So get your entries polished up because the time is drawing near.

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Release Date set


Oh, happy day. Or rather, happy day yet to come.

I've decided to publish one of my stories in a real-hold-in-your-hands paperback. You know. A real book. It's entitled A Tale of Two Hearts, and I would personally classify it as a middle grade book that's creeping into the young adult arena. It's kind of what a lot of agents refer to as a "tween" book. It's only 50,000 words, so it could work as either one from a length standpoint. The story involves an adventure sprinkled with a little mystery and a touch of fantasy. There is also just a hint of romance.

Whatever you want to call it, or however you wish to classify it, the release date is set for February 14th, so be ready to join me in celebrating the actual publication and all the joy that accompanies such a momentous event.

I'm reducing the price of the book to a point that is barely above the production cost level in order to attract the largest number of customers. I'm hoping that will be an incentive for some of you to purchase the paperback for your own young readers. And, naturally, I would love your reviews if you do decide to buy it.

But there's more! I'm also working with GWE in the creation of a book trailer which should be ready a few days before the release date. That will allow a little time for sending out teaser messages to increase interest. I'm excited to see what they come up with.

Tumbling typefaces, Batman! It's almost like being a real author! If you'd like to take a look, there's a PREVIEW on Amazon.com. Feel free to comment and answer the questions included. More to come as it unfolds.


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