Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Majoring in Murder: available in paperback!

My novel, Majoring in Murder, about a college student-turned-hitman is now available via CreateSpace. If you haven't yet read it and don't own an eReader or just prefer the printed page (as I still do), then you should pick up a copy. While you're at, pick up copies as Christmas gifts for the readers in your life.

The paperback edition should be available on Amazon and B&N soon. It takes roughly 5 to 7 days to appear on Amazon. I'm guessing it takes longer than that to hit Barnes & Noble. In the meantime, you can check out my author page on Amazon to see the other books I've written. Tell your friends and check back often for updates.

Currently, I'm working on a time travel novel called The Old Royal. So far, everyone I've pitched the idea to has said it sounds awesome. I'm still in the early stages of writing it, so I can't really say too much about it. Believe me, I want to. I'm really jazzed about the story because it has so much potential. I've got a lot of it written already, but I don't want to build up a lot of hype and then have the story fizzle out. I hope to release a sneak peek of the cover early next year, maybe late January or early February once the manuscript is finished. If it sounds interesting, I encourage you to check back here for updates.

As I did with the release of my anthology, I'll leave you with some details for Majoring in Murder:

Page Count: 220
Category: Fiction / Mystery & Detective / Hard-Boiled
Trim Size: 6" x 9"
Synopsis:
Jason Mashburn is a typical college student with a promising future. His biggest concern is making good grades to keep his dad happy until he moves into a new dorm. Little does Jason know that his new roommate comes with baggage that would set Jason's life on a new course. When Jason finds himself under the control of a Mafia boss, Jason must find a way to protect his family as he attempts to stay alive and out of jail, all while he figures a way to get himself out from under the boss's thumb.

Saturday, November 26, 2011

My anthology: now available in paperback

For anyone interested in getting a paperback edition of my anthology, An Adverse Anthology: Strange & Disturbing Short Stories, you are in luck! I recently published it through CreateSpace as a paperback. It's available right here.

Below are some of the details to whet your appetite:

Page Count: 152
Category: Fiction / Short Stories
Trim Size: 5" x 8"
Synopsis:
From the mind of J.R. McLemore come eight strange and disturbing short stories:
When the Dead Whisper - If the dead had a secret, would you want to hear it?
Jason's Last Wish - Can a cancer-stricken boy get a second chance at life?
Western Justice - Do the sins of our fathers come back to haunt us?
Hush, Hush, My Love - When a relationship sours, is it wise to look for love elsewhere?
Paranoia - Is a retired cop suffering from severe paranoia, or something else?
Sweet Charlotte - Can someone save Charlotte from her abductor before it's too late?
The Show Must Go On - Can a death-row inmate's nightmares give us a glimpse into the hereafter?
Footprints in the Snow - Can a young man learn a life-altering lesson on a rural stretch of road?



Majoring in Murder will be available in paperback soon. Watch for it!

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving

I just wanted to take a moment to wish all of my readers a Happy Thanksgiving. I hope you are enjoying the holiday with friends and family, getting your fill of holiday meals, or just relaxing while you enjoy your downtime.

My wife and I are relaxing at home in peace and quiet. Her playing her videogames while I work on verifying the proof for my latest paperback. We will be visiting family tomorrow to celebrate Thanksgiving. In the meantime, we are simply enjoying doing our own things in a leisurely way.

As I sit and ponder the meaning of this holiday, I realize I'm thankful for so much. Health and happiness probably topping the list. The love of friends and family. Of course, my readers and the ability to reach them is on that list too. Not to mention, the freedom to express myself artistically and without censorship. These are only a couple of things I am thankful and truly grateful for.

What about you? What are you thankful for?

Friday, November 18, 2011

Is this the future for book covers?

I came across this blog entry today and thought the cover was very cool. I wanted to share it with my readers.

Is this what the future of book covers will be like? It's cool to consider the possibilities. To be honest, I haven't heard of this author, but his cover is so intriguing, I might get a copy of the book when it is released just because of the creativity behind it. Just run your mouse pointer over the cover to see the effect. Cool, huh?

Here is the original blog post from Galleycat. Also, thanks to Nathan Bransford for sharing the link on his blog.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Victor Gischler's The Deputy, FREE!

I'm not sure if this is for a limited time (Victor didn't say if this would change), but Victor Gischler's The Deputy is free. According to his blog post, you can find it anywhere ebooks are sold.

Now, if you're not familiar with Mr. Gischler's work, let me just say that I bought his novel, Gun Monkeys, sometime ago because I heard it was a hard-boiled tale with hitmen. Hitmen? Hard-boiled? Those are two things right up my alley, so you better believe I got a copy. At that time, I was reading the likes of Raymond Chandler, Ross MacDonald, and Dashiell Hammett. I wanted to see if this Gischler-guy could write entertaining hard-boiled, hitman, crime fiction. He did! I absolutely loved that book. Since then, I've picked up a few of his other books: The Deputy and Shotgun Opera. I you're a fan of hard-boiled crime fiction, you should do yourself a favor and read Gischler. I doubt you'll regret it.

A couple of links you might find useful:
Victor's Blog
Amazon author page

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Coupon for my novel on Smashwords

For a limited time (that being 1 month), I am discounting my novel, Majoring in Murder, by 40% off the regular price of $4.99 on Smashwords only.

How? you ask.

Simple. Just go to Smashwords to purchase a copy of my latest novel, Majoring in Murder. Enter this coupon code (code: VF76C) prior to completing your checkout (in the shopping cart, there is a box to enter the coupon code).

Viola! That's it. You will have just saved a buck ninety-nine (that's right! a $1.99 off) and received an enjoyable crime drama to enjoy during the holidays. Speaking of holidays, you can purchase copies as gifts for friends who enjoy reading. What a fantastic idea, huh?

Be sure to act before December 15th, though. After that the coupon will no longer work. Again, that coupon code is: VF76C. Act now!

Monday, November 14, 2011

Majoring in Murder is now available!

My novel, Majoring in Murder, is now available on Amazon and Smashwords.

It will be available soon on Barnes & Noble as well as in paperback from CreateSpace. If you enjoy crime fiction, especially the hitman sub-genre, then make sure you get your copy today. Check back for availability updates!

Here's the cover and a synopsis:
As a college student with a promising future, Jason Mashburn gets an education that will change him forever. Jason's only concerns are studying hard in order to keep up his grades so he can please his dad. But, when a mafia boss blackmails him into knocking people off, good grades are the least of Jason's problems. Experience the metamorphasis of a killer as Jason recounts his story, descending into the depths of the underworld as he receives an education in dealing death. Majoring in Murder is that story of young man's transformation from studious academic to cold-blooded killer.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Throwing in the proverbial towel


So, I was participating in NaNoWriMo this year and I was up-to-date with my word count, progressing smoothly with my story. Yesterday, after writing my required amount of words, I seemed to run out of gas plot-wise.

Prior to beginning the marathon of NaNoWriMo, I made some notes and discussed my plot with other writer, hoping to iron out any kinks. Well, apparently, I didn't map my outline well enough, because the plot seemed to lack the action I wanted. In addition, I think my red herring was more pink than it was red because it didn't distract the reader from the mystery as much as I wanted. I guess what I'm trying to say is the same thing that Bugs Bunny used to say, "I must've missed that turn in Albuquerque!"

When I lost that feeling of enchantment the story held for me, I remembered another story I started some years ago about a man who is able to visit the past where he attempts to steal a famous author's life by beating him to punch by writing his novels first. My wife was a big fan of that idea when I told her about years ago. She still is. And, when I ran the idea by my co-workers, they absolutely loved the idea. Their enthusiasm about the idea was so palpable, that I've decided to shelve my current work-in-progress (yes, you read that right; I refuse to give up on it because I still feel it's a great story given the proper preparation) in favor of continuing with that long forgotten work-in-progress whose title is The Old Royal.

And, for those of you wondering whether I plan to use this for NaNoWriMo, the answer is No. To bring in a piece that I previously worked on would be cheating, and I don't cheat, not even when it would only be cheating myself. I am hereby officially declaring defeat and gracefully bowing out of the contest. Best of luck to everyone still plugging along at their novels. I hope you make it.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

NaNoWriMo is here!

Alas, my favorite holiday, Halloween, has come and gone. (Who says alas? I guess I do. How lame.) Well, never fear, NaNoWriMo is hear. For those of you that are not aware of what that is, it stands for National Novel Writing Month.

The goal is to write a 50,000 word novel within the month of November. There is a website where you can register (it's free and doesn't take long) to record your progress, make friends (known as writing buddies), and encourage one another. I like it because my friend, Mark, and I enter and motivate each other by checking our writing progress. Seeing if you can out do or even keep up with the word count is a challenge.

If you think you have a novel inside you, let me encourage you to join, get busy writing, and free that book. Believe me, you'll feel great once you accomplish it. Also, if you want, add me as a writing buddy. My username is mxlemore.

An additional word of encouragement: don't worry if you can't make the finish line. Heck, I didn't last year simply because the story I chose to write was able to be told in less than the projected 50k word count. There's nothing wrong with that. The Writing Gestapo isn't going to show up and break your legs. If nothing else, you will have at least started writing a story. That alone should feel good and prod you along to beginning that inner story.

Happy writing and best of luck!