A Sale!

I know, I know! I've been away from the blog for a long time. I apologize. (See explanation below)

I have news of a sale, though. That didn't seem big enough. How about...

Don't miss the sale of my novel Carniville on Amazon. From today, 12/23 through 12/26, the digital version will be $0.99. It goes up to $1.99 after that until 12/30, at which time it will return to its normal price of $2.99.

Blake Stanwick has visions, not that they ever do him any good. But when he wakes up one morning after a particularly unsettling dream about the murder of a dear friend, he can't shake the feeling of doom.

Death is coming to Carniville, the small Florida apartment complex that is home to a tight-knit community of carnival workers and human oddities. Carniville has it all -- the Fat Lady, Half-Man, Thumbelina, the Human Pincushion... Despite their impairments, they've all made a life for themselves at Crystal Springs Apartments. But for one resident, that life is coming to an untimely end.

When, inevitably, Blake's vision comes true, the authorities aren't much interested in looking past the obvious suspect, the victim's husband. But Blake knows they're wrong -- he just has to prove it. With the help of his misfit friends, Blake begins conducting his own investigation.

This is a great gift for yourself or a reader in your life. Don't miss your chance to grab a copy while the price is low and spend the holidays curled up with a whodunit.

Now, to explain why I've been AWOL for so long. I started a new job. A job that's kept me pretty busy. In the meantime, I've been working on two novels I hope to release in 2015, two novels I'm very excited about. In addition to working and writing, I've been learning German on Duolingo. I've got a 315 day streak as of this posting. Das ist gut, ja? I don't want to break my streak. I'm a bit OCD in that regard, so most all of my time is eaten up and I haven't carved any out for blogging. Hopefully, that will change in 2015. I want to keep everyone updated with my writing and book releases. Hopefully, you'll forgive me. Maybe you'll buy a copy of Carniville.

Happy holidays! Happy New Year! See you in 2015! (Thanks for stopping by.)

Book Review: Blabbermouth

Today, I bring you yet another book review. This one is called Blabbermouth by Joel Travis. I'll be honest up front, I don't read many independent authors' books. You might think this is because I, like many people out there, don't trust them to write a quality story. If this is what you think, you're dead wrong! That's crazy because, I am an independent author! I read for two purposes, in this order: to be entertained and to learn different writing techniques.

I managed to get a free copy of Blabbermouth during one of Joel's marketing promotions. It is available on Amazon in digital format as well as paperback. Last I checked, it was also available on B&N. Currently, the digital version is $2.99 and the paperback is listed as $13.49. When I saw the cover, I was apprehensive. This is the first book in a series for a character named Brit Moran. Like I said, I got a copy for free. You can't beat free, right? Especially, if you're on the fence about it. I had never heard of Joel Travis, but he already had several reviews. When I got my copy, they were all nearly 5-stars. That many positive reviews was persuasive. So, I decided to try it out. (I'm not the type of person who snatches up free books only to have them taking up space on my device. I don't get those people's mindset. I suppose they're just hoarders. If I get a book, it's with the intention of reading it, and fairly soon.)

Blabbermouth begins with Brit making a confession on, what he thinks is, his deathbed. Of course, he doesn't die from his injuries and he's already let the cat out of the bag about some questionable acts he's committed. This obviously lands him in some hot water with some nefarious characters he has worked with. However, things take a different turn when Brit becomes the main suspect in a murder investigation. Brit sets out to clear his name by solving who the real killer is.

In addition to humorous narrative and dialogue, there is an element of a locked-room mystery, which I really love. At first, I was torn between whether or not I even liked the main character. His personality is a bit grating at times. His interactions with friends and family is sometimes interesting and questionable. However, by the end of the book, I was still rooting for him to clear his name.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story and found Joel's writing and character development to be above average. If you enjoy mysteries with humor and a solid, well thought out plot, then I encourage you to read this book. I really think you'll enjoy it. Thanks for stopping by!