Got some exciting news. I was contacted by the kind folks over at the Edinburg, Il. Labor Day Committee asking if I would be interested in taking part in a book signing event, being organized by the ever talented author, Courtney Michel, on Monday, September 1st, from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the Community Building located at 107 W. Masonic St Edinburg, IL 62531
I will have copies of both my books, Perfect Pawn & Queen's Gambit, available.
In addition, I will be joined by author and paranormal investigator, Larry Wilson. Larry has written two books, Chasing Shadows and Echoes from the Grave, and lectured extensively on the subject of the paranormal. We are currently working with him on his forthcoming third book.
Please share this with your friends and family and I will look forward to meeting with you.
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
Sunday, August 24, 2014
Small Town Secrets - Cover Reveal
Well, it's almost time for the release of my newest book, Small Town Secrets.
If you haven't already checked it out, I posted an excerpt from chapter one previously and you can read it here: Small Town Secrets (Chapter One Excerpt)
Now I am proud to present to you the cover for the book.
If you haven't already checked it out, I posted an excerpt from chapter one previously and you can read it here: Small Town Secrets (Chapter One Excerpt)
Now I am proud to present to you the cover for the book.
Thursday, August 14, 2014
Author Interview - Neil Stenton
Today I have the distinct pleasure of interviewing Neil
Stenton, author of the NYPD thriller, Saving Carrie. One of the things
that I believe makes the book unique is that Neil is a British author. So when
I had the chance to interview him, I jumped at it. I hope that you enjoy it and
pick-up a copy.
Me – Neil, describe
your debut novel for my readers in 25 words or less.
Neil Stenton (NS)
- An NYPD thriller about a team of detectives under pressure to keep an
organized crime trial on track, protect a witness and solve a kidnapping.
Me - How on earth
did you ever get dragged into the seedy world of being a professional writer?
NS - It’s
something I always wanted to try my hand at and when I realized I had the
makings of a storyline I thought it would be nice to give it a go. I didn’t
think I could do it to be honest, but I enjoyed the mapping out of the story,
the research and plotting the twists and turns needed to keep the readers
guessing until the end. I’d love to do it full time, but I’m still waiting to
be discovered and dragged into the big time!
Me - I have to
admit that I am intrigued by a guy from England writing a book involving the
NYPD. What drew you to write about them and not the Met?
NS - I’ve always
enjoyed the NYPD TV shows (NYPD Blue is one of my favorites) and the thought of
writing something set in New York had great appeal. I’ve visited twice and
can’t wait to go back. But until then the closest I can get is writing about
it. I also think it has more appeal than writing about the Met in London
(apologies to those writers who do just that), it’s certainly something I read
a lot about and that makes it easier to write about. And, as you say, an
English guy writing about the NYPD that’s intriguing in itself and hopefully a
good enough hook to pull people in to see if I’ve managed it.
Me - As a fellow
NYPD writer, I know how hard it is to create an accurate picture of department
operations. I had twenty years with the department to draw from, so how did you
resolve that issue from 3,000 + miles away. Did you have any inside help, from
professional cops, when you were creating the background story?
NS - Not really
to be honest. I’ve got a great imagination and just went with the flow on the
first book. I mapped out every chapter in one sentence, worked out the twists I
needed to include and based a lot of what goes on procedural wise, and
language, from the many shows and films I’ve seen. I drew up floor plans of the
precinct building, worked out where it was situated, who sat where and why, who
worked with who and built up some back stories for each character. I had a raft
of street maps and directions as well as leaflets to use. That said I’ve since
corresponded with John Mackie who’s ex-NYPD (he’s written a great series of
books about a character called Thorn Savage) and he’s been a great help for
answering some of the more technical aspects, and inside knowledge type
questions I’ve had. And now there’s you of course!
Me - Mystery
writers are an odd bunch. Alcoholic beverages aside, what, or who, would you
say has influenced your work the most?
NS - I’m a big
fan of most crime writing. From what’s called ‘Tartan noir’ which includes the
likes of Ian Rankin, Peter May, Stuart MacBride, to Scandinavia and Henning
Mankell’s Wallender series, right
across the Atlantic to James Lee Burke and James Ellroy. I guess some of that
has rubbed off on me, but my style is very much my own I suppose. I like to
build in things I’d love to say and do, but realistically couldn’t get away
with in real life.
Me - Most people
pick up a book and don’t realize just how much WORK actually goes into writing. What would you say was the hardest
part in writing?
NS - Editing, no
question. After that it’s getting people to notice you, as a self published
author it’s all down to me to get the messages out. I’ve picked up a good base
of readers from my first novel and they all want to know when the follow up is
coming so hopefully that’ll help to build up a wider base as they spread the
word as well. But being so close to the storyline, having lived with it for so
long in your head, it’s hard to be objective when editing. It’s my baby after
all and I want people to love it as much as I do.
Me - When I was
writing my first novel, I had this vision of ‘and they lived happily ever
after’ playing out in my mind. That didn’t work out quite so well. Did your
original idea for the ending actually survive until the end or did you alter it
along the way?
NS - The ending
pretty much went according to plan, the only thing that changed was who the mystery person behind it all was. That
was tricky leaving it open so it could have been anyone of three or four
people. Along the way I had to be sure to leave those people enough room to
maneuver so they could have been involved. Even after they’ve finished the book
I get people saying that they still think one of the other characters is a bad
guy, and why. And, maybe they’re right, I’m building a series of books so who’s
to say what might play out in the long game.
Me - I know your fans are anticipating the
release of the sequel. Can you tell us what the premise of this novel is going
to be and what the time frame is for its release?
NS - It picks up
straight after the first book, with the same team of detectives but on a new
case. This time though, unlike the first book where events took place over the
course of about48 hours, this story unfolds over a week or so. But it brings
events from the past, involving links to one of the detectives, right up to the
present day. Unlike my first book which I mapped out in full, I’m just seeing
how the story unfolds this time. But what I can say is that there’s a sniper on
the loose in Manhattan, he’s picking off seemingly innocent bystanders, and
there’s some key landmarks included just to allow people to relate to the
landscape, even if they’ve never been to NYC. There’ll also be a shock or two
along the way. I’m about half way through now and had hoped, in fact still do,
to have it out before Christmas 2014. That very much depends on how quickly the
story spills out of my head and how long the proofing and editing takes. If not
Christmas 2014, then early spring 2015 should do it.
Me - Is there anything
else you’d like to share with the readers?
NS - I really
enjoyed the process of writing my first novel and the whole publishing and
promoting aspects. I’ve met some great people along the way and linked up with
fellow writers, and readers to share experiences and grow as a writer. I just
hope that, if I write it, you’ll like reading it, but not think too harshly of
me if you don’t.
Me – Neil, I’d like to extend my sincere thanks for taking
the time to share your story with my readers. For those of you interested in
connecting with Neil and staying up to date with writing, please visit the
links below.
Website: www.neilstenton.com
Twitter: @neil_sten
Remember to support your indie authors and pick-up a copy of
SavingCarrie.
Saturday, August 9, 2014
Small Town Secrets (Chapter One - Excerpt)
CHAPTER ONE
Alex Taylor
awoke to a stream of bright sunlight coming in through the half closed plastic
blinds, of the living room window, in the small efficiency apartment in
Penobscot, New Hampshire.
It was a sleepy
little community, nestled among the rugged mountain ranges in the northern part
of the state. It had a regular population of fewer than ten thousand residents,
but those numbers had swollen to nearly fifteen thousand, now that summer had
arrived, due to its location on Lake Moriah.
The lake was
renowned for its bass fishing, hosting both state and national championships
every year. Its proximity to Northern New Hampshire University also ensured
that it was a summer mecca for students.
The small room
smelled of stale cigarettes and whiskey, both of which presently occupied a
space on the oak end table that doubled as a night stand when the sleeper couch
was open. Directly under the front window an old wall mounted air conditioning
unit struggled to keep the interior of the room cool, even as the late July
temperatures outside steadily gained traction on the thermometer.
Even at six
a.m. it was brutally hot and humid.
The apartment
itself was located up on the second floor and was smaller than most of the
other units. However, beggars couldn’t be choosers, especially at this time of
the year. Finding an available house or apartment in Penobscot wasn’t exactly
an easy affair. It depended more on who you knew or, more importantly, how you
were related to them.
The sleeper
couch occupied the majority of the front of the room and was positioned
directly across from where an old 27” color TV sat on a faux oak entertainment
center. A small kitchenette took up the other half. It came furnished with a
1950’s era chrome and Formica topped table along with two matching chairs with
red vinyl seats. The bathroom was in the back, next to the rear door which led
out onto a small wrought iron patio. It would be a couple of months before
sitting outside would be a viable option.
Taylor rolled
over and sat up with a groan, fighting the urge to go back to sleep. It would
be a futile attempt as the alarm on the cell phone would be going off in a few
minutes anyway. Still, it didn’t make it any easier to get up.
The half-finished
bottle of scotch sitting next to the glass tumbler was far too appealing a
target to pass up.
“Hair of the
dog,” Taylor said and knocked back the freshly poured shot.
The feel of the
cool liquid on the back of the throat quickly turned into a warming sensation.
It felt good, in that old familiar sort of way. Taylor then reached over to
grab the pack of cigarettes, tapping one out and lighting it, before drawing in
the first breath deeply.
Alex sat on the
edge of the bed, letting the combination of the morning sun; whiskey and a
cigarette achieve the process of waking up.
As appealing as
the thought was of staying in bed, or finishing off the remainder of the bottle
for that matter, this was an important new day. As if on cue, the cell phone
began to chirp its exceedingly annoying alarm ring tone.
Alex crushed
out the remains of the cigarette then got up and headed across the room,
flipping the switch on the coffee maker, before going to the bathroom.
The apartment
itself might have been uncomfortably small, but it did have one thing going for
it, water pressure. Taylor stood under the spray, feeling the stinging
sensation of the hot water.
After delaying
the inevitable as long as possible it was time to turn the water off. Taylor
stepped out of the shower and stood in front of the mirror which was now
shrouded in moisture. There was a
threadbare washcloth on the counter which Alex used to wipe away the
condensation and stood there looking into the mirror.
At thirty-seven
years of age Alex Taylor was far from old, but the carefree days of youthful
indiscretion were now only distant memories. Still, age had certainly been
kind. This was a fact that took on much more significance when one considered
the battle scars borne from having spent over a decade and a half in the rough
and tumble world of law enforcement.
Taylor had
started with the NYPD in 1995, spending most of that time as a police officer
in Brooklyn North, one of the toughest proving grounds in New York City. Hell,
for that matter, Brooklyn North was one of the toughest proving grounds in the
entire United States. It was one of those places where you either survived or
you were simply chewed up and spit out. It tested the mettle of the strongest
men, let alone a lanky, wide eyed girl from the well-manicured lawns and white
picket fences of suburban Long Island.
Small Town Secrets
by Andrew G. Nelson
Saturday, August 2, 2014
Small Town Secrets (Teaser)
They all like to pretend that they’re so
much different from the folks in the big cities, but they’re not. They have
white washed houses with picket fences and everyone smiles and waves when you
walk by. They talk about the virtues of faith, family and community. But their
words ring hollow.
At the end of the day, when they close
their doors and shut their blinds, they hide the same deep, dark secrets that
everyone has. You see, you can change the location but you can’t change what is
in a person’s heart.
Small Town Secrets - Anonymous
Coming - Summer 2014
Coming - Summer 2014
Friday, August 1, 2014
Paranormal Author - Larry Wilson
I have a great update that I would like to share with everyone.
If you are interested in paranormal investigations, you are going to love this. Nancy and I have been honored to team up with noted paranormal investigator, Larry Wilson, to re-publish his two earlier books: Chasing Shadows and Echoes from the Grave.
Of all places, we met Larry at the gym. He and I used to talk about Baseball. Then one day his dear wife, Kathy, mentioned that he was an author as well. That chance conversation led to several talks about self-publishing and Larry asking us if we would help him to re-publish his older items and help him with his forthcoming third book.
Most of you know that I am retired from the NYPD and spent twenty years doing criminal investigations and chasing bad guys. Well, I have to tell you that Larry Wilson is the real deal on the paranormal side of investigations. He spent a decade as a private investigator, before turning his attention to the paranormal realm. To be honest, the man has cojones of steel, because you couldn't pay me to do what he does. In the course of our discussions he has shared some of what has gone on during some of these investigations and it is not for the faint of heart.
I have never been a skeptic, but I have been quite skeptical of some of the other purported paranormal investigators. I can tell you that I truly believe that Larry Wilson is 100% legitimate. Nancy and I would not have gotten involved in this undertaking if we didn't unconditionally believe him.
If you are interested in learning more, Larry has a website (click the banner below) where you can stay up to date with the most recent goings on. You can also connect with him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter.
We will also be doing updates regarding the re-release of his prior books as well as his forthcoming one.
If you are interested in paranormal investigations, you are going to love this. Nancy and I have been honored to team up with noted paranormal investigator, Larry Wilson, to re-publish his two earlier books: Chasing Shadows and Echoes from the Grave.
Of all places, we met Larry at the gym. He and I used to talk about Baseball. Then one day his dear wife, Kathy, mentioned that he was an author as well. That chance conversation led to several talks about self-publishing and Larry asking us if we would help him to re-publish his older items and help him with his forthcoming third book.
Most of you know that I am retired from the NYPD and spent twenty years doing criminal investigations and chasing bad guys. Well, I have to tell you that Larry Wilson is the real deal on the paranormal side of investigations. He spent a decade as a private investigator, before turning his attention to the paranormal realm. To be honest, the man has cojones of steel, because you couldn't pay me to do what he does. In the course of our discussions he has shared some of what has gone on during some of these investigations and it is not for the faint of heart.
I have never been a skeptic, but I have been quite skeptical of some of the other purported paranormal investigators. I can tell you that I truly believe that Larry Wilson is 100% legitimate. Nancy and I would not have gotten involved in this undertaking if we didn't unconditionally believe him.
If you are interested in learning more, Larry has a website (click the banner below) where you can stay up to date with the most recent goings on. You can also connect with him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter.
We will also be doing updates regarding the re-release of his prior books as well as his forthcoming one.
Saturday, July 12, 2014
Summer Reading Promo
With the summer vacation in full swing, I have decided to
giveaway the Amazon Kindle version of Perfect Pawn for only
$0.99.
This offer won't last long, so please tell your friends and
family to act soon. A great summer mystery / suspense read.
Here are what some of the reviewers are saying:
"Amazing!!
Knowing that the author uses his knowledge and experience makes this the best
read! I can't wait for the next"
"The book had me hooked and it read very easily. I had a strong emotional reaction to the characters."
"An intense action driven novel with enough twists and turns through it to keep the reader very alert and attached."
"The opening scene hooked me and then I became engaged by not one but two great protagonists."
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