Piercing the Darkness Now on Amazon

Well if I'd realized it would be live so quickly, I'd have just waited to make the sequel's release announcement today.  Oh well!

This afternoon you can now find Piercing the Darkness, the sequel to Running into the Darkness, available for your Kindle through Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Piercing-Darkness-Deepest-Series-ebook/dp/B00AL6933I/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1355088879&sr=1-1.  I imagine it will still be a few days or weeks before it is out on the other avenues, but remember you can still pick it up via Smashwords as well.  I'll keep you up to date as to availability.

So on a cold and snowy day, sit by the fire, enjoy a cup of hot coffee or cocoa and read Book Two in the Deepest Darkness series.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sequel Announcement!

Ladies and gentlemen, I have an announcement to make tonight.

Piercing the Darkness is ready for publishing!

As you are aware, I've been going round and round concerning the cover art.  For weeks now the content has been formatted and ready to upload - it's been the pesky cover art that has given me too many sleepless nights.

Recently I was told the original cover was being scrapped and the process would start all over again due to the new cover artist being so new to the whole platform.  Things just weren't on track to match the appearance of the wonderful cover artist I'd retained last year. 

The scrapping of the cover art sent me into a panic, because that meant publishing would be severely delayed into 2013.  So in order to avoid any further delays, I requested and was granted a few minor changes to the original cover in order to get SOMETHING out to my patient readers before the end of the year.  We can always go back and modify the cover at a later date.

As of this evening, Piercing the Darkness is live and available for purchase on Smashwords at http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/263390 .  Within the next few days, it will be live on Amazon Kindle and then Barnes and Noble, Apple, etc.  I'll be sure and update you as the other sites become available.

In the meantime, re-read Running into the Darkness or pick up your own copy while it is still available on sale for only ninety-nine cents.  Then you'll be set to go with the continuation of the Deepest Darkness series.

Sequel on the Horizon

Well the sequel is on the horizon.

Piercing the Darkness, the second in the Deepest Darkness series, is finished.  Formatting is complete and ready for upload.  The only thing standing in the way of publication tonight is adjustment to the cover art.  Still needs a bit of tweaking.

Last year's cover artist wasn't available for this release so all responsibility for Piercing's cover has fallen to a young man who is still learning some of the tricks of the trade.  Latest views are promising.  My fingers are crossed that we'll have a nice cover ready for upload before leaving for Thanksgiving break.

Apologies for the delay, oh patient readers!

In the meantime, if you haven't yet purchased your copy of the first in the series, Running into the Darkness, then now's your time while it is still available for the bargain price of only ninety-nine cents.  Let your friends and family know while it's hot!

I hope you are anticipating the release of Piercing the Darkness - almost as much as I am!

Step Right Up! Pre-release Sale

Ladies and gentlemen - step right up and take advantage of a pre-release special deal on Running into the Darkness!

Work on the sequel, Piercing the Darkness, is rapidly drawing to conclusion.  The culmination of the year's work is coming together for a release in early November.  I'm so excited, and I hope you are too.  There's death and destruction, intrigue and seduction,with power and control in the balance - and so many surprises it will blow your mind.

My critique group hates it when I do that. :-)

So for a limited time, to celebrate the upcoming release of Piercing the Darkness, you can purchase the first book in the Deepest Darkness series for a steal of a price at ninety-nine cents.  The sale price is already live at Smashwords and soon to be at Amazon and other online eBook retailers.  Just click on the links under the cover image to your right here on the site and voila - right at your fingertips.

Please tell all of your family and friends while the opportunity is available - and if you've a mind to do so, leave a comment or review on your purchase site of choice.  Honest reviews are always appreciated.

Thank you again, dear readers, for your feedback and encouragement over this past year.  Stay tuned also for information on how you can win a free copy of Piercing the Darkness upon release.

Happy reading!

Putting It To Bed

Major announcement tonight.

This evening at 10:59 pm, Central Daylight Time, the first draft of "Piercing the Darkness" was officially completed.

It's even ahead of schedule.

For the last three weeks, I have used every single available ounce of time (and then some) to squeeze as many chapters of this sequel out of my fatigued brain as possible.  The state of my home has suffered.  My gardens are an overgrown mess.  Time with my son has suffered (but he's a teenager so he's doing his own thing alot too).  My poor kitties have spent countless hours laying all over my desk, trying their hardest to get any scrap of alone time with me.

Even though it's involved sharing said time with my computer.

These last four days I've stayed up far too late, spent too little time on the treadmill and too much time getting the secretary spread.  I'm not that old, but my joints are trying to convince me otherwise. 

Hoped I'd have the time to get it done within the next two or three weekends.  Instead the marathon has produced incredible results.  What I initially intended to accomplish by the end of August was finished before the final day of July.

And I'm thrilled to death.

So for the next few weeks the pages will curl and yellow as they sit untouched on my computer.  Like a fine wine, it gets tastier to drink when you leave it alone and let it age in the barrel before disturbing it again.  I've already got ideas for a few scene additions, but for now it will ruminate.

And I will celebrate putting another one to bed.

For now, I'm putting myself to bed.  But stay tuned. 

There will be a third - and I've got something fun in store for that one.

The Fans Have Spoken!

Before I forget:  HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!!!!

Okay, now that we have that over with, and I'm looking forward to blowing up the sky tonight, let's talk writing.

The fans have spoken, and I have listened.  Originally when I wrote "The Study" I anticipated it being a stand alone story.  Yes, I realize many of you hated the manner in which it ended, but to me it was represented as closer to real life than you might expect.

Of all the stories sitting on my computer - and I promise I will get to them all in due time, well maybe some are destined for the delete bin, but that's beside the point - this one is very personal to me.  All of the specific events and circumstances depicted in the story are fictionalized, but what happens at the end is very much real life for me.

And you might be surprised how many in this world for whom it is all too true.

So writing "The Study" was really just for me to get some of my thoughts out.  I never intended to publish it until encouraged by some dear friends around me.

Well now that it's out there in the eBook universe, I realize there might be need for closure for Katie and Matt.  So after much deliberation both internally and externally, I have decided to write a sequel short story for "The Study".  It's going to tentatively be entitled, "The Search".

How's that for whetting your appetite?

However, don't expect it anytime soon.  The focus at the present time is to finish my first draft of "Piercing the Darkness", the sequel to "Running into the Darkness".  Once I finish that there will be several weeks of letting it sit before I go in and complete the next draft.  During that time, I plan to start work on "The Search". 

No, I cannot promise that it will also be available by the end of the year (PTD is my focus for 2012), but I will promise to try very hard to get it ready for early 2013.  If things go REALLY well, it is possible for yearend, but I'm not going to give any specifics.  I'm not one to write checks I can't cash.

So keep watching and looking for updates on the upcoming, fan requested sequel to "The Study".

Once again, my son and I wish you the best for a safe and happy Fourth!

Shout-Out to Sue

Last week I received an email from a fan by the name of Sue.  I'm always so flattered to receive correspondence from my readers - it means some people are actually reading their downloads! :-)

Anyway, I make it a point to respond to correspondence in a timely manner.  However, each time I've tried to respond to Sue's email I keep getting an undeliverable message.  Originally I'd typed a lengthy email - it came back.  So I sent a new email instead of a reply - it came back.  Then I shortened the email - it came back.  Lastly, I took out all links and most of the text to see if I could get anything to go through - what do you think happened?

Yup - it came back.

Needless to say, I've been frantic to try and let Sue know her email was important to me.  I hope she follows my blog and sees this.

So in response to hers and many other people wondering about the sequel to "Running into the Darkness", rest assured that I'm frantically working on "Piercing the Darkness" for release later in 2012.  Cover art is slated for mock-up in June.  Stay tuned to the blog for further updates as we get closer to release.

And always - keep those emails and comments coming.  Fan mail is fabulous!

So Sue - this shout-out is for you.