37 The Art and the Business with Russell Blake

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Today we chat with NYT bestselling thriller and adventure author Russell Blake.

*Sorry for the squeaky chair and telephone interruption.

Highlights of our chat


"You'll make more money creating content if you're creating content for which there's a demand."

"I try to let myself be artistic when I'm creating content and then I take off my creative hat. Now you're in the retail business."

"The one guarantee is nothing is going to stay the same."

"From a production standpoint I find it much faster if I already have an idea of where I'm going and what I'm going to write."

"Figure out what you want to be and go be that. If you want to be a bestselling author, that's a full-time job."

"What's the hook? Why would anyone give two shits about your book?"

Russell's Links

Website

Facebook

Amazon

Russell's method of outlining 

Thrilling Fiction with Toby Neal

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Toby Neal is the USA Today bestselling author of The Wired Series, the Lei Crime series, and more.

Today she chats with us about getting started in the indie world, writing thrillers, co-authoring, branching out into new genres, and succeeding as an indie.

A few highlights from our chat

"Readers fuel my creative fire.  Readers wanting my work, encouraging me, and saying, 'Where's the next one?' That's what keeps me going."

"When you're an indie who's doing well, you're doing both [writing and marketing.] You're a business person who's writing."

"We're focusing on building our email list because these are readers who belong to us... If you begin [when publishing your first book] with the plan that you're going to build your email list, you're off to a good start."

"I think of my series as trains. Each book is a car on the train the the leading book is the engine... I add fuel to them with new releases, a Bookbubs, trying out a new ad campaign or something that gives them exposure.."

"Pick something you care about a lot because passion will drive your writing."

Check Out these Links!

Toby's Website

Toby's Amazon Author Page

Toby on Twitter

 Lei Crime Kindle World

Free books by Toby Neal

Blood Orchids

Wired In

Also check out her co-authored Apocalyptic Romance (free on KU, first book free at signup.)

Primitive Audiobook- Episode 5

Stone of Fire by JF Penn

Stone of Fire is JF Penn's debut novel, with an engaging, Dan Brown/Indiana Jones/Lara Croft vibe.

Synopsis:

A power kept secret for 2000 years. A woman who stands to lose everything.

India. When a nun is burned alive on the sacred ghats of Varanasi, and the stone she carried is stolen, an international hunt is triggered for the relics of the early church.

Forged in the fire and blood of martyrs, the Pentecost stones have been handed down through generations of Keepers who kept their power and locations secret.

Until now.

The Keepers are being murdered, the stones stolen by those who would use them for evil in a world transformed by religious fundamentalism.

Oxford University psychologist Morgan Sierra is forced into the search when her sister and niece are held hostage. She is helped by Jake Timber from the mysterious Arkane, a British government agency specializing in paranormal and religious experience. Morgan must risk her own life to save her family, but will she ultimately be betrayed?

From ancient Christian sites in Spain, Italy and Israel to the far reaches of Iran and Tunisia, Morgan and Jake must track down the stones through the myths of the early church in a race against time before a new Pentecost is summoned, this time powered by the fires of evil.

The first in the ARKANE series, Stone of Fire is a fast-paced thriller that explores the edges of faith against a backdrop of early Christian history, archaeology and psychology.

My thoughts:

Stone of Fire is a fun action-adventure story in which the main character, Morgan Sierra, is on a quest to recover the Pentecost Stones- stones collected by the disciples from the empty tomb of Jesus Christ. Morgan is joined by members of the covert group ARKANE, and hounded by the sinister group Thanatos, in a race against the clock to recover the stones and save her hostage sister before Pentecost.

Stone of Fire is a light read, and very fast-paced, with shades of Dan Brown and James Rollins' influences evident. My favorite element is the concept of the Pentecost Stones. I love a good MacGuffin, particularly one that has a Biblical tie-in. The stones are purely of Penn's creation, yet entirely believable. Penn also includes jaunts to fascinating locations, another "must" for me in a good adventure story. I did find myself wishing for more, especially in the first half of the book. There were many places in which I wanted greater detail, deeper exploration, or a few more bumps in the road. In all, Stone of Fire is a thrill ride for adventure fans. I'll definitely give Penn's next book a try. 

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The List by JA Konrath

The List was my first JA Konrath novel and remains my favorite. Action, humor, science, and history blend for an entertaining read. 

The Synopsis

A billionaire Senator with money to burn...
A thirty year old science experiment, about to be revealed...
Seven people, marked for death, not for what they know, but for what they are...
The List by JA Konrath
History is about to repeat itself

My Thoughts

The Listis a riveting mystery-thriller with a sprinkled with a generous dose of humor. When police office Tom Mankowski investigates the scene of a grisly murder, he discovers that he and the victim have something unique in common. As he digs deeper into the mystery, he encounters deadly killers, a heretofore unexpected miracle of science, and history come to life.

It's difficult to say much more without spoiling the story. Suffice it to say, The List kept me up late for a few nights running. Konrath's humor comes through very naturally, and adds to the characterization without detracting from the story or diminishing the intensity of the deadly situation in which the characters find themselves.

The List contains a smattering of graphic language and violence, and some of the humor is far from politically-correct. Personally, I didn't take offense at the content- I choose to write "PG" books, but I don't mind reading books that are the equivalent of an "R"-rated movie. If you're looking for an exciting thriller told at a blistering pace, check out The List.