A Year of Living Dangerously

There are times in our lives when events overtake us, like a tsunami that picks us up and takes us away. We don’t know where the events will take us, but we are prepared and, as always, hope for the best. Our tsunami dropped us on safe ground.

The last year has been challenging for my family, with serious illnesses, dramatic changes in publishing and distribution, and some uncertainty. We got through it and are healthier, more robust, and wiser. More importantly, we are still here punching, kicking, and writing.

I won’t divert you with the illnesses; they were complex and challenging, but now the future looks terrific.

On the other hand, publishing and distributing an author’s hard work are parts of the writing industry that are as important as writing itself. I have been down many publishing roads, initially self-publishing my first dozen or so thrillers, mysteries, and novels. Then, through the efforts of an agent, I hooked up with Thomas & Mercer, an Amazon imprint. They were great, and I did two thrillers with them. Then, as happens (this is a business, you know), they cut me adrift – what I thought would be a long relationship ended in divorce after two years. Undaunted, during the next few years, I kept writing and published a half dozen additional books within my other ongoing series (see sidebars to the right and website).

On the River

Bouchercon 2023

Incidentally, about this time, we took a road trip through Montana, explored this glorious expanse of America, fly-fished some incredible rivers and streams, and came up with the idea of a new series focusing on a new character, Deputy Sheriff Jordan Tynes, from Park County, Montana (the northern gateway to Yellowstone Park). With a helpful suggestion from my agent, I contacted an established publishing house (really a distributor since I kept the rights), who took me on. They published three of my Jordan Tynes stories but didn’t market the books the way I wanted. We amicably parted, I took all the distribution rights back, rebranded my titles, and voila, I reestablished our publishing house, Windsor Hill Publishing. We then rereleased all the novels, thrillers, mysteries, and science fiction stories with new covers and renewed vigor.

Here is a photo of the stacks of titles and fourteen years of work—it measures almost 19 inches and almost two million words.

Fourteen Years of Work

We are currently attacking the marketplace utilizing Written Word Media and Freebooksy.

They are just one of many, possibly dozens, of BookBub-type marketing sites that utilize a pay-to-play to get your titles to potential readers. All require payment for one day of email distribution to tens of thousands of potential readers. It's a great way to get your name out there, but consistency is required, and the more titles, the better. We did a Freebooksy for Deputy Sheriff Jordan Tynes's first book, One Yellow Dog, and gave away almost six thousand copies. Do you know how many bookstore events it would take to reach that many new readers? And for only $100. This immediately rolled over into sales of the other two titles, hits on the website, and sales of our other titles. We are proud to say our best two-month stretch of sales—ever.

Look for three new novels coming in the next six months. These are Wars Amongst Lovers, Four Women Named July, and the fourth Sherif Jordan Tynes modern Western, Fire on Breakneck Mountain.

Have a great fall, and I wish you all the best in your writing endeavors.

 

More Later . . . . . . . .

SO MUCH GOING ON, SO LITTLE TIME

So much going on, so little time.

Quick personal note: a few days after the Bouchercon Conference, I got COVID-19 (rumor has it I was not alone). It has taken me over a month to get back to what might be called normal. This is the third time I've had the bastard; this time, brain fog (yes, it exists), extreme tiredness, and persistent dry cough that still lingers six weeks in. Get your shots. I had mine, and I hate to think what it would have been without them.

 

Now, back to our station, there is no grass under these boots—two new books out this fall. On October 3, 2023, we (Wolfpack Publishing and I) released Blood in the Yellowstone.

This is the third Deputy Sheriff Jordan Tynes Modern Western. Jordan is becoming one of my favorite characters (and I have so many to choose from), and as of three weeks after release, I'm thrilled with the reviews and five-star ratings. And sales have been good, not great, but good. Here are a couple of published reviews:

Here is just one:

5.0 out of 5 stars JORDAN TYNES IS A GREAT CHARACTER AND RANDALL DOES A TERRIFIC JOB PRESENTING HER SKILLS

Reviewed in the United States on October 4, 2023

I've reviewed Mr. Randall's previous Jordan Tynes novel. I expressed my enjoyment with the whole range of his writings: from Sharon O'Mara's time in the Iraq War enhancing her skills as an investigator; to Tony Alfano and his work as a Chicago Cop in the 1940s; The Cherry Pickers and his non-fiction historical analysis, The Original GI Town.

Blood in the Yellowstone finds my new hero, Park County Acting Sheriff Jordan Tynes, trying to unravel the sudden murders of 4 men. The story becomes twisted in the upcoming election for Ms. Tynes' full-time role of Sheriff as Livingston Police Chief Wes Banning enters the race for Jordan's job.

The twists and turns require Jordan to stay focused on her job.

 It's a terrific story, and the scenic details are worth the read alone.

And another:

5.0 out of 5 stars Keeps your interest and guessing what's next

Reviewed in the United States on October 10, 2023

I enjoyed reading this book and found it hard to put down. There was a lot in the different plots to keep your interest high. There were some twists in the story that kept me guessing and my interest high. I would recommend this book to all.

 

Now, those are fans. Their comments make me want to start another – but I already have another waiting for you. On December 5, 2023, I’m releasing my first cozy genre mystery novel.

 

Meet The Marigold Gang:

 

The Blurb:

You’ve seen them, you may even know them, those fellows sitting together in the back of the diner early Wednesday mornings. They have known each other for years and have been friends for over half a century. They call themselves the Marigold Gang.

 

They grew up on Marigold Court in the 1950s and have stayed true friends. They took the moniker The Marigold Gang because it sounded tough for a bunch of twelve-year-olds. They have been by each other's side through high school, college, marriages, families, grandchildren, and now, death.

 

After the tragic passing of one of their own, Allen Fisher, they are asked to clear out his house. Bravely, the Gang faces clearing a hoarder’s house filled with the debris of Allen’s complicated life. What they find, suitcases of money and rich quantities of treasure, baffles them. And in the basement, it is even worse.

 

To discover what happened, the Gang volunteers to investigate. Our intrepid detectives are shocked to learn they have signed on to solve a handful of sixty-year-old murders. And in the process, put their own lives in jeopardy. And who are those bodies in the freezers?

 

The Marigold Gang is my first 'cozy' mystery, which is defined by the general types of characters and location.

 

Cozy mysteries, also referred to as "cozies," are a subgenre of crime fiction in which sex and violence occur off stage, the detective(s) is/are an amateur sleuth(s), and the crime and detection take place in a small, socially intimate community.

 

I can check off all of those – I even took out the big swear words. There is NO sex in this story; the violence occurred sixty years earlier, and no place is more intimate than a suburban village on the south side of Chicago.

 

In fact, this novel is a standalone (right now). However, it is the third in a series of books focusing on stories around Chicago and the Midwest. And, if I include my non-fiction work, GI Town, and the Tony Alfano detective stories, I seem to have written at least ten novels that take place in and around Lake Michigan and the adjacent states. I did grow up there, so maybe my roots are deep and robust.

 

Please check these two stories out – and if you haven't started the Jordan Tynes mysteries, now would be a good time.

 

UPDATE on Alex Polonia:

The New Alex Polonia Thriller Covers

 

In 2017, I was thrilled to be with the powerhouse publisher, Thomas & Mercer, an imprint of Amazon. We brought out two new thrillers, Venice Black and Saigon Red. Both feature Alex Polonia, Cleveland cop and now international security agent with Teton Security & Defense. It was a good run while it lasted, and then the publisher moved on to other bright and shiny things. I brought out St. Petersburg White in 2020 under my imprint, Windsor Hill Publishing.

 

I didn’t want these first two stories to languish. So, I asked for the rights back, was given a yes, and rebranded and redesigned the covers, and here they are. I am currently working on the fourth in the series and expect it out next summer – it is tentatively called London White.

 

I will try to keep this newsletter up to date.

A sad note here. Several years back, I made the acquaintance of Les Edgerton, a well-known writer from Indiana. We had a shared love of the San Francisco Giants and writing. His voice was strong and direct and spoke of the common man, their troubles, and the simple fact that life is a bitch. Les passed away in late August from complications of COVID. He will be missed.

 

More later . . . .

 

No Apology Needed - The Next Year

February 21, 2023

First, I apologize to those who follow and often visit my blog. It has been a year since my last post. There is no excuse not to find the time to write a paragraph or two, considering that I wrote almost half a million words during the past year. Shame on me.

 

Second (see above and below), I was also too busy. Lame excuse #2.

 

And the last year has been something; read on:

§  I joined Wolfpack Publishing and Mike Bray a year ago. Four publishing imprints comprise Wolfpack Publishing: Wolfpack Publishing, Rough Edges Press, Wise Wolf Books, and CKN Christian Publishing. Three of these imprints have released or republished my books.

 

§  Last fall, Wolfpack published the first two Deputy Sheriff Jordan Tynes mysteries, One Yellow Dog and The Killings in Paradise Valley. (This spring, we will publish Blood in the Yellowstone).

 

§  Rough Edges Press published White Rabbit last summer.

 

§  Rough Edges also republished The Chronicles of Sharon O’Mara (my second favorite redhead), the Max Adler WWII duology, and the five-book series of 1933 Chicago Detective Tony Alfano. These are all eBooks series – multiple books for the price of one.

 

§  I was also delighted when they rereleased The Cherry Pickers under their young adult imprint, Wise Wolf Books.

 

Hard to believe I published four new books last year, and this does not include the series compilations. When I joined Wolfpack, they promised a lot, and we have all been down that road. In their case, they delivered.

 

Hard to tell what the coming year will bring. As mentioned, a new Jordan Tynes modern Montana western, a new Max Adler WWII (under the new CIA) post-war mystery and thriller, possibly a new SF story, and maybe get back to Sharon O'Mara and Tony Alfano. Too many options, and then there is the siren call of new books and adventures. Never a dull moment.

 

Do me and my characters a big favor and download or order one (or all of my stories). I genuinely believe you will love them.

 

All the best, more later.

I AM THRILLED TO ANNOUNCE

I’ve been pounding the old keyboard telling stories now for more than twenty years. In fact, my first book, a non-fiction work titled America’s Original GI Town, Park Forest, Illinois, was published in 2000 (and I just got a residual check for $26 bucks this spring – it’s still alive!), with Johns Hopkins University Press. Since then, I’ve written and published over 22 novels in just about every category and genre. I’ve been privileged to be under contract with Thomas & Mercer for two books and self-published or indie-published (your choice) twenty others. I’m calling this my apprenticeship. You learn a lot writing more than two million words, like what to leave in, what to take out; whatever passive voice is/was (still confused); that, like an atom, you can split an infinitive, and to be careful with those things that dangle. I also learned the importance of editors, all sorts, from story to line to proof. There is/are editors for everything. So, when a good friend suggested that I follow up with a new publisher who might be interested in a new series I was writing (a modern western), I jumped at the chance.

Drum roll here . . . .

I am thrilled and proud to announce that I have just signed on with Wolfpack Publishing. I want to thank Mike Bray, Jake Bray, and James Reasoner, for this opportunity to work with them and their team on both re-releasing my old catalog of fourteen novels as well as offering new titles to my readers. For me it’s a three for one deal. My young adult novel, The Cherry Pickers, will be re-released through their young adult focus, Wise Wolf Books, thirteen other mysteries and thrillers will be by Rough Edges Press, and my new series of modern westerns through Wolfpack Publishing. I am looking forward to a long and mutually prosperous partnership.

 

It is so easy to become discouraged in this business and art of writing, the hardest part is pounding out the words, the second and closest to the hardest is marketing. You are required to sit and work, there’s no other alternative – and there is no one to make you do it. Discipline, patience, clarity, imagination, vision, and creativity become skills that are honed and then polished. If writing excites you, then you are half the way there. If you are in it for the money, it is a steep climb. There’s a lot of nicked knuckles and skinned knees it the process. And don’t get me started with marketing – six years of blog posts are there for you to read through. A good friend and now (after many fits and starts for him), an incredibly successful author, told me once, “It’s also a lot of luck, plain luck.” Right place at the right time, and maybe Wolfpack Publishing is that moment for me.

I will let you know about release dates, covers, schedules, even promotions as they come along. This is all new to me, so we will make this journey together.

 

All the best . . . . . until next time.

SEVEN HOURS TO BARSTOW AND THE MERGER OF IDEAS

CLICK THE IMAGE FOR AMAZON

Experiment gone bad, that’s all I can say. As you can read below, back in August, I was high on the use of Amazon’s newest trick, VELLA. A new source for serialized electronic books in a half dozen genres. Everything I have read (and on YouTube) about the experiences of the users was negative. No marketing support, hard to use, hard to find your own serial, etc.

So, I bailed. On November 16, 2021, I published Seven Hours to Barstow in its entirety. It’s a short novelette as I call it, just about 15,000 words (most full novels range between 60,000 to 140,000 words—and longer). And it will always be $0.99, or sometimes free when I want to juice up the ‘sales’ numbers. And besides I love the cover I designed.

 

It’s an irreverent road trip down the back side of the Sierra Mountains. Enjoy.

To quote the first paragraph:

Don’t do this if you’re sober, or straight, or even got your head on right. No one should do this—ever. You must be certifiably stoned, plastered, over-religious, missing a body part, even a Democrat. This is what it takes: peyote, a lid of LSD, a handful of Cubans, a bottle of mescal, the Bible, and one of those anti-COVID masks. You need seventy-five horses between your legs, steel and chrome up the ass, big tires, a bag of Snickers, and Johnny Cash bleeding his fucking heart out and crying about June over the speakers. That’s all it takes, that and a plan; oh, and a Teflon jock strap printed with the fucking Milky Way hand-stitched with gold thread.

 

Go here and download. 

https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Hours-Barstow-Slipstream-Adventure-ebook/dp/B09J8WX8PP/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=seven+hours+to+barstow&qid=1634310876&s=books&sr=1-1

 

Publishing:

The publishing game is getting crazier. There’s more consolidation in the future (big fish eating other big fish). A year ago, Penguin Random House (already a collection of imprints) announced plans to buy/merge Simon and Schuster (another collection). Here it is one year later and it’s, as far as I can tell, not been consummated. The Gov’ment is stepping in, a little concerned about the free market and monopolies – which I find to be quaint and self-serving. Hillary Clinton’s thriller (with Louise Penny) is at Simon & Schuster. Barack Obama’s first volume, A Promised Land, is a Penguin Random House, Michelle Obama’s Becoming, Crown (owned by Penguin Random House). Kamela Harris is also with Penguin books. To balance, Dick Cheney is with Threshold (Simon & Schuster), and the apolitical John Grisham is with Knopf (Penguin Random House). To balance this out even more, James Patterson (and President Clinton - new mystery series) is with Little, Brown and Company (part of the Hachette Book Group), and Nora Roberts is probably keeping Macmillan Publishing alive. No sour grapes here, but more of a concern over the concentration of thoughts an ideologies in the hands of a few on the streets of New York. Also note that Simon & Schuster is owned by ViacomCBS (talk about eyeball coverage).

 

There are dozens if not hundreds of smaller publishing houses, groups, and companies. Some were established to support a particular writer, then grew. Others came into being because a person loved the idea of a genre such as sci-fi, westerns, or romance. But it still is a business, you must sell books (paper, ebook, audios) to survive, and it is getting tougher. I know this well.

 

This publishing merger (and others) all about control, control of the market, control of the message (thoughts), and control of the politics. Books are the preeminent force of change, education, and enlightenment. In reality, who cares about a chip company merger, a tool and die conglomerate, two automobile companies forming an alliance. But two companies under the control of a particular political persuasion, now that is a different type of monopoly. After the invention of the Guttenberg press, the powers that be (state and church), feared what would happen when knowledge was easily acquired by the people through cheap books and pamphlets. Would Martin Luther (for better or worse) have had such a profound impact if the printing press had not been invented only forty years before his birth? He used it deliberately and sharply, to both government and church dismay.

 

Mein Kampf, written by he who will not be named, is a preeminent example of how words can change a nation – and how a publishing house was acquired and used to disseminate that ideology.

 

I am very concerned about concentrations of power (or aquisitions) for whatever reasons or rationalizations. Free and open competition is the backbone of capitalism, whether in goods, services, or words. It is imperative that more than a glossy review be taken of this merger. I could care less about pricing (the merger will help keep pricing fair – phooey), this is about control of ideas, the words that make those ideas real, and the minds that are manipulated by those words.

 

More later . . . . . .