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:
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 . . . .
