Book Notes — Blatant Self-Promotion: Is Indianapolis PI Deets Shanahan Back For His Last Case?

Killing Frost, Shanahan's Last Case

I would have preferred to wait a bit for the announcement.  However the publisher has the news out there already.  So I wanted blog readers and Facebook friends to know. A new book in the “Deets” Shanahan series will soon be available.  

This is the description of Killing Frost:

At seventy-two Deets Shanahan is still reeling from brain surgery. He is ready to “check out.”  But fate has other plans. As he waits for the arrival of a mysterious, unwanted, yet insistent new client, he spies a car pull in his driveway.  From his window, he sees a lady head toward his front door. This is the first time he sees her and the last time he sees her alive.

Her death leaves too many questions. What did she want with Shanahan? Why was she killed? And what can he, in his condition, do about it? Shanahan’s obsessive search for answers will uncover a disturbing trail of greed, lies, ambition, sibling rivalry and police corruption.

Twenty-five years ago Shanahan embarked on his first case. This case is likely his last, a touching story of age, infirmity — and love.

My first book in the series, Stone Veil, was welcomed by The New York Times saying the elderly detective made a “good first impression.” The Private Eye Writers of America agreed, nominating the book for that year’s Shamus Award in the “best first P.I. novel category. Killing Frost is the 11th in the Shanahan series, all of them set in my hometown, Indianapolis.

Over the years, the critics have been generous in their praise.

"Tierney's 'Deets' Shanahan series, Stone Veil, offers characters of depth and sensuality, and well-placed swipes of razor-sharp humor." — Publishers Weekly

"A series packed with new angles and delights." — Booklist

Severn House, which has published the last seven Shanahan books, has announced Killing Frost, in hardback, will be available in the U.K. on January 1 and in the U.S. on May 1. If you’d like to pre-order at Amazon, click here. For Barnes & Noble, click here.  I’m not sure when the other formats will be available. Reviews — the good ones, anyway — will be posted as they arrive. And I’m sure more blatant promotions will follow as the official release dates get closer.

On Writing — By The Numbers, A Marketing State Of Mind

Next year, publishers will release two new mysteries of mine. The manuscript work is done.  So, for the moment, marketing has replaced murder as a focus of my day. Therefore, I’ve been looking at ways to present my new books in a positive light. in a way that would promote sales or at least attention. This is a necessary, but irritating part of being a writer.

I think it is in the nature of many writers (bookstore workers and librarians — in short, bookish people) to shy away from pubic displays. And yet we must.  In the age of social media, writers take on additional responsibility in the effort to gain attention for our books and justify our existence.  This we must do in an ever-larger marketplace  where every book, e-book and audio book screams ‘look at me!”

Just Released: A New Crider

In the end it is the story and “word of mouth” that determine a novel’s ultimate success. Still, one has to find a way to get things started. One criterion to use when picking a book by an author you do not know (or perhaps no longer remember) is whether or not he or she has been published before. Is there a history?  While there is the excitement of discovering the next Hammett or Christie, there’s also comfort in knowing the author is reputable, vetted in a sense, and therefore worth the gamble of a reader’s time and money.

So, here’s something I came up with: One of my books due out on May is one of the Deets Shanahan mysteries. It is the 11th book in the series’ 25-year history. These are good numbers, right?  And by the fall of 2015, when the second book is released, I will have a total of 18 mystery novels to list on that “Other Works By” page in the front of each book.  Surely this is something. Maybe.  I’m not sure.  There’s always a faster gun. just like there’s always someone with ore money.  No matter how rich you are there’s always someone who has more numbers on the left of the decimal point. So, what is a good number here?

Just Released: A New Gorman

I am reminded that author Bill Crider, whose blog I read every morning, has published 60 or more novels.  And they are still coming.  Ed Gorman, whose blog I also read every morning, has a similar number of published works.  And he keeps adding to the list.  Perhaps I should take a different marketing direction. Compared to many others, my personal tally is no big deal.  In fact, there are plenty of other highly respected and prolific writers to put me in my middling place. Many, like those mentioned above, have awards, citations and other honors in addition to their impressive “published” list.

One of Creasey's 600

To further rain on my pitiful parade, during my research for a blog post capsulizing the year 1962, I came across the name, J. J. Marric.  He won the Edgar that year for Gideon’s Fire.  To my shame, I had never heard the name.  I looked him up.  Marric was a pen name.  His real name was John Creasey and he wrote 600 novels. I say— “600 novels,” as Foghorn Leghorn would have repeated in his blustery way. The mystery and science fiction writer used 28 pen names and God knows how many pens. Some of you already knew that, I suspect.  But I was overwhelmed. 600. I have 18.  All is not lost, however.   He’s dead. That gives me a strategic advantage. To catch up, to really make a difference, all I need to do is write 582 more novels. I do understand that because I’m just a couple of months shy of 70, I’d better step on it.

A Little More Self Promotion: Two More For Your Listening Pleasure

Amazon’s Audible reached an agreement with my publisher, Severn House, to release my most recent books for audiophiles.  Bless both of them. You can find the complete audio list of my books here. Meanwhile, here are descriptions of the two most recently recorded.

Bullet Beach — Seventy-one-year-old Indianapolis private investigator, Deets Shanahan, takes on the search of a lifetime. With only a snippet of news found on the Internet, he learns his brother — who disappeared when they were kids — could be somewhere in Thailand. Eager to tie up the loose ends of his life, Shanahan and lover, Maureen, embark on a journey to find the errant sibling. But this is more than a story of a missing person who wants to stay missing. Treasure, deceit and murder are at play on the streets of Bangkok and on the beaches of Phuket. Narrated by Ric Jerrom

“Tierney is as entertaining as ever. In particular, thumbs up for the nice, understated septuagenarian love story.” — Kirkus Reviews

“Tierney... adds spice to the story with eccentric characters, wry humor, and a spare but compelling writing style. Engaging and entertaining.” — Booklist

Death in North Beach — Sweet William, a handsome, charming and discreet professional companion to the wealthy, needs help. A famous, but not beloved, novelist is found dead. William is the prime suspect. His only salvation is for the real murderer to be found. He is able to provide a list of suspects — prominent figures connected to San Francisco's legendary North Beach — whose secrets may be revealed in the victim's soon-to-be published tell-all.  Private investigator Carly Paladino agrees to take William on as a client. But the question remained: Was the devilish gigolo telling the truth or did she fall under his spell?

Whatever the case, Carly and her streetwise and skeptical partner, Noah Lang, stir up serious trouble when they try to find the manuscript — and the murderer. Much like North Beach itself, the suspects are trying to preserve the image they want the world to see.  Light-hearted with an end that pays homage to mysteries of an earlier era.  Narrated by Katherine Fenton.

‘This is a witty, very engaging entry in what promises to be a thoroughly entertaining new series.” — Booklist

“The interplay between Carly and Noah is delightful – talk about opposites!” — George Easter, Deadly Pleasures

“Good, dirty fun – with a delightful icing of San Francisco details.”— The Rap Sheet

“The Carly Paladino and Noah Lang Mysteries have “the makings of a superior series. Tierney, author of the Deets Shanahan series, has a winner here.” — Library Journal

Second Blatant Promotion In A Row

Those who received or gave Nooks, Kindles or iPads as gifts over the holidays might want to consider some highly praised, but inexpensive mysteries to go along with them.  Here are some suggestions — all $3.99 or less.

Good to the Last Kiss — San Francisco Inspector Vincent Gratelli is charged with finding the killer of young women – all murdered in the same way, all left with the with a mysterious mark. The most recent victim is beaten and raped in her weekend cabin. There appears to be only one difference – she is still alive. There are two questions. How can these murders be stopped and how does the killer feel about unfinished business?

“Tierney serves up a dark, twisty little gem…. Every year the genre has its Goliaths, bigger and better ballyhooed than this modest entry. Come Edgar time, however, Tierney’s well-written, tidily plotted, character-driven David of a book deserves to be remembered.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Bullet Beach — Seventy-one-year-old Indianapolis private investigator, Deets Shanahan, takes on the search of a lifetime. With only a snippet of news found on the Internet, he learns his brother — who disappeared when they were kids — could be somewhere in Thailand. Eager to tie up the loose ends of his life, Shanahan and lover, Maureen, embark on a journey to find the errant sibling. But this is more than a story of a missing person who wants to stay missing. Treasure, deceit and murder are at play on the streets of Bangkok and on the beaches of Phuket.

“Tierney is as entertaining as ever. In particular, thumbs up for the nice, understated septuagenarian love story.” — Kirkus Reviews

“Tierney... adds spice to the story with eccentric characters, wry humor, and a spare but compelling writing style. Engaging and entertaining.” — Booklist

Also available for e-book gifting are two mystery novellas — Mascara, Death in the Tenderloin and Death in the Haight.  San Francisco P.I. Noah Lang takes on missing person cases in these two legendary neighborhoods.  In both cases, things are not what they appear — and that is a serious understatement.

Observations— Mystery Novellas, Revisited

There’s been a lot of talk about the emergence of the mystery novella, especially now, when the immediacy of the electronic reader and the shorter book format of the novella create a perfect marriage for those readers pressed for time and find a 400-page book too much of a commitment.  Seems to me that a 100-page novella by a quality writer for under $3.00 is perfect in-flight length and quite a bargain. 

While e-book mystery novellas are out there, roadblocks exist for readers and writers alike.  It is difficult for readers to locate quality work. Part of that is due to a huge explosion in self-publishing. Quality differentiation is nearly impossible.  For writers, it is difficult to find a publisher because novellas are not built into most corporate publishing business models or into the review process.

There have been attempts.  Amazon, through Kindle Singles, for example, pushed for both shorter works of fiction and nonfiction, in which they take an active role in publishing, editing and promoting/  But for the average reader, it is hard to see the distinction among all Amazon offerings. I’ve published my own novella through Amazon.  Penguin’s Dutton attempted to relaunch an old imprint — Guilt-Edged Mysteries — revitalized for new short, tough stories in the e-book format.  But I saw no roll-out, no advertising. They haven’t yet reached any kind of critical mass and the web site appears idle. Not long ago, Top Suspense Group gathered a dozen highly respected, some legendary crime writers to offer their wares, including novellas with the notion that readers wouldn’t have to risk getting a 99-cent dud off the Internet. The writers are vetted. This is a good idea. It also seems like the times are ripe for greater or at least more innovation with regard to getting novellas, specifically novellas, to the marketplace.  Maybe there is.

Yesterday, I received a news release from the Stark Raving Group:

Brand New eBook platform offers 1, 2, 3 Year Subscriptions, Introducing Readers to Thriller, Pulp, Action-Adventure Mystery, and Crime Fiction Novellas by Best Selling Authors

Publishing company Stark Raving Group has launched its Bookxy platform in time for the 2013 holiday shopping season. Bookxy offers users the opportunity to read genres of mystery, crime fiction, action-adventure and thriller novellas written by some of today’s most popular authors including Eric Van Lustbader (the Bourne series), Robert Ward, Stephen Hunter, Gary Phillips, Eric Beetner and Harley Jane Kozak. Moreover, each novella’s cover will be illustrated by renowned graphic novel, comic book, and film artists, including William Stout, Marc Sasso, Roger Huyssen, Derek Riggs, Adam Shaw, Tony Washington and Mark Maddox. 

Currently more than 35 authors have contracted to publish work through Stark Raving Group. In the spring, Bookxy’s novellas will be available through traditional eBook retailers including Amazon, Apple iBooks, Barnes & Noble, eBooks.com, Ingram, Kobo, and ReadHowYouWant. The books will also be available through additional eBook wholesalers and social media sites including Facebook and Twitter.

Bookxy differs from other eBook platforms, according to Grammy-winning founder of Stark Raving Group, Jeffrey Weber. “These are full novellas, not short stories. They are designed to capture the imagination of the reader and provide several hours of compelling reading. They are written by some of the best authors in the world. We guarantee that our books will never be more than $2.99, and we will continue to introduce readers of the world to new works each month. Our contracted list of authors is growing rapidly, and we look forward to introducing Bookxy to avid readers as well as new readers who enjoy time online in this digital age.”

 

“Bookxy is a clean portal,” Weber continued. “There are no book reviews, nor any distractions that would take away from a user-friendly experience. Bookxy allows users to quickly, easily and inexpensively read terrific works from the convenience of their computer, Smartphone, tablet, or other eReader devices.”

Bookxy will offer readers the opportunity to buy individual novellas for $2.99. Their books are also available via a subscriptions service, which reduces the price of each book to $2.70, totaling $32.40/year. Two-year subscriptions are also offered, further decreasing the price of each novella to $2.50 per book.

“We believe the future of digital publishing lies firmly in the realm of subscription services, and we are thrilled to be one of the first eBook publishers to offer this valuable service,” Weber says.

About Stark Raving Group: Stark Raving Group is a publishing group with an emphasis in eBooks. As creator of the Bookxy sales and distribution platform, Stark Raving Group brings novellas by renowned writers to market for readers. With a focus on taut, terse, plot-driven stories of roughly 70-120 pages, Stark Raving Group publishes crime, mystery, action-adventure and thriller, through the Bookxy platform. Its unique subscription service provides readers with additional savings, through one, two, and three year subscriptions. For more information visit http://www.bookxy.com