T-minus 55 Days & Counting

Less then two months until I have to turn in my final manuscript, along with the cover blurbs/reviews from some amazing and helpful people. I’ve provided early copies of the manuscript along the way to trusted reviewers, other published authors and retired LEOs. Some have been asked to craft review blurbs of a couple of sentences that will be on the back cover and maybe even the front. In the May newsletter, I plan on sharing a few of these with you.

If you have no idea what I’m talking about, pick up a book. Odds are on the back cover there is a short, sentence or two, review from another author of the same genre or newspaper/publication that is extolling the virtues of the book in your hand. Urging you, subconsciously, to BUY NOW.

Aside from review blurbs, some amazing people read the book and provided line edits and comments. If you are interested in writing, find yourself a couple of honest people, who you’ve never met IRL, that will critique you honestly and provide edits that make you wonder “How the hell did I miss that?” and “Damn this reads so much better now.”

But then no matter how good they are, I’ve got a way with local South Jersey colloquialisms and vernacular that makes someone wonder if I made a mistake or maybe, just maybe it’s them.

If you noticed, each of these amazing people above asked if I was geared towards a sequel. I know you are probably excited too, despite not even reading the first, and there is one in the works. The outline for “Steve Rockfish PI – See You Next Tuesday” is coming along swimmingly.

Obviously I’d like Black Rose Writing to go all in on this sequel. So please, buy extra copies of “Steve Rockfish PI – The Pine Barrens Stratagem” or convince your neighbors they should. Homeowners Associations meetings are a good place to discuss bulk purchases. Costco-sized buys can also be utilized if we get another stimulus check. Think of pre-wrapped Christmas presents under the tree just in case that family member you didn’t expect to stop by does. BAM. Here’s your present Uncle Joe. What? You didn’t get me anything? No worries.

My goal is to have this second book ready to go, roughly 8-9 months after the first, so the characters and storyline are still fresh in people’s head. I’m no Stephen King where I can go a year or more between storylines and still have people salivating and waiting with bated breath.

Oh and if you hadn’t gotten around to subscribing to the newsletter, What’s wrong with you? In case you haven’t been diagnosed yet, I’ve put a link to the previous edition on the left-hand menu. You won’t see it in real time like the awesome subscribers do, but at some point a week or two later, I’ll post the link and you can see what all the hubbub his about. Maybe even get off that couch and drop your email in the subscribe box? Decisions, decisions.

Thanks for following in this adventure. I’ll leave you with a video from my side gig below that’s appropriate as Mother’s Day is approaching. I moonlight as the description writer/drafter/intern at the Youtube Channel, “Another Fat Guy Cooks.”

Smash the like and subscribe button as kids say – kah