“Thursday at Noon” suspense novel posts brilliant new cover art!

I’ve posted a vivid new cover for my latest suspense novel, Thursday at Noon, a former hardback published by St. Martins and Harlequin in paper and various foreign editions.  It is available on Kindle.  You can check it out at http://www.amazon.com/Thursday-at-Noon-ebook/dp/B008AMSH00   or see a sample chapter of it and my other novels and writing on my web page   http://billbrownwritesnovels.wordpress.com

Bill Brown

“A terrific story,” and 5-Stars! for ‘The Undertaker” by Amazon Reviewer Ivor Cohen

5 Stars!  “Had not read anything by William Brown before, but because it looked interesting and FREE on my Kindle, I tried it … This was a great book, most unusual story line, different!! A terrific story, great idea well set out and am enjoying it immensely. Will look out for more by William Brown in future.”

Ivor Cohen, Amazon Reviewer

See sample chapters of all my suspense novels at my web page  http://billbrownwritesnovels.wordpress.com

 

‘Thursday at Noon’ is Free on Kindle Friday thru Sunday.

My newest e-book, Thursday at Noon is free on Kindle this weekend.  You can see a sample chapter and info on my other suspense novels on my web site  http://billbrownwritesnovels.wordpress.com

Bill Brown

‘The Undertaker’ Reached #14 in national Amazon Sales Today!

‘The Undertaker’ Reached #14 in national Amazon Sales Today!  Also, ‘Amongst My Enemies’ is now in the upper 2% of Amazon sales.  It is a Kindle Prime and Kindle Select book.

Check it out and my other writing at my Web Page  http://billbrownwritesnovels.wordpress.com

Bill Brown

‘Amongst My Enemies’ Will Be The Featured Book on Kindle Finds 7/19!

‘Amongst My Enemies‘ has been chosen to be the Featured Book on Kindle Finds on July 19.

My web site has a sample chapter and a lot more.  Check it out at http://billbrownwritesnovels.wordpress.com

The Undertaker is the Featured Book on Kindle Finds Today!

The Inevitability of E-Books

This is the first in a series of ‘observations’ I hope to make.  I’ve written and published 6 novels to date.  Two came from main-line publishing houses, with hardback, paperback, and foreign editions, two I released myself as indie e-books, with all the self-promotion effort that involves, and two will be out soon.  One of the common opinions you hear on-line in blogs and posts is how wonderfully liberating the new wave of e-publishing is to writers.   It certainly is turning publishing and writing on its ear, as nothing has since the inventions of paper and the printing press has.  Only twenty years ago, getting a novel published meant a physical book by one of a number of independent companies, largely based in New York.  There was a certain proud, literary cache to the business, as anyone who was fortunate enough to deal with a major house back then would know.  Writers could get their work read and acquired by a real editor, albeit slowly and often ‘over the transom’ as my first one was.  The only alternative was the desperate world of the vanity press, and agents were normally acquired after one had a book or two in print.  All things change, however, for good or bad, and sometimes both.  Once-proud, independent publishing houses consolidated and eventually became mere imprints in large, multi-media entertainment corporations.  Staffs were cut, budgets reduced, and costs trimmed as they were in most businesses.  The net effect was an increasing reliance on the big Harry Potter, Clive Cussler, and David Baldacci blockbuster, and the NYT top 20.  ‘Mid-list’ and niche books were pared and gradually eliminated, and editorial staffs reduced.  Soon, no house would even look at an unsolicited manuscript unless it came through an agent, who are now the new industry Gatekeepers and Key Masters.  As hardback books rose in price from $19 to $28, and paperbacks from $5 to $9 with ever shrinking offerings, is it any wonder that young, and technically savvy readers gravitated to these new, sexy, ‘anti-establishment’ Kindle, e-Reader, and Nook devices, and to content that is half that price, or $3, or $1, or even free?  It’s pure economics.  As for the 99%?  I bet most of them have Kindles in their back packs, especially since you can even download “The Quotations of Chairman Mao.”   While the big media giants who print books will survive, quite well on their other holdings, it is an open question as to what they will do with their book subsidiaries.  More consolidation is inevitable, and one need not look beyond Borders to see the fate of many independent and small chain book stores.  On the other hand, Amazon alone now has over 800,000 titles available, with large niche categories that are sure to cover anyone’s reading interest.  As for writers, it may seem hard to argue with a brave new world where, as they say, “any fool with a computer” and a few bucks can release their ambitions and fantasies, see their work published, show it to their friends on line, say they are an author, and get a 70% royalty to boot! Hard to argue with that . . . but liberating?  I’m going to think a little more about that and offer some further observations in the near future.

Bill Brown

Bill is the author of 6 suspense and mystery novels, Thursday at Noon was published by St. Martins and Harlequin in a variety of hard, paper, and foreign editions.  The Undertaker, last year’s e-book release has 18 Five-Star and 17 Four-Star reviews on Amazon out of 37, and Amongst My Enemies, his recent e-book release has 5 Five-Star reviews out of 6.  He has also written 4 award-winning screenplays.    http://billbrownwritesnovels.wordpress.com