New Year's Free Promotion - All Releases

To celebrate the New Year, both myself and Ruby Jones are offering our titles for free for a short time starting December 31st!

Check out Ruby's book We Are All Retarded on Amazon by clicking here! Keep in mind, Ruby's book carries an audience recommendation of ADULTS ONLY.

You can pick up my short story Last Night by clicking here. This release is rated 13+ foradult content.

Also make sure to pick up Rumbling Heart which is the first in a series based in and around the Eureka, California universe. You can pick up this release by clicking here. This book is rated 14+ for adult language, adult situations and content, and scenes of dramatic peril.

Get'em fast! This free offer only lasts till January 2nd. Three free books available for three days! Go get'em now!

Rating Books

Something I've actually come to love about writing is deciding which material to use as opposed to other. What I mean by this is, as like movies, books are becoming something that can actually be rated depending on the content that is included in the work.

Why did I start using my own personal rating system?

It all comes down to who our target audience is. Example. I purchased and started reading a book solely on a recommendation from a friend. They said it was a good story and a well created world. I thought sure! I'll give it a go. And they were right...to a certain degree. They story started a little slow, but that's most books for you. I kept with it and the characters started developing nicely. I was starting to get into when like a bolt of lightning, I found myself in the middle of a hardcore sex scene.

Now...

I am the kind of person that feels people should write whatever they like to write. If you have a knack for action or fantasy or erotica, go for it. I will never ever tell people to censor themselves. If you like to include a lot of adult language or violence or sex in your work, I say do it.

If I am all for writing whatever people like to write, then why the self imposed rating?

Sure, most of what is written and released is categorized in various genres. We have thrillers, we have drama, we have romance, sci-fi, etc. The issue I found is that just because a work is categorized doesn't always tell you what exactly is in the finished work. I know if a book is released within the Erotica genre chances are I am going to come across a few very detailed sex scenes. On the other hand, I may pick up a thriller and have gobs of violence and other things I may not have expected. The same can be said of Sci-Fi. I've watched many sci-fi movies and virtually all of them have a certain level of violence in them. Some of it is stylized while parts are grotesque and graphic. I'm not in the least surprised by what I read in books today. Not in the slightest, but being a writer I want to me sure that anyone that picks up my book...and I do mean anyone...will have an idea of what to expect while reading my work.

I don't do spoilers. I hate those. There is nothing worse than reading a book only to have someone or something spoil the ending. This is not what I am going for. Here is an example of what I have done to self rate my work before release:

(This eBook carries a voluntary rating of 16+ for language, some graphic violence, some crude humor, alcohol use, drug references, and scenes of dramatic peril.)

As you can see, I didn't include any spoilers so the story is still intact. All this does is give a heads up of what to expect when you read this particular work. The age noted is also key. It is there to give you an idea of what ages should be considered when giving my work to a minor. As you can see, I self rate similar to how movies are rated. You know when you go to see a PG-13 movie that teens will probably not see or hear anything they've not come across before. Anything under that age, well you may want to reconsider or join them for the picture. I do the same thing with my books.

Keep in my I rate my books based on my own opinion. In no way should my rating by taken as gospel. I've made it no secret that I do not have kids. I do however have nephews and nieces and I think about how they might react to something they see in a movie or on TV. Would I not want them to see certain things? Of course not. I wouldn't want to expose them to graphic violence or sex. Besides, it's not my call what they get to see. The call is up to their parents. Their parents are given a little guide with which to make a decision. Books are changing just as TV has. 25 years ago it was rare to see graphic violence or hear certain cuss words on television. That's all changed now. Still, as you watch TV you probably notice the little TV-14 in the corner of the screen before the show (or another similar rating).

It's not about censorship. It's about keeping people informed. I will continue to write about things I want to write about and if they are violent and full of sex, so be it. That being said, I still like to give a heads up to people so they know what they are getting into before they start reading.

Here are examples of other ratings I've seen in books, all voluntary.

From "We Are All Retarded" by Ruby M Jones -

This electronic book voluntarily carries a warning of ADULTS ONLY. The material in this book is intended only for mature audiences. Persons under the age of 18 should not be allowed to read or possess this book because of its frank and explicit nature. Parents are strongly cautioned and warned that this body of work is not intended for children.

Here is the one I put in Rumbling Heart.

This book carries a voluntary audience recommendation of 14+ for language, adult situations, violence, alcohol use, and scenes of dramatic peril. Parents should exercise caution when purchasing this book for younger readers as is it not intended for those age 13 and under.

 

"Dream Catcher" Update

The story is running long in places I would rather it move along a little faster. Editing will be a little bit of a pain, but I am still happy with the story overall. I may not have mentioned this in the past, but the story takes place in the same universe as Rumbling Heart does. It doesn't continue the story of the other characters though. It moves on to new characters that also live in Eureka, CA. The characters named so far are Casey (Protagonist) Emma, which is another main character as well as supporting characters such as Walt, Carla, and even Joanne Kay (an ode to a friend of mine).

The story focuses on Casey and his life working for the local Eureka newspaper. He's been lucky in life. He's never really had to worry about money and his parents are still happily married. He was able to attend college and his high school days were relatively easy and carefree. He's had the life most of us hope for at 25. Easy, productive, painless. All seems well until he meets Emma, a 21 year old artist he meets at an art festival who's harboring many secrets. At first, Casey accepts that Emma isn't your average woman. He realizes she hides things from him, but he's alright with it...until things start going a little crazy.

As the story progresses, Casey finds himself wanting to know more about her, even to the point of using his connections at the newspaper to find out more about her past. What he discovers is far worse than he could have ever imagined.

Casey thought he knew what it was like to know someone who is damaged. As he digs up Emma's past, he realizes he knows nothing about true pain.

(This eBook will carry a voluntary rating of 16+ for language, some graphic violence, some crude humor, alcohol use, drug references, and scenes of dramatic peril.)

Getting Ready

Just a few more weeks till Rumbling Heart reemerges as a lighter and better book. I was considering only having it on Amazon, but have decided to make it available on Amazon, BN.com, Smashwords, and I am also working on getting it on the Apple store as well. They will all be the same price and considering the almost 2 years of work I've put into it, I am not gonna sell it for a scrawny price like $.99 like so many other authors do. I am still looking at the numbers, but when it gets settled, I will post about it. Also, you'd previously purchased the old version, I will be more than happy to provide a copy of the new one free.

"Emily Martin" Release Date Set

On Tuesday, September 27th, Emily Martin will be available for purchase from BN.com, Amazon, and Smashwords.com. A Facebook event has been created which is located here. Thank you all for the continued support as I look forward to getting more feedback on this next installment of the Rumbling Heart series. With just one more to go, this book will bring several things into perspective and get you all set for the final book.

 

Emily Martin switches gears a little and tells the story from the perspective of John Allen's best friend, Emily. With just one last installment to go after EM, this book gives readers an inside look into Emily's mind as she reveals what she really thinks about John, Olivia, and even the meddlesome Donna as she journeys with him through one of the most difficult times in his life. While giving her two cents on virtually every detail of John's life, Emily is also dealing with her own problems as someone from her past comes back into her life, looking only to cause major issues for her. Being the woman that she is, she finds a way to cope, albeit a questionable one, and soon that decision sees her walking down a path she never thought possible.

Full with intrigue, heartache, loss, and at times, laugh out loud humor, Emily Martin will take you by the hand and show you a side of her you never knew existed, and when the final two chapters are upon you, you will see something so unexpected, you will find yourself begging for the final book as you will not be able to wait to see how it all ends.

When Should Books Have Warning Labels?

As many of you know, I am putting the finishing touches on my latest work Emily Martin which is the third installment in the Rumbling Heart series of books. As the books have been released, I've found myself straying a little away from the original idea of the books which is something I am actually fine with as it only enriches the overall story line; therefore, the reader gets more out of it. In the writing of the last three books, I have come across situations and circumstances that have had me questioning which audience my books are intended for. When I first got started, I figured that since I was going for the Drama genre that most of the people who read my work would be adult females. I am perfectly fine with that. However, I've noticed that a handful of the people reading my work are a little younger than I had anticipated, but not terribly young as I tend to use middle diction with my work that maybe occasionally rail on high. It's very rare that I fall to low diction, although there are small amounts of it here and there, usually when the character calls for it.

Still, diction is hardly the reason why I am thinking of perhaps adding what some see as a death stroke to my work at the very beginning of the book. As with some music available today, there are certain works, topics specifically, that are considered much more adult and therefore shouldn't really be viewed or listened to by younger people unless given to them by their parents. I am speaking specifically about maturity level. I have seen some 15 year old's that act quite mature and therefore, I feel, can handle certain topics in the best way possible. On the flip side, I've met 32 year old's that cannot handle talking about something as adult as marital infidelity without making fun of others so I'm not really talking about age restrictions.

I'm sure you all have seen television shows that sometimes offer a message at the very beginning that say something to the effect of "This show is intended for mature audiences. Viewer discretion advised." I never really thought of my work as adult in nature by any means. My work doesn't contain massive amounts of sex and violence, although those topics are touched on here and there. I also, from time to time, touch on other politically motivated topics such as abortion, race, end of life care, and equality of the sexes. The most brought up issue I've seen when it comes to young people reading books is usually the use of four letter words. Again, my work isn't laced with f-bombs, although, from time to time, a character may utter certain words or phrases, but normally only when they are expressing a strong emotion. Out of anger or great despair, we've all uttered f-bombs and used other works that wouldn't make it on prime time television. My question is if a book contains any of those supposedly objectionable topics or words, should that book have some sort of warning label attached to it?

I've read every type of genre from horror to suspense to drama and even erotica. I tend to keep my mind open as you never know when you may stumble across a great work. I already see those sorts of prejudices with regard to certain works out there simply because of their genres. In fact, I've been conversing back and forth with a particularly "Trashy Writer" that writes erotic fiction. Does that mean that their work should be labeled as unfit for certain audiences? When compared to hers, my work is relatively tame when it comes to sex. Still, to say that my work is "better" because of the topics I discuss or the way the material is laid out seems rather unfair. To be completely fair, one of my books contains a scene where two people, different minorities (one Spanish and one Asian) that discuss race and how they each view it in the United States. As a means of understanding each other's opinion, they used racial slurs such as "Jap," "Spic," and "Wetback" all while trying to understand the topic more and not simply to offend anyone. It can be argued that since they are using those words for educational purposes, they would get a pass. I can offer even more.

In my latest book, I developed a character who uses racial slurs specifically to offend and belittle people. While the character is obviously designed to be hated, should the book be labeled as "Mature" simply because of the way the heel character is portrayed and the language he uses? Further still, the narrator occasionally tosses out F-bombs because that is part of who she is. While she may not use those words in a business setting, she isn't afraid to use them while with her friends. Does that make her any more right that the racist character?

What do you think? Labels? Exceptions? What's right?

 

Synopsis - Rumbling Heart

Here is the synopsis I came up with for my book. This is what will appear on both the Amazon and Barns and Noble listing. As soon as the purchase links are available, I will post them. Some of you may already notice the updated links to the blog. While I am getting things set, the book is not yet available, but will be in the next day or so. Enjoy.

Rumbling Heart Synopsis

After escaping the clutches of his abusive ex-wife, John finds himself living a rather dreary and reclusive life in Eureka, California. By choice, he works at a menial job where he gets paid very little, and barely makes ends meet. One day he comes home after quitting his job during an altercation with his boss to find a strange note taped to his door, instructing him to check his email. Letting his curiosity get the best of him, he checks to find an email waiting for him from the international conglomerate known simply as The Company. The email offers him a chance to secure employment with one of the most employee friendly companies on earth so without delay, he replies to the email and provides The Company with all of his personal information. Within minutes, he is contacted by phone and an interview is setup. As he gets additional information about the company, he is told about all the benefits he will reap once he is employed. One such benefit is so bold and unique that is takes him completely by surprise and because of it, he is eventually introduced to an emotionally odd, yet adorably quirky woman named Anna who is also employed by The Company.

As their friendship progresses, John is forced to look inside himself and reexamine his life as he and Anna’s relationship begins to morph and change into something much more than he expected. Weary of getting close to anyone, John struggles with his past, but ultimately decides to try to open himself up to new things, but little does he know, his new companion is hiding something from him that will rock the foundation of their friendship and send him into a tailspin of emotion.

He also unexpectedly grows closer to the beautiful and intelligent Human Resources manager Emily, his first contact within the company, who appears to have only his best interests at heart. As he begins to trust the bold and confident Emily with more, he finds that she too may not be who she seems. Soon, John finds himself in a minefield of mystery and deceit and over time, he finds he must either deal with the gatekeepers of secrecy or devolve into lunacy as his past continues to haunt his thoughts and his life.

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Angry Again

With writing, I've found that usually when I become inspired to write it's not only because of my love for the craft, but also because I have something personal to say. Passions lost and found prompt me write and express myself and oddly enough, anger has played a major role in that as well. There are times when I feel somewhat content with my life regardless of the challenges I am facing in my life and that tends to be a creative downfall. Why? When I lack conflict and challenges, I tend to close myself up and not say much if anything at all. While I do not live my life to search out conflict, for one reason or another I have been able to take those negative feelings and put them down as an artful and sometimes insightful look at life and the everyday fights we all endure as we work our way through life.

That being said, I find my fire burning again as the creative spark has given way to a massive influx of ideas and personal things to say. While it's rare that I write about myself directly, choosing to create characters and put them in similar situations instead, I do from time to time get very personal and in that attempt at self cleansing, sometimes anger others to the point of harming relationships. I have taken a step back from my life every now and then to see why it is that this happens and I think I have figured it out.

Everyone likes to think of themselves as an individual; someone completely different from everyone else on the planet, making them feel as if only they could ever be the person that they have become. Sadly, this is rather off course and certainly not the truth. I see people out there with tons of friends and they seem to be socially accepted in most circumstances. I, however, do not see them as an individual. I see them as a conformist; someone who has had their individuality stripped from them and turned into what we all like to think of as being socially acceptable. I have found that in life it's hard for most people to be taken seriously unless they are able to communicate with others on their level. Most people have this idea that they must do what society tells them to do or else you are an outcast and should not be taken seriously. Society tells us to get married and have children and conform the the standard definition of what we as a people have somehow decided to call normal. Be nice to your neighbors, always be kind to your friends, listen to your parents. I look at those phrases and i can't help but think what a complete load of crap.

My next two articles will be on topics such as these and yes, I have something personal to say.