Andrew E. Kaufman

And so it begins...

2012-01-24T11:24:00.000-08:00

I've been absent from here for quite some time, mostly because I spent December working to get my newest novel, The Lion, the Lamb, the Hunted completed, then, after its release, I was busy trying to get the word out about it. Now that I've finally had a chance to catch my breath, I feel as though life is returning to its regular rhythm.
Of course, for me, finishing one novel means starting another. It's a new phase in my novel-writing career. A weird one. I now have two books under my belt. It’s exciting. It’s invigorating. Feels like I’m on my way to being semi-prolific

But it also feels a little strange. I’ve gone from putting the final polish on one book, to once again, staring at a blank page. Kind of like going from a beautifully sculpted statue to a formless lump of wet clay. I have some idea of what I want it to look like, but not a clue yet how to go about getting there

One step forward, two steps back? Well, yeah, sort of.

Since it’s only my third novel, I don't think I'm at the point where I find this part of the process exciting. Don't know if I ever will. Many do—they see the endless possibilities before them, new worlds yet to be imagined. They reach into their vast Bag of Ideas filled with stories waiting to be told, then with a flourish, pull one out. Not me. I don’t even have an idea bag; all I have is lots of anxiety.

I do my best in a structured environment, so finding my story, plotting the elements, then knitting them into a finely woven tale is always my biggest challenge. I spend a lot of time at this stage staring at walls with a blank expression on my face and equally blank thoughts running through my mind. I cuss a lot, play lots of word games on my computer, chew my fingernails, and cuss some more.

Then there are the false starts: times when I think I have it, only to realize that I don’t. I pitch the once-promising, now-disappointing manuscripts into recycle bin, start all over again. Cuss some more. This can happen anywhere from six to eight times.

In the beginning, I used to fret a lot, wondering if I could do this, and even worse, why I do this. But with experience comes a degree of confidence. Now I sit back and trust the process, knowing that things will eventually fall into place if I let them. I’ve learned to squash the nay-saying demons within, the ones who try and tell me that the first two novels were just flukes, that I have no idea what the hell I’m doing, that I will fail.

The good news, I suppose, is that I’m not alone. Other authors tell me this is normal, that they too go through the same experience. There’s comfort in that, knowing I’m not alone, but also, there’s a degree of sadness, too; it makes me realize that after I finish this one, the process will rear its ugly head once again.

But for now, I've managed to triumph, once again. Over the weekend I found my story, and once again I’m on my way, busy at work on my third novel. The lump of clay is taking shape.

Sorta.

Amazon Special Promotion: #1 bestseller, While the Savage Sleeps, free for a limited time.

2011-12-29T09:47:00.000-08:00

#1 Bestseller, While the Savage Sleeps, Tops SEVEN of Amazon's Top-Rated Lists:

#1 Horror
#1 Occult Horror
#1 Fiction/General
#1 Mystery and Thrillers
#1 Suspense Thrillers
#1 Thriller
#4 Overall Genre fiction

Description:

TWO STRANGERS

Cameron Dawson's got a past he can't seem to shake, but he's hoping to change that. He's moved back home to Faith, New Mexico and taken a job as assistant sheriff. What he doesn't realize is that his newest nightmare's about to begin. Strange things are happening. People are disappearing, and for others, it's far worse …

DISTANCE SEPARATES THEM

Miles away in Albuquerque, Kyle Bancroft's life is spinning out of control. She's seeing, hearing, and dreaming things she can't explain: Flashbacks to World War II and an eerie hospital ward with locked doors, empty gurneys, and guttural screams. To make matters worse, a ghostly green-eyed girl is complicating her visions with an urgent message: Time is running out.

A DARK SECRET CONNECTS THEM

Kyle's otherworldly encounters are driving her straight toward Faith … and right into Cameron's life. The body count is rising, the pressure is mounting, and the clock is ticking as they rush to uncover a dangerous secret hiding just below the surface of this all-American town—one that's threatening to destroy Faith and everyone in it. A secret they must hunt down quickly … even if it costs them their own lives.

A VOICE FROM THE GRAVE WILL DRAW THEM TOGETHER

Reviews:

"Andrew E. Kaufman goes the extra mile when it comes to authenticity, and just when you thought you have seen it all in crime fiction, a guy like this comes along and knocks your socks off."
---Robert W. Walker, author of the Edge and Instinct series

“This book is the best book I have read in months ... If you are looking for expertly written characters and a murder mystery that reads like a movie in your head… this one is for you. “While The Savage Sleeps” is not only a story that keeps you guessing “who” the entire time… but also adds that unexpected element of “what” as well, and even when you think you have if figured out, chances are you don't."
---Misty Baker from Kindle Obsessed

"Intricate and unique plot, realistic and believable characters, mind blowing twist and turns — this is what readers will get in this thrilling novel from Andrew E. Kaufman. You will not want to put it down. It is just that good."
--Bitten by Books

Excerpt from Andrew E. Kaufman's New #1 Bestselling Psychological Thriller: The Lion, the Lamb, the Hunted

2011-12-20T16:44:00.000-08:00

Glenview
Psychiatric Hospital looked like it could drive a person insane if they weren’t already. Chain link and razor wire surrounded the perimeter, and beyond that, ivy snaked its way up dirty red brick walls. I let my gaze follow it to a bar-covered window where an elderly woman looked down on me, her face as white as the long, stringy hair that framed it. She nodded with a vacant, fish-eyed expression, then flashed a menacing, toothless grin that sent chills up my spine. I turned my attention away quickly, headed for the front door.

Glenview had once been a private facility, but the state had taken it over several years before. From the looks of things, they hadn’t done much to improve it. I moved down a dimly-lit, claustrophobic hallway so narrow that I doubted two people could walk it side by side. The asylum-green walls were cracked and chipped, the floors covered in nondescript, skid-infested tile. The overall theme: dismal and cold.

I came to the gatekeeper for this palace of darkness: a receptionist behind a Plexiglas partition blurred with fingerprints, grime, and other slimy things I was afraid to think about. Her expression told me she was sick of her job. Couldn’t say I blamed her. Then I heard static and a speaker going live.

“Can I help you,” she said. It sounded more like a statement than a question.

I leaned in toward a metal-covered hole in the glass. “Patrick Bannister, for Doctor Faraday.”

No verbal response, just a loud buzzer and a simultaneous click as the lock disengaged; I pulled the door open and found her waiting on the other side behind a service counter.

After signing in with my I.D., I handed over my cell phone. Then a security guard arrived to escort me through a sally port that looked more like a cave. Smelled like one, too. Next stop, a service elevator: high stink-factor there as well, like a nasty old gym locker.

Stepping off onto the fifth floor, I fell into sensory overload. The stench was so wicked and fierce that it burned through my sinuses—excrement, sweat, and cleaning agents all blended into one nasty funk that kicked my gag reflex into action. Then came the sounds: a woman’s hysterical laughter echoing down the hall, clearly not inspired by anything funny, along with lots of cursing and other peculiar, vaguely human cries I could hardly identify. As we moved past the metal-grated security doors, patients peered at me with flat, vacant expressions, creepy smiles, and wild eyes that made my skin crawl.

Finally, we came to a port in the storm: a nursing station. The guard nodded to the woman behind the counter. She nodded back, and he left me there.

In her early fifties, she was a striking brunette, one of those women whose beauty seems to improve with age: high cheekbones, dark-lashed, pale blue eyes, and a pair of legs that could give a twenty-year-old a run for her money. The nametag said she was Aurora Penfield, Nursing Supervisor. I eyed a photo on the desk; it was her, much younger with a small boy on her lap, both smiling big for the camera. Then I looked up and saw her staring, waiting for me to speak.

I cleared my throat. “Patrick Bannister, for Doctor Faraday.”

In a dutiful, mechanical manner, she reached for the telephone and punched a few buttons, giving me the once-over while waiting for an answer.

I smiled.

She didn’t.

Then I felt a tug on my leg. Startled, I looked down into a pair of dark, cavernous eyes staring up at me: a woman squatting on the floor, probably in her sixties but with a distinctly childlike quality. Tangled, grizzled hair surrounded a hopeless, miserable face. She barked at me, then snarled, baring her teeth.

“Gretchen!” Penfield said, leaning over the counter, her tone cross and unwavering. “Move awayimmediately!”

The woman looked at Penfield, looked at me, then frowned. I glanced down and spotted a yellowish puddle forming between her feet, but before I could react, two orderlies stepped quickly toward us; they each grabbed an arm and pulled her up, then guided her away.

Nurse Ratched went back to her work as if nothing had happened and said, “Doctor’s on his way. Please take a seat.”

I did.

A few moments later, a side door opened and Doctor Faraday appeared. He was somewhere in his sixties, tall and slender with a thick head of silvery hair and wire-rimmed glasses that missed the fashion curve by a good twenty years. His face registered zero on the expression scale, as blank as the wall behind him. As we shook hands, I noticed his were rough-skinned and ice-cold.

He led me down a corridor and past a door with a glass observation window. Inside, a patient sat in the corner, hands under his gown, giving himself pleasure. He made direct eye contact with me and started jerking himself with more enthusiasm and fervor. Then he stopped, and a shit-eating grin slowly spread across his face. I looked away, feeling my nausea return for a second round.

When we reached Faraday’s office, he took a seat behind his desk, and I sat across from him.

“Jean Kingsley,” he said, removing his glasses and rubbing his eyes. “Haven’t heard that name in years.”

“I’m doing a story about her son’s kidnapping and murder.”

He put his glasses back on, looked down at some paperwork. “I’ve reviewed her records. What exactly would you like to know?”

“We can start with the basics, her condition, how many times she was admitted, and for how long.”

He puffed his cheeks full of air, then let it out slowly. “Mrs. Kingsley was a very sick woman. She suffered a series of breakdowns—three, to be exact—rather significant ones. She was admitted here after each of them. The duration increased with each visit, as did the severity of her condition.”

“How long was her last stay?”

“About a month.”

“Any indication why she killed herself? I mean, other than the obvious. Anything unusual happen that day?”

“Not at all. Mrs. Kingsley was dealing with enormous guilt over her son’s murder. She blamed herself. As time went on, her memories and perceptions about the kidnapping seemed to become more distorted, as did her impression of reality as a whole.”

“Distorted in what way?”

“Her recollection about what actually happened, the circumstances leading to it—none of it made any sense, and most of it seemed to lack truth. After a while, it started sounding like she was talking about someone else’s life rather than her own. She was different person.”

“What kinds of things did she say?”

He gazed down at his notes, threw his hands up, shaking his head. “I honestly wouldn’t know where to begin. Purely illogical thinking.”

I leaned forward to glance at the notes. “Can I have a look?”

He dropped his arms down to shield them and stared at me as if I’d asked the unthinkable. “Absolutely not.”

“But Mrs. Kingsley’s no longer alive, and her husband gave me permission.”

“That’s not the point, Mr. Bannister. It’s at mydiscretion whether or not to release them, and I choose not to.”

I shot him a long, curious gaze. He broke eye contact by picking up the phone, hastily punching a few buttons, and then said, “Ms. Penfield, please come to my office immediately.”

“Doctor Faraday, you should understand my intentions here. I’m not trying to—”

“I understand your intentions just fine. You have a job to do. So do I.”

Penfield walked in, spared me a quick glance, then gave the doctor her attention. He said, “Please put these records back where they belong.”

She nodded, moved toward his desk.

I tried again. “Doctor, I don't want to put Mrs. Kingsley or this hospital in a bad light. I just want to tell her story so people can understand the hell she went through. Not seeing those records would be missing the biggest part.”

Penfield suddenly looked at me with an expression that was hard to read. I couldn’t tell whether it was animosity or…well, I just couldn’t tell.

The doctor said, “The answer is still no, Mr. Bannister. The records are confidential. End of discussion.”

Penfield grabbed the last of the papers, closed the folder. “Will there be anything else, doctor?”

Faraday shook his head, and she threw me another quick glance before going on her way.

He said, “Now, where were we?”

I nodded toward the door. “We were discussing those records you just had whisked out of here.”

“Look,” he said, exhaling his frustration and shaking his head. “I’m sorry if it came out wrong. It’s not that I’m afraid you’ll put us in a bad light or anything like that.”

“Then what is it? Because quite honestly, I’m a little confused about what just happened here.”

His stare lingered a moment. “Let me put it to you this way. Some things are better left alone. Trust me, this is one of them.”

“I’m not following you.”

“What I’m saying is that the picture you’d see of Mrs. Kingsley would not be a flattering one. And it wouldn’t serve any purpose other than to make her look badly.”

“Doctor, with all due respect, good or bad, it’s reality, and it’s my job to write about it, not hide it.”

With eyes locked on mine, lips pursed, he shook his head.

I tried another option. “Then if you won't let me see the records, can you at least tell me more about what happened while she was here?”

He paused for a long moment, seemed to be evaluating my words, and then with reluctance in his voice said, “With each visit, she became more disturbed, more agitated…and more lost in her own mind. We couldn’t help her. No one could. Things were becoming extremely tense. And unpleasant.”

“Unpleasant, how?

“We were concerned about the safety of others.”

“Why?”

He hesitated again. “There were threats.”

“What kind?”

“Death threats. To the staff and other patients—actually, to anyone who came within shouting distance of Mrs. Kingsley. Quite honestly, she frightened people. We’d made the decision to move her to the maximum-security unit, and her husband was in the process of committing her. Permanently.”

“Do you know what brought this on?”

He pressed his hands together, looked down at them for a moment, then back up at me. “When I said Mrs. Kingsley was a different person, I meant it.”

“I’m sorry?”

“She was experiencing what we call a major depression with psychotic features.”

“Which means…”

“She was severely delusional, seeing and hearing things that didn’t exist, and…” He let out a labored sigh. “…and she began assuming an identity other than her own.”

“What identity?”

“She called herself Bill Williams.”

“She thought she was a man?”

He nodded.

Glancing down at my notes, I raked my fingers through my hair, then looked back up at him. “Was she in this state all the time?”

“No. She’d slip in and out.”

“When did it start?”

“Toward the end of her last stay.”

“So, close to the time she died,” I confirmed.

“Yes.”

“And who was this Bill Williams?”

“Nobody, I’m sure. But in her mind, she was him. Her vocal tone became deeper, her mannerisms, even her facial expressions…all convincingly masculine. It was a startling transformation.”

“Did she give any details about him? Who he was?”

“Just that he was a murderer.”

“She took on the role of a killer…”

“Yes, and according to her, one of the most dangerous killers of our time, maybe ever.”

“What did he do?”

“Question should be, what didn’t he do? She reported that he began murdering when he was nine years old. Lured his best friend into a shed behind his house, then beat him to death with a claw hammer, to the point where the child's face was unrecognizable.”

I cringed at the thought, said nothing.

“She talked about it frequently—as Bill Williams, that is. She…I mean, he…took great delight in the feeling in his hands when the hammer made powerful impact with flesh and bone…the release, the euphoric pleasure. And it doesn’t end there. He just kept going. Several years later after his mother remarried, he climbed into their bed while she and the stepfather were asleep and began spooning the husband. Then he shoved the man’s face into his pillow…and a kitchen knife up his rectum. The mother woke in the middle of the night drenched in blood. Bill had wrapped the man’s arms around her, then went off to his room and peacefully back to sleep.”

“Good Lord,” I said. “All this created from her mind?”

“I’m afraid so. A very disturbed one, I remind you, one that had lost contact with any form of reality.”

“Did this Bill—or Mrs. Kingsley— talk about anything else?”

“Plenty. In her final days, she spent a good part of her time bragging about the other murders he’d committed.”

“What did she say?”

“Horrible things. Gruesome things. Some of the most disturbing I’ve ever heard—and trust me, I’ve experienced a lot here.”

“Details?”

“I’ve actually tried to forget them… but with a few, I’ve had a hard time doing that.”

“You can’t tell me?”

“I’d rather not.”

I drew in some air, blew it out quickly. “Can you at least tell me why she’d dream up someone so horrible, let alone want to assume his identity? Who was this guy?”

Doctor Faraday gazed out the window and shook his head very slowly. A tree branch shifted in the wind and threw an odd shadow across his face.

I waited for his response.

Available now on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com, and all other ebook formats.

The Lion, The Lamb, the Hunted is a #1 Bestseller!

2011-12-17T12:34:00.000-08:00

The Lion, the Lamb, the Hunted broke out onto several of Amazon's bestsellers lists last night, placing #1 on one of them. And much to my surprise, While the Savage Sleeps has moved into the top twenty. As it often does, this came on suddenly and still seems to be gathering momentum. Of course, I know I'm just part of the equation. I write the books, but you buy them; I couldn't do it without you. So a BIG thank you to my readers. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I've enjoyed writing it!

2011-12-14T10:17:00.001-08:00

Sample the first 30 pages of The Lion, the Lamb, the Hunted

Get it here

The Lion, the Lamb, the Hunted Featured in this Month's Issue

2011-12-09T12:20:00.000-08:00

Suspense Magazine is running a feature this month honoring the release of my new psychological thriller, The Lion, the Lamb, the Hunted. What I failed to notice, until my good friend, Linda Boulanger mentioned it to me, was that my name is on the cover. Observant of me, don't you think? I wonder if some brain cells got lost from innumerable hours of sleep loss, external stimulation loss, and getting-a-life loss.

Anyhow, here's the article: If you'd like to read it, go to Suspense Magazine. They're offering four months free.

2011-12-06T09:50:00.000-08:00

Get it here

Just in Case you Haven't Heard...

2011-12-05T13:40:00.000-08:00

In case you haven't heard me shouting it from every rooftop--The Lion, the Lamb, the Hunted is gearing up for its release on Tuesday, December 6th.

It's been a rocky road getting the book into production, mostly because--as many have noted--I'm a bit of a control enthusiast. But if you look to the left, you can see, it's paid off. My graphic artist Patty G. Henderson, and my book formatter, Linda Boulanger, have helped to make it everything I hoped it would be. I'm thrilled with the end result and can't wait for you all to read it!

Click here if you'd like to take a sneak peak at an excerpt from the book. Don't forget to scroll down.

It's almost here....

2011-11-25T19:12:00.001-08:00

Coming December 6th!

After two years of hard work, I'm happy to announce that my new psychological thriller, The Lion, the Lamb, the Hunted is quickly approaching its release day. The final draft was completed this week and now goes off to the interior designer for the paper version and the formatter for the e-book.

Also, don't forget to "Like" The Lion, the Lamb, the Hunted on Facebook; I'll be announcing some big contests there with great giveaways to celebrate the release. Some great prizes, so don't miss it!

While the Savage Sleeps: On sale

2011-11-11T17:24:00.000-08:00

Special Price:

PLUS, NOW INSIDE: A BONUS SNEAK PREVIEW CHAPTER FROM THE SOON-TO-BE-RELEASED THE LION, THE LAMB, THE HUNTED!

#1 Bestseller, While the Savage Sleeps: only .99 on Amazon Kindle for a Limited Time Only

Order it here

Read the first thirty pages here

The Lion, the Lamb, the Hunted

_____________

C O M I N G - S O O N

The Lion, the Lamb, the Hunted: Coming Soon...

2011-10-15T09:29:00.001-07:00

She only stepped outside for a minute...

But a minute was all it took to turn Jean Kingsley's world upside down--a minute she'd regret for the rest of her life.    

Stepping into he  r worst nightmare

Because when she returned, she found an open bedroom window and her three-year-old son Nathan gone. The boy would never be seen again.  

A nightmare that only got worse. 

A tip eventually leads detectives to their killer, a dangerous repeat sex offender. Inside his apartment, a gruesome discovery, confirming everyone's worst fears. A slam-dunk trial sends him off to death row, then several years later, to the electric chair.     

Case closed. Justice served...or was it?

Now, more than thirty years later, Patrick Bannister unwittingly stumbles across evidence among his dead mother's belongings. Evidence that may throw the entire case into reverse. It paints his mother as Nathan's killer and her brother, a wealthy and powerful senator, as the one pulling all the strings.

What really happened to Nathan Kingsley?

The more Patrick investigates, the less things add up. There's a hole in the case a mile wide, and he's determined to close it. But what he doesn't know is that he's already become the hunted, and the closer he moves toward the truth, the more he's putting his life on the line. Someone's hiding a dark secret and will stop at nothing to keep it that way. The clock is ticking, the walls are closing, and the stakes are getting higher as he races to find a killer--one who's hot on his trail. One who's out for his blood.
  
From Andrew E. Kaufman, author of the #1 bestseller, While the Savage Sleeps...  

comes a fast-paced psychological thriller that takes you everywhere you'd never dare to go: from the world of murder-for-hire, to behind the walls of a sanitarium where horrendous acts are committed and then covered up--to the other side of politics, one few ever get to see where power brokers commit the crimes first, then call the shots later.   

C O M I N G

S O O N

2011-09-25T23:20:00.000-07:00

Two years ago, I set out to write my second novel. The challenge, to meet or exceed the success of the first—not such an easy task when you consider that the bar was raised pretty high from the start. You see, when I wrote While the Savage Sleeps, the question was: could I write a novel? Turns out I could, and thanks to you, my amazing readers, it far exceeded any expectations. So the second time around, the question seemed to have changed. Now I found myself wondering: could I write a better novel? And so it began—an idea, a fascinating main character, and a story. Of course mixed between all that were some sweat and tears (the blood was in the story), a lot of head banging, and a few twists and turns. But finally after all that, a complex psychological thriller was born, one that has become my new novel, The Lion, the Lamb, the Hunted. I have to tell you, this has become a true labor of love, and while it’s a complete departure from my last, I couldn't be more excited. I honestly believe this is my best work to date and can't wait to bring it to you. If you liked the fast-paced suspense of While the Savage Sleeps, then I really think you're going to like this one. It's a mind-bending-pull-you-out-of-your-seat kind of thriller. So what’s it about? Well, I've kept pretty tight-lipped on that for the past two years, mostly because I hate giving away details until my work is complete. So much changes during the process, and it just doesn’t seem fair to mislead my readers by passing out information that could easily become outdated, drastically changed, or even removed. This is how I write novels. I create and move layers; so what I start with is usually quite different from what I end with. I do plan to release a synopsis, however that will come a bit later, probably in my next newsletter after the manuscript is set and I'm fairly certain everything is just right. But not to worry: you won’t have to wait much longer because the launch date is quickly approaching. An advanced copy was sent out to beta readers in late July, and much to my excitement the response was overwhelmingly positive. I made a few adjustments, then handed it over to my editor earlier this month. Soon it'll come back for revisions and then likely go through another round of changes. The exact release date is yet to be determined, but if everything goes as planned we’re set for sometime in the fall. Be assured you'll get it that information here first before anyone else. A special thanks goes out to my beta readers for giving the book a test-run along with their valuable input, and of course to my regular readers who, incidentally, are without question the absolute best—I'm convinced of this. I give you my promise that I'm doing everything I can to bring you a novel you will thoroughly enjoy. This is what you deserve, and this is what you will get. If you'd like to get a taste of what the novel's about, please check out the trailer below; I think it really captures the essence of what I've created. One more note. Contests. I'll be having them around the time of the release. You'll also get that info right here, first. So keep an eye out for this newsletter. Thanks again to every one of you for the support and encouragement—it means the world to me! Best wishes,

Want to be Among the First to Know the Release Date?

2011-08-22T20:52:00.000-07:00

If you do, then get on the list for my newsletter. I don't send them out often, promise not to spam you, and won't give your info out to anyone else. But I will give you important news about my upcoming psychological thriller, The Lion, the Lamb, the Hunted, set to be released this fall. All you have to do is send your email address to: mail@andrewekaufman.com and you're in! You'll also receive info about Savage Soul, the much-awaited sequel to While the Savage Sleeps due for a 2013 release, along with information about contests to win free copies of my novels, posters and other great novel-related merchandise.

Premier: Trailer for, The Lion, the Lamb, the Hunted

2011-08-14T21:18:00.000-07:00

To My Readers

2011-06-25T10:00:00.000-07:00

I make a point to thank my readers every chance I get—so often, in fact, that I wonder if I sound like a broken record.

But I do it anyway. And I'll continue to doing it.

That's because I'm fiercely loyal to them and because know I have plenty for which to be thankful. Shortly after its release, While the Savage Sleeps met an unexpected and overwhelming success when it jumped to #1 on Amazon, and for the year that followed, it remained a bestseller. It's also won numerous readers polls and awards, and has dominated eight of Amazon's Top Rated lists. That just doesn't happen very often for a first-time author. I know this, and not only do I know it, I'm amazed by it, grateful for it, humbled by it.

Humbled, because I know that none of this would have happened were it not for you, the reader, and because it was just a year ago that not many people knew who I was, let alone read my work.

With the digital age in full swing, more than ever the choices are beyond abundant when it comes to what you can read. That you manage to find my book, let alone find the time to read it, I know, is a chore unto itself.

For as long as I can remember, all I've ever wanted do was to reach out to people with my words. That's been my dream, and now that dream is coming true. You don't often hear people say that, because sadly, it doesn't often happen. It has for me.

Forget about royalties, forget about making bestsellers lists, forget about all of it, because none of them—not a single one—can compare to connecting with people by way of the written word. This is why writers write, why I write.

And that's why I'm dedicating this post to you, my readers. The ones who send the emails telling me how much you've enjoyed my book and who thank me for writing it. The ones who anxiously await my next one. Or those of you who take time out of your own busy lives to encourage me to keep writing. You don't have to do any of it. You just do.

And for that, I say thank you.

The Gift

2011-06-01T00:00:00.000-07:00

June is a big month for me.

My birthday is in June. It’s also the month doctors removed a malignant tumor from my left kidney, and it's the time when I go for my annual scan to see whether the cancer's returned: A reminder that I'm not completely out of the woods and that I was given a gift.

A gift because three years and three surgeries later, I'm in remission. A gift because my cancer was found completely by accident.

My doctor inadvertently stumbled across it after I came to him for an unrelated infection. Renal carcinoma is called The Silent Killer and with good reason: it produces few noticeable symptoms, and by the time they arise, the disease is usually in its advanced stages. In other words: I never would have known about it and as a result, might not be here today writing this.

A gift.

While all this was happening, my mother was also diagnosed cancer--although, her prognosis was far less optimistic than mine: Stage four.

Together, she and I fought the good fight--but compared to hers, mine was a cakewalk. For two years she battled the disease with her brave smile, her dignity. Through the chemo, the disappointing scans that charted her rapidly advancing disease, I don't think I ever heard her complain, not once, even though she had more than enough reason to do so. Then, just a week after Mother's Day, she lost her fight.

This is a difficult post for me to write. My mother was my biggest fan, and I don't think there was anything she looked forward to more than reading my first novel. Sadly, that didn't get to happen. She passed away just months before I finished it. Never saw it published, never saw it become a bestseller. Never saw it, period. But she would have been proud. I know she would.

Cancer steals many moments from many people’s lives, but for the ones who survive, it also teaches lessons, that each day is a one time offer and that this very moment is the only one that counts. That's what I try to take from the experience and what has moved me through and past my difficult journey.

But June isn't just about me or even my mother. It’s about the ones who have fought and who continue to fight this awful disease. It's about life after Cancer. This Sunday, June 5th, is National Cancer Survivor's Day, a worldwide celebration of life. Please join me in honoring those who have fought the disease and won, those who are still fighting it, and those who have lost to it.

Regardless of the outcome, they are all survivors in every sense of the word.

Authors Band Together to Help Family Devastated by Joplin Tornados

2011-05-24T09:50:00.001-07:00

Seeing the devastation caused by the Joplin Tornados is hard enough, but the feelings of anguish that follow over not being able to do something about it only seem to make it worse.

Imagine what the families who are living through it feel.

My fellow authors and I at the Crime Fiction Collective have decided to put our words into action and make a difference. You can help, too. Now through Memorial Day, I'm donating 100% of my ebook and paperback royalties from While the Savage Sleeps to help a family affected by this horrible tragedy. L.J Sellers is donating 100% of the royalties from her Detective Jackson Series, and Judith Yates Borger is pledging the royalties from her Skeeter Hughes mysteries to help both the the Joplin family as well as North Minneapolis, where two people died in the same tornado and about 6,000 have been left homeless. Author C.J. West has also joined us for this worthy cause. He's donating 100% of his sales as well from the titles listed below.

The family we're helping is Francisco and Natasha Rodriguez and their children Zion and Adriana. Natasha is pictured here with the kids. They plan to share the money with other family members Jose, Sabrola, and Fabian Ramierz, who lost their home, cars, and workplace.

The amount of money we raise will be up to readers. We hope you’ll take advantage of this opportunity to buy some great books and donate to a good cause at the same time. Here’s a list of the participating novels with links to Amazon.

Please help us make a few lives just a little better during this remarkably difficult time. Here are links for the participating authors' books:

Andrew E. Kaufman's While the Savage Sleeps -

L.J. Sellers' Detective Jackson mysteries:
The Sex Club
Secrets to Die For
Thrilled to Death
Passions of the Dead
Dying for Justice

Judith’s guilty pleasure Skeeter Hughes mysteries:
Where’s Billy?
Whose Hand?

C.J. West
The End of Marking Time (A creative, compelling story, L.J. adds)
Taking Stock
Randy Black thrillers:
Sin & Vengeance
A Demon Awaits
Gretchen Green

While the Savage Sleeps: Chosen as a Finalist in San Diego Book Awards

2011-05-15T20:11:00.000-07:00

The San Diego Book Awards Association is a volunteer organization dedicated to enriching the large, diverse, and vibrant literary community of the nation’s third largest county. Each year, they honor the best published books and unpublished manuscripts by San Diego County residents.

Last night, to my surprise, I got word that my novel, While the Savage Sleeps, was chosen to be a finalist in the 2011 Awards.

Wow.

What an honor it is to be recognized for my work by the community in which I live. What an honor it is, period.

I know people often say how great it is just to be nominated for an award, but really, it is. At least for me. Writing is such a solitary act, and even after we put it out there in the world, seldom do we get the validation we seek. It sure is nice when we do.

I've been extremely fortunate--and extremely thankful--for the success While the Savage Sleeps has seen since its release nearly a year ago. Being my first novel, I never dreamed any of it would happen. Well, correction: I've actually dreamed about it since I was a kid, but seeing it as a reality, well, there are just too many variables involved, ones far beyond my control.

Anyway, here is the list of my fellow finalists. I commend them, and I commend all the others who entered. Writing a novel is no easy undertaking, and we all have something of which to be proud.

Unpublished Novel Adult

Suzanne De Cayette-Nadel, "Widow's Weeds"
Douglas P. Lathrop, "Reconquista"
John Mullen, "Digital Dick"

Unpublished Novel, Children

Lisa M. Davis, "Captured: The Finlays and the Fae"
Laurie Richards, “KK@NP.com”

Short Story

Madhushree Ghosh, "The Whisper of Dead Wings"
Margaret Harmon, "One Piece of Perfection"
Helen McKenna, "Right Next to Pink Flamingos"
Michele Yipez, "Butterfly Tattoo"

Unpublished Memoir

Jack Beddows The Amazing Adventures of Captain Immunity
Rick Hill We're All from Somewhere Else

Poetry Chapbook

Coming Soon

Published Poetry

C.A. Lindsay "Angels of My Life"

Christine Renhard Stenstrom "Cherry Blossom Trees Literary Writings and Artworks"

Shadab Zeest Hashmi "Baker of Tarifa"

Published Books—Nonfiction

General Nonfiction

Richard Lederer "The Gift of Age"

Judy Reeves "A Writer's Book of Days"

Marlene Wagman-Geller "Eureka"

Children's Nonfiction

Eric Blehm "Molly the Owl"

Simonetta Carr "John Owen"

Irene T. Hunt "Queen Iween's To Be A Honey Bee, Like Me!"

Judith P. Josephson "Why Did Cherokees Move West?"

Memoir

Milt Kogan "Diary of the Ouagadougou Doc"

Jessica O'Dwyer "Mamalita: An Adoption Memoir"

Scott J. Stevenson "Looks Easy Enough"

Biography

Norm DeWitt "Grand Prix Motorcycle Racers"

Arlene Lochridge "A Fish Out of Water"

Jane Mitchell "One on One"

Ron Pastore and John O'Melveny Woods "Jesse James' Secret"

Diane Welch "Lilian J. Rice: Architect"

Military & Politics

Sue Diaz "Minefields of the Heart"

Jay Stout "The Men Who Killed the Luftwaffe"

Eric Blehm "The Only Thing Worth Dying For"

Business

Holly Berkely "Low-Budget Online Marketing"

Wendi Brick "The Science of Service"

Tom Goad "The First-Time Trainer"

Bob Nelson and Stephen Lundin "Ubuntu!"

Local Interest

Nelson Copp "Cycling the Trails of San Diego"

Katrina Pescador, Karen Raines, Pam Gay, and Nelson Chase "Wheels to Wings"

Alan Renga and Mark Mentges "Images of Aviation"

Cookbook

Chefs Press "Top Tables Coronodo"

Jeff Rossman "From Terra's Table"

Yuan Wang, Warren Sheir, and Mika Ono "Ancient Wisdom, Modern Kitchen"

Travel

Maggie Espinosa "The Privileged Pooch"

Lois Joy Hofmann "Maiden Voyage"

Marshall Lubin "From Boys 2 Men"

Science

Nancy Knowlton "Citizens of the Sea"

Alan Evans, Kendall Martin, and Mary Anne Poatsy "Technology in Action 7th"

Sherry Seethaler "Curious Folks Ask"

Self-help & Inspirational

Diana Hoppe "Healthy Sex Drive, Healthy You"

Annellen M Simpkins and C. Alexander Simpkins "Neuro-Hypnosis"

Annellen M Simpkins and C. Alexander Simpkins "Meditation and Yoga in Psychotherapy"

Janet F. Williams "You Don't Ask, You Don't Get"

Spiritual

Coming Soon

Published Books—Fiction

General Fiction

Hal Altenbern "A Modern Samson and Delilah Story with a Happy Ending"

Harold M. Bergsma "Cries in the Night: Mimi's Travail"

Margaret Dilloway "How to Be an American Housewife"

Gary Friedly "Bridge Over the Valley"

Picture Book

Anne C. Bromley "The Lunch Thief"

Edith Hope Fine and Angel Demos Halpin "Water, Weed, and Wait"

Mara Price "Grandma's Chocolate"

Young Adult

Marty Martins "The Blizzard"

Laura McNeal "Dark Water"

John O'Melveny Woods "Return to Treasure Island"

Mystery

David Bajo "Panopticon"

Richard Hicks "Crossing Borders"

Andrew E. Kaufman "While the Savage Sleeps"

Ken Kuhlken "The Biggest Liar in Los Angeles"

Political/Legal Thriller

David W. Aossey "Instruments of the State"

Joshua Graham "Beyond Justice"

Bob Hamer :Enemies Among Us"

Contemporary

Drusilla Campbell "The Good Sister"

Jim Miller "Flash"

Bobbe Tatreau "Once Upon a House"

Short Story Collection

Brandon Cesmat "When Pigs Fall in Love"

Harold Jaffe "Anti-Twitter: 150 50-Word Stories"

Julie Ann Weinstein "Flashes from the Other World"

Amber Lenore Winckler "The Distribution of Fluids"

Anthology

Coming Soon

Sci Fi & Fantasy

Joan Brady "The Ghost of Mt. Soledad"

F.J. Dagg "The Lowlands of Heaven"

Blaine C. Readler "The Worth of Smart" and "Monsters in the Attic"

Action/Suspense

Dee Detarsio "The Scent of Jade"

Keith Jones "The Suspicious Spouse"

Linda Schroeder "Artists & Thieves"

Historical

Ellen Bryson "The Transformation of Bartholomew Fortuno"

Laurel Corona "Penelope's Daughter"

Zohreh Ghahremani "Sky of Red Poppies"

Donald C. Lee "Eclipse of the Bright Moon"

This Man's Best Friend

2011-05-05T11:44:00.000-07:00

This Man's Best Friend

By Andrew E. Kaufman

“Cowboy has Lymphoma.”

The vet's words still echoed in my head, and tears stung my eyes as we headed home.

I gazed over at him and he looked back with that concerned expression, the one I'd come to know all too well. For a brief moment it was as if he were speaking directly to me.

“What’s wrong?” he seemed to ask.

I didn’t answer. I couldn’t. I turned my head quickly toward the road, and he poked his though the open window, closing his eyes and letting his mouth hang open, fresh air and pure bliss sweeping across his face. For him, this could have been any other day, but it wasn’t, and I knew that. It felt as if we were driving straight down a dead end road, and in reality, that’s where we were headed. The disease was in its advanced stages, and there was little time left. The vet hadn’t said so—not in so many words—but I’d read between the lines:

"The best you can do is try to make him as comfortable as possible."

The guilt set in, sending thoughts swirling through my head. There had been symptoms. Six months earlier, something didn’t seem right—his eyes looked different. I became worried, brought him to a specialist, then felt relief when he assured me everything was fine. I didn’t take it any further. I wanted to believe he was okay.

Recently, he’d started sleeping more and eating less. It wasn’t like him; that’s when I decided to take him back to the vet, and that’s when the bad news came.

Eight years: It was all we were going to get, all he was going to get. He deserved more—so much more. I should have trusted my instincts, not taken the doctor’s word for it, should have done more. My best friend—I’d failed him.

I glanced over one more time, and curious eyes stared back. With head tilted, tail gently wagging, his concern was only for my well-being. So typical: my good friend, my keeper, ever vigilant, ever fretful over my slightest hint of discomfort. As if reading my thoughts, he leaned over, licked under my chin, then sidled back an inch or two, checking his work, waiting for a smile.

I lost it. I completely lost it.

During the next few days, things grew worse. He became more lethargic, and all he wanted to do was sleep. I had to lift him onto the bed just so he could lie beside me at night; each time I did, I felt his body becoming lighter, his bare bones pushing beneath his skin, and his life slipping between my fingers. Eventually, he began refusing meals despite my valiant efforts to rekindle his appetite. Chicken with rice, braised beef, all his favorites, all swiftly rejected. The joy was nearly gone.

And so was he. I knew it. I also knew there was nothing I could do to change that. All I really could do was wait and watch as the light of my life flickered, growing dimmer with each passing moment.

More and more, he began drifting into extended stages of sleep and further out of my life. I could almost count down to the dreaded moment—the longer he slept, the closer we were getting.

One night as we lay on the bed together, he gazed up, eyes filled with heartbreaking incomprehension—they locked onto mine and seemed to ask, “Why?”

I had no answer. All I had was sadness, deep, dark, and seemingly endless.

He slept through the next day. That evening, I entered the bedroom to check on him, but he was no longer there. Then, in the corner of my eye I caught a glimpse of him through the patio door.

The sunset was unusually vibrant that night. Shades of red, orange, pink, and purple flooded the sky. He seemed to be taking it all in with great wonder, lost in the moment, lost in thought. I kneeled beside him, looked on, too, and together in silence we gazed out, watching the colorful sky surrender to darkness. As the brilliance and intensity escaped from the world, I couldn’t help but feel it was also leaving mine.

Then, all of a sudden I saw a flash of light—or something like it—followed by a wave of thought, of realization. A profound feeling of peace followed. Without words, without so much as a glance between us, we were powerfully connected by the moment. I knew it; he knew it too, and it was magical.

It also spoke the truth: Life begins, life flourishes, and sadly, life ends. However, in that process, only one thing matters. It’s not the start, not the finish—it’s what happens between those two points that counts, however long or short it might be. That’s where all the color flows. That’s where life flows.

He turned his head, held my gaze, and drew a long, labored breath, his face seeming to speak what he could not say: "I’m so tired. I’ve fought so hard, but I have to go now."

And with regret, both painful and great, I nodded.

The next morning when I awoke, he was no longer beside me. I found him in his bed; he’d gone peacefully overnight in his sleep.

Always the gentleman: he didn’t want to disturb me.

I kneeled, ran my fingers through his fur one last time, and smiled with tears. He looked so calm, so content. I knew there had been no pain, and I was grateful.

I often think back to that last night he and I shared, the beautiful sunset, and that magical moment. When I do, suddenly we are together again. We are connected. That’s when he speaks to me, and that’s when I know he’s never really gone—just a part of him is. The other part—the most important one—will always stay with me. I may not be able to see it, can’t touch it, but I will forever feel it.

The memories, the lessons, the love—those never die.

###

The Lion, the Lamb, the Hunted

2011-04-20T22:10:00.000-07:00

Cover design by Patty G. Henderson

Tips on promoting your novel (that work).

2011-04-13T10:41:00.000-07:00

How to Take the Sting (and the Stink) out of Lousy Reviews

Amazon Reviews. Negative or positive, they're not going to go away--at least not very easily. While Amazon will do so in rare instances, it's a process that, in many cases, can prove to be an exercise in futility. But there are things you can do to minimize the damage to your reputation, if you feel you've been unnecessarily wronged and also ways to accentuate the positive.

Get that stinker out of the way and out of sight:

See the image below where it states: "Was this review helpful to you?" Every time someone clicks "Yes", the higher that review moves up the page. Every time someone clicks "no", the lower down it goes. Get the picture? It will also notate how many people clicked yes or no. Readers may see this and give it less or more weight in their decision making process. What I'd recommend is to ask your readers (the ones who gave favorable reviews) to go there and see if they agree. If enough click "no", that stinker will fly right off the first the page and conveniently out of the way.

Respond to the negative reviews:

Each rating gives the author an opportunity to respond to a review. You can use this feature to your advantage by explaining, reasoning, or clarifying. Most important: Be courteous and kind. Acting belligerent will not help your case; it will sink you even more. Don't shoot yourself in the foot. Furthermore, have solid evidence to back up what you say. Stating the reviewer is "crazy" or "doesn't know what he's talking about" won't cut it. While it may in fact be true, you can't prove it, so all you're going to do is sink your credibility--and yourself--even more. However, if the reviewer has misinterpreted something in your book, try to kindly clarify. Another reader may see this and perhaps agree with you.

Report:

Amazon will occasionally remove a review if it violates their policies (see bottom for a listing of them). If you feel a review for your book does this and want to give the method a try, click "Report this" next to the comment. Be aware, however, that just one click from you may not do the trick. I'm told this system is automated and real people won't actually read or react to it unless there are at least nine reports. So again, ask your readers to take a look and see if they agree, and if they do, to follow your lead

Try (nicely) contacting the person who gave the bad review:

Reviews can be changed or removed. But be aware that it must happen within sixty days after they're left. Try offering a solution to their problem in exchange for removing or changing the review. For example, if your Kindle book had formatting or editing issues, offer them the improved or corrected version or perhaps the opportunity to try one of your other novels free of charge. You can also offer them a full refund. You never know--it may just work, and as they say: you don't get if you don't ask.

______________________________

Amazon's Policy on Removing Reviews:

We reserve the right to remove reviews that include any of the following:

Objectionable material:

• Obscene or distasteful content

• Profanity or spiteful remarks

Promotional content:

• Advertisements, promotional material or repeated posts that make the same point excessively

• Sentiments by or on behalf of a person or company with a financial interest in the product or a directly competing product (including reviews by authors, artists, publishers, manufacturers, or third-party merchants selling the product)

• Reviews written for any form of compensation other than a free copy of the product

• Solicitations for helpful votes

Inappropriate content:

• Crucial plot elements (unless you offer a clear "spoiler alert")

• Other people's material

• Phone numbers, postal mailing addresses, and URLs external to Amazon.com

• Details about availability or alternate ordering/shipping

• Videos with watermarks

• Comments on other reviews visible on the page (because page visibility is subject to change without notice)

Off-topic information:

• Feedback on the seller, your shipment experience or the packaging (you can do that at www.amazon.com/feedback and www.amazon.com/packaging)

• Feedback about typos or inaccuracies in our catalog or product description (instead, use the feedback form at the bottom of the product page).

WOW!!!

2011-03-31T10:59:00.001-07:00

A BIG thank you to my readers: While the Savage Sleeps continues to shoot up Amazon's Top-Rated lists. It's now crossing genres and dominating SEVEN of them:

#1 Horror

#1 Horror/occult

#1 Fiction/ General

#1 Thriller

#1 Mystery and Thriller

#1 Suspense

#6 Overall Genre fiction

Thanks to all my readers for putting it there!

2011-03-28T11:59:00.000-07:00

New Mexico

Last week, I took a trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico for the Left Coast Crime Conference. It was a chance to work on my craft as a writer and also, get to know my past and future readers as well as my fellow authors. This was also a research trip for me. As my readers know, While the Savage Sleeps takes place in this remarkable state, and the sequel will be set there as well.

There's a reason for this. I've always been fascinated with the Southwest. I love the history, the culture, the architecture, and yes, of course, the food, which is nothing short of amazing (the few extra pounds on my scale upon my return will serve as proof of this).

Back to the research side of things, as I start wrapping things up on my upcoming psychological thriller (more on that to come) I'm starting to think about the next installment in the Savage Series. This was an opportunity to steep myself in New Mexico's rich tradition so I can better describe it in the upcoming novel. I thought I'd share some of my experience with you through the photos I took while there. Sometimes a picture really is worth a thousand words, maybe even more.

See if you agree:

Ranchos De Taos

Below: Mabel Dodge Luhan's house in Taos

Downtown Taos

Me: Outside Millicent Rogers Museum in Taos

Below: scenes on the way to Taos

Rio Grande Gorge River, ten miles outside Taos. Taken from the Gorge Bridge, which is known as the fifth largest in the US.

Below: The Loretto Church of Santa Fe and its mysterious staircase, which even today mystifies architects and engineers from all over the world, as it has no visible means of support nor any nails or glue holding it together. It takes two complete 360 degree turns and has been the subject of many articles, TV specials, as well as movies including "Unsolved Mysteries"and the television movie titled "The Staircase." Many still refer to it as a miracle.

2011-03-23T22:43:00.000-07:00

More tricks (that work) for promoting your novel

The response to my post on promoting your novel was so overwhelming that I've decided to share other techniques not previously mentioned. It's my belief that some of these techniques may have helped drive my novel, While the Savage Sleeps, onto several of Amazon's bestsellers lists (including the much-coveted Movers and Shakers list, after my sales jumped over 1000% in one day) not to mention, continue to make it a sales success even today, more than nine months after its release. In the coming weeks I'll have much more information, so be sure to check back.

Okay. Today's topic: Tags.

For many, these are a mystery. A lot of authors aren't aware how important they are, or, for that matter, how to use them. If you go to your Amazon page and scroll down you will find this section. These are keywords you use to describe your book so people can find them while searching for their next read. But there's a catch. You can't be too broad or too narrow. For instance, if your novel's a mystery, using just that word will do nothing for you. Too general. There are hundreds of thousands of these, so using this as a tag will likely place you somewhere in outer space--not where you want to be. Narrow it down a bit and you increase your odds of being found. Now, take a look at my tags. See how I narrowed the scope by using "forensic mystery" and "paranormal mystery" instead of just "mystery"? I just increased my odds exponentially. On the flip side, being too specific can be just as useless. "Teacher murder" or "Teenager murder" (which are topics my book covers) probably won't do me any favors in garnering sales. So in essence, you have to think like a reader and decide what key words they might use while searching for a book.

Now I'm going to let you in on a little trick that will ratchet those odds up even further.

Look at my tags again. See the little numbers in parenthesis next to them? See how high some of those are? They represent the number of readers who agreed with those tags and clicked on them. The higher those numbers are, the higher they'll come up on the list when people search for them. Very important because even if you choose good tags, you're still competing with lots of other books, so you want to increase those odds even more. Have your readers check the tags you feel are your best so you can drive those numbers up higher. Also, here's another trick: there's a website called Tag my book which not only explains this process more thoroughly, but also has a system where you can tag other authors' books and have them do the same for you. This is one way to drive your tag numbers up and thus increase your odds of being found.

Give these a try, and see if your sales numbers go up as a result.

Next week: How to make sure your best reviews show up at the top of the list on Amazon, and the stinky ones at the bottom.

2011-03-12T11:19:00.000-08:00

While the Savage Sleeps, Busy Topping Lists and Racking up Awards

The forensic paranormal thriller has had a eventful few months--to say the least. Just six months after the initial release it's still burning up the lists and winning awards. Of course, I cannot and will not take all the credit because I didn't do it alone. I wouldn't be there without your help. So a giant thank you to my readers (who, by the way, are the best an author could ever hope to have).

#1 Amazons Top Rated list for: Horror Occult Category

#2 Amazon's Top Rated list for: Horror Category

#1 Goodreads: Great Recommendations List

#1 Winner of P&E Readers Poll: Horror Novel Category

Once again, thanks to my readers for helping to make it all happen!

2011-02-01T20:40:00.000-08:00

The Votes are In . . .

and While the Savage Sleeps is the winner! The forensic paranormal thriller took first place in the 2010 Preditors & Editors Readers Poll for Best Horror Novel.

My most sincere thanks to everyone who voted for me, and as always, to my awesome readers!

2011-01-29T11:31:00.000-08:00

46th Annual Local Authors Exhibit

I had the pleasure and privilege of being honored by the

San Diego Mayor and City Council at the 46th Annual Local Authors Exhibit, held last night in downtown San Diego. While the Savage Sleeps is on display.

The reception was quite an

event with more than 250 in attendance. I got to rub shoulders with other authors and hang out with my favorite

author-buddy, book signing partner, and co-honoree Jen Hilborne, author of Madness and Murder.

The exhibit's being held January 30th through February 28th at the San Diego Public Library, located at 820 E Street, downtown. So if you're in town, come and take a look. Lots of great work to view.

2011-01-23T16:49:00.000-08:00

Cast your Vote for While the Savage Sleeps in the P&E Readers' Poll

While the Savage Sleeps has been nominated for the Preditors & Editor's Best Ever Readers' Poll in the Horror category and is currently in the #1 position. Thanks to everyone who voted--and for those who haven't, there's still time. Just click on this link. You'll have to scroll way down toward the bottom for While the Savage Sleeps. Then just check the box and follow the instructions.

**Please note: You must respond to the confirmation email they send after you vote by clicking on the link in order for your vote to count.**

Thanks Again, Everyone!

2011-01-19T10:11:00.000-08:00

Outsmarting the Enemy:

For a writer, there's nothing more horrifying than staring at a blank screen and having nothing to say. This sort of thought-paralysis can not only slow you down; it can stop you dead in your tracks.

But quite often, we unknowingly create the blocks that bind us, and once we can acknowledge that, it's just a matter of getting out of our own way. I've learned to see writer's block as an indication of a bigger problem: a signpost telling me that I've strayed off course and need to get back on track. Instead of fighting it, I listen very closely. After that, it's just a matter of finding my center and taking control of my mind--rather than the other way around.

Here's how I get back into the flow when swimming in a sea of verbal-doubt:

What you resist, persists: trying to fight it just creates another layer of resistance--something you hardly need at this point. So the first thing to do is surrender to the fact that you have writer's block and simply allow it to "be".
Stop everything: Here's one instance where being a quitter is a good thing. Quite often, writer's block is the product of over thinking. Your best defense against an overactive mind is to stop it dead in its tracks. At this point, trying to continue is pointless--it'll only create more mind clutter, something you hardly need. I'm not talking days here; I'm talking about a few hours, if you can swing it.
Tune out, turn on: What's the first thing you do when your computer freezes? You turn it off. The same can work for your mind when it becomes overloaded: Do a mental reset. Like I mentioned, writer's block is a product of over thinking, so you need to stop--literally. When you do that, you step out of your mind and give it the opportunity to find a new perspective. How do you stop thinking? Focusing on your breathing is the best way to halt the process. Research shows that when you direct all your attention on each breath you take, your thoughts ground to a halt. I usually close my eyes and count my breaths. If I find my thoughts wandering again, I direct my attention back to my breathing until my mind stops reeling.
Do something else: After cleaning the clutter from my mind, I move to something completely writing-unrelated: Watch a movie, read a book, take a walk, or play with your dogs. Anything enjoyable will work. Quite often, this is where I notice my engine starting up again. My brain kicks into gear and the wheels start turning. Ever notice how some of the best ideas come when you're not thinking about writing? While you're driving? Taking a shower? Dreaming? These are the times when your mind is at ease and the pressure is off. You can induce the same state by finding a pleasant diversion.
Road Blocks: What about the times when it's not your mind that's fouling you up but instead, it's your story? I can't tell you the number of times I've written myself into a corner, only to discover I couldn't find my way out. For me, a roadblock is another signpost, one that's telling me I haven't done my research. Knowledge is power, and the more you know, the more you'll have at your disposal to get the story forward-moving again. I'm not just talking about going on the internet and Googling. This is a situation where human interaction is the key. Talk to one of your experts, maybe even explain your dilemma. You'd be amazed by how another perspective--especially a knowledgeable one--can bring on a flood of inspiration.

Here are a few other things you can try in your efforts to thwart writer's block:

Change your atmosphere, change your mind: Take your laptop outside or to a place you don't normally write, and try working it from there. Sometimes new surroundings are all it takes change your frame of mind.
Unplug: Checking your emails or dropping by Facebook may seem like good way to take a break, but it's also a distraction, one that will pull you out of your thoughts. Continuity is the key to free-flowing ideas. Interrupt that process and you're asking for trouble. Try turning off your router or unplugging your ethernet cord to eliminate the temptation.
Get the blood flowing: It's true what they say: move your body and your mind will move right along with it. Blood is vital to all working organs, the brain included, and research shows it operates more efficiently when the flow is at its maximum
Sleep! I know, you hear it all the time: get plenty of rest. However, studies show that a lack of sleep will dull your creative edge. Pulling that late night writing session may save time but in the long run, will only slow you down.
Write in the morning: Studies show it, and most writers will tell you that the best time to write is shortly after you wake up. The mind is its sharpest after a good night's sleep, and we're better connected with our subconscious patterns when we rise and shine. The end of the day can be a bad time for the mind because it gets more polluted as the hours wear on, not to mention, more exhausted. The hour later you stay up to write can be shifted into the morning hours.

One last thing: The need for perfection is a writer's worst enemy. Don't have such high standards on a first draft, and don't be afraid to produce "garbage". Just sit down and write--you can tweak it later. Getting the words flowing will get the mind moving as well. American poet William Stafford probably said it best:

"There is no such thing as writer's block for writers whose standards are low enough."

Selling Your Book

2011-01-09T21:53:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday, I had the pleasure of speaking at the San Diego Sisters in Crime meeting.

They invited me to discuss my struggle to get While the Savage Sleeps published. After spending more than a year searching for agent representation and more than a hundred subsequent rejections, I decided to release it on Kindle. There, it broke out onto four of Amazon's bestsellers lists, taking the #1 spot on two of them and #3 on their Movers and Shakers list (after a more than 1000% jump in sales). And most recently, it made #1 on their Top-Rated list.

The lesson? Never give up. This is an

amazing time to be an author. The e-reader has leveled what was once a very uneven playing field. You can do this, but first, you need to understand that there are some key ingredients for finding success:

Luck: has a lot to do with it, but unfortunately it's something over which you have no control. At the time I released my book, the paranormal genre was just beginning to take off. I hadn't known that, of course. I just happened to fall into it.
Having a good story: I can't tell you how many emails I get from readers saying the forensic/paranormal combination was what grabbed them. It's an unusual pairing--one the publishing experts were afraid to take a gamble on, but nevertheless, one the readers weren't. The lesson here? Be bold, be unique, and never make apologies for it. It's okay to write about something that's been done before, but if you do, you'd better tell it in a different way. Which brings us to the next subject.
Telling it well with strong writing: No amount of marketing will matter if your book isn't well-written. Don't rush to get it out there. Make sure it's the best it can be. The readers are becoming very savvy in their book-buying habits. They have to be, after the sudden and massive surge in self-released titles. With free samples, they can easily spot poorly written work when they see it, and if they do, they won't buy it. Guaranteed.
Be everywhere you can: And I mean everywhere. You literally have to find every nook and cranny you can on the internet and stick your book and your name there. Of course, that statement comes with a warning. You can't just scream: "BUY MY BOOK". That won't work, and more than likely, it will turn people off. As the saying goes, work smarter, not harder.
Pricing: Don't overprice your book. If you're new at this game, you're going to have a hard enough time competing with authors who have already developed an audience. Cut that disadvantage down by being competitive on your price. $2.99 seems to be the sweet-spot on e-books. I don't advise going much higher than that.
A great cover and description: I originally designed my own cover, which was probably at least part of the reason my book was so slow coming out of the gate. To be perfectly honest: It was pathetic. I finally hired a professional to do it and I know my sales began moving as a result. Spend the money--it will pay you back in sales. It doesn't have to cost a fortune, either. I hired Patty G. Henderson at Boulevard Photographica, who not only designed my cover, she also created the interior for the paper version and did an amazing job at a highly competitive price. As for your book's description, make sure it's flawless and make sure it's catchy. Think of those blurbs you see on the back covers of books that pull you in. Make it scream so loudly that readers simply can't ignore it.

Now for the methods to use once you're ready to promote your book. While the good news is that you can get your book out there more easily--the bad news is that so can everyone else. That makes the competition much more fierce. So here's a tip: It's all about planting seeds. Some will sprout--others will die before they have the chance. But the sum is equal to its parts, and the key is to cast as wide a net as possible. Here are some the things that I found to be helpful in order to assure a bountiful harvest:

Have a website: It won't necessarily sell books, but it will be your anchor. It's your storefront, the place where people can see what you have to offer. In everything I do, I always divert people there first. My website has all you'd want to know about me and my book right there on the home page: A picture of me, my book cover, quotes from some of my best reviews, along with my video trailer, a link to read a sample from the novel, and the links where the book is sold.
Watch your website traffic very carefully: Once I get people there, I can see where they came from and where they exit with a website tracking service. I use Statcounter.com, but there are many others. By doing this, I'm able to assess which methods are working and which are not. My ultimate goal is to have viewers go from my page to one of the booksellers where my novel is available. I can see whether or not that happens via my trackers.
Google Alerts: Put your book and your name there to see who's talking about them. Any time you get a mention, you'll get an email with the link.
Social networks: Exposure, exposure, exposure--that's what it's all about. Again, they're not going to sell your book, but they will create an online presence and remind people you're there. Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Shelfari, Yahoo discussions, and Kindle forums--these are all great places to begin establishing your presence.
Book reviews & blogs: There are literally thousands of reviewers and blog interviewers on the Internet, many of them constantly looking for authors and titles. Put your book on as many as you can, and don't overlook the smaller ones. Get enough of them and they'll start adding up. These are the places readers go when they're trying to figure out what to read next. The same thing goes for appearing as a guest blogger or doing blog interviews. And don't forget the online news magazines.Terry Ambrose with the Fiction Examiner has been kind enough to feature me many times in his column, and it's no doubt helped me get the word out about my book. The Examiner has editions for more than fifty cities, so you can take your pick. A good friend of mine, Linda Boulanger owns TreasureLine books and publishing--she often mentions me in her blog posts. Something I greatly appreciate. Linda Pendleton also helped me out early in my career, as did Woofer's Lair. Don't underestimate the value of friends--you can help each other.
Book trailers: are like the movie trailers you see in theaters, only for books. I made mine very inexpensively using onetruemedia.com. You can do a limited version for free, or pay a few extra bucks to create something more extravagant. My trailer got a lot of buzz when it came out for it's creepiness, which garnered me quite a bit of exposure. Once you have one, you can post it on YouTube--but there are other places besides that. Blazing Trailers and Vimeo are great platforms to launch a trailer.
Treat your readers well: For me, one of the most important things of all. I'm fiercely loyal to my readers and never lose sight of how much I appreciate them. They mean the world to me, and I'm well aware of the fact that they have an endless supply of books available to read. I answer every email I get and say thank you so often, I sometimes wonder if I sound like a broken record. Do not take a single reader for granted.
Get your book reviewed on Amazon: I currently have over forty of them and a five star average. These will sell your book if they're good. Most readers don't leave them, so it's important to nudge them a little. Every time I get an email from someone telling me how much they enjoyed my book, I kindly thank them, then ask if they'd mind leaving a review. Sometimes they do, and sometimes they don't, but I'm pretty sure it's increased the chances. I also ask the people who review my book on their blogs to post them on Amazon as well.
Have blog: The jury still seems to be out on whether or not having one will sell your book. Personally, I don't think they hurt and in the big picture, they probably help more than most realize. It all goes back to planting tiny seeds. Blogs are one of them. They add to your online presence and if they're interesting enough, will start getting more traffic moving through. The key is to be as broad as you can in your topics in order to appeal to the most people and to update it at least weekly (advice I myself need to start following) and to promote it well, announcing each post on facebook, Twitter, and the other social networks.
Work like a dawg: You have to treat your book promotion like it's your second job. None of this will come easily-- I'm telling you this right now. You will have to work your tail off non-stop if you want to be successful at this. In the beginning I spent a minimum of six hours a night on the internet promoting my book--sometimes a lot more. It's gotten to where my second book has suffered because I have to devote a majority of my time to promotion. And another thing: be persistent. Don't give up if you don't see your sales improve right away. You are growing your audience. Planting seeds. It will take time for your garden to grow. For some people it takes weeks, for others, months and months. But I can guarantee one thing--If you keep at it you will see results.

What do J.K. Rowling, Stephen King, and Anne Frank all have in common?

2010-12-20T17:15:00.000-08:00

Aspiring authors: Troubled about rejection? Don't be. You're in great company:

Not only were these author-legends rejected, what I find most interesting are the negative comments made by publishers. It really shows the objectivity when it comes to judging literary works (or the incompetence). It also sends a strong message: Never give up, no matter what people tell you.

1. Stephen King

Mr. King received dozens of rejections for his first novel, Carrie; he kept them tidily nailed to a spike under a timber in his bedroom.

One of the publishers sent Mr. King’s rejection with these words:

We are not interested in science fiction which deals with negative utopias. They do not sell.

2. William Golding

Mr. Golding’s Lord of the Flies was rejected by 20 publishers. One denounced the future classic with these words (which should be inscribed on the hapless publisher’s tomb):

an absurd and uninteresting fantasy which was rubbish and dull.

3. John le Carré

After Mr. le Carré submitted his first novel, The Spy Who Came in From the Cold, one of the publishers sent it along to a colleague, with this message:

You’re welcome to le Carré – he hasn’t got any future.

4. Anne Frank

According to one publisher, The Diary of Anne Frank was scarcely worth reading:

The girl doesn’t, it seems to me, have a special perception or feeling which would lift that book above the ‘curiosity’ level.

15 publishers (other than this dope) also rejected The Diary of Anne Frank.

5. Joseph Heller

In an act of almost unparalled stupidity, one publisher wrote of Mr. Heller’s Catch-22:

I haven’t the foggiest idea about what the man is trying to say…Apparently the author intends it to be funny – possibly even satire – but it is really not funny on any intellectual level.

6. J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s (later Sorceror’s) Stone was rejected by a dozen publishers, including biggies like Penguin and HarperCollins. Bloomsbury, a small London publisher, only took it on at the behest of the CEO’s eight-year old daughter, who begged her father to print the book. God bless you, sweetheart.

7. Ursula K. Le Guin

One publisher sent this helpful little missive to Ms. Le Guin regarding her novel, The Left Hand of Darkness:

The book is so endlessly complicated by details of reference and information, the interim legends become so much of a nuisance despite their relevance, that the very action of the story seems to be to become hopelessly bogged down and the book, eventually, unreadable. The whole is so dry and airless, so lacking in pace, that whatever drama and excitement the novel might have had is entirely dissipated by what does seem, a great deal of the time, to be extraneous material. My thanks nonetheless for having thought of us. The manuscript of The Left Hand of Darkness is returned herewith.

The Left Hand of Darkness went on to win both the Hugo and the Nebula awards.

8. George Orwell

One publisher rejected Mr. Orwell’s submission, Animal Farm, with these words:

It is impossible to sell animal stories in the USA.

9. Tony Hillerman

Mr. Hillerman, now famous for his Navajo Tribal Police mystery novels, was initially told by publishers to

Get rid of all that Indian stuff.

10. William Faulkner

One publisher exclaimed in the rejection letter for Mr. Faulkner’s book, Sanctuary:

Good God, I can’t publish this!

11. John Grisham

Mr. Grisham’s first novel, A Time to Kill, was rejected by a dozen publishers and 16 agents before breaking into print and launching Mr. Grisham’s best-selling career.

12. Vladimir Nabokov

Mr. Nabokov’s Lolita was greeted by one publisher with these words:

…overwhelmingly nauseating, even to an enlightened Freudian…the whole thing is an unsure cross between hideous reality and improbable fantasy. It often becomes a wild neurotic daydream…I recommend that it be buried under a stone for a thousand years.

13. Sylvia Plath

According to one publisher, Ms. Plath’s ability as a poet was nothing special:

There certainly isn’t enough genuine talent for us to take notice.

14. ee cummings

Mr. Cummings’ first work, The Enormous Room, was rejected by 15 publishers. He eventually self-published the book and it went on to become considered a masterpiece of modern poetry. The kicker? He dedicated the book to the 15 publishers who rejected him. Ouch.

15. Irving Stone

Mr. Stone’s Lust for Life was rejected 16 times, once with this helpful synopsis:

A long, dull novel about an artist.

The book went on to sell over 25 million copies.

16. Rudyard Kipling

I’m sorry Mr. Kipling, but you just don’t know how to use the English language.

These were the words used by one of the editors of the San Francisco Examiner newspaper when rejecting one of Mr. Kipling’s short stories. Mr. Kipling is now a revered author and the San Francisco Examiner is….

17. Frank Herbert

Dune was rejected 20 times before successfully reaching print – and becoming one of the most beloved science fiction novels of all time (#3 on my list of favorite books ever).

18. Richard Adams

Mr. Adams’ Watership Down was rejected since

Older children wouldn’t like it because its language was too difficult.

19. Madeleine L’Engle

Ms. L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time was rejected by 26 publishers before finally breaking into print. It went on to win the 1963 Newbery Medal.

20. Jack Kerouac

This was one publisher’s take on Mr. Kerouac’s On the Road:

His frenetic and scrambled prose perfectly express the feverish travels of the Beat Generation. But is that enough? I don’t think so.

21. Margaret Mitchell

Ms. Mitchell’s Gone With the Wind was rejected 38 times before finally finding a publisher.

22. Judy Blume

Ms. Blume received “nothing but rejections” for two years.

According to Ms. Blume:

I would go to sleep at night feeling that I’d never be published. But I’d wake up in the morning convinced I would be. Each time I sent a story or book off to a publisher, I would sit down and begin something new. I was learning more with each effort. I was determined. Determination and hard work are as important as talent.

Determination and hard work certainly did the trick for Ms. Blume, who is now considered to be one of the most influential children’s literature writers of her generation.

23. Kenneth Grahame

Mr. Grahame’s Wind in the Willows was refused by a publisher because it was an

Irresponsible holiday story

24. Isaac Bashevis Singer

One jaded publisher rejected a submission of Mr. Singer’s with the words:

It’s Poland and the rich Jews again.

25. Marcel Proust

Mr. Proust’s behemoth Remembrance of Things Past received this delightfully plain-spoken critique from one publisher:

My dear fellow, I may be dead from the neck up, but rack my brains as I may I can’t see why a chap should need thirty pages to describe how he turns over in bed before going to sleep.

26. Jasper Fforde

Mr. Fforde received 76 rejection letters before finally seeing his first novel, The Eyre Affair, in print. The Eyre Affair is now considered a classic of the modern fantasy genre.

27. Meg Cabot

The Princess Diaries slipped through the hands of 17 publishers before finally being accepted for publication.

28. Thor Heyderdahl

Mr. Heyerdahl’s classic adventure narrative, The Kon Tiki Expedition, was rejected 20 times before finding a publisher.

29. Jorge Luis Borges

One publisher rejected Mr. Borges’ work because it was:

utterly untranslatable.

30. D.H. Lawrence

After reading Mr. Lawrence’s Lady Chatterley’s Lover, one publisher warned:

for your own sake do not publish this book.

Taken from Michelle Kerns Book Examiner article.

2010-12-15T12:28:00.000-08:00

Listen to my live streaming radio interview on WOMR 92.1 FM, Thursday, December 23, 12:30 p.m. ET. at www.womr.org

2010-11-21T22:51:00.000-08:00

Book Signing

Friday night I had the pleasure of hosting my first book signing, hosted by Mysterious Galaxy, along with my fabulous co-author friend, Jenny Hilborne.

Now, you have to understand something: I've dreamed of this night for as long as I can remember. No telling the number of times I've watched others do it and thought: "Wow. How cool it must be to sit up there." And here I was, doing it myself.

Surreal? You bet. Scared? You have no idea.

I think the moment finally hit me while I stood at the front of the room and saw all those faces staring back at me. I mean, they actually came to see me. Many had read my book, others were picking it up for the first time, and, yes, wanted me to sign it.

Surreal.

You see, here's the thing: I feel an enormous responsibility to the people who read my work, and it's not something I take lightly. There are so many books out there these days, and the fact that people choose mine is nothing short of astounding. Flattering, too--yes, but more than that.

I love to write. In fact, I don't think there's anything I enjoy doing more. It got me through the most difficult times in my life, through sickness, health, and the ones where I wondered if the light at the end of the tunnel was just some myth or a hollow fable, even. Writing completes the picture for me, and without it, mine would lose several dimensions.

The written word is an art form, and I've spent many years perfecting mine. So to have a novel published--to hold a book in my hands bearing my name-- feels like the culmination of all my hard work.

The book signing, well, that's icing on the cake.

The good kind.

Chocolate.

With Oreos smashed up all over the top.

2010-11-18T09:45:00.001-08:00

A Night of Mystery

In case you haven't heard--and I've been rather diligent about making sure you have--tomorrow night at 7 p.m. is a big event: Author Jenny Hilborne and I will be signing our novels at Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore.

Jenny has worked in a variety of fields, including retail, the music industry, residential real estate, commercial real estate, and finance. She is the second of four daughters, born and raised in Wiltshire, South West England, and relocated to Southern California in 1997. Jenny is a member of Wolfwriters, a group of professional writers who meet bi-monthly in Northern San Diego. She is also a member of Sisters in Crime.

Madness and Murder is her debut mystery novel, published by Echelon Press, featuring homicide inspector, Mac Jackson. Frustrated by a lack of evidence and slow progress, Jackson makes the questionable dec-

ision to veer away from his usual ethics and risk the life of an innocent civilian to catch a cunning serial killer.

Jenny's second novel, No Alibi, another suspense set in San Francisco, will be published in 2011, also through Echelon Press. Her third mystery, Hide and Seek, is a work in progress.

We hope to see you tomorrow night, and if you haven't had the chance to check out

Jenny's work, here's a sneak preview:

Excerpt from Madness and Murder:

Sacramento 1982-1983

"You have committed the most heinous of crimes, and you have shown no remorse. The court imposes the maximum sentence the circumstances will allow…life without parole."

A woman's penetrating scream drew every eye in the courtroom. From his seat in the back, Detective Mac Jackson looked over at the family of the convicted and at the boy glaring back at him with dark, hate-filled eyes. Even when his mother's cries grew louder, and the uniformed officers dragged away his father–a brutal murderer with a shaved head and a spider tattoo curling all the way around his thick neck–to begin the life sentence Judge Marshall had just handed out, the child's rigid stare didn't waiver. Jackson read a warning in those eyes: this isn't finished.

Detective Shaun Hodges leaned in closer to his partner. Together, they'd brought Bodie Allure to justice for killing a child younger than Jackson's own son. "We did it." The jubilant punch struck him in the side of his leg.

Jackson glanced at the family of the victim, a few rows in front of him, eyes cast down in despair, exuding anguish so raw, he had to close his eyes for a second. A life for a life, that's what they'd wanted. Taking the advice of his lawyer, Bodie had pleaded guilty and escaped the death penalty.

Unlike Hodges, Jackson didn't feel like celebrating. Murder left him weary. The murder of a child left him drained, used-up, like somebody had sucked all the good air out of the world and extracted the energy from his body. Although he'd spent many years on the force, seen some terrible things, he never got used to the death of a child. Perhaps it was the one remaining sense that reminded him he was still human; that this damn job hadn't turned him into a machine.

He nodded. "Yep, we did it." Finally, he got up to leave, passing the victim's family; a broken mother and father, clinging to all they had left: their seven-year-old twins. Tears ran down their cheeks, droplets falling from the end of their noses and onto the children's heads. The twins looked bewildered.

Jackson doubted they understood the significance of today. As he made his way from the courtroom, he thought about Bodie's long criminal history. The man had grown from a violent teen into a brute with no conscience. A true psychopath. Thanks to the guile of his lawyer, a technicality had resulted in his previous crime, a rape and robbery, being thrown out. Jackson couldn't help wondering if the law had failed the Croft's; if Cameron might still be alive had the judicial system done its job.

He drove back to the station in a pensive mood. Cameron Croft had been the eldest of the Croft's three kids. Tall and skinny, he'd made it to eleven. Then he'd crossed paths with Bodie Allure, who'd snatched him from the driveway of his Sacramento home. His neck had been snapped like a twig, only a week after the rape and robbery charge had been dropped. Jackson switched lanes, trying simultaneously to change his train of thought. No such luck. Events soon after the murder filtered back. He remembered the family's reaction; how they'd crumbled in front of him when he'd given them the news that Cameron had been raped, sodomized, choked, and broken. He thought about his own son, Bryce, unable to imagine anything worse than losing a child. Raymond, Cameron's father, had told him he wished he were dead.

An experienced officer in his mid-thirties, Jackson found telling the families a loved one had died the most distressing part of his job. When a youngster had died the stress doubled. In solving the Croft case, he had excelled. Good instincts and an uncanny accuracy with a hunch had enabled him to track down Bodie quickly. From time to time, that sixth sense he seemed to possess even got Hodges spooked, or so he'd said. Jackson reached the station and pulled into his usual spot, chewing on a hunch that Bodie would not fair well in prison for raping and murdering a child. Even hardened criminals detested child molesters and Jackson knew it. He imagined if Bodie didn't, he was about to find out the hard way.

2010-11-03T11:17:00.000-07:00

When's the Last Time You Had the #@*! Scared Out of You?

With Halloween this past week, I got to thinking about horror books and movies: Scary ones and the lack thereof. Maybe it's me, but it seems as if they just don't horrify like they once did. Am I just getting old? Jaded? Desensitized? All of the above? I can't remember the last time I watched one and realized I was gripping onto the armrests so hard that my fingers turned blue--or, when I felt compelled to check the closets and under my bed before going to sleep.

So I'm wondering: When's the last time a book or movie scared the crap out of you. I mean really scared you. I'm talking, made you jump, scream, hide (or all of the above). For me, it was the Exorcist.

What's your bottom line on horror books and movies? I'd like to hear.

2010-10-27T10:52:00.000-07:00

This is hilarious! (Click here to see why)

2010-10-21T22:20:00.000-07:00

Book Signing:

Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore

Presents:

Andrew E. Kaufman

Jen Hilborne

Join us November 19th at 7 p.m.

2010-10-15T13:05:00.000-07:00

NEW FEATURE

Click Here

To sample the First 30 Pages from

While the Savage Sleeps, Free

2010-10-09T21:32:00.000-07:00

Join us Monday, October 11, for my Book Launch Party, Sponsored by:

Chat with me, read my exclusive interview, and enter for the chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card

RSVP here early and get 25 free entries for the drawing

2010-10-03T15:15:00.001-07:00

Watch the New Movie Trailer for While the Savage Sleeps:

2010-10-01T23:32:00.000-07:00

Oopsey!

You'd think the U.S. Department of Defense would have known better.

In an effort to protect what they considered to be classified information, they purchased the entire print run of Operation Dark Heart from St. Martin's Press two weeks before its scheduled release. The price tag? $47,000. Then they destroyed them. Then the publishing company reissued the work with more than 250 sections blacked out.

And four days later, it was officially a national bestseller.

Not only that, but 200 uncensored copies released to the media before the government got to them sold for more than $2,000 on Ebay.

I doubt St. Martin's could have asked for better publicity if they'd paid for it.

So the government didn't just defeat its own purpose of dousing the anticipated flames caused by the book's release--they also stoked them. And the timing couldn't have been better: just days before before Banned Books Week, a reminder of our freedom to read and write what we want without having to fear censorship.

Which leads to the question: What was the government thinking? Were they thinking at all? I mean, this is the digital age, correct? Do they not realize that nothing can be completely destroyed, that burning physical copies of a book is like putting a Band Aid on a gunshot wound? And are they not aware of the fact that time and time again, history has shown us that censorship simply does not work?

Fellow colleague Robert W. Walker and I joked about the fiasco on Facebook. He said he could only be so lucky to have one of his books be burned, that it would be a fantastic marketing tool, and I agreed wholeheartedly.

It all falls back to the Forbidden Fruit theory, one that's literally as old as man himself: tell a child he can't have his candy, place it just within his reach, then watch what happens.

Censorship is not like taking candy from a baby; it's like ... well, you know.

My Bottom Line: In a country that prides itself on the freedom of speech, it seems ironic that the very people who lead it would engage in an act censorship.

Also, burn a book, watch the flames grow higher.