Heists and Headstones: Promoting A Friend’s New Story

Greetings all,

Most of you who follow my blog know that C.L. Schneider is a good friend of mine. She and J.R. Swiger have a new short story available for pre-order, and it’s only 99 cents!

Heists & Headstones pits a killer and a thief together in a cat and mouse heist story.

Here’s the blurb:

He steals. She kills. For years, they’ve played a game of cat and mouse, defined by an unspoken set of rules and infused by competition—and a dangerous attraction.

Raiza knows better than to trust a thief, especially one who comes bearing gifts in the middle of the night. But when Tanic shows up offering a truce, and an opportunity for coin, curiosity sets in. She’s learned the hard way that Tanic is never without an ace up his sleeve. This time, she has one, too. But in a game without end, it’s less about winning and more about who makes the better move. Will Raiza finally outfox her long-time thieving nemesis? Find out in this exciting tale of wits and blades, co-written by the author of The Crown of Stones Trilogy.

End Blurb.

This story is available for pre-order until Feb. 4. I haven’t read the story myself, but I know C.L.’s writing ability enough to know it’s worth a shot.

I just wanted to give a shout out to a friend. I hope you’ll give her book a try.

Thanks for reading,

Matt

 

Hope to see you at MarsCon!

Greetings all!

My 2020 tour is up and running! I’m hanging out at MarsCon in Williamsburg, Virginia! That’s right, Weech is expanding his horizons!

This is my first time at the event, so I don’t really know what to expect.

What you can expect though are some 99-cent deals!

From now until around midnight on Monday, Repressed, Stealing Freedom, and An Unusual Occupation are on sale for the convention. If you haven’t tried one of those books, this is a great time. If you have read one, maybe recommend it (or gift it) to a friend you think would like it.

As usual, I’ll do a post with some photos and information about how it went in terms of a business trip.  For now, I just wanted to let you all know what I was up to.

If you’re in the area, please stop by and say hi!

Thanks for reading,

Matt

 

An Update on Hazel and Other News!

Greetings all,

I’m happy to announce that Hazel is scheduled for shipping in February (I don’t have an exact day yet)!

To maximize exposure and get the product out there as quickly as possible, we’ve teamed up with another creative team. That means both of our stories are going to be split up over more issues. We’re still going to print each issue as a solo product, but that will come later.

We’re keeping the name of the flip book out for a while longer, but I’ll be sure to announce that when we’re given the green light as a whole. Issues 1 and 2 of Hazel are done, and Collin is a few pages into Issue 3.

So splitting these stories up allows us to get the story out more quickly while allowing Collin the time he needs to do all the insane work he’s doing.

We’re proud of Hazel and what her story is. I’m personally hopeful this endeavor is successful enough that they are willing to advance Collin for the other Hazel story Collin and I worked on. Whatever comes of it, I’m glad to see another project hitting the tables.

Want to help? The best thing to do would be (if you’re a fan of comics) to contact your local comic stores (when we release the title of the project). Tell them you’re interested in the comic. Tell them to bring copies in. The more stores who order copies of the book, the more successful the book will be.

I’ll naturally have copies available at any conventions too.

I hope you’re all looking forward to seeing it as much as I am.

I’m also happy to announce that Stealing Freedom is officially available on Audible!

This is just Lisa and J.M.’s narration from The Power of Words, but it’s only about two and a half hours. So if you have a drive that long, I think it’s a perfect audiobook for the trip!

Last but not least in any manner is that in honor of the Halloween season, Caught is on sale for 99 cents! If you haven’t given it a try yet, this is a pretty good chance to read a great book for less than a dollar.

On a final note, I made a commercial! This is a commercial I made for Bob Drifter. It’s just another tool I want to sharpen to see if I can’t spread my name out there in another way.  Give it a look and offer me your thoughts. If you’re an author, and you’d like me to make one for you, I’m willing to do so for $30 (It does take a few hours to put these together, and that price is just a bit under minimum wage).

Thanks for reading,

Matt

Stealing Freedom is Officially Available for Preorder!

Greetings all,

I’m happy to announce that Stealing Freedom, the novella originally published in The Power of Words anthology, is officially available for preorder in its own ebook edition.

Here’s the book blurb:

Ardelia Sabine is about to attempt the most legendary heist in the solar system. The anti-communication laws that have been ruthlessly enforced for the last five years have gone too far, and the collar around her daughter’s neck, which shocks anyone if they try to speak, must come off.

The one time monitor of law enforcement has now assembled the greatest collection of thieves, con-men, and hit men in history. Together, with her husband, once the greatest hacker on the planet, must take on a job that will surely get at least one of them killed.

Survival is not the objective. The goal is to shut down the servers that operate the entire system. Can they get into one of the most guarded areas on the planet? Can they steal back their right to speak from the government that silenced it?

END BLURB

This title will be only 99 cents from today until Oct. 16, when it will go up to its normal price of $2.99.

I’d say this book is a Scifi cyber heist version of Leverage. So if you like stories like that or Ocean’s 12 and you also like scifi, I think you’ll love this story.

You can get to the preorder page either by clicking the link all the way at the top or right here.

Thanks for reading,

Matt

The September Book Cover of the Month Starts Now!

But first, an announcement. The Power of Words is officially live! I’m thrilled at it’s early success.  I sold out of physical editions during the Baltimore ComicCon (I’ll talk more about that on Saturday), and I had more preorders for that book than any other I’ve ever had. It’s live, but it’s still only 99 cents! It will be until Oct. 14, when it goes to its regular price of $3.99. All four of us (TW Iain, Richard T. Drake, Heidi Angell, and myself) are so proud of this. I hope you’ll preorder a copy.

Now, it’s time to start a new book cover of the month competition.

Born to the Blade by Michael Underwood, Marie Brennan, and Cassandra Khaw, and White Mind by Emma Stallings join 30 brand new covers this month.

You can vote all the way through the tournament, supporting the covers you like best through each round. I like to make sure people get the credit they deserve, so please show your support. Please vote and share as much as possible to get people a chance to pick their favorite.

As always, I’d appreciate it if you tag the authors and artists if you know them. I try to tag or friend every author I can, but sometimes it’s hard to track someone down. Max participation is a huge deal to me. The more people who vote, the more recognition these authors and artists receive, and I want this to be as legitimate as possible.

Image taken from Pixabay.

If you are the author, let’s remember to be good sports! 1) Please feel free to message or contact me at any time. 2) Please feel free to like, share, text, ask for support, and call everyone you know. I absolutely want max participation. However, if you’re going to offer giveaways or prizes, please offer them for voting, not just voting for you.

Also, while your summoning your army of voting soldiers, please make sure you ask them to vote in every match. Part of the idea of this is to get exposure to as many artists and authors as possible. By all means, if you can get 1,000 people to vote for your book, do it. Just please also send some eyeballs to the other matches.

A final note to authors and artists: I currently have links to the books’ Amazon pages. If you’d prefer I switch that link to sign up for your newsletter or like your social media page or whatever, just send me the link and let me know. I want this to help you. I want this to be as helpful as possible, so whatever you need me to do to facilitate that, just let me know.

I hope you keep having fun. Please, vote, share, and discuss as much as possible.

All you have to do now is head over here to vote!

Thanks for reading,

Matt

Want Another Free Book? Please Help my Next Giveaway Top the Last One!

Greetings all,

A few months ago (April), you all helped me a tremendous amount by spreading word about my giveaway for An Unusual Occupation, which still on sale for 99 cents).

Starting today, since Something Always Remains is about to drop, Bob’s Greatest Mistake is now free until July 29. It’s a fun way to celebrate the countdown to the last part of Bob’s journey (thus making Bob available pretty much any way someone wants him).

Here’s where I need support. Last time, we got a ton of downloads and a review, and the more visibility I gain, the more likely others will see it. If you haven’t already picked up Bob’s story in one way or another, please click on the link for Mistake and give it a free download.  Just doing that would go a long way and be much appreciated.

If you’ve already read Bob’s story, please leave a rating and review. I hope you enjoyed it, but it’s okay if you didn’t. Any reviews and any ratings help to get that visibility going. More importantly, I love the feedback.

The next level up would be to share the link via WordPress, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, smoke signals or low-priced yodelers (those high priced folk are just overpaid primadonnas).

Helping get the word out would mean the world to me.

Last time, I had little demonstrations of appreciation.  I’m up to 800 followers, so I have to up my game.

If I get 100 downloads, I’ll do 100 pushups (I’ll try to do them in two minutes, but that’s a goal, not a guarantee).

If I get 200 downloads, I’ll karaoke a song of my followers’ choice.

If I get 300 downloads, I’ll reenact a scene of a movie of my followers’ choice.

If I get 400 downloads, I’ll narrate one chapter of any book my followers’ choose (with voices).

If I get 500 downloads, I’ll recreate the “My Little Buttercup” scene from Three Amigos.

If I get 600 downloads, I’ll perform an original song I’ve written.

If I get 700 downloads, I’ll reenact the entire Thriller dance.

If I get 800 downloads, I’ll see if I can’t think of something truly special (I’m open to suggestions).

As of now, you can get all three parts of Bob’s story for $2 (99 cents for An Unusual Occupation. Bob’s Greatest Mistake is free. Something Always Remains is available for a 99-cent preorder).  Normally (and even now) the complete Journals of Bob Drifter is $5.99.  So you’re getting the same story for $3 less. This will remain so until July 29.

I hope you all will give Bob’s story a try. At the very least, I hope to have a little fun with this particular campaign. No matter what, I always appreciate you for stopping by and seeing what I’m up to.

 

Thanks for reading,

Matt

 

Some Updates and A Sale!

Greetings all,

Sorry, no review this week as I have a couple things going on I wanted to let everyone know about. Fear not! I have a ton of stories and books ready to review, and I’ll work my way down the list.

First for some money-saving news: An Unusual Occupation, the first book in The Journals of Bob Drifter, will be 99 cents from today until Aug. 1, which is when book three, Something Always Remains (currently available for preorder also for 99 cents), goes live.

Remember, July 25-29 is when Bob’s Greatest Mistake is free for any who want to give it a try, so you can pretty much get three books for two bucks if you do so in this window of time.

Second: I’m happy to say Repressed is finished! It’ll go live Jan. 1. I’ll be doing some things leading up to it, but I’m happy to know that book is pretty much ready to go to print.

Third: The beta draft of Stealing Freedom is done, and the entire Power of Words anthology is off to my editor for the last round of edits.  That book is well on schedule to go live on Oct. 1.

On a related note (is that Three A?), I’m happy to announce the narrators for The Power of Words audiobook.  Please join me in welcoming Lisa Negron and T.W. Ashworth as the narrators for that book.  I went through a lot of reels and auditions to find those two, and I’m certain they’ll do an amazing job.  Our goal is to get the audiobook out as close to the same day as the other versions as possible.  I’m thrilled to have them, and I hope you all take the time to share in my excitement, maybe send them some sort of social media love telling them thanks for narrating what I believe will be an amazing anthology.

Fourth: I’m officially working on Betrayed: Book Two of the Oneiros Log. I’m just getting the new characters figured out, but that’s my pure focus for the foreseeable future. To those waiting, please be patient and know that the wait is coming to an end.

Fifth: The last book of the Oneiros log will be next, and I mean to start working on a series of novellas I’m very excited about.  My intent is for the novellas to sate my readers while I work on the larger projects in between.

I think that’s everything! I’m so thrilled you’re all taking an interest in my work. I can’t tell you what a privilege it is to tell stories and share them with the world. I hope you’re as excited about the next few months as I am!

Thanks for reading,

Matt

Something Always Remains is Now Available for Preorder!

Greetings all,

I’m so very happy to announce that the final part of The Journals of Bob Drifter is now available for preorder on Amazon!  You can preorder Something Always Remains here.

The book will be 99 cents from now until two weeks after it goes live.  It goes live Aug. 1, so the sale will end Aug. 14.  After that, it’ll go to its regular price of $2.99.

The deals don’t end there.  From July 18-Aug. 1, An Unusual Occupation will be on sale for 99 cents as well.  That way you can get two-thirds of the story for $2.

Bob’s Greatest Mistake will be free, that’s right free (said in a cheesy commercial announcer voice) from July 25-29.  I’ll make a post on the 25th regarding that, but I’ll be asking for your help again.  You all did an amazing job helping get Occupation so many downloads, and I hope this next free campaign is even more successful.  I’m thinking about more “stupid human tricks” I could do. I’m open to suggestions for ways I can show my appreciation. If you have any ideas, feel free to comment below.

Each of these benchmarks will be met with a blog post of its own, but I wanted to be sure I let you all know the plan for this moving forward.

Please remember, these three stories, An Unusual Occupation, Bob’s Greatest Mistake, and Something Always Remains, are all parts of a complete story that’s out and available (see the first link back at the top). Breaking this into parts was done to allow readers a way to try a portion of the book for a smaller financial commitment. I just wanted Bob’s story to be as accessible as possible, and this felt like the best way to do it. (Also, I love Collin Fogel’s art, so I could resist getting more of it.)

I hope you’ll all give my work a try. If you already have, please be kind enough to offer a rating and review on Amazon and Goodreads. Man! Those things are important and helpful to indie authors like me.

Thanks for reading,

Matt

The April Book Cover of the Month Begins! (Following a quick announcement)

We interrupt this blog for a brief announcement. Bob’s Greatest Mistake is live! It’ll be 99 cents from today until the 15th. I’d be honored if you would be kind enough to pick up a copy!

We now return you to your regularly scheduled blog.

Happy first everyone! As is now officially tradition here on my blog, it’s time to start a new book cover of the month competition.

Metal and Stone by Kevin Potter and The Past is Never by Tiffany Quay Tyson join 30 brand new covers this month.

You can vote all the way through the tournament, supporting the covers you like best through each round. I like to make sure people get the credit they deserve, so please show your support. Please vote and share as much as possible to get people a chance to pick their favorite.

As always, I’d appreciate it if you tag the authors and artists if you know them. I try to tag or friend every author I can, but sometimes it’s hard to track someone down. Max participation is a huge deal to me. The more people who vote, the more recognition these authors and artists receive, and I want this to be as legitimate as possible.

Image taken from Pixabay.

If you are the author, let’s remember to be good sports! 1) Please feel free to message or contact me at any time. 2) Please feel free to like, share, text, ask for support, and call everyone you know. I absolutely want max participation. However, if you’re going to offer giveaways or prizes, please offer them for voting, not just voting for you.

Also, while your summoning your army of voting soldiers, please make sure you ask them to vote in every match. Part of the idea of this is to get exposure to as many artists and authors as possible. By all means, if you can get 1,000 people to vote for your book, do it. Just please also send some eyeballs to the other matches.

A final note to authors and artists: I currently have links to the books’ Amazon pages. If you’d prefer I switch that link to sign up for your newsletter or like your social media page or whatever, just send me the link and let me know. I want this to help you. I want this to be as helpful as possible, so whatever you need me to do to facilitate that, just let me know.

I hope you keep having fun. Please, vote, share, and discuss as much as possible.

All you have to do now is head over here to vote!

Thanks for reading,

Matt

Want a Free Book? I’m Asking for Help to Get My Work Out To the World!

Greetings all,

An Unusual Occupation, the first part of The Journals of Bob Drifter, is free on Amazon April 26-30!

We’re just days away from when Bob’s Greatest Mistake, the second part of The Journals, goes live, and this giveaway is my way to celebrate the countdown.  Mistake will remain 99 cents from now until May 15, when it will go to its normal $2.99 price. So this is essentially a chance to get two stories (or two thirds of Bob’s story in particular) for just 99 cents.

Here’s the part when I ask for help.  Having Occupation as a free release does a lot for an author. The more people who grab up the book while it’s free, the more visibility it will have on Amazon. The more visible the title is, the more likely it is other people will see the book and give it a try. This is an easy way to help me out. All you have to do, is click on that first link, and get a free copy of a story I’m very proud of. I hope you read it. I hope you enjoy it. No matter what you think, I hope you leave a rating and a review. But if you just grab up the title while it’s free, you’re doing me a tremendous favor.

What else can you do? Share the link. Share this blog. Tweet it. Instagram it. Anything you’d be willing to do to get word out would be a great gift and blessing to me.

Naturally, I hope everyone who grabs the title reads it. I also hope that people pre-order Mistake or even just grab up the full story, but the primary goal of this giveaway is to gain visibility and draw attention to the other titles I have available.

To make things fun, I’m offering some silly little rewards for helping.  I currently have about 700 followers. So:

If I get 100 downloads, I’ll show off my pushup with no feet.

If I get 200 downloads, I’ll karaoke a song of my followers’ choice.

If I get 300 downloads, I’ll reenact a scene of a movie of my followers’ choice.

If I get 400 downloads, I’ll narrate one chapter of any book my followers’ choose (with voices).

If I get 500 downloads, I’ll recreate the “My Little Buttercup” scene from Three Amigos.

If I get 600 downloads, I’ll perform an original song I’ve written.

If I get 700 downloads, I’ll reenact the entire Thriller dance.

I hope you all will give Occupation and Mistake a try. At the very least, I hope to have a little fun with this particular campaign. No matter what, I always appreciate you for stopping by and seeing what I’m up to.

Thanks for reading,

Matt