Dan Alatorre's Blog

This morality play inspired the subplot for one of my upcoming books.

Nero Artlada’s The Monster, The Master

“Monstret, Mästaren,” Nero Artlada, Lomma, Sweden 1622.

Translated and revised in 1978 by Andrea Tolar, University of Stockholm.

A servant and a master walked along the shoreline of the River of Good and Evil.

“Master,” the child said, “how do I know if I am pure in my motives and righteous in my pursuits?”

The master replied, “All of us are imperfect and will fall short of our ideal from time to time. This does not make us impure or untrue. The choice to repeat is what condemns us.”

So the servant then asked, “But master, if all fail, how many times might someone choose the wrong path before they are a servant of evil?”

The master said, “A single transgression may be a mistake, or weakness in the face of temptation, or a crime of passion or an act of immaturity. To do the same sin a second time is a failure of will. Three times is a pattern. Four is a habit. But even then, one may still be redeemed.”

The child began to tremble and cry. “How many until someone is condemned?”

The master looked at the young servant and frowned. “Eight,” the master said. “By then, there are no mistakes or excuses. A fifth recurrence hurts the soul, for we now realize we have chosen our vice. After the sixth time, we cry, for our former self is no more. After seven, we despair, because our path is decided. But eight leaves no questions. There may be excuses or rationales before then, or arguments to persuade a jury, but eight quells all arguments. Eight removes all doubt. Eight silences.”

The child sobbed. “Is there no path back to redemption for them, then?”

“No,” the master said. “They have chosen their path. Only pain and death await.”

The servant took a knife and cried out, and killed the master, and shoved the body into the River of Good and Evil.

And the servant ran away knowing justice had been served.

Monstret, Mästaren

Nero Artlada 1622, Lomma, Sweden

Översatt och reviderad 1978 av Andrea Tolar, Stockholms Universitet.

En tjänare och en herre gick längs stranden av floden av gott och ont.

“Mästare,” sa barnet, “hur vet jag om jag är ren i mina motiv och rättfärdig i mina strävanden?”

Mästaren svarade: “Vi är alla ofullkomliga och kommer då och då att missa vårt ideal. Detta gör oss inte orena eller osanna. Valet att upprepa är det som fördömer oss.”

Så tjänaren frågade då: “Men herre, om allt misslyckas, hur många gånger kan någon välja fel väg innan de är en ondskas tjänare?”

Mästaren sa: “En enda överträdelse kan vara ett misstag eller svaghet inför frestelser, eller ett passionsbrott eller en omogen handling. Att göra samma synd en andra gång är ett viljefel. Tre gånger är ett mönster. Fyra är en vana. Men även då kan man fortfarande bli förlöst.”

Barnet började darra och gråta. “Hur många tills någon blir dömd?”

Mästaren tittade på sin tjänare och rynkade pannan. “Åtta,” sa mästaren. “Då finns det inga misstag eller ursäkter. En femte upprepning skadar själen, för vi inser nu att vi har valt vår last. Efter den sjätte gången gråter vi, för vårt tidigare jag finns inte längre. Efter sju är vi förtvivlade, för vår väg är bestämd. Men åtta lämnar inga frågor. Det kan finnas ursäkter eller motiveringar innan dess, eller argument för att övertyga en jury, men åtta stoppar alla argument. Åtta tar bort allt tvivel. Åtta tystnader.”

Barnet snyftade. “Finns det då ingen väg tillbaka till återlösning för dem?”

“Nej”, sa mästaren. “De har valt sin väg. Bara smärta och död väntar.”

Tjänaren tog en kniv och ropade och dödade husbonden och knuffade kroppen i floden av gott och ont.

Och tjänaren sprang iväg i vetskap om att rättvisa hade uttjänats.

WordPress did a great write up of me! Check it out.

Dan Alatorre murders people for a living. Not literally, but literarily: His thrilling mystery novels have captivated audiences around the world, landing him on multiple bestseller lists.

Like so many authors of the internet age, Dan started his writing journey with a blog. Back then, his posts were focused more on the day-to-day happenings of his life, and they eventually provided the fodder for his first book: a silly autobiographical tale about a father and his daughter.

Dan has always had many different stories to tell. He published titles in a variety of genres, such as…

CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO READ THE REST OF THE ARTICLE.

https://wordpress.com/blog/2023/12/07/dan-alatorre/?page_id=53883

I get featured in a WordPress video!

Click HERE to see it now.

WordPress asked me if I’d like to be featured in one of their videos. I was like, sure! What do I have to do? They said they’d send an interviewer and a videographer to my workplace and handle everything, so we set it up.

It was a lot of fun!

They were complete professionals, taking care of every aspect of filming, lighting, camera angles… all sorts of stuff. You know, authors aren’t used to that sort of thing. Most of our interviews take place in writing.

They put a big light in an umbrella outside my office window to control the shade of the trees and swaying Spanish moss to not put me periodically in shadows) and they put a second light – a red one (???) – pointing at my books behind me.

Then they asked a BUNCH of questions. Where do I get my ideas? How long have I been writing? Which books are my favorites?

We did some scenes that didn’t make it to the final cut, like me flipping TV channels or cutting a tomato, or pacing outside my house. But all in all, I think the finished product makes me look pretty good!

AND!

I did in the video what I try to do in my books: grab the audience with an interesting opening. “I’m Dan Alatorre and I kill people for a living.”

Not bad, huh?

Enjoy the video and share it with your friends!

SIX SISTERS

A young woman disappears and is feared dead, potentially murdered by her abusive husband – a handsome, shady thug with a violent reputation.

But as detectives Carly Sanderson and Sergio Martin look into the matter, they can’t find a body, and the husband has an iron-clad alibi.

He was killed earlier the same day.

Soon, it is obvious that no one connected to the case is telling the truth—not the mother who says the husband did it, not the sister who may have played a role in the crime, not the husband’s meticulous daily calendar…

Maybe not even the dead woman herself.

A great stand-alone book and a perfect addition to this brilliant series, Six Sisters will keep you guessing to the very end.

GET IT HERE


FANS OF A. J. RIVERS, KARIN SLAUGHTER, ROBERT DUGONI, L. T. RYAN, VICTOR METHOS, JAMES PATTERSON AND DAVID BALDACCI WILL LOVE THIS INTENSE, FAST-PACED THRILLER

“Finished Six Sisters and I loved it! I read a lot of thrillers and suspense books, but I have to say I never expected the twist. That was great!”

“D@mn, quite the story AGAIN!  Well done!”

“Dan’s Double Blind Series is right up there with a James Patterson book in my eyes.”
– Sassy Redhead Book Reviews

AS GOOD AS GRISHAM OR PATTERSON

YOU will LOVE this intense thriller with its romantic subplot!

FIVE SPARROWS

The body of a sixth-grade girl is found in the woods near the exclusive school she attended. It could be a suicide, or it could be a murder, but every lead turns out to be a dead end. Detectives Carly Sanderson and Sergio Martin are requested by the local sheriff to aid his scandal-plagued department’s investigation.

Security cameras might have identified the killer, but the recordings have gone missing – and the school administration wants everything kept quiet to preserve the institution’s reputation.

But someone is quietly pointing the detectives toward secret societies that allegedly don’t exist at Hillmont Day School, and the bullying that no one admits happens on the zero tolerance campus.

One group, a small clan of girls called The Sparrows, may have been recruiting the deceased girl, but none of the sparrows are talking—and their influential parents are threatening lawsuits if any of their precious young darlings are implicated.

A great stand-alone book and a perfect addition to this brilliant series.

GET IT HERE

FANS OF A. J. RIVERS, KARIN SLAUGHTER, ROBERT DUGONI, L. T. RYAN, VICTOR METHOS, JAMES PATTERSON AND DAVID BALDACCI WILL LOVE THIS INTENSE, FAST-PACED THRILLER

5 STARS! I DEVOURED IT IN ONE DAY
“Thumbs up to Dan Alatorre for delivering another thrilling addition to this series!” – J Young Reviews

AN EXCEPTIONAL ADDITION TO AN ALREADY GREAT SERIES
“I would liken the way the intrigue would build to those of fellow authors Kendra Elliot or perhaps David Baldacci.” – DL Hartman Reviews, GoodReads

WOW
“Another runaway hit by Dan Alatorre.” – D Keller Reviews

YOU WON’T WANT TO PUT IT DOWN
“Spellbinding… Love this series and can’t wait for the next book. Dan never disappoints.” – SB reviews, GoodReads

“Dan’s Double Blind Series is right up there with a James Patterson book in my eyes.”
– Sassy Redhead Book Reviews

AS GOOD AS GRISHAM OR PATTERSON

YOU will LOVE this intense thriller with its romantic subplot!

“I love this series and this may be the best book yet.” – Kandy Review, Amazon
“This book is AWESOME” – JoBear Reviews
“I’ve read all of the Carly and Sergio books. They’re all great and this one is no exception.” – Maggie Reviews
“I am completely addicted.” – Sharon Sambuca, Amazon
“Definitely the best one in the series and you don’t want to miss it!” – Terri Echols review, Amazon

The latest from detectives Carly Sanderson and Sergio Martin.

Several Tampa media personalities were known for their “hit pieces” about public figures. Now they’re known for being murdered – and anyone they trashed could be a suspect.

Detectives Carly Sanderson and Sergio Martin, co-workers and secretly lovers, are assigned to hunt for a deranged killer, together but separately: Carly must operate from headquarters to show her oversight skills; Sergio is in the field, but is saddled with a beautiful and headstrong young image consultant who’s been tasked with fixing the department’s profile.

When the killer livestreams his intentions to widen his pool of victims, public pressure to find him skyrockets. But internal office politics hamstring the investigation, forcing partners Carly and Sergio to work around the clock – and around the rules – to uncover the connections the victims share with their killer.

A great stand-alone book and a perfect addition to this brilliant series.

“DAN ALATORRE IS ONE OF MY GO-TO AUTHORS FOR THRILLING SUSPENSE.”
“I am a diehard Carly and Sergio fan and this book met every expectation” – J Young Reviews, GoodReads

FANS OF KARIN SLAUGHTER, KENDRA ELLIOT, DAVID BALDACCI, LESLIE WOLF, VICTOR METHOS, AND ROBERT DUGONI WILL LOVE THIS FAST PACED THRILLER FROM USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR DAN ALATORRE!

“Right up there with a James Patterson book”
“A perfectly paced, suspense thriller. I loved this story and I love Carly and Sergio.” – Sassy Redhead Book Reviews

“Great entertainment”
“My only complaint is that I got so caught up in it that I finished too quickly.” – ClaireN Reviews, Goodreads

“Dan never disappoints.” – Shirley’s Favorite Books, GoodReads

FANS SAY “DAN ALATORRE’S BOOKS ARE RIGHT UP THERE WITH JAMES PATTERSON AND JOHN GRISHAM.”YOU will LOVE this intense thriller with its romantic subplot!

Get it now!

As an Amazon Associate I earn $$$ from qualifying purchases if you click these links. Show me the money! #CommissionEarned

The latest in Jett Thacker psychological thriller series is here! Killer In The Dark.

Garb your copy now, in ebook, paperback or hard cover.

WHAT’S LURKING IN THE WOODS?

A young woman dies in a brutal nighttime attack, and all signs indicate her killer was a Florida panther – an endangered species that hasn’t killed a human in more than 70 years.

When a second attack occurs in the same manner, the locals go into an uproar.

News of the killer panther will ruin the tourist season and devastate their businesses. Parents won’t let their kids play in the backyard.

But only 150 of the elusive panthers exist in the entire state, so they probably can’t really be responsible for the deaths…

So what is?

The teeth and claw marks on the bodies are irrefutable.

A third attack puts police authorities at odds with conservationists. The deaths occurred on national park territory, so it falls to Ranger Mara Teery to run the complex investigation. Together with brash investigative TV reporter Jett Thacker and a wily game hunter, the unlikely trio is determined to stop the series of gruesome killings.

Is it actually a rogue Florida panther on a bloodthirsty rampage, a setup by a radical conservationist, a blackmail scheme against a local big cat zoo – or something far darker?

Click HERE to get it now.

Perfect second book. 5 STARS.
I couldn’t put it down and read it in one day.
– J Youngs Reviews, GoodReads

5 STARS A page-turning thriller that takes off in the opening pages & never lets up! A pedal-to-the-metal, hair-raising, spine-tingling thriller! – Roger Fauble Review

That ending was totally unexpected.
I really enjoyed the narrative, the storyline was superb, the characters well documented. Excellent. Readers (yes including me, especially me!) will look forward to reading the next book.
– J. Dickinson Reviews

There was no way I could stop reading
This book is bringing out a lot of strong emotional reactions from me (that’s a good thing!).
– C. Nevins Reviews

FANS OF LESLIE WOLF, VICTOR METHOS, JAMES PATTERSON AND ROBERT DUGONI WILL LOVE THIS FAST PACED THRILLER FROM USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR DAN ALATORRE!

FANS SAY “DAN ALATORRE’S BOOKS ARE RIGHT UP THERE WITH ROBERT DUGONI, JOHN LESCROAT AND JOHN GRISHAM.” Reviewers say fans of Lee Childs, David Baldacci, Dan Ames, David Archer and James Patterson will LOVE his intense thrillers!

Get it now.

As an Amazon Associate I earn $$$ from qualifying purchases if you click these links. Show me the money! #CommissionEarned

The latest in THE GAMMA SEQUENCE medical thriller series is almost here! DARK HOUR

December 5, Dark Hour goes live!

A TICKING TIME BOMB WITH THEIR DAUGHTER AS THE HOSTAGE

A mysterious package is delivered to Hamilton DeShear and Jaden Trinn – by a driver who then brutally commits suicide on their property.

The box contains a message from Dr. Marcus Hauser, who everyone is certain is dead: When the couple’s adopted young daughter was in Hauser’s custody, an explosive device was implanted in her head. It will detonate in 72 hours and kill her – unless DeShear comes to a secret location.

The obvious trap will deliver DeShear to Angelus Genetics, a criminal enterprise the couple shut down, but they can’t risk their young daughter’s life.

Dr. Hauser’s lost artificial intelligence program might be the key to subverting his plan – if Trinn can find it in time. The one person who can operate it is 4,000 miles away, locked up in prison, and swore to kill her.

USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR DAN ALATORRE DOES IT AGAIN

FANS OF LEE CHILD, ROBERT DUGONI, DAVID BALDACCI, DAN AMES, DAVID ARCHER, JEFFERY DEAVER, ALAN JACOBSON AND JAMES PATTERSON WILL LOVE THIS FAST-PACED SERIES!

ORDER YOUR COPY NOW SO IT DOWNLOADS IMMEDIATELY TO YOUR DEVICE!

As an Amazon Associate I earn $$$ from qualifying purchases if you click these links. Show me the money! #CommissionEarned

The latest in the Carly-Sergio DOUBLE BLIND thriller series is here! THIRD DEGREE

October 11 Third Degree goes live!

A fire has no conscience. Neither does a serial firebomber.

Tampa detectives Carly Sanderson and Sergio Martin agree to join a newly-formed, multi-state task force and immediately find themselves navigating between the Georgia backwoods and the Atlanta social scene in pursuit of a serial firebomber. A ruthless maniac who apparently enjoys having random victims suffer before they die, only the killer knows how the targets are related – if they are at all. A combination of Carly’s by-the-book police work and Sergio’s willingness to bend rules to the breaking point might catch the killer and end the reign of fear Atlanta is enduring, but with so many people unwilling to cooperate, the detectives wonder if something else may be at work.

FANS OF JAMES PATTERSON, DAVID MAMET AND DAVID BALDACCI WILL LOVE THIS INTENSE, FAST-PACED THRILLER

The twists and turns of the plot keep you guessing until the end in this fast-paced psycho-thriller. An excellent reading choice for anyone who likes crime thrillers.
– J Young Reviews

Wow! Great book.
Very intense at times with a very exciting ending. I can’t wait to see what Carly and Sergio do next.
– Kandy’s Reviews, GoodReads

Oh yeah, IS worth reading again.
– Sofe’s Reviews, GoodReads

ORDER YOUR COPY NOW SO IT DOWNLOADS IMMEDIATELY TO YOUR DEVICE!

Over at GoodReads, Whitney messaged me to see if I could post a printable list of my books.

Seemed like a reasonable request. You could copy-paste this for starters; how’s that? (All of these are on Amazon, most are on GoodReads somewhere. and almost all are available as audio books)

The Jett Thacker Series:
Tiffany Lynn Is Missing: a Jett Thacker Mystery
Jett Thacker Book 2: Killer In The Dark

The Gamma Sequence Series:
Book 1 :The Gamma Sequence
Book 2: Rogue Elements
Book 3: Terminal Sequence
Book 4: The Keepers
Book 5: Dark Hour

The Double Blind Series
Book 1: Double Blind
Book 2: Primary Target
Book 3: Third Degree

STAND ALONE BOOKS
A Place Of Shadows, a paranormal thriller
The Navigators, a time travel thriller
The Italian Assistant, a very funny, very sexy, VERY irreverent comedy romance

Horror anthologies (short stories)
BY DAN ALATORRE as sole author:
Dark Passages
Dark Voodoo
Dark Intent
Dark Thoughts

Horror anthologies (short stories) with Dan Alatorre and other authors:
The Box Under The Bed
Dark Visions
Nightmareland
Spelbound
Wings & Fire
Shadowland

COMING OUT ON VELLA:
The Water Castle, a time portal romance

That’s most of them, Whitney! Hope that helps!