SciFi and Fantasy eBook Club discussion

The galaxy's greatest bounty hunter goes into action with my new space opera novel Rogue Hunter: Inquest. Action, adventure, romance, and starships. What more can you ask for? You can download your copy of Inquest at the following retailers:

Kindle / Nook / Apple / Kobo / Smashwords / Sony / Diesel / Google Play

TODAY ONLY! 2 Great Black Friday Deals.

Rogue Hunter: Inquest is on sale at Amazon for $3.99 (43% off).

You can also download your copy of Inquest for 50% off at Smashwords
Coupon Code for discount: RG22Z

"Packed with intrigue and action."—Pearls Cast Before a McPig

Bounty hunters are feared and hated everywhere. But one woman stands above them all. Facing death at the hands of intergalactic mobsters, she travels to a distant world seeking to capture the one man who can bring an end to her problems. Little does she know her arrival is the small stone that will set off an avalanche of climactic events that will determine the fate of an entire world. Download your copy of Rogue Hunter: Inquest and prepare for the rebirth of an epic science fiction saga.

Available at the following retailers:

Kindle / Nook / Apple / Kobo / Smashwords / Sony / Diesel / Google Play

"Full of drama, action, suspense and romance."—A Journey With Books

Join the galaxy's greatest bounty hunter on her latest adventure and download your copy of Rogue Hunter: Inquest.

Now available at the following retailers:

Kindle / Nook / Apple / Kobo / Smashwords / Sony / Diesel / Google Play

If you're an Android user, you can now download your copy of Rogue Hunter: Inquest from Google Play.

"Lots of drama, lots of action and an almost impossibly fast pace."—Now is Gone

Join the galaxy's greatest bounty hunter in her newest adventure and download your copy of Rogue Hunter: Inquest to your Kindle from your regional Amazon store:

Amazon / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Amazon DE / Amazon FR / Amazon ES / Amazon IT / Amazon JP / Amazon BR

Now available for Sony eReader.

"It's almost impossible to put down - it's that good!"—Minding Spot

Zyra's having a very bad day. And when Zyra's not in a good mood, she's going to make sure someone else has an even worse day.

Rogue Hunter: Inquest is now available in paperback.

"A must read!"—Bookshelves of Dreams

Explosive sci-fi action awaits you in Rogue Hunter: Inquest, featuring the galaxy's greatest bounty. You can download your copy of Inquest at the following retailers:

Kindle / Nook / Apple / Kobo / Smashwords / Sony / Diesel / Google Play

Also available at your regional Amazon store:

Amazon / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Amazon DE / Amazon FR / Amazon ES / Amazon IT / Amazon JP / Amazon BR

I've downloaded a sample...but I have to be honest and say I downloaded it because of your post here. I have seen the book a couple of times during my browsing and passed it by without a second look due to the price. But I'll check it out :)

Clay wrote: "I've downloaded a sample...but I have to be honest and say I downloaded it because of your post here. I have seen the book a couple of times during my browsing and passed it by without a second lo..."

Hi, Clay. I appreciate your interest in Rogue Hunter. If you have any questions about Inquest or the rest of the series, I'll be happy to answer them. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the sample!

Okay, not going to leave ya hanging :) I read the sample. I have to be honest and say that it did not catch my interest enough to make me want to buy it. Just not my cup of tea, I suppose.

I will say, and this is a personal preference thing, that when browsing through DTBs, if I come across a book that starts at a certain point and then jumps back in time in the very next chapter (ie to show how the character came to that point), I tend to put the book back on the shelf and move on. Looking back on books I have kept and read that do this, I can say that the usual scenario is a start in a quiet or semi-quiet situation as this book starts out and then jumps into a past action scene....or starts out with an extreme action scene and then jumps back but very quickly catches up and then moves along with the story from the point of action.

None of this is criticism of your work...simple personal preferences.


Good Luck :)

Not a problem. That's the beauty of books. There's a wide selection to meet different readers' tastes and interests. I do want to thank you for taking the time to read the sample as well as give me some feedback. You brought up an interesting point. My book has a different narrative structure, so what you suggest would not have worked for me. But the quiet/action, action/quiet technique you mention definitely gives me something to think about and perhaps implement for a future title. Thanks for sharing.

In celebration of the relaunch of the Rogue Hunter series, Inquest is on sale for a low introductory price at the following stores. This is a limited-time only promotion offer, so download your copy of Rogue Hunter: Inquest today.

Kindle / Nook / Kobo

OK. I read the "look inside" sample on Amazon. The characters are defined, the grammar is good and appears to have a lot of promise. I went ahead and purchased it and will report back.

John wrote: "OK. I read the "look inside" sample on Amazon. The characters are defined, the grammar is good and appears to have a lot of promise. I went ahead and purchased it and will report back."

Thanks for checking out Rogue Hunter, John. I am interested in knowing what you think of it. So if you'd like to leave some comments in the form of a review that would be great. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy reading the book!

I finished Inquest the other evening. Good spelling and grammar with only one misuse of a word (it happens in very polished works). It had a plausible storyline that didn't get tied up in techno-babble and the characters were fairly well developed. I would give it an average grade. Not the best (which is virtually impossible) but not the worst either (which is much more attainable).

I'm not the best at critiquing styles which is my caveat but I do have a few comments if you're interested in them. Remember though that it is only one person's opinion. Also keep in mind though that even the publishers of the best authors give their works to people to critique.

As most people would understand, the best authors are true artists. While working with words rather than oils or water colors, they will not paint a complete painting but rather enough of the scene to allow the imagination of the reader to fill in the detail. Sometimes aspiring authors try too hard and rely on over description rather than the use of subtlety to get across a point or a sequence and I kind of felt that way as I read the book. There were areas that tried too hard.

Hi John. Thanks for reading Inquest! I really appreciate you providing me with feedback. I strongly value reader opinions and am happy you were able to let me know which story elements of the book worked for you and what didn't.

You are certainly correct that traditional publishers have a vetting process for the books they produce, which certainly includes testing the book with readers to see if there are areas that can be improved before publication. I use this process for all of my books and have a team of some pretty tough writers and readers who critique my work before I give it to my editor/s. Inquest spent months in the hands of several beta-readers that consisted of readers, authors, a screenwriter, and a retired editor. Every one of them contributed greatly to helping me spot areas in the book where the story needed to be strengthened. This included fact-checking, looking for plot-holes, addressing character motivation and development, prose, grammar, and, of course, description. Though, as you mentioned, even the most polished books don’t catch everything.

I love hearing from readers such as yourself because I am always looking for ways to improve the reading experience and entertainment value of my work. An author walks a tightrope in deciding where to place the focus when writing a book. Where some readers, like you, may want a lighter footprint by the author when describing a scene or providing exposition, other prefer more of it. I’ve heard from different camps of readers who say they wish I gave more detail during the action scenes, while others wanted less. This is where the author has to make a stylistic decision knowing that he can never satisfy every reader. But I certainly understand and appreciate that there may be areas in my book where some readers feel the detail slows down the action too much or may be too descriptive to let them fill in the blanks with their imagination.

I had to make some tough decisions to sacrifice pacing, at times, in order to paint a more vivid picture for the reader, knowing fully well that some readers will prefer less description to keep up a more brisk pace with the plot. What I can take from the information you have given me is that in the future I’ll have to be even more judicious when deciding if it’s best to forgo some of the description in order to help the story read more briskly. Not an easy task. But one I look forward to making as I move forward with the series.

Again, thanks for providing me with this wonderful insight into your reading experience. I will certainly take your words to heart and keep an eye out for where I can implement a lighter touch to my description.

LIMITED-TIME ONLY!

Rogue Hunter: Inquest is on sale at Amazon for $2.99 (REG. $6.99). Download a copy of Inquest to your Kindle today.

On Sale for Read an Ebook Week! Use the code REW50 at checkout for 50% off at Smashwords (reg. $6.99). Download Rogue Hunter: Inquest in your favorite ebook format including Kindle and Nook friendly versions. Offer good through March 9.

To kick off the upcoming release to the sequel to my novel Rogue Hunter: Inquest, readers can currently download the Kindle version of Inquest from Amazon for only 1 penny (reg. $4.99). It's a great deal for sci-fi fans. This is a limited-time only offer, so I hope you'll get your copy before the promotion is over.

PROMOTION ENDS MAY 31, 2013

STAR WARS MEETS LAW AND ORDER AND PRISON BREAK

Explosive sci-fi action awaits you in Rogue Hunter: Inquest, featuring the galaxy's greatest bounty. You can download your copy of Inquest at the following retailers:

Kindle / Nook / Apple / Kobo / Smashwords / Sony / Diesel / Google Play

Also available at your regional Amazon store:

Amazon / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Amazon DE / Amazon FR / Amazon ES / Amazon IT / Amazon JP / Amazon BR

The sequel to Rogue Hunter: Inquest is getting closer to release. But if you haven't read the first book, now's a great time to check it out.

Here's your chance to win a FREE digital copy of Rogue Hunter: Inquest. Sign up
at That Artsy Girls Book Blog to win now. Deadline to enter is 7/30/13.

Enter to win a FREE ebook copy of Rogue Hunter: Inquest + The Original Soundtrack!



Here's your chance to win a free ebook copy of Rogue Hunter: Inquest and the original soundtrack CD. Head on over to The Bibliophilic Book Blog and leave a comment along with your email address on the Giveaway page so you can be notified if you're the winner. Deadline to enter Giveaway is July 31, 2013. Contest is open to U.S. residents only.

Here's a Preview from the soundtrack.

Enter to win a FREE ebook copy of Rogue Hunter: Inquest + The Original Soundtrack!



This is the last call for entries for our Giveaway. If you'd like to win a free ebook copy of Rogue Hunter: Inquest and the original soundtrack CD, just head over to The Bibliophilic Book Blog and leave a comment along with your email address on the Giveaway page so you can be notified if you're the winner. Deadline to enter Giveaway is July 31, 2013. Contest is open to U.S. residents only.

Why is an ebook giveaway only available to US residents? That doesn't make sense.

Ken wrote: "Why is an ebook giveaway only available to US residents? That doesn't make sense."

The contest is being held for US residents because there are costs associated with shipping the CDs to winners. Shipping merchandise at international postal rates is currently not part of our promotional budget. However, I have arranged for a similar Giveaway with another blog for both US and non-US residents that will offer both the ebook and digital versions of the soundtrack. Stay tuned.

"A must read!"—Bookshelves of Dreams

An action-filled Space Opera adventure featuring the galaxy's greatest bounty hunter. You can download your copy of Inquest at the following retailers:

Kindle / Nook / Apple / Kobo / Smashwords / Sony / Diesel / Google Play

Also available at your regional Amazon store:

Amazon / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Amazon DE / Amazon FR / Amazon ES / Amazon IT / Amazon JP / Amazon BR

GIVEAWAY ENDS 9/3

Check out the latest review for Rogue Hunter: Inquest at The Bookish Owl Blog. While you're there, sign up for the Giveaway contest so you can win a free ebook copy of Rogue Hunter: Inquest and the Original Soundtrack CD.

Deadline to enter Giveaway is September 03, 2013. Contest is open to everyone (U.S. + International residents).

***FREE EBOOK GIVEAWAY CONTEST!***

The Bookish Owl Blog is offering readers a chance to own a FREE digital copy of Rogue Hunter: Inquest + the Original Soundtrack CD. Sign up for the Giveaway Contest so you can win your prizes.

Deadline to enter Giveaway is September 03, 2013. Contest is open to everyone (U.S. + International residents).

"Skringler is like an amped-up version of Han Solo ... if Solo had not only shot Greedo first, but slaughtered every living being in the cantina too."—Rob May, author of Alien Disaster

Bounty hunters are feared and hated everywhere. But one woman stands above them all. Facing death at the hands of intergalactic mobsters, she travels to a distant world seeking to capture Boris Skringler, the one man who can bring an end to her problems. Little does she know her arrival is the small stone that will set off an avalanche of climactic events that will determine the fate of an entire world. Join Zyra on the start of her epic journey and download your copy of Rogue Hunter: Inquest today.

Also look for the sequel, Rogue Hunter: Dark Space, due out on October 1st!

"If you like a strong heroine, you'll definitely love this book."—Shelly's Rambles

When it comes to bounty hunters, Zyra Zanr is the baddest of the baddest. But she's got big trouble and needs some quick money to get her enemies off of her back. Enter Boris Skringler, Public Enemy #1 (and her ex-lover). Skringler is worth a ton of money to the right people. Unfortunately, he's already being held prisoner by a powerful queen who has no intentions of releasing him. Zyra's going to have to break a few rules (and some heads) if she's going to get Skringler. Busting the most dangerous man alive out of a heavily guarded prison isn't the worst of her troubles. Doing so without falling back in love with him is going to take a little more effort.

Join the galaxy's greatest bounty hunter on her desperate mission in Rogue Hunter: Inquest and prepare for an epic space adventure. Available in paperback and ebook.

Also look for the sequel, Rogue Hunter: Dark Space, now available!

Before you dive into Zyra's newest adventure, Rogue Hunter: Dark Space, make sure you read the first epic book in the series Rogue Hunter: Inquest.

Available in paperback and ebook.