Martyn Halm > Recent Status Updates

GHOSTING will be published on December 1st, but you can read the preview if you're curious - a PDF preview is available on GR, and you can get the ePub or Mobi preview by visiting the GHOSTING page on Tao of Violence. http://tao-of-violence.weebly.com/gho...

I beg your forgiveness for not participating on GR more - not only was I in bad health (kidney stones and glaucoma), but a few months ago my mother-in-law was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Knowing there was only palliative care to look forward to, we focused on having her spend as much time as possible with her children and grandchildren. She slipped away last Tuesday. RIP Ellen.

I've finally finished the beta version of Ghosting, and I'm dire need of feedback - this book clocks in at 112K words, just under the word count of its predecessor Rogue.

I want to do an e-book giveaway. Tell me the book you want and why you want to read that particular book from the Amsterdam Assassin Series and I'll sent you the epub and mobi file. Email to katlasieltjes@yahoo.com.

I decided to put Fundamental Error on free at iTunes, so if you have an iPad and you want to read a cool short story about freelance assassin Katla Sieltjes, starting tomorrow Fundamental Error will be free with iBooks...

I'm back in the hospital once again for kidney stone removal. They've removed a stone from my kidney, but I got a JJ shunt, which means that for the next two weeks I'll be on meds that can make me highly erratic. So if I say something weird or offensive, just consider tht i'm 'on my meds'....

Aconite Attack, the fourth Katla KillFile, is now available through Amazon.

If you're interested in a free review copy, please send me an email at katlasieltjes@yahoo.com

I had to stay home today, due to my frequent bathroom visits, so I decided to built myself a pair of wooden headphones: http://halmvos.smugmug.com/HDPHNS/Zen...

They're part Sennheiser, part Grado, part handmade, and meant for jazz music, so I called them the ZennJazzGrado.

I'm sorry I'm lacking in presence on GoodReads at the moment, but I'm not well. Two months of heavy medication for my kidney stones did not have the desired results, so I'll need an operation right before Christmas, which means I'll spend the Holidays stoned out of my gourd.

Not how I envisioned enjoying the holidays, I'm sad to say.

I'm currently battling kidney stones and my heavy pain killers influence my sarcasm, so if I offend you, please understand that I am PUI (Posting Under the Influence). Oh, and thank you, Vicki, for the apple cider vinegar lemonade suggestion. It's not as foul tasting if you mix it with enough agave syrup. :)

Currently I have fifteen beta-readers for IN POCKET on my list: Summer, Jurjen, Christopher, James, Katja, Laura, Martin, Sid, Christy, Paul, Marie-Luise, Roberta, Carter, Marjorie, and Hannah. Five spots left…

I just posted a new blog article for authors on how to increase the visibility of your book on Amazon. https://amsterdamassassin.wordpress.c...

I've received many well-wishes and supportive emails and PMs while I was battling my kidney stones. Due to the medication I wasn't always alert in responding, so I'd like to take this moment to thank you all for your care and kindness.

I'm glad to say I'm off my meds now, so I can return to writing my fiction.

I'd like to mention that I offer every GR friend a free copy of Reprobate, no strings attached. If you read Reprobate already, you can also request a free copy of another book in my series.

I appreciate your support!

General update: If I sounded somewhat delirious or stoned the last couple of weeks it's because I had undergone a rather painful procedure to remove a kidney stone. The kidney stone was crushed with sound waves and the fragments became lodged in my urethra. The doctors then invaded my private parts to blast them with lasers, leaving a shunt so the urethra could heal. The shunt was removed today, so I'm off my meds...

86% on the Kindle version

I have to admit that I watched the TV-series first, before I opened the first book. The chapters are told from the perspectives of particular characters: Eddard, Daenerys, Tyrion, Catelyn. I find I enjoy the Tyrion and Daenerys chapters most. Like Tyrion, I have a fondness of the flawed characters. Eddard and Catelyn are too 'straight' for me to truly empathize with.

I have to admit that I watched the TV-series first, before I opened the first book. The chapters are told from the perspectives of particular characters: Eddard, Daenerys, Tyrion, Catelyn. I find I enjoy the Tyrion and Daenerys chapters most. Like Tyrion, I have a fondness of the flawed characters. Eddard and Catelyn are too 'straight' for me to truly empathize with.

On the suggestion of a GR member, I used the review section of my books to post reprints of blog interviews.

Tomorrow, November 15th, the third novel in the Amsterdam Assassin Series, Rogue, will go live!

Enjoyed this review on iTunes:
Reprobate ★★★★ by Bobboganush - Sep 7, 2013. "Besides enjoying this book, I like the way the author maintains an intimate relationship with his readers through his blog, emails and by sharing his creative process while writing his books. The author is truly defining a new method of connecting with fans and including them in his process."

ARCs of ROGUE - A Katla Novel (Amsterdam Assassin Series 3) are now available. See http://amsterdamassassin.wordpress.co...

I've been receiving feedback from beta-readers on the ROGUE manuscript. Many typos were caught and some scenes need to be rewritten, with other scenes ending up on the cutting room floor. It's great to feel so supported by people generously giving their time to helping me improve the next novel in the Amsterdam Assassin Series.

Research can be fun. I'm currently smoking heaps of herb and listening to Bob Marley, Burning Spear, Steel Pulse, Black Uhuru, Yabby U, Lee 'Scratch' Perry, Yellowman, Peter Tosh, and Aswad, to adequately research the fourth novel in the Amsterdam Assassin Series, Ghosting.

Beats watching an autopsy for Reprobate.