August, 2013

After much hair pulling and gnashing of teeth, I’m happy to report that my noir detective series, BLACK, is almost ready to go live. It will officially launch around the middle of Sept., with BLACK 2 already in the bag, and going out 30 days later, followed by BLACK 3 in November, and possibly BLACK 4 in December.

If that sounds like a lot of writing, you ain’t seen nuthin yet. I’ll also be writing JET VI for a December release, and have agreed to do two co-authored novels with indie authors with whom I’m friends, and also a fan. Different genres than my usual, though – one’s a dystopian prepper novelist of considerable talent, and the other’s a NA author and USA Today/NY Times bestselling author of no small repute and ability.

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ANTHOLOGY RELEASED – FREE!!! The new anthology,  The End of the Road, to which I’m a contributor, is now out…and free!

BREAKING NEWS: An interview about Upon A Pale Horse! Check it out!!!

NEWS: New in-depth interview with yours truly at Smashwords. Worth a read if your TV’s on the blink. Feel free to comment and leave questions you’d like answered there. I’ll probably ignore them, but hey, worth a shot, right?

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Whether the two co-authored deals will get done by year’s end is up in the air due to everyone’s schedules, but I can honestly say that I’ve never written this much in my life. For those keeping track at home, 2013 will be a year where I released eight of my own novels, if all goes well, and these two co-authored offerings.

Next year I am slowing the pace down to three or four of my own, and that’s it. I swear. Really. Unless the co-authored books go through the roof and I become a NA romance sensation, dancing in my lime green man thong for the tourist ladies off the cruise ship, their hungry eyes and grabby hands haunting my nights – but that’s a whole nuther topic, thank god. As it is, figure one Russell book every three months, and no more. For which my editors and proofreader are already exhaling long sighs of relief.

I will also be announcing some incredibly exciting news in November that will change the way many view indie authors. That’s all I’m going to say right now, but trust me when I tell you that it’s news that will be front-page-worthy, right up there with some of the biggest accomplishments to date. It’s a huge milestone for me on a personal level, and a game-changer in many ways. Stay tuned. And no, this is not a cheap publicity ploy to get people wondering what the big deal is. It’s not a big buildup to a completely uninteresting non-event. This is the real thing. Unless I’m lying. Which I do, early and often. So you’ll just have to wait to see.

BLACK, for those wondering, is the final title of the hard-boiled detective novel I discussed here in April or May – Artemus Black, Hollywood PI to the stars, with anger management problems and a host of other issues. It’s written with more than a little humor, and is reminiscent of The Geronimo Breach in terms of the main character’s luck. I really like this series, and can see it going for a long, long time. Lighter than some of my stuff, it’s a tip of the hat and a wink at the likes of Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett, Michael Connelly and James Patterson. So if you like that bunch, give it a try. I’ve always enjoyed detective mysteries, and promised myself I’d write a few, so this is my toe in that water. I think it turned out really well, and hope that it’s kindly received.

That’s the latest. If you don’t see me around my usual haunts, it’s because the next 100 days is going to be a marathon, not because I hate you or you’ve offended me in any way. Except for you. And you know who you are. Don’t play dumb. It’s not going to work this time. I’ve got a memory like an elephant on meth, and I’m not going to forget your betrayal.

The rest of you, carry on. And go buy some of my crap. The price is going nowhere but up soon, so this is probably your last chance at it at these prices.

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