Murder on Book Row

Amazon Pants Debacle Returns!

Amazon Pants Debacle Returns!

Well, it happened again. I went to check out one of my books on Amazon, only to discover the image of the paperback cover had been replaced by a picture of mens workout pants. This has happened to me a lot in my years of selling books on Amazon. It’s always pants, for some reason. And no one can ever tell why it’s pants…

Audiobooks of The Mesmerist Series are Live!

Audiobooks of The Mesmerist Series are Live!

Two of the novels in my Mesmerist series of books are live and available for purchase in the Apple audiobooks store! These are the seventh and eight books of mine to go live for readers who prefer to consume books that way. They are also the fourth and fifth novels of mine to become an audiobook.

You can learn more about the first two book in the series, The Mesmerist and Ear of God right here.

In a nutshell, this is a thriller series that focuses primarily on psychic phenomena. An FBI agent and a New York City cop team up to investigate strange cases that have no conventional solutions. It’s basically my take on the occult detective genre. Part detective fiction, part urban fantasy…

Audiobook of Sorceress Kringle is Live!

Audiobook of Sorceress Kringle is Live!

My novel Sorceress Kringle is live and available for purchase in the Apple audiobooks store! This is the sixth book of mine to go live for readers who prefer to consume books that way. It’s the third novel of mine to become an audiobook.

You can check out the book right here, and buy it outright for $6.99. It’s an epic fantasy novel for grown-ups—NOT KIDS—that imagines that Santa Claus is actually a woman, and has very good reasons for hiding her identity…

Amazon Pants Debacle Resolved!

Amazon Pants Debacle Resolved!

I received confirmation late yesterday that Amazon had finally resolved the issue in which one of my book covers went missing, and was replaced with the image of a stack of mens’ trousers. (See image below.)

I carefully clicked through to all of Amazon’s international stores to make sure that what the KDP rep was telling me was accurate. It was.

All told, the problem took from 9/8/23 to 9/24/23 to resolve. So I only had to look like an idiot—and lose potential sales—for 16 days!

Audiobook of Murder on Book Row is Live!

Audiobook of Murder on Book Row is Live!

My novel Murder on Book Row is live and available for purchase in the Apple audiobooks store! This is the fifth book of mine to go live for readers who prefer to consume books that way. It’s the second of my novels to become an audiobook.

You can check out the book right here, and buy it outright for $4.99. It’s a traditional mystery in which a bookselling sleuth known as the Book Lady solves murders. Some people would call this a cozy, but I don’t think it’s nearly as sweet as modern cozies are expected to be. It’s inspired greatly by the original Nero Wolfe mysteries. I have a soft spot in my heart for the book, considering it is one the first books I ever wrote…

Why Amazon is Currently Making Me Insane

Why Amazon is Currently Making Me Insane

I was naturally concerned when I saw the recent articles about the proliferation of crap books impersonating established authors. Jane Friedman did a great post on this. And Chris Fox revealed another twist on the scammer problem. Fox predicts that these kind of quality control issues will hurt Amazon in the long term.

I believe I have them all beat. What I’m reporting here is not a scam issue. At least, I don’t think it is. I do think it’s just an egregious example of nonexistent quality control.

I looked at one of my self-pubbed books the other day on Amazon, and discovered this. Yes! I am an author not of books, but PANTS!

Getting My Books for the 2021 Holidays

If you’re interested in getting some of my books for the holidays, you ought to act quickly. We’re getting closer to the last-order date at my local bookstore. I’ve resisted pushing people to order early because I really hate rushing the season, but I’ve spent the last couple of weeks in the company of booksellers, and I understand better what they’re up against.

If you prefer ebooks, you’re all set. The complete list of my book is here, on a single page. All my books are readily available at the usual online stores in e-book format. Just click the cover of the book you want, and choose your preferred store. The only exception is my children’s book on Fibonacci. That book is still only pubbed in print only.

A complete list of my wife’s books are here. The new Thanksgiving book is right at the top of the page.

Physical copies of our books—especially the new ones—are available via Amazon, B&N, and your local bookstore. If a store doesn’t have them, they can order them.

If you want books autographed by either of us, the best way to do that is to contact the indie bookstore in my town,  Malaprop’s, and order personalized, autographed copies of whatever tickles your fancy. Signed books make great gifts.

Here’s the skinny on signed books:

Call Malaprop’s directly at 1-800-441-9829 or 828-254-6734. Just tell them…

  1. Which book you want to order and the author’s name.

  2. Within certain limits, due to the ongoing supply-chain situation, we are striving still to do personalizations in books. The bookseller will know which books can be inscribed. So, let them know how you want the book personalized. To you? To the mother-in-law you’re always trying to suck up to? Your frenemy? Do you want it to say “Merry Christmas,” “Happy Holidays,” “Happy Thanksgiving,” “For a mystery buff,” or nothing at all?

  3. Give them your payment information and shipping address.

  4. Make sure you get your order in by December 6th for delivery by Christmas.

That’s it! Malaprop’s will have me or Denise sign, and they will ship your book out to you or to the person of your choice, autographed and ready to go.

But what about gift wrapping?

Yes indeed, they gift wrap–for FREE. I told you they were wonderful. So, you can have that autographed book gift-wrapped AND have a gift card slapped on it. That package of holiday reading cheer will be shipped wherever you want and will arrive ready to be slid under a tree, slipped into a (larger than usual) stocking, placed next to the menorah, or shipped to a loved one you hope to see in the very near future..

Can I order online?

Technically, yes, but calling is much more efficient, less ambiguous, and, in the long run, will take less of your time.

Which books of yours can I order?

All of them, really. My complete list is here, on a single page. (The Fibonacci book is here.)

Denise’s list is here.

Allow me to single out for your reading pleasure my two newest novels! They are:


Sorceress Kringle: The Woman Who Became Santa Claus

A gender-bending fantasy novel about Santa—the way you never imagined her.

Murder on Book Row

Meet the Book Lady. She sells books, eats well, and has a very large brain. Criminals fear her.

Happy shopping, and thanks for supporting a local independent author and bookstore!


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