John L. Monk

The explosion of self-published books makes me think every third reader has just been waiting for a chance to be a writer. And guess what, people are buying and enjoying self-published books. It’s true.

I won’t review or contest all the moaning and groaning from the media about this phenomenon, though I’ll admit that having a desire to write and a good story to tell doesn’t always end in a well-written, properly formatted book. But: freedom to publish. Who can argue with that? Oh, that’s right, people with money to lose: publishers and agents.

Indie ebooks are cheap because authors can set their own price and earn up to 70 percent royalty from Amazon.

Some critics complain as though the rabble has been set loose. I heard a traditionally-published author protest that cheap ebooks threaten the industry, and without the guidance of editors and publishers, literature will decline. Well, la di da. In my humble opinion, very little…

Okay – so my short novel TROLLING LURES is available for free today and tomorrow.

Check out the cover from talented cover artist KEITH DRAWS.

Trolling Lures asks and answers just what exactly would happen if the Trickster Coyote of native mythology ran into a Norse Troll, fresh out of Asgard.

Here’s what some folks are saying about TROLLING LURES.

“Trolling Lures is a campfire tale on speed, a heady cocktail of remorse, discovery and the quest for redemption, couched in equal parts bedtime story and fever dream. It is surrealism personified, and if you’re into that sort of thing, Vernon has a treat for you.” – Dark Scribe Magazine

“Steve Vernon manages to wrap up about six varieties of weird in this story. You’ve got a talking trickster god who likes to switch between being a coyote and a Mountie along with a couple of ghosts getting it on…

http://www.amazon.com/Time-Traitors-Liam-Mannion-Story-ebook/dp/B00O9GLJBA/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1412776654&sr=8-4&keywords=A+TIme+of+Traitors

I know this is historywithatwist, but in my own small way I’m making a little history of my own. This is a big day for me. My third Liam Mannion novel, A Time of Traitors, is now live on Amazon. It has taken me almost nine months to write. That’s longer than I spent on either Tan or The Golden Grave, but then I didn’t have as many issues with those books.

At first, I was very clear on what course to take. I had a good, strong opening scene. Shortly after that I wrote another strong scene that was a potential opener. And, eh, then I wrote another one. It was like waiting for a bus to come along only for three to arrive together. I was spoiled for choice.

I scratched my head for a while and then realised that the only way I would…

Readers who loved May Rose’s story will be happy to discover her new adventures in the final story of the Mountain Women Series. It’s Midwinter Sun: A Love Story. The characters are older (and wiser, a condition which always happens, we hope). They’ve returned to Winkler, West Virginia, where everything has changed.

I’ll put a sample chapter on this site soon. The print version should be available later next week.

Meanwhile, you should be able to sample chapters on Amazon.

Thanks for taking a look. 🙂