Good day, book people and welcome to July! I hope those of you experiencing extreme heat are finding ways to stay cool. My go-to-method is to stay indoors, sip ice tea, and read a good book. I'm excited to begin another month but have regrets since I haven't spent as much time reading as I could or should. Okay, I haven't spent as much time on required reading as I should (I know, I need to stop my habit of re-re-reading favorite books). I've gone down the proverbial rabbit-hole lately by reading nonfiction crime thrillers and watching crime documentaries, so I was excited to learn that today's guest would be stopping by to chat with us. Please help me welcome Blair Denholm, author of the crime thriller, Kill Shot. Mr. Denholm will be discussing with us the importance of writing what you want to read. Thank you, Mr. Denholm, for taking time out of your busy schedule to join us today, the blog is now yours.
A Romantic at Heart
When you look at the best selling fiction genres, it's romance first, the rest a distant second. Readers devour romance books like nothing else. And authors in this category are super prolific, pumping out series after series. Then there's the myriad of subgenres. I was astounded to learn that Motorcycle Club Romance and Mafia Romance are actually things. But that's just the beginning. How about Rock Star Romance and Medical Romance? Or even Cavemen Suitors and Amish Vampires? There's something for every taste.
My question to myself is this: You want to be a best-selling author, right? You can write quickly, you've got a handle on this. You could clean up, kiddo! So why don't you jump on that amusement park train-ride that is the Tunnel of Love and start bashing out romance novels?
The simple answer is, I just can't bring myself to do it.
I mean, if I can't even read it and enjoy it, how on Earth could I write it?
I'm not saying there aren't mercenaries out there, romance-slingers who'll do anything to hit that sought-after best-seller list. In fact, I know there are. I once signed up for a writers' course where you were taught virtually nothing about writing, and lots about business. I was shocked to learn there are authors out there who are not, in fact, authors. The most artistically creative thing they've done is come up with a pen name. And, you know what? Sometimes they don't even do that. I'm not going to name names (I could), but if you're a romance-a-holic who reads a lot of different authors, some you enjoy might be people who have never written a line of fiction in their life. They could be an astute businessperson who outsources everything related to writing the novels, concentrating on nothing but cold-blooded marketing of "the product". They analyze the market forensically, spend many thousands of dollars in advertising on Facebook and Amazon, tweak their ad bids constantly, and watch the moolah rolling in.
But is there anything wrong with that? Of course not. As long as they're providing something that gives people enjoyment, I'm one-hundred percent good with that approach.
Unfortunately, though, such a business model is never going to work for me. Even if I was a fan of romance and wanted to write in that genre, I would have to be responsible for every word on the page. Call me a control freak if you like, but the only part of my book I'm prepared to hand over to someone else is the cover. I've previously tried my hand at cover design and let me tell you, friend, "suck" doesn't even come close to the mark. Having said that, writers do need the input of others before they hit the publish button. I'm talking about editors and proofreaders. For traditionally published authors, all that is taken care of in-house. But for indies like me, we have to find the right people out there in the oceans of service providers. Once you do find a good team to support you, they must be guarded and protected like a prize possession!
Some wannabe indie writers feel they can dispense with these essential elements, but they soon find out they've made a mistake when the scathing reviews come pouring in pointing out grammatical errors, typos, plot holes, you name it.
So, getting back to the main theme of not being able to write romance. It's no secret that the vast majority of romance authors are women. I'm a guy, so that puts me behind the eight-ball from the get go. Even the men who do ply their trade in this genre tend to write under pen names, like Tom Huff, who wrote under the pseudonym of Jennifer Wilde. Others of note are Vince Brach (Fran Vincent) and Mike Hinkemeyer (Vanessa Royall).
I write thrillers and mysteries, and although there are romantic elements in some of my stories, they are generally incidental to the plot. When I write a "love scene", it tends to be more suggestion than description. Indeed, I take my hat off to those who can sustain a romantic feel throughout an entire novel. It's an awesome skill. So I guess the fact it's the number one genre, and the one that pays its greatest exponents the most money from the pot, means those tireless romance writers earn every penny!
Kill Shot
by Blair Denholm
July 1-31, 2021 Tour
Synopsis:
Violent crimes. Missing people. Dark secrets. Only one driven detective can unearth the truth.
Detective Sergeant Jack Lisbon travelled halfway round the world to escape his troubled past. Mutilated bodies were never part of the plan.
A body found in the mangroves at first appears to be evidence of a frenzied crocodile attack. But it soon becomes obvious this is a horrific murder.
And when a popular MMA fighter disappears, police now face a possible double homicide. The list of suspects grows longer, but no one in the closed fighting community is talking.
Can hard-nosed ex-boxer Detective Sergeant Jack Lisbon solve the mystery before the panicked town of Yorkville goes into total meltdown?
Join DS Lisbon and his partner Detective Claudia Taylor on a heart-thumping ride through the steamy tropics of Northern Australia as they hunt for a killer out of control.
Justice served with a side order of vengeance.
What readers are saying about Kill Shot:
"Head spinning twists and gritty crisp dialogue make Kill Shot a must read for the gruff mystery thriller crowd out there!"
- Goodreads reviewer
"I would overwhelmingly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good crime fiction, thriller, who-done-it or the like."
- Booksprout reviewer
"Denholm is a masterful story teller with realistic facts and hardcore action scenes throughout! Readers looking for a real page-turner have found it here!"
- Goodreads reviewer
"The story is so well written and full of action, that it is impossible to put down."
- Voracious Readers reviewer
"With the heat, crocodiles, press speculation, and lack of progress, the pressure is on for a fast resolution. A cracking police procedural and a highly enjoyable read. I look forward to the subsequent adventures of the promising crime fighting duo."
- Booksprout reviewer
"There are some surprising twists and turns along the way, one which I couldn't even imagine which made this read a sheer delight. I struggled to keep this book down. I look forward to reading more of Denholm's work."
- Goodreads reviewer
Book Details:
Genre: Thriller
Published by: Indie
Publication Date: December 9th 2020
Number of Pages: 212
ISBN: 979-8733882802
Series: The Fighting Detective, Book 1
Purchase Links: Amazon | Goodreads
Author Bio:
BLAIR DENHOLM is an Australian fiction writer and translator who has lived and worked in New York, Moscow, Munich, Abu Dhabi and Australia. He once voted in a foreign election despite having no eligibility to do so, was almost lost at sea on a Russian fishing boat, and was detained by machine-gun toting soldiers in the Middle East. Denholm's new series, The Fighting Detective, starring ex-boxer Jack Lisbon, is now up and flying with the first two installments, Kill Shot and Shot Clock. The series is set in tropical North Queensland, Australia, and features heavy doses of noir crime with a vigilante justice twist. Expect at least six novels with Detective Lisbon, his fellow cops and a host of intriguing characters.
Denholm's debut crime novel, SOLD, is the first in a thrilling noir trilogy, featuring the detestable yet lovable one-man wrecking ball Gary Braswell. The second exciting book in the series, SOLD to the Devil, was released in June 2020. The final episode, Sold Dirt Cheap, will see the light of day in 2022.
Finally, Denholm is working on a crime series set in Moscow just prior to the collapse of the Soviet Union. Captain Viktor Voloshin is a hard-boiled investigator who has to fight the establishment in order for justice to be served, in his own special way. The first in this series, Revolution Day, will be published in October 2021.
Blair currently resides in Hobart, Tasmania with his partner, Sandra, and two crazy canines, Max and Bruno.
Kill Shot Book Tour Participants:
Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and giveaways!
https://www.linkytools.com/basic_linky_include.aspx?id=302288
Giveaway:
This is a Rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for BLAIR DENHOLM. There will be 1 winner of one (1) Amazon.com Gift Card (U.S. ONLY). The giveaway runs July 1, 2021 through August 1, 2021. Void where prohibited.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js
Giveaway:
This is a Rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for BLAIR DENHOLM. There will be 1 winner of one (1) Amazon.com Gift Card (U.S. ONLY). The giveaway runs July 1, 2021 through August 1, 2021. Void where prohibited.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js
WordPress.com
No comments:
Post a Comment