A Writer’s Life
So you have decided to finally write that book and you have discovered that it is not as bad as going over Niagara Falls in a barrel. That is not meant to be funny. I suspect that there are a lot of unwritten words out there because of that simple fear that you will be discovered as a person who has lost your mind. Well, just so you won’t feel alone, I have been accused of that more than once and I took it as a complement. That is why writing is a lonely life for some. But I have a secret that I want to share with you. Writing can be an escape. It can also be hell on earth. It all depends on how you look at it.
For me, I tend on the side of “May the force be with you.” Take a chance on a fast train, is how the song goes. I also think of it as an opportunity to go where you have never been before. When you begin your book, think of it as leaping off the side of a building and never hitting bottom until you want to and then select a soft landing.
To say that writing can be fun is an understatement. As a writer, you have the opportunity to express yourself without fear of being criticized each step of the way. Some writers seek to influence opinion and that is not a bad thing, but at the end of the day, who cares? I tend to avoid making social statements. I think more along the lines of entertaining. A good book should be a form of relaxation and not water torture. So when you write, relax. Now how do you as a writer do that? Follow the KISS formula. Keep It Simple Stupid and don’t fight it. If you find your protagonist wanting to go in a certain direction, then by all means go.
In my first book, I wrote a novella. The reason I did that was to introduce my protagonist as a young man and allow the reader to understand how it got into the mess that he did in the second book. After all, everyone gets a start someway, be it crime or serving the public good. When I wrote the novella it also shortened my learning curve on self-publishing. Yes, you heard it right. I am a self-published writer and I have just completed my tenth book.
Without beating the drum too hard, as a writer you may want to give the idea of self-publishing a go. It is easy and gets your book to the world faster and more economically. There are a lot of self-publishing sites out there, but the best seems to be Kindle Select (https://kdp.amazon.com/select). It not only will provide useful tips on your written document, but it will also help you with your book cover by providing helpful templates you can use for free.
Finally, once you have decided to write your book, don’t let some novice reader masking as a book reviewer detour you from your effort. Great writers do not become great overnight.
A big thank you to J. Frank James for joining us today here on Pure Textuality! Be sure to check out his book Dead Money Run, available on Amazon.com!
About Dead Money Run
Lou Malloy has just maxed out on a fifteen year prison sentence for the theft of $15 million and just before leaving prison he learns that his sister is brutally killed. As he is leaving prison, he’s told to keep his nose clean or he would soon be back. As far as Malloy is concerned all bets were off until he finds his sister’s killer. In the meantime, he has to fight off predators trying to get their hands on the money he stole and keep from being sent back to prison trying to protect those dear to him. He catches a break when he meets up with Hilary Kelly, a private investigator with an agenda of her own, She has been hired by the insurance company that paid on the theft claim of the money stolen from the casino by Malloy. In the course of events, Malloy and Kelly become more than just friends and Kelly decides to throw in with Malloy. Together they work to uncover exactly what happened to Malloy’s sister and why. Their search involves a vicious gang led by a vengeful old man and his crazy son who has his own problems keeping his hands off other women. To make matters worse, Malloy and Kelly’s search is complicated by the fact that Malloy’s sister was really a special agent with the Department of Homeland Security and she was working undercover when she was killed trying to locate the whereabouts of special plates to produce counterfeit currency that if the plates end up in the wrong hands, whole banking systems of major foreign countries could collapse overnight.
As Malloy and Kelly race to find the killer of Malloy’s sister, they enlist the help of Crusher, a pro wrestler who served in the cell next to Malloy at the Atlanta Penitentiary. The decision is made for Malloy and company to hit the same casino again that Malloy robbed fifteen years ago by a special ops unit of the Department of Homeland Security. The plan is complicated by the fact that the ops unit is a phony setup led by a former agent turned rouge who is backed by another vicious gang with international contacts intent on getting their hands on the missing money plates. Malloy decides to go through with the heist of the casino a second time, but on a different schedule than planned. If they don’t make it they have no way to return to the real world. They are in a make or break it race. Read as they race to the finish line and learn if this where the run ends or the run begins….
Dead Money Run is a fast paced, action packed, crime thriller. This is the first book in the Lou Malloy Crime Series.
On the day Lou Malloy is to be released from prison, the warden calls him for a private meeting. “Ten percent of fifteen million is a lot of money,” the warden tells him. He’s probing Lou for the whereabouts of the $15M that was stolen from a casino 15 years earlier. Lou, however, doesn’t bite. He’s got big plans, which include finding the person who killed his sister while he was in the joint.
Enter Hilary Kelly, a 20-something beauty who gives Lou a motorcycle ride from the bus station. She claims to be a student, but Lou is far too wise to fall for it. After crashing in Hilary’s trailer, Lou soon finds her .38 Smith and Wesson and discovers she’s a private investigator who knows something about his sister.
Hilary a great character, and loaded with memorable lines: “Lou, sometimes you can be the nicest killer I have ever known.” Alas, she and Lou were made for each other – he likes to think of himself as a “compassionate killer.”
Fans of James Ellroy and Elmore Leonard are going to love James’ ingenious capers, devious characters and wry humor. The entire book goes down like a strong yet smooth shot of bourbon.
Will Lou reclaim his money, or will he be lured into one last big score? And who killed his sister, anyhow?
Dead Money Run
by J. James Frank
Series
Lou Malloy Crime Series #1
Genre
Crime Thriller
Suspense
Publisher
Independent
Publication Date
August 12, 2013
Reg. Kindle Price $2.99
About J. Frank James
Jim began his career in writing by first securing a BS degree in Journalism and a BS degree in Advertising from the University of Florida College of Journalism. While in school, he worked for the Gainesville Sun as a reporter, photographer and plate maker and several of his news stories were picked up by the Associated Press. From there Jim attended law school, obtained a Doctorate of Law. While in Law School he was a member of the law review and published an article as a member there.
As a self-taught artist and rug designer concentrating on endangered species, Jim has displayed his art in several galleries, such as in Booth Bay Gallery, Booth Bay, Maine; The Goodyear Cottage On Jekyll Island, GA (where he had a one man show); Blue Frog Gallery, Atlanta, GA; Glynn Art Ass’n, St. Simon’s Island, GA and now McIntosh Art Ass’n, Darien, GA. Working in acrylics, his work is bold, fun and inspiring. His prints are limited editions on both paper and stretched canvas.
To date, Jim has published four novels under the pen name J. Frank James in honor of his Father who was killed in World War Two. Jim lives in Atlanta with his lovely wife, Lorraine, and their seventy-five pound boxer named Jake.
His books are centered around two protagonists named Lou Malloy and Hilary Kelly as special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, they seem to attract trouble on a regular basis. Jim hopes you enjoy following them from one hot spot to another.
Author Links
