Just Published...

“…a wonderful novel with compelling characters and heart-pounding suspense. The reader becomes fully immersed in the plot, and stays riveted to the end.” -Editorial Consultant to Solemnly Swear

Solemnly Swear is now available online at the iUniverse Bookstore (click the Buy It Now link below). In the coming weeks, it will also be available at Amazon.com, BN.com, Books-A-Million.com and many more online sites. Tucson, Arizona Events: Solemnly Swear will also debut in the Barnes and Noble store on Broadway in September. Author book signings will be held at The University of Arizona Bookstore, and the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base BX, in the coming months (dates to be determined). Discount prices will be available online, in-store, and at special events. So buy now or mark your calendars for future availability & events.

See http://www.joeporrazzo.com/ for details or Buy It Now!

MYSTERY OR THRILLER – OR BOTH?

When someone finds out that I have a book being released soon; inevitably, their first questions are: “Fiction or nonfiction;” and “What genre is it?” The ensuing question is usually: “Is it a mystery or a thriller?” Hmmm, what’s the difference?

Let’s ask Mr. Webster, shall we?

Mys´ter`y Pronunciation: mĭs´ter`ŷ
A profound secret; something wholly unknown, or something kept cautiously concealed, and therefore exciting curiosity or wonder; something which has not been or can not be explained; hence, specifically, that which is beyond human comprehension.

Thrill er ; - )
A thriller is a novel of suspense with a plot structure that reinforces the elements of gamesmanship and the chase, with a sense of the hunt being paramount. Thrillers can be spy novels, tales of geopolitical crisis, legal thrillers, medical thrillers, technothrillers, domestic thrillers. The common thread is a growing sense of threat and the excitement of pursuit. A fast-paced, high stakes crime story in which the protagonist is generally in danger at every turn, with the most danger coming in the final confrontation with the antagonist.

Okay, seems to go hand-in-hand. But where does Solemnly Swear fit?

As a brand new member of the Mystery Writers of America, I was reading their magazine and came across an interesting distinction: “Mysteries, you don’t know who the bad guys are, and thrillers, you know who the bad guys are and the story is if the hero will stop them.”

Very interesting. So, if you consider the number of twists and red herrings found in Solemnly Swear, my answer to the ensuing question for now on will be: “It’s a mystery, then a thriller, then a mystery, then a thriller…”

Fun Stuff

HELLO, MY NAME IS JOE AND I’M A RECOVERING TRADITIONALLY PUBLISHED AUTHOR WANNABE. ACTUALLY, THAT IS NOT ENTIRELY TRUE. MY MYSTERY/SUSPENSE NOVEL IS IN FINAL PRODUCTION WITH IUNIVERSE SUPPORTED SELF-PUBLISHING (TITLE AND WEB SITE BELOW) AND SHOULD BE RELEASED BY THE END OF AUGUST.

TO BE FAIR, I NEVER ATTEMPTED TO GET IT TRADITIONALLY PUBLISHED BASED ON A LOT OF HARD RESEARCH AND MY PERSONAL GOALS AND EXPECTATIONS. I JUST DIDN’T HAVE THE TIME OR ENERGY TO “FIGHT” THE SYSTEM, OR TO WASTE ON READING REJECTION LETTERS (MOST OF WHICH WOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH MY WORK BUT REFLECT THE FAILINGS OF A BOTTOM LINE INDUSTRY CURRENTLY IN THERAPY).

I AM A FORTY SOMETHING RETIRED AIR FORCE OFFICER CURRENTLY WORKING FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE IN MY “SECOND” CAREER. I LIKE TO WRITE AND WE’LL SEE WHERE THAT TAKES ME (OR LEAVES ME). INSTEAD OF SPENDING MY DISPOSABLE TIME SENDING QUERY LETTERS AND DRINKING HEAVILY AS I READ REJECTION LETTERS, I SPEND THE TIME WORKING ON MY SECOND NOVEL, AND MARKETING MY FIRST ONE. I READ ALL OF YOUR POSTS IN THE “INTRO” THREAD. MY POST ISN’T FOR EVERYONE, BUT I HOPE IT HELPS THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE EITHER IN A SIMILAR SITUATION AS MINE, THINKING OF WRITING A BOOK, OR ARE CONTEMPLATING DUSTING OFF A MANUSCRIPT ON YOUR SHELF AND GETTING IT TO MARKET.

TRUTH BE KNOWN, I REALLY DID HAVE HOPES AND ASPIRATIONS OF FINDING AN AGENT AND A PUBLISHER. I BOUGHT ALL THE RIGHT BOOKS (WRITER’S MARKET, GUIDE TO LITERARY AGENTS, ETC.), AND READ ALL OF THE “WRITE” STUFF. I ALSO TOOK SOME WRITING CLASSES IN COLLEGE, AND COMPLETED THE WRITER’S DIGEST WRITING COURSE ONLINE WORKING WITH A PUBLISHED AUTHOR. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I DIDN’T SUBMIT MY MANUSCRIPT OR QUERY PACKAGE TO ANYONE. I WILL SELF-PUBLISH AS AN UNKNOWN AND MAYBE GET LUCKY AND GET PICKED UP TO TRADITIONALLY PUBLISH MY SECOND BOOK (30 PERCENT COMPLETE). I LIKE TO BELIEVE THAT I AM A PRODUCT OF THE NEW PUBLISHING WORLD. TRADITIONAL PUBLISHERS JUST DON’T HAVE THE TIME AND MONEY TO TAKE A CHANCE ON AN UNKNOWN (UNLESS YOU HAVE A HARRY POTTER IN YOU OR YOU ARE THE NEXT JOHN GRISHAM). THAT SAID, IF YOU HAVE THE TALENT, THE TIME, AND THICK SKIN, I SAY, GO FOR IT…

DID I SETTLE? YEAH, I GUESS…BUT THAT’S WHAT WORKED FOR ME AND MY SCHEDULE, AND I WOULD DO IT AGAIN. HERE’S WHY: MY RESEARCH IDENTIFIED IUNIVERSE AS THE LEADER IN THE SELF-PUBLISHING INDUSTRY, AND THEY HAVEN’T LET ME DOWN. I PUT IN THE INITIAL COST ("TUITION") FOR THEIR BEST PUBLISHING PACKAGE AND EDITORIAL SERVICE (THAT PROVIDED ME WITH SOME GREAT EDITING, CORRECTIONS, SUGGESTIONS AND LESSONS LEARNED THAT IS PAYING HUGE DIVIDENDS AS I WRITE MY SECOND BOOK). THEN, THEY STARTED PUTTING SOME MONEY, TIME AND ATTENTION INTO MY BOOK! IT WAS DESIGNATED THEIR COVETED EDITOR’S AND PUBLISHER’S CHOICE AWARDS RESULTING IN A PROFESSIONALLY DESIGNED PAPERBACK COVER (ALSO COMES IN HARDCOVER WITH A TRADITIONAL DUST JACKET) THAT MEETS INDUSTRY STANDARDS, AND PROOFREADING. NOT ONLY DOES IT COME OUT IN A FEW WEEKS AND WILL BE AVAILABLE AT BARNESANDNOBLE.COM, AMAZON.COM AND THOUSANDS MORE OF ONLINE SITES, BUT IT WILL BE AVAILABLE IN MY TUCSON, ARIZONA BARNES AND NOBLE STORE (ON THE NEW RELEASE TABLE AT THE FRONT OF THE STORE) FOR AT LEAST TWO MONTHS (WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO REGIONAL OR EVEN NATIONAL DEPENDING ON SALES). TRY THAT WITH LULU OR OTHER VANITY SELF-PUBLISHERS—YOU WILL GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR! YES, AS A PERSON WHO NEVER IMAGINED HAVING A BOOK WITH MY NAME ON IT AVAILABLE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC…I AM EXCITED! MOST OF THE MARKETING IS UP TO ME...BUT I AM MY BEST PROMOTER/SUPPORTER AND ALREADY HAVE THREE BOOK SIGNINGS, A LIVE RADIO INTERVIEW, AND TWO NEWSPAPER INTERVIEWS SET UP.

SORRY FOR THE LONG POST, BUT I WANTED TO PROVIDE SOME HOPE, AND MAYBE SOME DIRECTION, TO THOSE OF YOU OUT THERE “THINKING” ABOUT PUBLISHING. JUST DO IT. MY BOOK MAY END UP BEING A BUST, BUT AT LEAST I GAVE IT A SHOT AND WILL HAVE SOMETHING TO SHOW FOR IT. IF THAT HAPPENS, THEN MY NEXT POST WILL START WITH: HELLO, MY NAME IS JOE AND I’M A RECOVERING SELF-PUBLISHED AUTHOR. GOOD LUCK TO ALL, AND I HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU TO SHARE STORIES AS YOU ENJOY PERSONAL SUCCESS.

JOE P.
SOLEMNLY SWEAR
WWW.JOEPORRAZZO.COM