Crime Factory: The First Shift

They broke free from their work stations and ran giggling down the factory hallways, stopping only to write crude missives on the walls. Transcribed here for your amusement, the most original voices in crime fiction offer you 27 tales of revulsion, heartbreak, and violence. Welcome to The First Shift.

For all the gory details head over to New Pulp Press, or buy directly at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Indie Bound.  

From established voices Ken Bruen, Leigh Redhead, Charlie Stella, Dave Zeltserman, Dennis Tafoya, Roger Smith, Craig McDonald and Adrian McKinty, to cult favorites Frank Bill, Scott Wolven, Nate Flexer, Andrew Nette, Jedidiah Ayres, Josh Converse, Greg Bardsley, Hilary Davidson, Kieran Shea, Cameron Ashley, Patricia Abbott, Chad Eagleton, Jimmy Callaway, Steve Weddle, Keith Rawson, Anonymous-9, Jonathan Woods, Liam Jose, Dave White, and Chris F. Holm, Crime Factory: The First Shift brings crime fiction to new highs and lows. 

But don't take our word for it. Check out what the people who matter are saying:

"It had been shot in the back, left for dead. But ever since Crime Factory crawled out of its shallow grave and renewed its global rampage, I've been hugging my kin just a little tighter, and eyeing the horizon nervously. You're not going to find a more audacious, innovative and downright twisted crime fiction mag anywhere else on the planet, and this collection features the best of the best. So get our wallet. Because if you turn your back on this anthology, it just might shoot *you* in the back, leave *you* for dead." — Duane Swierczynski, author of Fun & Games

"There are new writers in Crime Factory: The First Shift and there are old pros, but they're all coming to play, and they're playing for keeps. Sweet and savage, profound and profane, you'll find everything you want from your crime fiction in here. Kudos to all involved for keeping the short story alive and writhing." — Sean Doolittle, author of The Clean Up and Rain Dogs

"Crime Factory is your one-stop source for sociopathic nonconsensual B&D escapades gone-wrong reimagined as syphilitic narcotrafficking docudramas as directed by the bastard offspring of Luis Buñuel and Ida Lupino. Buy it or be condemned to a one-way ticket to Squaresville!" — Scott Phillips, author of The Ice Harvest andThe Adjustment

As always, thanks for your support of indy publishing.

Best,

Jon Bassoff

New Pulp Press

Twitter is Not a Magic Genie!

I am saying this with the utmost love, I swear.

This past week I was on a chat with a bunch of other writers, and the leader of the group was giving direction as to how to properly use twitter. Those of you who know me are now rolling your eyes thinking…oh no here she goes…

Yes, here I go again. I kept my mouth shut out of respect for the teacher, but I really wanted to just scream. One of the reasons I am frustrated is that I was using it incorrectly for almost a year, and then I got it. I mean to say I understood how to use it, and I have seen amazing results…seriously.

So, back to the beginning. Twitter is not a Magical Genie. People describe Twitter as social media. I am going to put the emphasis on social. The best way to describe it is a huge worldwide party with millions of different people chatting about all kinds of different things at the same time.

(#)Hashtags are like name tags. We are walking through the party, and how are we supposed to know where to go to talk? If we have a topic we want to talk about, like for instance Polar Bears, we want to search for anyone with a #polarbear nametag, aka hashtag.

So now we have a good hashtag. There are tons of great people talking about Polar Bears! Awesome! So you have this cute Polar Bear stuffed animal that needs a home, and you are trying to give it to someone who likes Polar bears. 

So what do you do? Just walk into the room and start just randomly shoving the Polar bear in people’s faces asking if they want it, or do you start talking to people and getting to know them? Have conversations about your common interest, and then they may notice or you can mention that you have this adorable polar bear you want to give someone. 

While that person may not need another polar bear, they may know someone who does. So they tell, aka retweet, your message out to all of their friends. 

They do this because they know you and they want to help. You say thank you and move on to the next interesting person. Of course if the first person has a great poster he needs to sell, you would let all of your friends know as well, retweeting their message, and will probably get a thank you in return.

Does anyone see where I am going with this? Twitter is literally a social medium. You cannot just go and blast twitter with tweets about your book, blog, and article. You will not get anywhere, or worse if you go on overload you will get blocked. The only way to get anywhere with twitter is to be a part of twitter, to actually join the party and mingle with the guests. There used to be a saying, “Success is not a Stationary Sport.” Well twitter is definitely a sport. Not only do you need to make friends, you need to get attention….but I think we will discuss that another time.

So go out and make some friends for goodness sake!

Happy Tweeting ~  AmyJRomine on Twitter

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۞۞۞۞GIVEAWAYS۞۞۞۞

*All giveaways are open to all WORLDWIDE unless otherwise stated.

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(Sept 29th) #BlogHop4Writers: What's your take on this question?

Welcome to the BlogHop4Writers! Here's this Thursday's blog hop question:

Thursday, Sept 29th:
QUESTION: With the advancement of e-publishing and e-books, what new methods of marketing do you think authors should employ? Question provided by author: Lark LaTroy
 
 NeoDruids Volume 1:

Meet the members of The Order. Ten people with a common belief, they are Druids. In modern day Boston, The Order face magical challenges from outside of our world. Whether it be a serial killer attempting to bring about total chaos, or a lovely woman from the strange world of the dragon-kind, the Druids use their powerful gifts in the struggle to maintain balance between order and chaos.

How to play along:

The Blog Hop for Writers (#BlogHop4Writers) is hosted by Sassy Brit of Alternative-Read.com -

• Meet every Thursday here at #AltRead and check out our writing related question, which changes each week.
• Write the answer in a post on your own blog.
• Come back to the meeting hub at #AltRead and add yourself to the Linky list in sidebar.
• Do the HOP and visit the other blog hopping writers, making friends, discovering new followers and leaving comments along the way. 
• If you don't allow comments on your blog, #BlogHop4Writers players can leave comments on Sassy's home page at #AltRead found on the current Linky list. (Usually the #1)

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Linky List should be below, please refresh page if you cannot see it, or leave your link in the comments section below. Happy blog hoppin'.  

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We need more questions! If you'd like to suggest the writing question of the week and be featured fill in this form.

Click here for our new "Previous #BlogHop4Writers Questions" page.

How to play! Click here for full details of how to play along and get the most fun out of the #BlogHop4Writers!

Any queries - please contact me using the contact tab above. 

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Join our chat over at the Yahoo Chat and Promo group! (and claim your free e-books!) Promos only at weekends.
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Author Promos: Also featured at top spot on blog (above the fold) and on most of the feeds sent out to email subscribers. Hit the "Contact" tab for more info.

What's in your HAMMOCK, Wednesday? (WOYDW)

It's time to dive into the world we actually occupy; the world of metaphysics, and it's always best to experience this world with dear friends in a location that has the ability to be isolated. Therefore it's time to honeymoon and time to take my writer's garret to the above photo.

Within the series of 4 connecting novels REASON VOID OF REASON: Spirituality honeymoon style is the third and the last that can be read and comprehended out of sequence. At the same time it will open doors to only an adventuresome reader; a reader who desires to understand the inner workings of his or her clock. If your mind prefers braces and blinders, then it would be best to stop after reading LEGACY: Let the games begin. 

 

Although Rin has been with the organism for ten years, there are secrets about the organism she has yet to learn; concealments Dale has longed to disclose. Synchronously Riley, Dale's stalwart marine compatriot, who vowed he would never trust any woman enough to reveal these depths of the organism, has found his unwavering trust in Stacy, Rin's best friend from childhood.

Writing REASON VOID OF REASON: Spirituality honeymoon style permitted my flight into a world that I have enjoyed; a world I equate with the honeymoon, for the spiritual world unlocks our shackles that bind us to anything we previously believed to be concrete truth. It is a world I have often shared throughout my life and believe that it is a world that most of us would prefer to enjoy. The spiritual world is the fun and frolic of the honeymoon, and REASON VOID OF REASON: Spirituality honeymoon style can only seduce the reader into a euphoria that will be glorified and sanctioned in the final book; BREATHE: NOUMENON; the essence of our world. 

 

If you were to have charge of composing this author into words you would have my condolences. Infinite facets that radiate outward are often illusive and difficult to grasp. Within me there is no why or wherefore, but an insatiable need to follow the piper of my spirit; a spirit that was set free with dogged determination to love precisely who and what I am. It is my sincere hope that these four novels will provide the reader the possibilities that are before each of us when we grab the dragon and shake it into a comfortable size, and don its hide as our own.

 

Dig REASON VOID OF REASON: Spirituality honeymoon style because the truth will set yea free.

Peace Baby

Link to LEGACY: Let the games begin (the 2nd book)

Link to Hearthe Calliope: A sentimental journey on the Earth Rid (the 1st book)

Link to REASON VOID OF REASON: Spirituality honeymoon style (the 3rd book)

Links to the man who inspired Dale (soul mate to The Goddess)

http://hubpages.com/hub/HAUDENOSAUNEE-my-faithful-Indian-companion

Link to my HubPages where anyone can contact me through either a post or private email http://alicedewonder.hubpages.com/

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Join our chat over at the Yahoo Chat and Promo group! (and claim your free e-books!)

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Author Promos: Also featured at top spot on blog (above the fold) and on most of the feeds sent out to email subscribers. Hit the "Contact" tab for more info.

Joining the Mysterious Author Clan: Author Guest Post & Giveaway! Alberta Ross

Alberta Ross: My Website | My blog|

I have been reading books for over fifty years, a never-ending flow of different authors it seems.  It’s a passion, a comfort, a friend thing!  For a couple of years after a trauma I lost the ability to stay with a book or magazine for more than a few sentences and became depressed as a result; I felt lonely without the books, without the worlds I could inhabit within their pages.

I have to say I was never so concerned about the authors themselves, only their stories.  Maybe I would read the little spiel about them, but often I wouldn’t.  The names of those whose writing I truly enjoyed I memorised to enable me to buy the next one they wrote.  Authors were rather grand folk –at least we thought they were, back then in the 50s and 60s.  Intellectuals, they had to be; what else?

I lived these books and never tried to analyse them but when I approached the sixth form I suddenly discovered it was a must in higher education – I hated it, wrecking the world so wonderful created by those mysterious authors.  I found I didn’t wish to find a hidden meaning.  I wouldn’t!  Of course I had to and those few books have languished unread a second time, completely ruined for me.

I wandered the world making up alternative worlds for myself and reading of others; not until I reached my 40s and went to university did I come across this cross examination of books again.  I coped better with dissecting text books!

When, as I mentioned above, I lost my books I turned in despair to a book/reading group.  I had always avoided them as I believed it would be a re-run of school.  Well I suppose in a way it was but the intensity of academic analysis wasn’t there and through this ‘homework’ I found my reading again.  I belong to two such groups now.  I enjoy them very much and have discovered quite a few new authors I would probably have missed.  I am, however, growing uneasy. 

I am no longer just a reader of books I have joined those mysterious ‘authors’.  I now weave those stories, launch them on the unsuspecting world and find they are being analysed in their turn.  Hidden meanings or meanings that I never intended being found.  They are someone else’s alternative world now. I retain copyright but one can never retain possession of your created world once it leaves you.

I find this a strange state to be in.  Am I reader first or a writer?  It is becoming more difficult to read a book without the writer/critic hat upon my head. I still live in new worlds while I read but I increasingly find that mooching through my days from necessity means inhabiting the world I am creating for my own books.  I agree with the maxim that one needs to read to write but during the months I am writing my reading drops to almost zero (I have to catch up in between times).  It is too confusing having other people’s thoughts jostling with mine. 

I wonder if this is a normal reaction from those of us who write or is a symptom of ‘old age’.  Maybe it’s the length of time I have been reading which accounts for the condition.  Maybe, just maybe, the brain finds switching from reader to writer too difficult.  How do I like the thought that others are interpreting my stories to suit themselves as I have done a thousand times before?  Putting their experiences on my characters and colouring my invented worlds with their own fears and fancies?  Do I relish them picking the books apart at book groups?  I am an author now so I may expect this.  I am a reader and consider it my right.  I have noticed though when I read a book now I tread more lightly in my criticism; I can imagine the hours spent in creating each page. 

The whole physicality becomes different.  As a reader I could curl up, cosy and relaxed, feet over the arm of the chair; absorbed, unblinking, unhearing.  As a writer I sit in an office chair staring ahead at the screen.  I must stop every now and then to check this, look up that.  Maybe I will stare into space trying to unlock one particular word.  There is nothing particularly relaxing about creating a book.  That pleasure belongs to the reader.

What is different now with my move to writing is the act of reading has changed in many subtle ways.  It’s as if I have crossed over some invisible bridge and joined another group, another village if you like.  With family links across the divide.  Eager to become assimilated into the new group but always hankering back to the former.  Would I change back?  No.  I gain immense satisfaction in the process of creating a novel.  I have after all had half a century of reading I very much doubt I’ll have that of writing! 

I am running a give away during the tour.

2 winners of draw will win an e-book edition of

The first two books of the Sefuty Chronicles

Ellen's Tale and The Storyteller's Tale

3 runners up will win an e-book edition of

Ellen's Tale

(unless already read in which case The Storyteller's Tale)

How to win

A comment on each visited host site gives you one chance to win, also on my sites on those days I am posting there during the tour

an extra entry will be given if you mention the post on Twitter or Facebook

an extra entry will be given for a mention of the post/tour on your own blog

Let me know where you have spread the word 
My Website | My blog|

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Join our chat over at the Yahoo Chat and Promo group! (and claim your free e-books!)

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Author Promos: Also featured at top spot on blog (above the fold) and on most of the feeds sent out to email subscribers. Hit the "Contact" tab for more info.