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Hello Readers:

For a limited time only, Amazon is featuring, for FREE, Stabbed: Bullet Book Speed Reads #5!

From time to time Amazon features a book in a series in hopes that readers will enjoy the story, try others, and spread the word to their friends.

Three days only! Grab it here!

Try Bullet Book #5 for FREE! LIMITED TIME ONLY!

If you enjoy the short Bullet Book format, try the other Bullet Books here: www.bulletbooksspeedreads.com

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Bullet Books Speed Reads Box Set: Books 1-3

PRE-ORDER NOW!

ONLY $5.99 for all 3!

Forward this newsletter to your friends and let them also experience the free gift of reading a Bullet Book!

Happy Reading,

Manning

Hi Reader,

Did you know that according to Edison Research and Triton Digital, 50 percent of Americans age 12 and older have listened to an audiobook? That number is up from 44 percent in 2018 and studies show that it’s continuing to climb!

Researchers also found that audiobook listeners either read or listened to an average of 15 books in the last year. Does that resonate with you?

Personally, I love listening to fiction, and especially thrillers and mysteries (no surprise there)! One of my favorite listens on Audible is the Lincoln Lawyer series by Michael Connelly.

If you haven’t gotten your hands on one of the first 5 Bullet Books on audio, click on the link to your favorite provider below.

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KILLER SET: DROP THE MIC – BULLET BOOKS SPEED READS #1

Audible

Apple Audiobooks

SCRIBD

Kobo

Google Play

Nook

IRON 13 – BULLET BOOKS SPEED READS #2

Audible

Apple Audiobooks

SCRIBD

Kobo

Google Play

Nook

BLOODY BEAD – BULLET BOOKS SPEED READS #3

Audible

Apple Audiobooks

SCRIBD

Kobo

Google Play

Nook

THE HOT SEAT – BULLET BOOKS SPEED READS #4

Audible

Apple Audiobooks

SCRIBD

Kobo

Google Play

Nook

STABBED – BULLET BOOKS SPEED READS #5

Audible

Apple Audiobooks

SCRIBD

Kobo

Google Play

Nook

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“I love these fast reads. With just a couple hours of free time I can actually get to the end to see…who done it! Great suspenseful story, with loveable characters. Try it…you’ll like it!” -Scarlett B.”Great two or three hour read for the busy traveler or commuter.” -StewartI would highly recommend this intense and page-turning story for those readers who enjoy escapism through suspense and mystery.” -Linda’s Book Obsession

If you haven’t yet signed up for Audible, click here for a FREE 30 day trial. It’s fast and easy to enroll and you can cancel anytime if you’re not satisfied. If you already have Audible, click here.

Happy Reading,

Manning

PAIRING WINE AND WORDS

Dear Reader,

As we all stay close to home, I hear that wine consumption is up. I must admit, I find myself on my patio every now and then with a nice glass of the juice of the grape while reading a good thriller.

While there are those who haphazardly pour a glass of wine while enjoying a good book, I’m a strong advocate for selecting a wine that compliments the book one is enjoying, to enhance both the experience of the read and the bouquet of the wine. Just like there are pairings of wine and food, there are pairings of words and fermented grapes.

Wines that pair nicely with thrillers are full bodied, red like blood, and able to cut through heavy proteins and fat. Wines with full bodied berries and black currants hold up well against assassins, serial killers, and hit-men.

Wines that pair nicely with cozies, mysteries, or lighthearted caper stories are medium to lighter whites or even a bubbly.

Readers of historical fiction novels might enjoy a nice Pinot Noir such as the Meomi pictured here which features baking spices, toasted coconut, caramel, and salted peanuts.

I suggest that you experiment with your own pairings until you find just the right fit for your palate. Taking a book on a vineyard tour and finding a nice tree to read and sip under might open some possibilities. No need for a mask or social distancing except with the butterflies.

Regardless of your taste and budget, even making a few mistakes can be fun as long as the task is addressed with a little tongue in cheek attitude and willingness to experiment.

Happy Reading,

Manning

Hello Readers:

I’m still hunkered down in Austin, but getting in touch to add a little levity to our social distancing. Below is a report from the one common character in all of the Bullet Books Speed Reads, Ernest Anguish.

Happy Reading,

Manning

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Good Afternoon. This is Ernest Anguish, with the National News Network, reporting from an undisclosed location. I want to introduce you to the thirteen crime fiction authors from the first wave of Bullet Books Speed Reads.

As you’re about to see, putting thirteen crime fiction authors into one room might be a little like trying to drive a herd of bookworms. These authors are a curious lot. Or paranoid maybe. Before I could get everyone seated, they thoroughly checked the room. I’m not sure if they were looking for weapons, recording devices, dead bodies, or escape routes. One of them even frisked me.

The leader of this pack is Manning Wolfe, and the others each co-authored a book in the series. I’ll first ask her what brought this series about and why it’s different. Then, I’ll begin a series of rapid-fire questions for each author. I’ll ask one question of each author in the order of their book’s appearance in the series.

Ernest: Manning, why Bullet Books Speed Reads? What are they? What makes them different?

Manning Wolfe: Thank you, Ernest. Bullet Books are speed reads for the busy traveler, commuter, and beach-goer. All are new original crime fiction stories that can be read in two to three hours. On a plane … on a train … faster than a speeding bullet!

Ernest: Excellent! Next up is Bill Rodgers, co-author of Bullet Book #1, Killer Set: Drop the Mic. What is in the trunk of your car right now?

Bill Rodgers: Well, Ernest, it’s a long story. My best friend called and said he needed help getting rid of a body.

Ernest: Very funny, I hope. Now here’s Billy Kring, co-author of Bullet Book #2, Iron 13. Your Ex is out for blood. Literally. Where do you hide?

Billy Kring: In the gun closet.

Ernest: Sounds a bit cramped. Make sure all the safeties are on! Now we come to Helen Currie Foster, co-author of Bullet Book #3, Bloody Bead. Complete this sentence please: I couldn’t think of anything but …

Helen Currie Foster: … why it had been a mistake not to pack a hammer in the front seat console.

Ernest: Good thought! You never know when you might need to do some emergency carpentry. Next, we have Mark Pryor, co-author of Bullet Book #4, The Hot Seat. Do you hide secrets in your books that only a few people will find?

Mark Pryor: Actually, yes. And obviously I can’t explain further.

Ernest: I didn’t mean to pry. Next up is Kathy Waller, co-author of Bullet Book #5, Stabbed. What is the best murder weapon?

Kathy Waller: Probably Brujeria, the evil eye, a spell cast by a bruja, something like that. It wouldn’t leave much physical evidence.

Ernest: Quite bewitching. Now, we come to Jay Brandon, co-author of Bullet Book #6, Man in The Client Chair. If you had a super power, what would it be?

Jay Brandon: Super speed. I don’t have much patience anyway.

Ernest: That’s very … where did Jay go? He was just here.Well, next up is Kay Kendall, co-author of Bullet Book #7, Only A Pawn in Their Game. What is the best murder weapon?

Kay Kendall: In my teens I was known to walk into a room, spy a heavy candlestick and exclaim “that would make a great murder weapon.” I have not changed my opinion since. By the way, my friends always backed up and stared when I said that.

Ernest: Much like the other authors are doing right now. I’m walking over to Suzanne Waltz, co-author of Bullet Book #8, Dangerous Practice. Complete this sentence please: The last time I had butterflies in my stomach was …

Suzanne Waltz: … the last time I ate butterflies. Duh.

Ernest: Sounds quite colorful. And crunchy. Now, we come to Scott Montgomery, co-author of Bullet Book #9, Two Bodies One Grave. A penguin walks through the door right now wearing a sombrero. What does he say and why is he here?

Scott Montgomery: “I’ve been tracking you for five years.” I think we all know it was over a woman.

Ernest: I guess penguins really do take that mate-for-life thing very seriously. And now for Laura Oles, co-author of Bullet Book #10, Last Call. Your biggest fan is coming to your house for dinner. What are you serving?

Laura Oles: We’re a family that loves grilling so we’d put some steaks on, cook some shrimp from our favorite shrimp boat in Port Aransas (she’s named the Polly Anna), with roasted potatoes and vegetables. Maybe a bottle of Malbec and some Shiner Blonde.

Ernest: You had me at steaks. May I be your biggest fan? Next up is V.P. Chandler, co-author of Bullet Book #11, The Last Straw. Your best friend calls at 3am and needs help getting rid of a body. Where do you take them?

V.P. Chandler: I’m not telling! I don’t want the cops at my door. But I live in the country, so I know of a lot of empty places.

Ernest: Location, location, location. And lastly, Elizabeth A. Garcia, co-author of Bullet Book #12, The Neon Palm. Please complete the following sentence: A stranger would never believe that I …

Elizabeth A. Garcia: … once (LONG ago) helped a man escape from prison.

Ernest: I think I may have reported on that story! Well, that’s the latest news in crime fiction. Do you think we will ever know if these professional crime authors are writing from experience, or if everything they say is a product of their wild imaginations? Either way, the Bullet Books Speed Reads series is good news for readers.

**originally published by Wordplay

Scott Montgomery is today’s guest blogger and co-author of Two Bodies One Grave, Bullet Books Speed Reads #9.

A legendary crime bookseller, Scott Montgomery runs MysteryPeople, the mystery bookstore within BookPeople. He also runs The Hard Word blog, covering hard boiled fiction. Always a crime fiction fan, Scott worked on the sales staff of the acclaimed and influential The Mystery Bookstore in Los Angeles for four years. He is a regular contributor to Crime Reads and his fiction has appeared on the site Shotgun Honey and in the anthologies Murder On Wheels, Lone Star Lawless, and Eyes Of Texas.

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ALL BECAUSE OF A DOG by Scott Montgomery

Dogs have always been a part of crime fiction. Sherlock Holmes’ most famous case is The Hound Of The Baskervilles. Nick and Nora are not complete without Asta, and Spenser shares Pearl with Susan. In W.R. Burnett’s High Sierra, Roy “Mad Dog” Earle dies for a dog. Spencer Quinn even made one, Chet The Jet, the protagonist to his P.I. sidekick. It shouldn’t have come to a surprise when a dog affected my writing.

I co-wrote the novella, Two Bodies, One Grave, with Manning Wolfe for the Bullet Books Speed Reads series. I wrote the first draft of the hard boiled tale concerning Leonard “Knucks” Ellis, a hired killer who discovers a mysterious body in a grave he dug for someone else. Before he goes on his bloody quest for answers and vengeance, he goes home to grab his weapons and emergency money and feeds his dog. I needed a name quick, so I used the name of one of my friend’s, Bosco, knowing my buddy would get a kick out of it.

When Manning looked at the draft, she was concerned about two things. She didn’t feel there were enough female characters, suggesting a lawyer for Knucks. The other was she didn’t feel a human connection to him. I didn’t want to soften Knucks. He was written in the tradition of hard boiled anti-heroes like Dan J. Marlow’s Earle Drake and Richard Stark’s Parker. To solve the problem, I suggested we bring Bosco along. This lead to the line both Manning and I remember in our discussion- “You take the lawyer, I’ll take the dog.”

Bosco had more of an impact on the book than expected when he turned into a sidekick. He sniffed out trouble Knucks couldn’t see. He both rescued our hit man hero and had to be rescued by him. Knucks’ mortal fate even changed by Bosco tagging along during the entire story, leading to a last line that tied everything together.

Bosco took Two Bodies, One Grave to the next level. Not only did he provide that human element, he added humor and a buddy angle to the story. I’m even thinking about doing a short story prequel for this country noir odd couple, “How Knucks Met Bosco”. Bosco proved you can always count on man’s best friend, even the fictional ones.

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TWO BODIES ONE GRAVE

is available for purchase on Amazon.

While writing the next Merit Bridges Legal Thriller, I’ve been sampling a lot of music. Book #4 isn’t hyper-focused on music like Music Notes, book #2. But, Austin is such an integral part of the series, and being “The Live Music Capital of the World”, songs and lore will always be included in the series.

I’ve been wondering, if Merit were sitting at her desk or driving her car in Austin, what music would she listen to and if she were out on the town, what live music would she want to hear?

I think she’d listen to some old-style Willie Nelson, Jerry Jeff Walker and Townes Van Zandt while she’s representing Liam Nolan, the singer-songwriter in Music Notes, as he’s of the world of vintage Austin music.

When she researches the current music business, especially gaming music, and what’s popular in L.A. and Japan, she might listen to News, Rihanna, Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars.

Driving her car around Austin, she might tune into replays of KUT’s Twine Time or roll out a mix from her iPhone of Robert Earl Keen, Alejandro Escovedo, Lyle Lovett, Asleep At the Wheel, and Bob Schneider.

If she and Ag or one of her Boy Toys went out on the town, she would probably hit the Continental Club for Toni Price, Young Guns or The Blues Specialists. If Shinyribs were in town or Hayes Carll had a show at the Saxon Pub, she’d probably hang there.

It’s hard to know what mood Merit might be in on a given day, but since Austin is known for having a wide selection of live music on every night of the week, she could just walk around town and hear through the doors of clubs or from street musicians playing covers of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Van Morrison, and Janis Joplin.

Regardless of what she’s listening to, you can bet she’s plotting and strategizing to solve the latest dilemma for her clients and her sidekicks.