Winter rolled in early with a vengeance this week, after an Indian Summer day on Saturday that saw a temp of 75 degrees. Now we have snow piling up, with a foot or more expected and freezing temps in the single digits, with wind chills below zero. Though we normally have wild swings like this in the fall, this was even more drastic than normal. From the picture below, you can see our snow dog Emma enjoying (I think!) the cold and snow. The type of weather our lab/husky mix was built for.

I’ve had many requests through the years to release a Jarvis Mann PI audiobook. Time and money have been the issues with producing one, as audiobooks can be quite expensive to create. But there were too many people who said they didn’t have time to read my stories, but enjoyed listening to audiobooks, especially when driving in their car. And audiobooks have become a huge business, with reports in 2018 of nearly 1 billion in sales, with year over year growth of 25%. With those numbers, I could no longer ignore that side of the book business. This leads me to announce that, The Case of the Missing Bubble Gum Card is now available in audio format, on Audible, Amazon and iTunes. Narrated by Joel Froomkin through Audio Flow Productions, my first in the series has brought to vivid life. As a bonus you get a preview of the first novel in the series, Tracking A Shadow. If sales are good, then more books in the series will be released.

For those interested in listening to the audiobook of The Case of the Missing Bubble Gum Card, I will giveaway a promo code for a free version. You just have to email me and tell me what is it you like about audiobooks and tell me a favorite book you’ve listened to. From those responses, I’ll choose a winner and send them a free promo code they can use to buy the book. What do you have to lose? Email me today!!

I’ve received one review of the audiobook since it’s release. Here is a portion of the 4-Star review:

It was a short piece, but it was well developed if a tad cheesy at times. I liked Jarvis from the get-go and I do hope his temporary teenage sidekick, Dennis, appears in more of the books. Jarvis was so funny trying to get Dennis to laugh at his jokes while Dennis didn’t even catch most of them. In summary, it was a solid start and I look forward to more of the series. Mystery fans who like old-style detective novels or TV shows are the target – Sophia

This month I will conclude my review of book covers, with the latest in the Jarvis Mann PI series, Mann in the Crossfire. In this book Jarvis splits time in Denver and Southern California, working two cases. In the main case, he investigates the death of a long-time associate, Rocky. This was Jarvis’ most dangerous investigation to date, with death knocking on his door constantly. For the cover my daughter put a simple idea of hers together after I shared with her the plot.

Because the case involved the use of illegal guns, is why the design contained rifles. But with all the gun shootings going on at the time, I felt it would be best not to have these powerful rifles on the cover. I then sent this basic idea to Mia my cover designer and she came up with this:

I liked this cover, but it was a little too busy for me. I had her remove the bullets, the spoon, pills, the blood and a couple of the bullet holes. Though some of this we added to the back page of the paperback cover. After this refinement I decided on this:

I loved this cover as it piques the interest of the reader wondering what is going to happen to Jarvis. As the first line goes in the synopsis: Is this the end for PI Jarvis Mann? The only way you’ll find out for certain, is to buy the book!!

Mann in the Crossfire was released on March 25, 2019, to excellent reviews. The book is available on Amazon in eBook, paperback and via Kindle Unlimited. Here are a couple of 5-Star reviews:

Thank you for the ending I hoped for. Lots of twists and turns. Lots of tension – Wilma Kilpatrick

Author Weir continues to create bad for Jarvis to take care of and readers get the best gritty storylines. #8 and Jarvis Mann still has what it takes to capture and hold interest.
This series is a must read! – Bettyboop

I have more events coming up in November, starting with the Colorado Country Christmas Show at the Denver Merchandise Mart on November 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. My books will be displayed along with several other authors from the Colorado Author’s League, who’ll be occupying booths 612, 614, and 616. I will be in the booth on two shifts, on the 1st from 12PM-4PM and on the 3rd from 10AM-12PM. Be sure to stop on by the booth as there will be lots of great books covering all genres available to purchase. Tickets for this event are $15 but I’ve included a $2 discount coupon below you can use. And the ticket is good for all three days, with over 450 different exhibits to see at this huge holiday event in Denver.

On Saturday November 2nd I will also be at the Smoky Hill High School 36th Annual Craft Fair from 9AM-3PM. This was a huge event last year for me. I’m looking forward to being there again and talking with potential readers and those who’ve already purchased my books. Along with me, will be over 200 other vendors for you to peruse to find those perfect holiday gifts.

Then finally on November 9th and 10th I will be at the Nativity of our Lord Church Craft Fair in Broomfield. This event runs from 8:30AM-4:30PM on the 9th and from 8:30AM-2PM on the 10th. This will be my first time at the event, which is being held close to where our new home is. This will give me a chance to talk with many in my neighborhood and expose them to my books.

Another month of Prolific Works giveaways to share. Here is the list, all including the free eBook of my short story, The Case of the Missing Bubble Gum Card.

Feels Like Fall has 35 books and runs until November 7th. See the list of books here.

Cabin in the Woods has 41 books and runs until November 5th. Find all the books here.

October Action, Crime and Thriller Giveaway has 41 books and runs until October 31st, so act quickly. Click this link for a list of books to choose from.

Crimes and Thrillers have 15 books to check out and runs until November 5th. Click this link.

Sweet November YA Reads Giveaway has 24 books and starts November 1st and runs until November 15th. Click this link for your book options.

I’ll wrap up this month with another plug to check out all the books in the Jarvis Mann PI series. Books make a wonderful and surprising gift for the holiday season. If you have an avid reader family member or friend, who loves hardboiled, tough and snarky private eyes, then check out my books. They are all available in eBook or paperback on Amazon. If you’re interested in a signed paperback, reach out to me via email and I can work with you on getting the book(s) mailed in time for the holidays.

Thanks again and enjoy the rest of your week! Happy reading to all!!

R Weir