Author: R.Weir

Checking the calendar, it was hard to believe another month had gone by. Meaning I needed to put together this newsletter. Time seems to be moving at a fast pace now that many restrictions here in Colorado have been lifted. Much of it due to the fast pace of vaccinations helping to slow the virus down. I received my second shot two weeks ago, happily with no side effects. Thrilled to have some immunity to the virus, though I’ll still be wearing my mask when out in crowded environments for the time being to be cautious. But its good life is getting back to some semblance of normal.

One of the fun aspects of being an author is talking with readers, something I’ve missed over this last year with all the restrictions. The world holding more virtual events, using Zoom, Skype and the various Google video conferencing options. If you have a Book Club who meet to discuss books, I’d love to have a meeting with your members. Either virtually or in person if you’re local here in Colorado. I’m happy to provide free eBooks for your members to read and discuss, in either of my two series. If you’re interested send me an email. I’m always available to make time for potential fans or new fans of my work.

As I wait for news from my editor on book 2 in The Divine Devils series, I continue to work on book 3. The story coming along at a quick pace, nearing 50k words written. Hunter and his team working with a past enemy against a brutal enterprise, which is all I’ll tease for now.

Before book 3 will be book 2, Fallen Star. The story finding the Divine Devils helping a Hollywood Starlet out of an adult jam, sending the team to Reno Nevada. I have a preview of the book now posted on my website. Chapter 1 a short glimpse of what the book will entail. You can find it here. I plan on adding more chapters for you to get a taste of in the near future.

I recently did a couple of podcasts to promote and talk about my books. The first was with Michael Brightside where we spent close to two hours chatting about a little bit of everything. You can check it out here.

Next I did an podcast with Pat Rullo on Speak Up Talk Radio. In this 15-minute interview we covered The Divine Devils book one and two, my writing process, and the Jarvis Mann PI series. All of it tied to The Divine Devils winning the Firebird Book Award in three categories: Crime, Mystery and Thriller. You can give the interview a listen here.

Another wonderful 5-Star review for The Divine Devils from InD’tale Magazine. You can check out the full review here and the entire magazine via this link. Here is a portion of the review:

From the very first page, this book is absolutely intense! This unique story with its huge variety of expertly written characters will keep readers on the edge of their seats as it races forward with a fast moving plot and in depth descriptions. A few laugh out loud moments provide some comic relief from the darker, twisted moments, which brings a good mix to the story. Hunter, a hot-blooded male, is not without his faults, which gives him an unexpected and enjoyable depth. There are also several interesting plot arcs involving his character. R. Weir has written a book with a unique story that leaps off the page, almost like a movie. Don’t miss this nail-biting and exhilarating action packed suspense! Lynn-Alexandria McKendrick

If you’ve read The Divine Devils, be sure to leave a review on Amazon and Goodreads. Or if you prefer, you can email me your thoughts on the book and I’ll share them in a future newsletter, with your permission of course! If you haven’t read the book, be sure to add it to your reading list. You can get it on Amazon in either eBook, Paperback or via Kindle Unlimited. And if you want a signed paperback, reach out and I can sell you a book plus shipping and mail it to you.

Besides the event listed above I’m attending, I’ve received news about a couple of future events which are being held locally, including one in the city of Westminster in August. There should be more options to gather with the loosening of restrictions and I plan to do as many as possible. You can always find the latest info on events on my website and they’re listed on the right side of each newsletter. If you know of any other events coming up, let me know. Even if they are outside of Colorado, I’m interested in checking them out to see if it will work for me. One on one exposure to my books is the best marketing tool I have.

This month we have only three Prolific Works free eBook giveaways to promote. The first, And Then There Were None- Mystery & Crime Giveaway runs until June 1st and features 19 eBooks to check out. Find them via this link.

Next is this long running giveaway, Mysteries Your Mother Never Told… which runs until the end of 2021 and features 55 eBooks to add to your reading list. You can find them here.

And finally Among The Trees – Mystery and Thriller GG which starts May 18th and runs until June 1st currently featuring 48 eBooks to mull over. You can access these choices starting May 18th at this link.

That should wrap up this month’s newsletter. If you have any questions or want to just chat don’t hesitate to send me an email. I always love talking with readers about most anything.

Stay safe, happy and healthy!!

R Weir

I’m happy to say I got my first COVID shot two weeks ago. It was the Pfizer version, and I had no side effects. I will be getting my second shot in less than two weeks, happy to have some protection from the virus. I will still be wearing a mask for some time, as I want to protect myself and others when out in public places like the supermarket. But here’s hoping we can all store away our masks and not have to worry about them for many years.

Thanks to the heavy snow we received in March, our dry soil absorbed a lot of moisture. With a bout of warm weather our spring bulbs started to pop, giving us some beautiful colors in our garden as you can see by the pictures below. How has the weather been in your part of the world? Do you have any garden pictures to share? Send them off, as I’d love to see them.

I’m often asked where the ideas for my books come from. To be honest there is no simple answer. Take for instance the Divine Devils series. I knew I wanted to do a suspenseful series featuring a team hired to help people. A group who would cross over between good and evil to get the job done. This led me to the title of the series, The Divine Devils. The last name being for the main character, Hunter Divine. From there I pieced together a simple plot where two kids were in danger of being kidnapped. The rest of the plot developed as I wrote the story.

This is true of the next book in the series, Fallen Star: The Divine Devils Book Two. Taking place nearly a year after the first book, Hunter and his team are hired by a well-known tv and movie star. The woman being blackmailed after an adult indiscretion. A basic story idea, which developed as I wrote it. Taking me places I never imagined when I first started writing. My stories through the years writing themselves as I went along. A process I don’t completely understand, but it works for me. Rarely do I outline in advance. Much of the writing coming in spits and spurts, until the story is complete.

I’m still waiting for final feedback from a couple of my beta readers and the first draft of corrections from my editor on Fallen Star. I heard from one beta reader, saying she thought this book was better than the first one, which she loved. Once I get the first round of corrections from my editor I will be working hard on those suggestions. This normally takes me 2-4 weeks to complete. Those changes going back to my editor for another read through. A long process but well worth the effort to get the book finalized.

My cover designer, Mia, was seriously sick and in the hospital with COVID. Finally getting home after a two week stay. She experienced more complications shortly after returning home but now is feeling better. All of this delaying work on the cover. I should have a few proofs from her for the new book, as well as the covers to the box sets I’m going to put together for the Jarvis Mann PI series, in the next couple of weeks.

While waiting I’ve been busy working on the next Divine Devils book. A working title of Caged Souls: The Divine Devils Book Three. A storyline I’ll keep to myself for now, but one that will be intriguing to write. To this point I’ve already written over 32k worth of words. The plot coming together quickly.

For any new newsletter subscribers, be sure to check out my Jarvis Mann PI series. The first book, The Case of the Missing Bubble Gum Card is always free on Amazon. Those subscribing to my newsletter get the novel Tracking A Shadow for free as well. There are 8 books in all in this well reviewed series. All the books bestsellers on Amazon. You can find all of my books via this link, including The Divine Devils, featuring former US Marshal Hunter Divine.

If you don’t like to buy from Amazon, you can purchase all the books direct from me. Just send me an email. I also sell cool t-shirts with the Jarvis Mann or Divine Devils logo on them. Just reach out and we can work out the cost, including shipping. US customer only unless you can afford the crazy shipping costs!

No new info on any book events or craft fairs, with only two scheduled to date. Covid cases had settled down here in Colorado allowing some of the restrictions to be lifted. But cases have started to rise again, so we’ll see what the summer brings.

This month there are more Prolific Works free eBook giveaways. Be sure to check out all the free books available:

And Then There Were None- Mystery & Crime Giveaway includes 19 free ebooks which are available until June 1st. Check them out via this link.

Whodunit Extraordinaire! features 5 free ebooks and runs until April 30th. Check them out via this link.

Unknown Caller – Mystery and Thriller GG begins April 20th and runs until May 4th, with currently 49 free ebooks to add to your library. Find them all at this link once it goes live on the 20th.

That will be all for this month. Thanks again for reading and sharing this newsletter. I will have further news on Fallen Star next month. In the meantime, curl up with a friend and read a good book.

Stay Safe, Happy and Healthy!!

R Weir

A big storm hit us here along the Colorado Front Range this last weekend as you can see by the pictures above. Rain first followed by two feet of heavy wet snow that is like shoveling buckets of water. Drifts three to four feet high that will take a while to melt. This storm reminding me when I first moved to Colorado in 1982. That year at Christmas we had one of the all-time worst snowstorms for the Denver area, with over 25 inches where I lived, with drifts to the top of the roofs of many houses. I was driving a 1976 Firebird at the time and it was completely buried under the snow, where you couldn’t find it. From the photo below you can see someone walked over my car to jump a fence.

These storms bring down a lot of trees, since the snow is so heavy, which was the case on this October 2002 Storm. I was up early that morning at around 7 a.m. looking out our kitchen window, watching the snow come down, when I heard the Russian Olive tree crack and split in half, falling into our driveway and nearly crushing our Chevy Trailblazer. Happy it didn’t fall on our house. A big mess to clean up, but my wife was thrilled the tree was gone, for she hated Russian Olives since they’re so messy.

The biggest storm happened in March of 2003 getting 36 inches of wet snow in Aurora. The biggest challenge for our dog at the time, Ashley, getting around the backyard with so much snow. I had to make a path just for her to go outside and take care of her business. She even escaped out of our garage while I was shoveling, running around our Cul de Sac. I had to chase her down and carry her back to our garage, trudging through the deep snow. I collapsed, exhausted trying to get my breath from the effort. Though our daughter who was 3 at the time had a blast making a snowman.

I’m happy to say after a couple of rewrites, I’ve sent off my latest book to my beta readers for feedback. This is the second book in the Divine Devils series, titled Fallen Star. My proofreader/editor is anxious to get started, so I’ve sent it off to her to begin her magic. This puts the book on track for a release this summer, if there are no major hiccups. Here is a quick rough synopsis of the book:

Megan Getz lived in Hollywood royalty
A Tinseltown celebrity of a long-running sitcom
Being extorted because of an adult indiscretion
Attempting to cover up her perilous life
Hiring the team of Divine Devils
Hoping they’ll free her from the blackmail bonds

Hunter Divine and his crew going undercover in a Reno Casino
Digging deep to reveal those running the scam
The simple case exploding all around them
Drugs, prostitution, murder, and mayhem being the norm
Dragging Hunter and his crew into a hotbed of danger
In a doomed attempt to rescue the pretentious Fallen Star
Leading The Divine Devils down a lethal road they may not survive

Discussions have already begun with my cover designer, and she is thrilled to get working on the cover, telling me she has some great ideas. I’m also working on creating eBook box sets for the Jarvis Mann PI series. There will be two box sets, one with the first four books, and the other with the last four. I’ll need new covers for the boxsets, which Mia will create. And each boxset will come at a special price. I hope to have those available this summer.

My character focus this month is on another of the Divine Devils, Cameryn Stone. The large 6’4″ 230-pound man with lots of tattoos. A biker who likes to wear leather when riding, his long hair twisted into a ponytail. I wanted Cameryn to be outside the norm of what people perceive of a biker, the man enjoying culture and art, while loving to read books, and real paper books, not on a Kindle. He currently enjoys reading biographies and the Bosch series by Michael Connelly. He’s tough, hardnosed and a faithful friend to his teammates, going the distance to get the job done.

No events scheduled this next month, but I have hope by the summer life will get better, The COVID vaccine giving us a chance to gather again. I’m on the list now to get mine, my wife getting both her doses since she works in healthcare. It will be wonderful to see faces again no longer hiding behind masks once much of the population have been vaccinated. Thanks to all the healthcare workers getting us through this horrible pandemic.

There is only two active Profilic Works eBook giveaways. But there are two more that start later this month which I will include the links to.

Currently active is Dial M for Murder – Mystery & Crime Giveaway featuring 23 free Ebooks to check out until April 1st. You can find them via this link.

Whodunit Extraordinaire! is active and running until April 30th with currenlty 5 free eBooks Check them out via this link.

Cold Mystery/Thriller Reads giveaway starts March 22nd, and will feature up to 25 free eBooks to add to your collection and runs until April 10th. Go to this link to check them out after March 22nd.

Dead In The Water – Mystery and Thriller GG giveaway starts March 23rd and will feature an unlimited amount of free eBooks and runs until April 6th. Go to this link to check them out after March 23rd.

I will sign off, as I need to get back to shoveling snow and working on The Divine Devils Book 3, which I’ve begun, while waiting to hear from my beta readers and editor. Share this newsletter with your book reading friends. If they sign-up I will send them a free eBook of my Jarvis Mann PI novel, Tracking A Shadow for their reading pleasure.

Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or just want to chat via email. Stay safe, happy and healthy!!

R Weir

The new year is upon us, and I have hope it will be better than 2020, though it has started out rocky on many fronts. The virus continues to rage on, making it challenging to go out beyond our home. We had a death in the family, my wife Kim’s grandmother passing away. She was 94 and in declining health, so she had a good life. We were able to attend her funeral despite the COVID restrictions. She was a big fan of my books, wanting them all and reading many up until the end when her eyesight failed her. Our daughter spent time with us at Christmas, which was nice, but other holiday gatherings were limited to video chat, as many in the family are older with health issues. With the vaccinee I hope come this summer we’ll be able to gather again without fear of getting sick. Patience is difficult in these trying times, but we persevere with hopes life will return to a more normal.

I’ve been working hard on the next Divine Devils book Fallen Star, winding down to the conclusion with 149k words written. This has been a more challenging story to write, with plot struggles to get the story correct. As I’ve mentioned here before I’m generally a seat-of-the-pants author, letting the story write itself in many ways. This plot started strongly, but then became more challenging the further I got into it. I hit a wall I normally haven’t experienced when writing deciding where the plot was headed leading up to the finale. I do believe I got the story back on track but will have some rewriting to do after I finish the first draft, which I hope will be in the next few weeks. This book will delve in depth into the backgrounds of all of the main characters. And we’ll get deeper into the mystery that cost Hunter Divine his job as a US Marshal.

In the meantime, if you haven’t already be sure to read book one, The Divine Devils which introduces Hunter Divine and his team of devils trying to prevent the kidnapping of a lost love’s children. It’s available on Amazon in eBook, Paperback and via Kindle Unlimited. Or you can buy the paperback direct from me and I’ll sign it. Send me an email if you’re interested in autographed copy.

If you’d read The Divine Devils, please leave a review on Amazon and Goodreads if you frequent that sight. Reviews for many authors are becoming more difficult to get, so a review is critical, especially for Indie Authors. They help me in many ways with the Amazon algorithm and I enjoy reading all of them. Here are a couple new reviews:

A Gold Medal Editorial 5-Star review from Readers Favorite.
Author R. Weir has crafted a highly suspenseful work of thriller fiction with this unusual presentation of crimefighting and all-out action against a twisted, evil foe. One of the things which impressed me most of all was the characterization of Hunter Divine, who goes beyond the simplistic stereotype of a damaged former hero and offers us a deeply empathetic soul and a powerful psychological profile of a man with something to hope for. The plot unfurls with fantastic pacing, delivering plenty of cinematic action scenes with vivid descriptions, but perfectly balancing these out with intelligent exposition and tense moments of calm before the storm. Overall, I would highly recommend The Divine Devils for fans of slick action novels with sharp edges, as well as those who appreciate an intelligent plot and a well-crafted hero with plenty of highs and lows.

I’ve always been a fan of Weir but this was by far my favorite! I’m looking forward to a long future with this new series of kick-ass heroes! Well done! – PurpleHaze

Trying to figure out who the guilty party is while Hunter and his team place their lives on the line – will have you eagerly turning the pages. An exhilarating and at times humorous read, it is by far a novel you can’t put down. Loved it – Amazon Customer

Recently I received an email from a reader of the newsletter mentioning she was interested in The Divine Devils, but was worried the book delved into the Supernatural, a genre she didn’t enjoy. I responded telling her the book is a Mystery/Suspense/Crime/Thriller and didn’t have any Supernatural elements to it. Something to be aware of if you’re on the fence about purchasing this book. If you ever have any questions about my books or writing in general don’t hesitate to email me. I love hearing from everyone.

Each month I’ve been highlighting the characters of the Divine Devils team. This month it’s Keoki Palakiko, a former Navy technician who has an aversion to technology. Not trusting since he worked using tech while in the Navy, knowing the cyber trail you leave behind. He doesn’t own a cell phone, landline or computer of any kind, while living in Maui. His wife, Malina his whole life, though he leaves from time to time to help Hunter with cases. Another tough team member the others can trust to do what is necessary for their clients.

With the new year still up in the air on events, right now I have only one scheduled, that being in Deadwood South Dakota in the middle of June. We got our RV reservations set and we intend to take the trip even if the event is cancelled. Hopefully more events will get scheduled and I suspect many will be held outside this year which I’m prepared for. Seeing everyone’s smiling faces will be a joy after a year or so of smiles being hidden behind masks.

There are more Prolific Works free books you can check out. The free service you can join, designed to get indie authors works in the hands of readers in hopes you’ll buy more of their books. Here are three you can check out:

Dial M for Murder – Mystery & Crime Giveaway includes 23 free eBooks available until April 1st. Click here to find those great reads.

Mysteries Your Mother Never Told… includes 55 free eBooks, available indefinately. Click this link to check them out.

Middle Grade and Young Adult Jubilee giveway has some great Young Adult reading, with 34 books available until February 16th. Click here to find good stories for younger minds.

I’ll make a quick pitch about my Jarvis Mann book series. There are 8 books in all, the first, The Case of the Missing Bubble Gum Card, always free to download on Amazon. The rest of 7 books also available on Amazon in eBook, paperback and via Kindle Unlimited. And anyone signing up for my newsletter will receive a free eBook version of the second book Tracking A Shadow. If you signed up and didn’t get the eBook from me, be sure to email me and I’ll get it sent over right away.

It’s time I get back to writing Fallen Star: The Divine Devils Book 2. I’m hoping to have a few small previews of the book in the coming months when I feel confident it’s nearing completion. I maybe looking for additional beta readers to provide feedback. If you’re interested be certain to email me.

Thanks again for reading and being a fan of my work. Stay safe, happy and healthy in this joyous New Year.

R Weir

I’m late getting out the newsletter this month since I was working an Information Technology temp job to make a little extra money for this holiday season. It’s been a rough year, since a chunk of my sales are for paperbacks, sales happening at holiday season craft fairs and events. And I normally see an uptick in sales of eBooks after those events which I’ve lost out on this year. Since nearly all of them were cancelled, my sales have been slow to say the least. Disappointing but certainly understandable with the virus running rampant throughout the country, affecting all of us both financially and mentally.

With the holiday season upon us, I would like to plug books being a wonderful gift for those you’re shopping for. Whether it be physical books or eBooks, reading has been popular with all the lockdowns many of us are experiencing. Whether it be fiction or non-fiction, reading can take our minds off current events, sending us to worlds outside our own. If you have a voracious reader friend or in your family, be certain to check out books, especially the books in my Jarvis Mann series and the new Hunter Divine book.

Speaking of Hunter Divine, if you haven’t already be sure to check out The Divine Devils which I released in October. This latest action, suspense, thriller features former US Marshal Hunter Divine and a team he puts together to prevent the kidnapping of two teenage children of a past love. It’s full of intrigue, mystery and touch of lust—a book I hope you won’t want to put down. Below are a couple of new 5-Star reviews.

This book in particular, took me on an intense adventure and one that I very much enjoyed. The story is so complex, yet it’s easy to follow right along side our hero. There’s so much suspense and action, so I thoroughly enjoyed that. The story flows so well and kept me on the edge of my seat – Brandi

The Divine Devils has clever twists and turns and more than just a few surprises. The story’s execution is so well scripted, the reader will feel as though you are watching a movie play out in front of your eyes as R. Weir unveils the unexpected and doesn’t hold back. A definite well written and fully entertaining novel. The Divine Devils—read it! – Lindie

You can pick-up The Divine Devils on Amazon, in either eBook or Paperback. And it’s available on Kindle Unlimited. Or you can purchase the paperback direct from me and I’ll sign it. Just reach out to me via email and I’ll work with you on the cost. This would be true as well for all the Jarvis Mann PI books. All available on Amazon in eBook, Paperback or via Kindle Unlimited. If you’re looking for a signed paperback drop me a line.

I’m still hard at work on the second book in the Divine Devils series, the tentative title: Fallen Star: The Divine Devils Book Two. Not certain if I’m sold on the title yet, but we’ll see what other options come to me as I continue to develop the storyline of the latest adventure of Hunter and his team. I’m planning on adding a couple of teaser’s to the new book in future newsletters.

With this month, I’ll feature other character from the new book. Shen Lewison in another member of the Divine Devils team, who had met Hunter years earlier while working a case for the US Marshals. The two not hitting it off at first, leading to a short physical confrontation, eventually leading to a professional association. Shen is a martial arts expert, running his own training studio out of Phoenix Arizona. Though small in stature, he is tough, using his martial arts skills and weapons with precision. Preferring them instead of using a gun. He is a diverse character, like the others on the team, who won’t back down from a challenge, even from those who hold his size, ethic background and sexual orientation against him, Shen being a gay man.

The last event I was able to do this year was at a church in Lakewood Colorado and outside under my canopy. Though traffic was light, the pandemic shutdowns keeping many at home, I did enjoy getting outside on a warm day, especially for early November. A great time smelling the fresh air and talking with people about books and life in general. Let’s hope 2021 allows us all to enjoy the outdoors and life as we’re used to.

It’s a quiet month in December for Prolific Works book giveaways. There is only one and it starts next week. Super Sleuth – Mystery and Thriller GG begins December 22nd and currently features 57 free eBooks for you to check out. You can access them via this link beginning the 22nd and ending Jan 5th.

I’ll wrap up this month by wishing everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year. I hope you all finish out the year with family and friends, even if only via Zoom or Skype. Stay safe, healthy and happy!!

R Weir

As I’ve mentioned in the last couple of newsletters, WordPress my website company changed the editor for my newsletters. I create the newsletter on my website, then use Mailchimp to send it to all on my subscriber list. With this new format I’ve been getting odd results. At times the text is really small and the graphic pictures I use are huge when viewed. While other times it displays with no issue. It seems to depend on the application you use for reading your email. I personally use Thunderbird on my desktop computer and Bluemail on my Android phone and tablet. Results between those two have been mixed. At times displaying properly and other times being hard to read. I’m now working with the new default setting WordPress has provided to see if it displays better across the various platforms people use for reading their email. My testing has shown that the problem has now been corrected, or so I hope. Yippee!! If you’re still having issues be sure to let me know by sending me an email and include what email client or application you use to read your email in. I certainly don’t want to make reading my newsletter a chore. And I don’t want to send them without some graphics in them, which I believe makes for a boring newsletter. Below is a graphic for my new book, The Divine Devils, which should now display in the proper size.

With the release of The Divine Devils I’ve been monitoring my sales. To this point they’ve been a little disappointing, not living up the sales on my last couple of Jarvis Mann PI books. I’m not certain why, as I’ve been pushing it hard via various social media. If you’ve been on the fence about my new book, I’d love to hear why you’ve not purchased it yet. Is it the cost? The content? The current state of the world we’re living in? Maybe the previews I’ve provided didn’t convince you to buy. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated as I’d love to get this book onto as many Kindles as possible.

With the release I’ve received several early reviews, all of them wonderful being 4 and 5 stars. Here are parts of a couple of them which might help you decide if you’re on the fence:

This book is full of intrigue, suspense that had me trying to figure out why someone was trying to get the kids and if they were going to be successful. It is a very intense read. I was completely hooked from page one until the very end – Tina

As the story progress it will keep you in the dark on who the abductor is and what their agenda is. The characters from the bad to the good are multi dimensional and all interesting and different. When I read suspense/mystery I want to be kept guessing and this book did a great job. The team trying to abduct the children will stop at nothing and this kept the story interesting. A read that is intense, full of action and suspense. I was holding my breath through many of the chapters – Shelly

This book is a very good, nope it is just plain awesome and I really do recommend you get your copy today as I don’t want to spoil this phenomenal plot for you – B.K. Maxwell

The Divine Devils is available on Amazon in eBook ($6.99), paperback ($15.99) or free via Kindle Unlimited. Or you can purchase the paperback direct from me for $12 plus shipping (US only please). And I’ll be certain to sign it and leave a personal note for you. All you have to do is send me an email and I’ll work on getting it to you ASAP.

Last month I mentioned I would highlight a character in one of my books each month. This month will be Athena Nasso, an integral part of The Divine Devils team. A woman Hunter met while still a US Marshal, the two sharing an intimate relationship which didn’t end well. Still they work together, Athena often with sharp tongue pointing out Hunter’s weakness for women and unwillingness to commit to any type of long-term relationship. I created her to be a strong, independent woman, working with high testosterone males she could hold her own with. A free thinker willing to take charge when called upon. Hopefully, you’ll enjoy what I believe is a well-rounded character.

Two other events, one in October, the other in November have been cancelled. To date I still have three others I’m keeping my fingers crossed will be held. Though with the rising COVID cases in the state of Colorado, I’m beginning to believe they won’t happen. One will be outside in November at a church in Lakewood Colorado. I’m hoping the weather will be good for that time of year, though cold air and snow struck the state this past weekend. Though it was a godsend for the fires ranging in the state. You can always find the latest events I’ll be doing on the bottom right of the newsletter or on my website via this link.

I have another month of Profilic Works eBook giveaways you can check out.

October Action, Crime, and Thriller GREATEST EVER giveaway runs until October 31st and features 37 free eBooks to check out via this link.

Dark Places – Mystery and Thriller GG giveaway runs until November 3rd with 47 free eBooks you can find via this link.

Trick-Or-Read – All Genre GG giveaway runs until November 6th with 83 free eBooks you can access via this link.

Criminally Good Reads – Mystery & Crime Giveaway runs until December 1st with 11 free eBooks you can check out via this link.

I’ll wrap up today with a reminder to those of you in the US to be certain to vote by November 3rd. It doesn’t matter to me your political leanings, just be certain to participate and vote. Especially your local elections which in reality are even more important than the national elections.

Thanks again for reading and sharing my newsletter. As we go into the upcoming holiday season I hope everyone stays safe, healthy and happy.

R Weir

As I mentioned in my last newsletter, WordPress changed the editor I use to send out the newsletter. I had a couple people mention this new format was hard for them to read in their email. I’ve modified the format of this newsletter, hoping it displays better. If those of you who had issues and are still experiencing problems with this version let me know by emailing me. You can always read all of my newsletters on my website via the blog link.

Today is release day for The Divine Devils. Creating this story has been a long process taking about a year to complete. I’m thrilled with how it turned out, creating a new set of interesting settings and characters, especially the lead, Hunter Divine. Stepping outside the comfort zone of my previous work in the Jarvis Mann PI series, this story is written in third person, a totally different style than the first person of my snarky private eye. With third person you get to see all aspects and angles of the story lending to a different type of storytelling. It was great to stretch my writing skills and I hope I’ve accomplished what I was searching for in this book.

For those who’ve not been following along as I’ve hyped this new book, Hunter Divine is a former US Marshal trying to get by in life taking crappy jobs after losing his federal career thanks to the death of the son of a US Senator who was killed on his watch. Drowning himself in a world of booze, drugs and one-night stands, he receives a call from a past love, wanting to hire him to protect her two kids from being kidnapped. With a chance to redeem himself Hunter jumps at the job, putting together a team to protect the kids and the parents from an unknown evil trying to snag them. Diving him deep into the clutches of a brutal man with a vengeful agenda. The mystery suspense thriller exciting and tense to the very end.

Besides Hunter, there is his team of Devils, willing to do what it takes to protect these kids. With Athena, Cameryn, Shen, and Keoki, the group forming a bond to get the job done. I plan in future newsletters to highlight each of these characters, my thought process how I came up with them and each of their unique characteristics. And I will go back and pick characters from my Jarvis Mann PI books to cover in detail as well.

You can still get the $3.99 pre-order price of The Divine Devils through the weekend, as I extended the sale. After Sunday the price will be $6.99. This will be the best time to get the eBook. If you’re still on the fence you can check out the first three chapters on my website via these links: Chapter One, Two & Three.

Last week I did a small craft fair in Loveland Colorado. Though traffic was lighter than I hoped, the virus concerns keeping people home, I did sell a few books, including three copies of The Divine Devils. While my wife sold a bunch of her face masks. Thankfully I’ve been able to schedule three other events coming up in November & December, with one other possibly in October. Be sure to check out the sidebar of the newsletter for dates and times. Here is a look at our table at last weekend’s event.

At these events besides books we also sell handmade bookmarks and soaps my daughter makes, along with masks and t-shirts. Anyone interested can email me and we can work out the costs. I plan on adding pages to my website in the future to promote and sell these items. Here are a couple of examples:

For those who signed up for my newsletter I do giveaway a free eBook version of my Jarvis Mann PI  novel Tracking A Shadow. If you didn’t get this eBook send me an email and I’ll get it sent out right away.

There is one new Prolific Works eBook giveaway I’ll share with you. Action Thrillers and Crime runs until October 15th and features 10 free eBooks for you to check out via this link.

That is all for now. One last plug to pickup The Divine Devils, the eBook only $3.99 through Sunday. Or you can purchase the paperback via Amazon or directly from me. If you have Kindle Unlimited you can read it there as well starting today. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Thanks again for reading. Stay safe, healthy and happy!!

R Weir

Winter rolled in early last week a day after record heat, leading to a couple of wild days. After a temperature of 101 on Saturday and highs in the nineties on Sunday and Monday, all three records, we had snow on Tuesday with highs in the low thirties. Crazy weather even for us. We had to cover up our plants and hoped they pulled through, with a hard freeze Tuesday night. We were lucky and most everything survived.

Our harvest was good, the cucumbers, carrots, raspberries, and sweet corn were all excellent. It was our first year of crops at our new house and it was a big success. We had so many cucumbers and carrots we gave some to our neighbors.

I’m a little slow getting out this newsletter for a couple of reasons. One is that my WordPress website changed the editor for the newsletter, the new design confusing to use, making it challenging to create with many added features I don’t need. When you’ve worked with software for many years and you’re used to how it works and they radically change it, it can be quite frustrating. Plus it needs to integrate properly with my Mailchimp service, which handles the sending and final formatting. There are times when I believe software designers don’t truly understand the pain they cause when they make radical changes in their design. They always explain the changes are for the better, but honestly most of the times they only cause heartburn for users.

The second reason is I’ve been doing final touchup on the new book, The Divine Devils. Getting the final product ready for the October 1st release. Be sure to take advantage of the pre-order price via this link of $3.99 for the eBook, a 3 dollar savings over the price of $6.99 it will become after release. The eBook also will be available on Kindle Unlimited via this link, so be certain to add it to your reading list. And finally, the paperback is also available at $15.99 through Amazon via this link. If you’re interested in a signed copy they will be $12 plus shipping in the US only if you purchase directly from me. I only have a few copies right now but will have more coming to me by October 1st. If you’re interested just reply to this email address.

Though I have no full-fledged reviews yet for The Divine Devils, I’ve heard from a couple of my early readers and have received positive feedback. One was halfway through the book and was “Loving It!” Another just started reading, and was only 4 chapters in, but told me she was “Hooked already!” All positive signs for the new book.

With the release of my new book, I’ve got new t-shirts which I’ll be selling and giving away when someone orders 5 or more of my books. This will have the new Divine Devils logo on it. I will have these at future events and can be purchased for $12 plus shipping here in the US only. I have large and x-large sizes in various colors. If you’re interested let me know. Here is a look at them.

As for events I have one this Saturday (9/26) in Loveland Colorado. It is the SEPTEMBER’S SIDE-WALK SALE (Wellness, Handcrafted Items) in Loveland Colorado from 10 to 3. There will be vendors outside and some inside the Majestic Gathering Place (314 E 4th Street) where I’ll be setup. We’ll be wearing masks, have hand sanitizer, and staying 6 feet apart wherever possible. If you live in the area be certain to stop by. I will have a limited number of copies of The Divine Devils, as well as all 7 paperbacks of the Jarvis Mann PI series. We’ll also have t-shirts, masks, and soaps for sale.

This month there are 4 more Prolific Works free eBook giveaways. All featuring The Case of the Missing Bubble Gum Card, as well as many other Mystery/Crime/Suspense books. Be sure to check them out.

Dial M for Murder – Mystery & Crime Giveaway features 18 ebooks to check out, all available until October 10th. You can find them via this link.

Mysteries Your Mother Never Told… runs until December 31st and features 59 free eBooks. Check them out here via this link.

Running Out of Time – Mystery and Thriller GG runs until October 6th and features 52 eBooks. You can find it here via this link.

LIES, DANGER AND BETRAYAL – Crime and Suspense GG begins September 25th and runs until October 16th featuring 51 free eBooks to look at. You can find them via this link.

With the first book in the Divine Devils series completed, I’m hard at work on book 2, with 78k words written. This book will take the team to Reno Nevada to help a famous Hollywood television starlet who is being blackmailed. As the team goes undercover at a Reno Casino, they come up against a ruthless casino owner willing to do anything to protect his business. With any luck, I should have the first draft completed by end of year. I will be reaching out to Alpha Readers who want an early rough peek at the book. If you’re interested let me know. It will be best if you’ve read the first book, as there are events that tie the two stories together. And to top it off, I already have a rough idea of what book three will be about, with a teaser to it coming at the end of book 2.

With that, I’ll wrap up this newsletter with a final plug to pre-order The Divine Devils for the low price of $3.99 for the eBook. You can get a sneak peek at the book on my website, with Chapters 1, 2 and 3 posted. And don’t forget about the Jarvis Mann PI series, of which there are 8 books, all of which have made Amazon bestseller status. You can find them all here.

Stay safe, healthy and happy!!

R Weir

I’m sending out a second newsletter this month, as I received back the final changes from my editor on The Divine Devils, all of which were minor. The book is now ready to go and I’ve set the release date for October 1st. You can pre-order the eBook for the low price of $3.99. After release day the price will go up to $6.99. This is a 440 page book full of action, thrills, and suspense. I hope everyone interested will take advantage of this great offer through Amazon via this link. The book will also be available on Kindle Unlimited.

Here is the synopsis for the book:

Two teenage siblings in peril.
A mysterious group with an agenda to abduct them.
The mother Paige Hawkins reaching into her past seeking divine intervention.

The call going out to former US Marshal, Hunter Divine. An erstwhile lover who broke Paige’s heart. A man whose current existence is leaping from job to job and bed to bed. Hunter taking the case hoping for salvation in his futile life.

Can Hunter and his team prevent the kidnapping by an enemy with vast resources? The foe’s endgame to leverage these kids for their own vengeful desires. Hunter and his team toeing the line between virtue and vile. Drawing on wit, brawn, halos and pitchforks the ‘Divine Devils’ will scorch the earth to protect these kids. Even if it costs them…their eternal souls!

Emails have gone out to my reviewers and I’m hoping to get some early feedback from them before release. The beta readers were universally pleased with the book, as was my editor. I now have the first three chapters on my website for you to get a feel for what the book is like before buying. Check them out here: Chapter 1, 2, & 3.

Normally I do a sneak peek of the cover for a new book release, but I’m so excited I thought I’d post it in all its glory. My cover artist Mia did a wonderful job creating what I was looking for. It’s simple and straight forward. Let me know what you think.

We’re still working on the paperback version, as the cover requires a special design. Once it’s completed, I will get a proof of the book to approve. From there I will then order copies to sell myself or they can be ordered through Amazon. Right now I’m not certain what the price will be. Since it’s a big book, purchasing through Amazon will be in the $16.99 or so range. Buying direct from me I’m hoping to keep the price similar to my other books at around the $10 mark. But I may need to go higher depending on the cost to me from Amazon.

One other big holiday event has been canceled, and I suspect here in Colorado that will be true of most of them. Still, I’m happy I will be doing the Downtown Laramie Farmer’s Market on Sept 11th from 3-7 PM being held in Laramie Wyoming. There are some strict protocols I must follow to do this event, including wearing masks and gloves. But it’s outside which is going to be more common for events going forward to mitigate the risks. The University of Wyoming will be back in session so I’m hoping for a large turnout. If you’re in the area or have a student going to school have them stop by and say hello.

That is all for now. I hope everyone will check out The Divine Devils and take advantage of the pre-order price of $3.99. Sales overall have been down this year because of all the virus issues, but I hope this book will provide entertainment to those who read it and sells well.

Thanks. Stay safe, healthy, and happy!!

R Weir

Hot weather and the scorching sun have returned here to Colorado this past week, after a slight break of a week of rain and cooler air. Our water bill was huge last month, doing our best to keep the grass and our garden green during the baking sunshine. The flowers continue to bloom, the vegetables growing. We have cucumbers, carrots, lettuce and cabbage in our garden. And being an Iowa boy, we have sweet corn growing, the stalks nearly 7 foot high right now, with peaches and cream corn on the cob getting bigger every day. We’re looking forward to a decent harvest of food as summer winds down, with a few cucumbers and lettuce already picked for good eating. Here are a couple of pictures.

Besides the garden I continue to work on the front yard, doing my best to eliminate sections of the grass and plant water-wise flowers and shrubs, with weed barrier and mulch to keep the weeds at bay. I expanded this one section, with another planned once the weather gets a little bit cooler. Digging out this sod rooted in the hard clay soil we have here in Colorado is exhaustive work, especially in the heat of the day.

The editing continues on The Divine Devils. I sent the file back to my editor after the first round of changes. I’m now waiting for her final suggestions, hopefully getting them by the end of August. I must say editing is challenging. When writing the words flow out of me, the creation quick and painless. Whereas editing is harder work. Editing a story can be similar to disciplining a child. It can be challenging and heartbreaking at times, but necessary to get the end result. And I do think of these books I write as children I’ve helped create and molded for everyone to enjoy. From my initial drafts, to Alpha and Beta Reading, to rewrites, before sending it to the editor for a couple of rounds of cleanup and finetuning. All of it taking endless hours to complete in hopes readers will be immersed in the story.

Unfortunately because of COVID, I’ve not been able to have as active of a year getting out and meeting people at Craft Fairs and Author events. With fall coming there were two other events canceled, and I’m waiting to hear about the holiday events and if they’ll be held. But that hasn’t stopped us from working on items to tie into the next book. I’ve previously shared in the newsletter the new logo for The Divine Devils. This logo will be added to t-shirts and my daughter will be making soaps we’ll be selling as well. Here is one we’ve already made that we’ll have on hand once events begin again. They will come in various color combos and fragrances. This one is a peppermint which we hope will be popular.

If you haven’t already, be certain to check out the first two chapters of The Divine Devils on my website. You can read it via these links for Chapter 1 and Chapter 2. I’m excited about this book and hope to have a release date set soon, targetting the end of September or early October if all goes well. I’ve already contacted my early review readers and hope to be sending out the nearly final version for their feedback and reviews in the coming weeks.

This month we have five new Prolific Works giveaways, featuring the short story, The Case of the Missing Bubble Gum Card, the first in the Jarvis Mann PI series. Along with other free eBooks from great Indie Authors. Here is the information:

Magnificent Summer Middle Grade/Tween/Teen Book Giveaway features 7 books for Teen and Young Adult readers running until August 30th. Check the book out via this link.

Just Desserts – Cozy Mystery GG features 14 books of Cozy Mystery reading and runs until August 23rd. Check out all those books via this link.

Dial M for Murder – Mystery & Crime Giveaway features 19 mystery crime books for you to check out and runs until October 10th. Check them out via this link.

Awesome August Action, Crime, and Thriller FREE giveaway begins August 15th and runs until August 31st. Featuring 26 Action Crime books. Check them out via this link.

Justice Is Served – Mystery, Crime, Thriller GG begins August 18th and runs until September 1st. Featuring 38 mystery crime thriller books. Check it out via this link.

I been thinking about running a contest for readers of my newsletter, racking my brain about what to do. With all the talk of my yard and garden, I’d love to see what others out there have done in their yards. Whether it’s vegetables, landscaping, bird sanctuaries, and other hard work you’ve sweated over. Send me the pictures of your hard work and brag while you’re at it. I will share some of them in future newsletters. And if I get enough responses I’ll give away a eBook of your choice to a few random submissions. Just email the photos with your comments to me at this address.

Lastly this month I’ll do a quick plug to check out all of the books in the Jarvis Mann PI series if you haven’t read them all. There are 8 books in all, each getting consistent 4 and 5-star reviews. And all but the first short story are available on Kindle Unlimited for those who pay for that subscription service. Be certain to add them all to your bookshelf or eBook reader. They can be accessed via this link.

Thanks again for reading my monthly newsletter. Be sure to share with any friends who love to read. Those that sign-up get a free eBook version of the first novel Tracking A Shadow. And if you signed up and didn’t get the free eBook, email me and I will send it to you ASAP.

Time to get back to writing and editing. Stay safe, healthy, and happy!!

R Weir