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Paperback Quality Issues

I hope everyone had a marvelous Christmas. I spent a quiet holiday weekend with the family, staying warm by our electric fireplace, all of us enjoying many holiday movies. My personal favorite is National Lampoon’s Christman Vacation. With some of the scenes filmed here in Colorado. A movie that never fails to make me laugh. Others we enjoy are Elf, Home Alone, The Santa Clause, and Polar Express. I’d love to hear about your favorite holiday movies to watch.

The dogs kept me warm on Christmas Day while watching Elf.

I made it through all my events and Christmas by the skin of my teeth. I, unfortunately, got COVID right after my November 27th event in Douglas County. The virus knocked me down for about 10 days, so I had to miss the December 3rd Event in Adams County. This was the first time I’d missed an event due to illness. Disappointing, but unavoidable. If you had gone to the event hoping to buy books, I apologize for not being there. And if you couldn’t get to my last two events and are still interested in books, read down further, as I have a few great offers on paperbacks.

With all the events I did, going nearly non-stop since August, I had to order many paperback books so I wouldn’t run short. For those who don’t know, my paperbacks come from Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), which is tied to Amazon. With all those orders, I had a lot of quality issues with books, many of which I had to return to Amazon. Whether it be poor quality of the print, the books getting put together with pages upside down, and even instances where the cut on the pages and covers were crooked. This has been an ongoing issue with KDP. One I’ve tried to get resolved to no avail. Many times the books are shipped in too small a box, with little packing and poor tape to seal the box, the tape breaking during shipment. Many shipping companies when handling boxes will often throw them onto conveyors and into the back of trucks when loading, causing the boxes to be damaged or break open. I had one box of 18 Divine Devils books that was repackaged by someone before it was delivered to my house, the broken pieces of the box inside and the books themselves all damaged. My anger with KDP/Amazon led them to refund me the money on the books and I didn’t have to return them. If you ordered books from Amazon and the quality was poor as I mentioned above, please don’t hesitate to return them and get a refund and/or a replacement. I do check all the books I sell, but occasionally one could slip through with issues. If I sold you a book that had any of the issues I mentioned above, then don’t hesitate to reach out and I’ll get the issue resolved free of charge. I’ve included a couple of pictures below of the issues I’ve experienced.

This was what was left of the original box of 18 Divine Devils books. As you can see the box completely fell apart.

Because I didn’t need to return the 18 Divine Devils books, Amazon told me to do with them as I pleased. Many of the books are pretty well damaged, with bent pages and covers, and dirt on the ends, ones I certainly don’t want to sell to people. What I decided to do is offer them up for free to anyone who is interested. If you live within the Denver Metro area, I can bring them to you or you can come to me to get the book. If you live outside Denver, I will mail the book out for only the cost of shipping, so long as it’s in the US. The cost runs around $4 to ship the book but varies on where you live. If you’re interested you can email me, and we can work out the details. And yes I will sign the book, and pick out one that is in the best shape, while supplies last.

Unfortunately for me, I ordered more books than I needed for all the events I did. Losing one week hurt me, and the last several events hadn’t been as big as many of my earlier ones. This though is good for you, as I will offer up any of my paperbacks for their normal price and I’ll pay the shipping cost (US Only). This goes for all the books in both the Jarvis Mann and Divine Devils series. Depending on the book, costs run from $5-$15 per book. I will be able to take payment via Paypal or Venmo. All you need to do is email me and we can work out all the details.

Though the later events were slower, I still sold a good number of books, including several who bought an entire series. Here is Tom and his lovely wife (whose name I forgot to get), who bought all 7 of the Jarvis Mann PI books. And there were many more who bought one or the other of my series. Darn it all, I wished I had taken more pictures. If you bought any of my books now or in the past, please send me a photo of you with the books and I’ll be sure to share it.

Many more people signed up for my newsletter this past month. Welcome to all of you. Those who sign-up are offered a free eBook of Tracking A Shadow, the first novel in the Jarvis Mann PI series. If you didn’t see the offer in your inbox, check your spam folder or send me an email and I’ll get the ebook sent out to you right away. And congratulations to two more winners of the $10 Amazon Gift Card, Merlinda and Kristina. Thanks to everyone who stopped by my table at all the events this year. It was a lot of fun meeting and talking with all of you.

I’m close to sending my new book, Lethal Blues off to my editor. And my cover artist Mia will be working on the cover starting this week. Getting the book to the point over the next month where I can start looking at setting a release date, which I know many of you are anxious to learn. While I’m waiting for my editor, I’ll be continuing on the next Divine Devils book, which already has been started. The working title: Divine Retribution. A long road ahead to getting the book done, with my hopes of it being released by end of the year. In the meantime, as promised here is a preview of Chapter 1 of Lethal Blues. This is still a rough draft and not the final version, but will give you a small taste of private eye Jarvis Mann’s return.

With the new year on the horizon, I can take a short breath after doing 23 events. Still, I can’t rest for too long, as I must start planning for 2023. Many events require me to schedule and pay for them 6-9 months in advance. My plans are to search for a few new events to do in hopes of hitting a few different areas in town and even out of state. I already have two scheduled, one a new author event down at the Denver Convention Center, Readers Take Denver. This one runs for 4 days with lots of authors from all over the country coming. More information can be found on their website, including purchasing tickets.

I’ve added a couple more menus under my Fun Stuff page on my website. This includes Wildlife Videos and Family Time. With more photos and videos being added all the time. So stop by and check it out!

This month there are several more Prolific Works free eBook giveaways. Starting with Make your Newsletter Subscribers take off like Santa this Christmas which runs through December 31st with 36 great books you access via this link.

Mystery Reads runs until December 31st with 39 great eBooks you can access via this link.

Hidden Clues – Mystery and Thriller GG runs until January 17th with 23 books you can find via this link.

The Woman in the Library – Thriller & Crime Giveaway runs until February 28th with 8 books to check out via this link.

I will close off the last newsletter of 2022, with a hardy thank you to you all. I love hearing back from readers who enjoy the newsletter and my books. It’s been a great 2022 for me, thanks to all of you. I hope you all have a blessed, prosperous, safe, and peaceful New Year.

R Weir

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First Drafts

I’m happy to announce I’ve completed the first draft (read below) of my next book, Lethal Blues: A Jarvis Mann Detective Mystery. I’ve started working on a few rewrites, and have reached out to beta readers for feedback. I hope to have this book in my editor’s hands by the end of the year to work on getting it finalized. Along with starting the process of getting the cover completed with my wonderful cover artist, Mia. I do plan on posting a preview of the new book on my website. Look for more about this in the next newsletter. As this process plays out I will continue work on the next Divine Devils book which I plan on having out by the end of 2023. I will keep you up-to-date on the progress. The working title is: Divine Retribution.

When writing a new story, a first draft is where all authors begin. I generally write at the beginning and go straight through to the end on the first draft. Though there are times I will write the ending before I finish the rest of the book if a solid idea comes to mind. For me the first draft oftentimes is modified as I write the book, since I write in streaks, and might not write anything for a week or more. When this happens, I go back to the beginning, read what I’ve written, and do some rewriting in the process. This gives me a refresher on the story to continue. And keeps me on track when it comes to the plot, since I don’t outline. I believe this is an odd way for an author to write, but it works for me. So when I say my first draft is done, it’s really more like a second or third draft. Then once that is finished, I go back over it again, doing any necessary corrections before sending it off to my beta readers for their feedback. Overall each book takes a great deal of time to create before it’s ready to be released. Normally 6 to 9 months, though at times nearly a year depending on the length of the book.

November was a big month for me at the events I did. Lots of book sales and new sign-ups to my newsletter. And I gave away prizes at each event for those who stopped by my table. Here are the winners of the $10 Amazon Gift Cards for the November events. All of them have been contacted to receive their prize.

Smoky Hill High School: Emily

Nativity of Our Lord: Sandy

Mollie McGee’s: Jace

Douglas County Fairgrounds: Laura

When I do these events, I try to get some pictures of those who are buying my books. Many times I get so busy at the table I forget. We did get a couple shots that I’ll share. Though there were many others who bought my books. If you did and you want to send me a picture of you and the book(s) please do and I will post them on the website and even share a couple in future newsletters.

Here are the final three events I’ll be attending to finish off the holiday craft fair season. I hope to see lots of smiling faces and book buyers..

Lucidpress
I will only be at the December 9-11th Firsthand Market

I finished the Westminster Citizens Police Academy a few weeks ago. The 11 week course is one I highly recommend people take to get better acquainted with your local police department. I’ve added more pictures and a couple of videos to my Fun Stuff folder, including a video of a flashbang stun grenade going off. And believe me, you don’t want to have one going off near you. Here is a picture of the graduating class. Congratulation to all of you. It was really fun getting to meet everyone.

Speaking of the Fun Stuff menu on my website, I’ve added more photos of fun stuff going on in my life. This includes photos from the Goodguys Car Show, Pets, Yard Work, and more. I will continue to add more photos to the menu. I hope you’ll keep checking them out.

As we near the holiday season, I ask you to consider purchasing books for those friends and family members who love to get lost in a story. The gift of reading is a wonderful surprise, especially a paperback signed by an author. If you can’t make it to my events and would like a signed book for yourself or someone else, email me and I’ll work on getting it sent to you or even meet you somewhere here in town if you live in Denver Metro area. You can purchase any of the Jarvis Mann PI or Hunter Divine books from Amazon, as well as direct from me. Thanks for the support you provide me when buying one of my award-winning stories.

As for Jarvis and Hunter, here is a link to a short story I wrote where the two of them meet for the first time at the Private Eye Tavern. Be sure to give it a read.

This month there are several Prolific Works free eBook giveaways to check out.

A Super Sleuth – Mystery and Thriller GG runs until December 13th with 18 free eBooks you can access via this link.

Mystery and Thriller Giveaway November runs until November 30th with with 29 free eBooks to download via this link.

Mystery Reads runs until December 31st with 39 free eBooks you can find via this link.

Mysteries Your Mother Never Told… is running for the next couple of years with 54 eBooks to download via this link.

I will wrap up the newsletter with best wishes to all of you this holiday season. I hope you get to spend it with loved ones and friends. I wish peace and happiness to all of you around the world.

All the best!!

R Weir

Developing the Story

I’m squeezing in this newsletter right after two successful events, including Mollie McGee’s in Longmont where I sold the most books I’ve ever sold at a two-day event. Both craft fairs provided me lots of new signups for this newsletter. Welcome to all of you! Starting November 5th, I will have 7 straight weeks of events, many two days long and one even three days. I will be pretty busy right up until before Christmas. This means my desire for getting the next Jarvis Mann PI book released by the end of the year likely won’t happen. I will shoot for the first quarter of 2023 with the next chapter in my private eyes life. I promise this exciting and tense new book will be worth the wait.

When working on my books, I often only start out with a basic storyline and usually a working title. As with many of my works the story develops during the writing process. There are times when it comes out as I originally imagined it, while most times it evolves to become different than I expected. Even I can be surprised by the twists and turns the plot can take! My latest book, the title which I teased last month (Lethal Blues), has evolved in many ways. The story of a simple death and disappearance of two friends, those dramatic events steering Jarvis into a serious issue that might cost him and his client their lives. Bringing back characters from the past, while introducing new ones. The serious nature of the storyline laced with much of Jarvis’ snarky humor and tough demeanor. The shoes of this character, one I enjoy walking in again.

I recently passed 800 reviews on Goodreads, with an average of 4.34 stars for all of my books. While on Amazon, I’m now over 700 reviews with an average of 4.1 Stars. Two of my books with over 100 reviews, a third nearing the magical 100 mark. It’s wonderful to see and read reviews on all my books. But I can always use more so please post a review when you finish reading. The feedback, both good and bad, is much appreciated.

Here are a few of my most recent 5-Star reviews coming for the three books in the Divine Devils series:

The Divine Devils: The twists and turns kept coming as the book unfurls. What I loved the most was that is was so hard to put down. I am so glad that this is the beginning of a new series and I cannot wait to read the next book – Christine

Fallen Star: This book is so well written that it makes you really wonder if it’s actually real, and sucks you into the world of Hunter, falling into a world wind of secret’s, danger, drugs, extortion, blackmail that the divine devils have to face while helping Megan a Hollywood celebrity. Another amazing book by an amazing author, I cant wait for more – Jennifer

Sold Souls: Sold Souls is a thrilling, shocking, and memorable thrilling tale that will take its readers on a twisty turny journey – Aimee

And I love this recent review on one of my early books in the Jarvis Mann PI series, Tracking A Shadow, as she nails one of Jarvis Mann’s faults perfectly!!

This is my first Jarvis Mann book and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Even though he has no clue about women, and there are some twists and turns because of it, I enjoyed following his investigation. It was definitely hard to put down – Susan

You can check out all of my books on Amazon or on my website. All are available in eBook, Paperback, and via Kindle Unlimited.

I’ve given away more $10 Amazon Gift Cards to those stopping by my table at my events last month. Here are a list of the winners and a thank you to everyone who stopped by to chat, talk books, sign-up for my newsletter and buy books.

Mollie McGee’s winners were: Susan and Deana

Family in Christ winner was: Sheila

As I mentioned starting November 5th I have 7 straight weeks of events. If you’re in the area stop by and say hello. I will list the November events below. And you can always find the latest event information on my website.

There are three Prolific Works Giveaways this month where you can check out free eBooks.

One of Us Is Lying – Thriller & Crime Giveaway with 11 eBooks in the Thriller/Crime genre’s available to find via this link until November 18th

Mystery and Thriller Giveaway November with 30 eBooks available via this link until November 30th.

Mystery Reads Giveaway running until December 31st with 39 books to check out via this link.

I’m down to the last couple of weeks of the Citizens Police Academy. I’ve learned a lot, had a good time, and even got to drive one of the Police Interceptors they use here in Westminster. You can see more photos on my Fun Stuff Page under the Citizens Police Academy section.

I will wrap up this newsletter with a shout-out to my daughter Dakota who turned 23 last week. My how time flies!!

Thanks again for reading and being a fan. Enjoy the rest of your week!

R Weir

Changes in Kindle eBook Format

In an effort to simplify the work I need to do when someone signs up for my newsletter, I set up an automation function in my Mailerlite system to automatically send an email. Users who sign-up for my newsletter are offered a free eBook version of my Amazon Bestselling Jarvis Mann PI novel Tracking A Shadow. Sending these emails automatically will save me a lot of time over the manual way I used to send them. Unfortunately during the testing process, I accidentally sent a test email to all of my subscribers. OOPS!! This mistake though had some positive results, as many of my subscribers, several hundred total, reached out about receiving the free eBook. Which was a wonderful consequence of my mistake. My hope you’ll read the book, leave a review and hopefully buy more of my books. Giving away books does cost me, but in the long run, if Tracking A Shadow is a good enough book, then I get sales on the back end of all my other books. Increased sales are what all indie authors are striving for!

Through the years, Amazon and their Kindle eBook readers have used a proprietary eBook format, MOBI. This past year Amazon dropped that format, moving to EPUB, which is more of the standard across the industry. When I offer the free eBook, I give you choices of three formats: EPUB, MOBI, and PDF. If you are using an older Kindle device, MOBI is the format you should ask for. Most newer Kindles and a few of the older ones, received an update recently to accept EPUB. If you aren’t certain which to choose, I would start with EPUB or even PDF which most eReaders will open. Since I’m exclusive to Amazon, if you don’t use a Kindle device, I’m always happy to sell you eBooks direct from me, in a format that will work on those other devices. Just reach out via my email and we’ll work out the details to get you the proper format to read my stories.

I am currently in the middle of an 11-week course at the Westminster Citizens Police Academy. I actually started the course two years ago, right around when COVID hit and they had to cancel it mid-way through. They opened it up again and offered me the chance to start over, which I happily accepted. Here is a link to some pictures I’ve taken while participating in the Academy. Much of the nuances I’ve learned about police work two years ago got worked into my Divine Devils series. Now with starting over, I’m learning even more, which will be used in the next Jarvis Mann PI book, specifically related to the main storyline. Portions of which I will be making a couple of modifications, including the title of the book. The new title being: Lethal Blues. From that, I’ll let you guess for now, what the storyline will entail. More details to come in future newsletters.

A new menu I’ve added to the website, Fun Stuff, will include items like the Citizens Academy, as well as work I’m doing around the house, inside and out, new additions to the family, and other activities. These items I will be adding over time to give you more about what is going on in my life. I hope you’ll check it out.

I recorded two podcasts this past month with a couple of great interviewers, where we talked about books, writing, and marketing. The first was a video podcast with Jennifer Richardson with Pines & Plains Libraries located here in Colorado. You can view the YouTube video via this link. The second one was with Kathrine Hutchinson and is audio only and can be found via this link on Spotify. Please give them a listen.

This past weekend I finished four straight weekends of events, all of them successful, including my biggest one-day sales ever. I sold a lot of books, talked with a lot of people, had many sign-ups for this newsletter, and gave away a few $10 Amazon Gift Cards as prizes. Here is a list of the winners:

Goodguys Car Show (Two winners): Val and Melissa

Broomfield Days (Two Winners): Carla and Bonnie

Eastridge Rec Center (One Winner): Aaron

Fall Festival at Adams County Fairgrounds (One Winner): Tamsen

All the winners have been contacted and received their gift cards. I will be giving away at least one $10 Amazon Gift Card at each event I do through the end of the year. So be sure to come out to one of the events for a chance to win.

Speaking of events, I have two more coming up in October. Starting with Mollie McGee’s which is always a busy two-day event.

Then the following weekend I’ll be at the Family in Christ Community Church for two days. This will be the first time I’ve done this event. I’ll be looking forward to talking to many new people.

Another round of free eBooks is available from Prolific Works this month for you to check out and download.

One of Us Is Lying – Thriller & Crime Giveaway runs through November 18th and includes 11 eBooks to download for free via this link.

Mysterious and Thrilling October runs until October 31st with 25 books to choose from via this link.

Mystery and Thriller Giveaway also runs until October 31st with 28 books to check out via this link.

If you’re enjoying my books, please be sure to visit my Amazon Author Page to purchase eBooks or Paperbacks of both my series. Or you can contact me via email to get signed paperbacks at a great price plus a nominal shipping fee. Signed paperbacks make wonderful and surprising holiday gifts for loved ones and friends who love to read. In the Jarvis Mann PI series, there are 8 books total, while in the Divine Devils series there are 3 books to date. With several award winners, including The Front Range Butcher, The Divine Devils, and Fallen Star: The Divine Devils Book 2. You can add them all to your reading or shopping list today.

I will wrap up this newsletter with a welcome to all the new subscribers I’ve talked with these past 4 weeks. I hope you enjoy the content and I love to hear from you if you have questions, comments, suggestions, or just to chat. I can be reached via this address. My email box is always open.

Thanks again for reading. Be sure to share with anyone you feel would be interested. If they sign-up they’ll be offered a free eBook, no strings attached. Have a wonderful rest of your week!!

R Weir

Silver Falchion Best Thriller Winner is…

After a hot and humid 5 day trip to Nashville for the Killer Nashville Writers Conference, we returned home with new hardware. I was honored to have won the Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award for Best Thriller for the second year in a row. Fallen Star: The Divine Devils Book 2 won against some tough competition, with over a thousand books submitted for this prestigious award. And honestly, I was more shocked winning this year than last, for there were so many more entries and great books to compete against. Thanks to Clay Stafford and his team for running a great event, where I learned a lot and got to talk with many great people.

Here are a few more photos from Killer Nashville and a link to my acceptance speech.

Arriving back in Denver after Killer Nashville, I got back to working on the new Jarvis Mann PI book. Jarvis returning from retirement, needing the money after the struggles of COVID caused financial issues for the Private Eye Tavern he owns. The story revolves around Jarvis being hired by an old friend, Dennis Gash, who is now a professional football player. The job to find out who killed one of Dennis’ high school friends while trying to find another friend who is missing. The challenging case leading Jarvis down a dark road he’d left behind. Stay tuned next month for I’ll reveal the working title for the ninth book in the series.

We adopted a new family member this last week. Local shelters being overrun with dogs, asking for people to open up their homes to these needy animals. My daughter, who is living with us, wanted a dog, which I agreed to, so long as she foot the bill. The eight-month-old Pit Bull Terrier/Boxer mix coming into our home to join our family. Her name: Nuka. Along with our dog Abby, giving us two rescues to the household. Nuka is an energetic and playful pup who is slowly adjusting to life in the Weir home. If you have love and room in your life for a rescue pet, be sure to go to your local shelter. There are lots of needy animals out there who need your love and companionship.

As I’m writing this newsletter, I have two podcasts I doing today. Which reminded me about another podcast I did two months ago, which I forgot to promote. This one is with Ken Scott for Fortis Publishing. You can check it out via this link.

This weekend begins 4 straight weeks of events, starting with the GoodGuys Car Show, which runs for 3 days, September 9th, 10th, and 11th. A fun event for me to get to talk with people about my books and see some cool classic cars. Much like the1969 Mustang 302 Boss that Jarvis drives.

This will be followed by Broomfield Days, the outdoor event down the road from where we live. This one taking place on September 17th.

The other two are at the Eastridge Rec Center in Highlands Ranch Colorado on Sept 24th & 25th. And then the Fall Festival Craft Show at the Adam County Fairgrounds in Brighton Colorado on Oct 1st. If you live near any of these events be sure to stop in and support local crafters. A great chance to get your early holiday shopping completed.

This month we have more Prolific Works eBook giveaways to promote. A chance to pick up a free eBook from an author you may have never heard of.

Mystery and Thriller Giveaway Promotion runs until Sept 30th with 11 eBooks you can download via this link.

Mystery Giveaway Promotion runs through Sept 15th with 25 free eBooks to check out via this link.

Out of Time – Mystery and Thriller GG starts Sept 13th and runs until Oct 4th with currently 15 ebooks to add to your eReader via this link.

I’m rushing through the newsletter to get it completed, so please excuse any errors. I need to get back to getting ready for the Goodguys Car Show, with a lot of books to pack and getting the RV ready for the drive up north. A busy next 5 days ahead of us. Keep on reading those books that entertain and inspire you.

I will leave you with this little nugget I found on social media.

Take Care!!

R Weir

Killer Nashville and Jarvis Mann

I’ve been busy this past month doing work outside in our front yard, clearing out more grass, and getting our yard more water-wise. Starting early in the morning since it’s been quite hot here in Westminster. Taking out sections of sod a little at a time, trying not to tax the body, especially my lower back. One of the challenges that age presents all of us. Recently turning 63, knowing I can’t work myself quite as hard as I did when I was 43. The final results of the project are below.

One of the front garden areas we increased in size from last year, is doing quite well, along with the side section. The front garden with watermelons and pumpkins. Our plan for the pumpkins is to share them with some of the kids in the neighborhood when they are ready in October. Here are a couple of pictures of the garden areas and how they are progressing. These sections were originally all grass, now with mulch, flowers, and fruits requiring less water.

Last month I mentioned I’d have some exciting news in the next newsletter which I’m ready to announce. Drum roll, please!! Private eye, Jarvis Mann. will be returning. A book I’ve been working heavily on over the last two months. Over 74k worth of words written so far. Jarvis stepping out of retirement to take on a case involving an old friend, dealing with a serious matter affecting many in Colorado. Which is all I’ll say about it for now, though I plan on teasing more in future newsletters. I hope the book will be ready by December. As I begin wrapping up the first draft, I will be reaching out to my beta readers. If you have an interest in beta reading, send me an email. All I ask is for you to read the story in a timely matter and provide me feedback on the characters, storyline, and any obvious errors you might discover. My beta readers in the past have provided me valuable input to make my books all the better.

This week I’ll be off to Nashville Tennesse for the Killer Nashville 16th Annual Author Conference. A three-day gathering of readers and authors in the Crime, Suspense and Thriller genres. I’m looking forward to meeting old friends and making new ones. There is also a book store in the hotel, where you can buy books from many of the authors attending and have them sign them. I will have all three of my Divine Devils books available in the store and will sign them. You can learn more about the event via this link. Here is a list of the book signing times and which authors will be available. If you live in the area, be sure to stop by and check it out.

Last year I had the honor of winning the Silver Falchion Award for best thriller, The Divine Devils taking the top prize. This year, Fallen Star: The Divine Devils Book 2 is up for the same award. All the winners to be announced at the dinner at the hotel on Saturday Night (8/20). I will be on one panel this year. Writing the Irresistible Villain, held in the Birch room on Sunday from 11:40 to 12:20 PM. I along with authors TM Clark, J.L. Delozier, Jane B Lee, S. Lee Manning, and Jacob Thomas Moon, will be hosting the panel. It should be fun listening to what makes an Irresistible Villain.

Along with the Silver Falchion Award for various genres, there is the Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Reader’s Choice Award. You can vote for your favorites via this link, and I’d be thrilled if you voted for Fallen Star.

With the new Jarvis Mann book coming soon, I’ll plug the other 8 books in the series. Starting with the first short story, The Case of the Missing Bubble Gum Card, that introduces Jarvis, to the 8th book, Mann in the Crossfire. All 8 books have received great reviews through the years, over 700 on Amazon and Goodreads, averaging 4.2 stars. You can find them in two eBook box sets on Amazon, or individually. And all are available on Kindle Unlimited and in paperback through Amazon or direct from me if you send an email. Check them all out today.

You can also find the first two books in the series, The Case of the Missing Bubble Gum Card and Tracking A Shadow, in Audiobook format. Available on Audible and iBooks. If you have an interest I do have a few codes available for Tracking A Shadow. Send me an email and I’ll send you the code. You will need an Audible account to use them. All I ask is to leave a review once you’ve finished listening.

Besides Killer Nashville, I will be doing one other event on August 27th. The Denver Makers Market, held at The Shed @ Midtown in Arvada, which runs from 12-5PM. Be sure to stop by and say hello. I will have all my paperback books for sale.

Here are this month’s Prolific Works free eBook giveaways. A chance to check out new authors who write in the same genres as I do.

Sun Down Motel – Thriller & Crime Giveaway runs until Aug 21st with 13 eBooks to choose from via this link.

Justice Served – Mystery and Thriller GG runs until Sept 6th with 21 books to add to your eReader. Find them via this link.

Mysteries Your Mother Never Told… is an ongoing giveaway with 54 free eBooks. More great stories are available via this link.

I will step away from the newsletter, as I need to get packing for Nashville. My wife and I plan to enjoy a mini-vacation by staying an extra day, hoping to see a few of the sights in the area. If we can stand the heat and humidity. 🙂 I will share a few pictures from the event in next month’s newsletter.

I hope everyone has a wonderful week!!

R Weir

Vacation Time

I’m a little late getting this month’s newsletter out, as I’m still getting caught up after our family vacation to the Black Hills of South Dakota. A vacation which now is becoming a yearly event for us. This year we stayed in a different RV resort in Spearfish. A beautiful facility with large sites, green grass, a huge pool, and two hot tubs. A large herd of adult and baby buffalo just down the road. We had a great time spending eight days, seeing a lot of sites in the area. Here are a few pictures from our vacation.

While we were in South Dakota, Kim and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary. My, how the time flies. Kim is a wonderful woman, who has been supportive of my author journey from the beginning. I’m a lucky man!

I was also in South Dakota for the Wild Deadwood Reads event. This was the fifth year of the event and had over 90 authors selling their books. It was another great time where I got to talk with other authors, many I consider friends, as well as readers. My plan is to return again next year.

I’m proud to announce Fallen Star: The Divine Devils Book 2 is up for the 2022 Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award in the Thriller category. The first book, The Divine Devils, was the winner in that category last year. I will be at Killer Nashville August 18-21st where winners in all the categories will be announced. It will be a fun time in a wonderful city. If you’re interested in going to the event you can find out more here.

The latest book in the Divine Devils series, Sold Souls continues to receive excellent reviews. Here are two new ones:

It’s one of those embraceable stories. A definite attention grabber, so much I couldn’t put it down. Both thrilling and intriguing, all the way to the end – Amy’s Bookshelf Reviews

I love this series because Mr Weir weaves a story that truly takes hold of your emotions and won’t let go. He weaves a story that is reality and fiction all rolled into one. His world building of the story and characters create a top read – Shelly

You can find Sold Souls: The Divine Devils Book 3 on Amazon in eBook, paperback, or via Kindle Unlimited. Add it to your reading list today.

My free giveaway during the first week in June, of The Divine Devils, allowed my award-winning book to reach #2 on the Crime Thrillers Amazon Bestseller list and as high as #44 on the overall Amazon Bestseller list.

Thanks to everyone who downloaded the book. I’ve been getting lots of new reviews for The Divine Devils. If you’ve read the book I’d love it if you posted a review on Amazon, Goodreads and/or Bookbub. Here are two recent reviews:

Excellent intrigue as the good guys and gals try to overcome the most brutal evil. Prepare to lose some sleep – Jan

Oh my… I can not express enough how amazing this book was to read. I have not read a good dectective, suspense, murder mystery book in long long time. I am always on the hunt for new authors to read their books. Out of the blue one day I came across this author selling his books. I thought what the heck and purchased two books. Oh my… the best decision I made and worth every penny. This book had me at the first chapter wanting to know how this was going to play out with all the characters. I was half way through the first book and had to make sure I was going to be able to purchase the third book when I am finished with the second. Take a chance on this author, I promise you won’t regret it – Cooper

For July I have only one event scheduled, which will be outdoors at the Denver Makers Market in Centennial Colorado on July 30th. Be sure to stop on down and say hello. There will be over 100 vendors selling their wares. Be certain to add the event to your calendar and stop on by.

This month we have more Prolific Works free eBooks for you to check out.

Sun Down Motel – Thriller & Crime Giveaway has 13 free eBooks, available until August 21st via this link.

Conspiracies and Criminals – Mystery and Thriller GG have 19 free eBooks to check out until August 2nd via this link.

Mystery Giveaway has 20 free eBooks available starting July 15th, running through August 15th. You can find those books via this link.

Stayed tuned for next month’s newsletter as I have exciting and surprising news on the next book I’m working on. My hope it will be out by the end of the year.

Thanks again for reading. Be sure to share with all your book-reading friends. If they sign-up to receive the newsletter, I give them a free eBook, Tracking A Shadow, from my Jarvis Mann PI series.

All the best to you and your family!!

R Weir

Sold Souls Release Day, Plus Bargain Prices

Wednesday, June 1st, is a big day for several reasons. The first is the release of my 11th book, Sold Souls: The Divine Devils Book 3. This story of Hunter Divine and his team of Devils, delving into the hellish world of human/sex trafficking. A case in which some of them may not survive. Here is the long synopsis of the story.

The brutal world of human trafficking. Where underage children are bought, sold and sexually abused by their deviant owners. The victims traded around, used up and spit out as if their lives were meaningless. A lethal adversary approaching The Divine Devils with a scary proposition. Locate and free her sister from the tortured shackles.

The foe hiring The Divine Devils to assist in tracking her down. Hunter and his team fighting for those who can’t fight for themselves. Infiltrating the heart of the intricate web this organization has created. Following a brutal, deadly road to free these Sold Souls. Before they all perish at the hands of their savage masters.

Here are a few new reviews I’ve received for Sold Souls, including a glowing 5-Star editorial review from Readers’ Favorite:

I loved Sold Souls. Author R. Weir had me hooked from the very beginning. The first chapter and the insight it brought about Valerie’s life were traumatic and inviting at the same time. The story picked up momentum from there and the action was introduced from the get-go. I thought Hunter would be all over the case, and Athena would need some convincing, but it was the other way around. The author held nothing back when showing the depravity of the sex trade/human trafficking world. The pace was perfect and provided plenty of opportunities for Athena, Valerie, and Hunter to figure out their next move before the author surprised readers with a new twist. The last chapter was astonishing. I was not expecting it, and neither was Hunter. I cannot wait to see what will happen in the next novel! – Rabia Tanveer for Readers’ Favorite

The latest Hunter Divine novel is an action-packed page turner. Author R. Weir easily hooked me early on with the story of human trafficking and child abuse. While some of the content could be referred to as triggers, this story is really about looking beyond past differences to overcome that evil. I enjoyed that former nemesis, Valerie, comes to Hunter and his team for help. The author gave both of these characters depth by showing their vulnerabilities and softer sides juxtapose to their gritty, street-wise behavior. R. Weir truly made his characters feel like people instead of stereotypes. The dynamic plot is fast paced, and the story arc is both gripping and gritty. Sold Souls is another R. Weir tale that I highly recommend -Julie

I must say I’m really liking the two stories going on within the book and now they seem to be intertwining. I think it just adds more intensity to the book. I literally was on the edge of my seat while reading scared that something bad was going to happen to the main characters – Tina

This one was a show stopper I could not put it down. It was dirty suspenseful, scary and elegant all at the same time Regina

I’m continuing the eBook pre-order pricing of $3.99 on Amazon through June 5th for Sold Souls, along with two other deals on the first two Divine Devils books. Book one, The Divine Devils, is FREE on Amazon (normally $6.99) starting Wednesday, June 1st, running through June 5th. A fabulous deal on this award-winning book that introduces Hunter and his team of Divine Devils. Here are a few of the wonderful 5-Star reviews:

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 – K. C. Finn with Readers’ Favorite

This was such a great sit on the edge of my seat kind of story. This book was full of action, suspense, great characters and so much more – Candy

I absolutely LOVE this book!!!! I definitely can not wait to read the next book in the series. The Divine Devils by R. Weir is going to be a very addictive series – SweetKrissy

The next bargain is on book two, Fallen Star. This book will be priced at $3.99 (normally $6.99) on Amazon from June 1st to June 5th. Hunter and the Divine Devils going to Reno and Lake Tahoe to help a movie star who is being blackmailed. This book is up for several awards in 2022. Here are a few of the glowing 5-Star reviews:

In the intense novel Fallen Star by R. Weir, the Divine Devils are back for another case. Reno is exciting and glitzy without the Divine Devils, but when they gather in one of the most entertaining towns on earth, you can expect nonstop danger, action, and romance. Colorful fight scenes, lots of intimate encounters, and engaging subplots woven throughout the main story make this book unputdownable. At times I got frustrated with Hunter’s attitude, but his loyalty to his team kept me from totally abandoning hope for him – for now. The characters and settings are vibrant and beautifully fleshed out, and the storylines are expertly drawn together, forming an astounding conclusion – Susan Sewell for Readers’ Favorite

Another fast moving action packed book by Weir. Hard to put down this book. Looking forward to the third book – Shannon

I actually found myself talking to Hunter in this book. Telling him “don’t do it”, “don’t go there”, “you’re going to get shot”. That’s just how involved I got in this book as I read along. It got very intense. I can’t say enough good things. It’s a definite page turner and a must read – Tina

All and all great deals, where you can get all three books in the Divine Devils series for less than $8. I’m hoping with this promo I can move all three books into the Amazon Best Sellers list. A great chance for everyone to download and add the series to your Kindle, for edge-of-your-seat reading.

I have only one event in the month of June, but it’s a big one. I’ll be going to Deadwood South Dakota for the annual Wild Deadwood Reads Author and Reader event. This will be the fifth year of the event, one I’ve attended from the beginning. There will be over 70 author’s there selling their books, including yours truly. This is a fun event to do, and a great vacation for myself and Kim. I hope to see lots of smiling faces, both new and old. And I’ll have all my books to sign and sell.

More Prolific Works free eBook downloads to check out. First is Left You Dead – Mystery & Crime Giveaway with 26 free eBooks to check out until June 10th via this link.

Next is Mystery Reads with 51 eBooks free to download until June 30th via this link.

Crazy for Cozy Mysteries which doesn’t start until Jun 10th and runs until July 10th with lots of free eBooks to download via this link when it goes live.

I will wrap up this newsletter with one last plug to get all three books in the Divine Devils series, these wonderful prices available from June 1st thru June 5th. The Divine Devils will be free on Amazon, with Fallen Star and Sold Souls at the bargain price of $3.99. Over 1300 pages of thrills and suspense for less than $8. Please share this with everyone you know, so I can rocket the series to the top of the bestseller lists.

Thanks again for reading. I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe week!!

R Weir

The Gritty World of Hunter Divine

I hope all the mothers out there had a wonderful Mother’s Day. One of the projects we’ve been working on since moving into this house nearly three years ago, was to make our front yard more waterwise. Removing sections of grass and replacing it with drought resistant plants and mulch. Less to water and less to mow. We completed another section this past weekend and I believe it turned out great. If you have any wonderful yard pictures to share, I’d love to see them.

When I started the Divine Devils series, I was looking to branch out from what I had written in my Jarvis Mann PI series. The tough, snarky private eye had taken on lots of cases, and with each book those cases got tougher, but Jarvis still exhibited a sense of humor even when getting his butt kicked. With the Divine Devils I wanted grittier, and down and dirty storylines, with lots of diverse characters. Each living in a nasty and unforgiving world. The Divine Devils dealing with a brutal crime lord who loved to paint while his victims were tortured. Fallen Star dealing with the gambling world of Reno Nevada, drugs and sex taking center stage in the Western Nevada sin city. And now with Sold Souls, dealing with human/sex trafficking which is about as nasty as the world gets. Dark, gritty and unforgiving is what this series is. Which I’m sorry to say is how our world is for many people who live on the streets trying to survive. It’s been a tough series to write, but one I’m proud of. Stretching out and challenging myself and my writing skills.

With the research I did for Sold Souls, I had one excellent source to help me. Named Frea (not her real name) in the book, she’s my cover artist whom I’ve worked with now for many years. The brave women an advocate for those who’ve been trafficked. We spent time on the phone talking about what she experiences every day trying to help these kids and young adults to get out from under these vicious people and try to have a semblance of a normal life. Fighting an uphill battle everyday where you’re lucky to get one victory out of a hundred defeats. She provided great feedback and was an early reader of the book. One she loved, and thought I nailed the reality of what happens each day accurately. Showing the horrors these kids are going through. I thank her to allowing me to understand better the work she does, enabling me to fictionalizethe story, while giving it a realistic feel.

A remember that the eBook version of Sold Souls: The Divine Devils Book 3, is now available for pre-order for $3.99 on Amazon. The book being released June 1st. Here are three reviews from early readers.

Hunter Divine is back again in a tale wrought with extraordinary twists. He is the same rough, gritty guy, but we see a softer side of him in this dark, brooding novel. Valerie, Hunter and Athena’s arch enemy has asked for their help on a case and they’ve begrudgingly agreed to help. Valerie seems to have a bottomless stash of money, which helps them make the decision. The mission: find Valerie’s sister who was sold into the sex trade ten years prior to this. We learn all about the black, slimy underbelly of the underage sex trade from Valerie’s perspective, as she too, was a victim. The three of them go undercover and the reader learns just how Valerie got to be such a strong martial arts fighter. She too, has a softer side, but has an out-of-control temper! The plot is incredibly intricate as Hunter and the two women undertake their mission and learn how convoluted the sex trade is. Gruesome at times, it only reinforces the evilness of the trade. Not for the weak at heart. This is a stellar read for those fans of Hunter Divine! – Belinda

The team encounters unimaginable human situations sparked by greed and control. Can they trust the former adversary who is impulsive, lethal and equally as dangerous? Will they be successful in their mission to find and locate a young girl held captive? Will they discover others who have been missing and enlisted into this world of sex trade? Each chapter begs for more answers as you read along way into the night. Can’t wait for a Book #4 – Charlene

Weir has taken one of the vilest issues in today’s society and shined a light on it. People can gain awareness through stories like his. It is well written and pulled no punches on how horrible life is for these captives. Used, abused and thrown away, all for sick pleasures and GREED! It was hard to put down even when it evoked such emotions from me. I needed to know the outcomes for these precious souls, good or bad – Kathy

I have paperback versions of Sold Souls coming to me this week. For those who pre-ordered I should be able to get them mailed out early next week. I will contact you directly to let you know the status. If you have an interest in a paperback book, be sure to contact me and I’ll work out the details on getting a signed copy mailed to you. I’m having issues with Amazon getting the link to purchase the paperbacks through the Amazon store to work properly. The link currently showing Unavailable. I hope to have this resolved as quickly as possible for anyone interested in purchasing the book direct from Amazon. Here is the link and let’s hope they get this fixed shortly.

With the release of Sold Souls on June 1st, I plan on running special deals on the first two eBooks in the Divine Devils series. These deals will run from June 1st thru June 5th. I will put out a newsletter the day before the release (May 31st) spelling out these deals. So don’t miss out on these great bargains! Hint: one of the eBooks will be free!!

This Saturday (5/14) I’ll be at The Shed at West 67th and Peco’s for the Denver Makers Market. I did this event a couple weeks ago and the turnout was wonderful. Though the wind was horrible with several vendors having fragile merchandise falling to the ground, and a couple of tents nearly flying away. Hopefully this week the wind will be calmer. At each of the Denver Makers Market events they give away 50 VIP bags for those showing up early, as well as a grand prize raffle winner, with each of the vendor’s providing gifts for the winner. My addition was a Divine Devils t-shirt and my book, The Case of the Invisible Souls. The winner Laurie contacted me via Facebook, thanking me and saying: “I met you at the market and mentioned that I read mostly true life adventures. I haven’t read fiction in years and started the book and am hooked. I love the Denver connection.” Always wonderful to hear from someone who discover your work and enjoys it.

Lot’s of Prolific Works free eBook giveaways to check out this month.

Don’t Stop – Mystery and Thriller GG runs until May 31st with 21 free eBooks to check out via this link.

May Flowers Cozy Mystery Giveaway runs until May 31st with 27 free eBooks to find via this link.

Left You Dead – Mystery & Crime Giveaway runs until June 10th with 26 free eBooks to add to your eReader via this link.

Mystery Reads Giveaway runs until June 30th with 51 free eBooks you can find via this link.

One last reminder to pre-order your eBook copy of Sold Souls today from Amazon for the bargain price of $3.99. And watch for my next newsletter, which will be coming out on May 31st, a day before the release of Sold Souls. Then I will let you know the bargains I’ll be running for the first two books in the Divine Devils series.

Thanks again to all the new and longtime readers of my newsletter. Be sure to share and get the word out. Those signing up get a free eBook version of my Jarvis Mann PI book, Tracking A Shadow. Have a wonderful rest of your week!!

R Weir

Sold Souls Release Date Set

After issues with my newsletter a few weeks back, with the text getting cut off, I’m happy to say I got Mailerlite to change their settings, giving a little more leeway with the size of a sent newsletter. I worked with my website provider WordPress and they said the problem was on Mailerlite’s side, which is what I suspected. Once I was able to prove this to them they increased the size, so this newsletter will not get cut off partway through, requiring readers to go to my website to read the rest. Which I’m thrilled about since my read rate on the last newsletter was down quite a bit. Thanks for sticking with me while I got this issue resolved.

With that good news, I have even more exciting news. The date is set for the release of Sold Souls: The Divine Devils Book 3. The eBook will be coming out June 1st and it’s available right now at the pre-order price of $3.99 on Amazon, a $3 discount on the release price. Be forewarned this book does have some intense passages, as it deals with human/sex trafficking. Here is the synopsis of the book to give you a taste of what the story is about.

The brutal world of human trafficking. Where underage children are bought, sold, and sexually abused by their deviant owners. The victims traded, used up, and spit out as if their lives were meaningless. A lethal adversary approaching The Divine Devils with a scary proposition. Locate and free her sister from the tortured, abusive shackles of being trafficked.

The foe hiring The Divine Devils to assist in tracking her down. Hunter and his team fighting for those who can’t fight for themselves. Infiltrating the heart of the intricate web this organization has created. Following a brutal, deadly road to free these Sold Souls, before they all perish at the hands of their savage masters.

With this new release comes a new cover which I’m revealing for the first time. My cover artist Mia did a great job capturing what I wanted in the design. I hope you like it as much as I do.

There will be a paperback version as well. I’ve ordered a proof copy, which I should receive in about a week. Once I’m sure there are no formatting issues, I’ll approve the paperback and begin ordering copies to sell at my events. I should have them by the end of May and available for readers to purchase. I will have more information in the next newsletter, and I’ll include the final paperback cover for your viewing.

With the release of the new book, I plan on having a special price for the eBook version of The Divine Devils. This will begin on the release date of Sold Souls and run for 5 days. I will have more details in the next newsletter as well.

I added several more events, which I’ll be doing starting this Saturday and running for four straight weeks. You can find a complete listing on my website on the Events page. Here are the graphics for three of them, and I’ll be at The Shed again on May 14th from 10-3:

A reminder about the release of the new audiobook Tracking A Shadow. I’d love for everyone to give it a listen. You can check out a preview here. And I have a few free promo codes to giveaway for the book to anyone interested and would be willing to leave an honest review. Here are the first two reviews I received for the audiobook version of the Amazon Bestselling Jarvis Mann PI novel:

I recommend this to anyone who loves a good PI book. I hope his other books also go on audio, so I can enjoy them all over again. The narration was dramatic and definitely fit this story. So, thank you Eric Priessman for that, and R Weir for putting the story in this format. Tracking a Shadow: A Jarvis Mann Detective Novel on audiobook is a definite listening recommendation by Amy’s Bookshelf Reviews. I look forward to listening to many more titles by this author – Amy

The story was a bit predictable but good. Enjoyed the reader. Well read, great voice over! – Wendy

You can find the audio version of Tracking A Shadow on Amazon, Audible, and iTunes.

This month there are several free Prolific Works free eBook giveaways for me to share.

Left You Dead – Mystery & Crime Giveaway has 27 free eBooks for you to check out here until June 10th.

Secret Messages – Mystery and Thriller GG has 32 free eBooks to check out via this link until April 26th.

Mystery Reads has 51 free eBooks via this link until June 30th.

May Flowers Cozy Mystery Giveaway which starts on May 1st and runs until May 31st currently has 17 free eBooks you can find via this link when the giveaway goes live.

I will end the newsletter with one last plug to pre-order my newest book, Sold Souls: The Divine Devils Book 3, the eBook only $3.99 You can check out previews of the Prologue and Chapter 1 on my website.

Thanks again for reading and sharing this newsletter. I hope you have a safe and wonderful rest of your week.

R Weir