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I’m getting to the fun time of year (he winks sarcastically!) when I sit down and do our taxes. This is where I see how much money I’ve spent to get my books in front of readers. A dollar amount that increases each year. The ROI (return on investment) has been low these last two years, which has been frustrating. This is where I will seriously look at other options to sell more books. Honestly, it’s a matter of getting all my books out there and in the hands of readers. Once people read my stories, I get good follow-through with them wanting to read more. The biggest problem is there are so many great books out there, and some not so great, to compete with. Trying to stand out in the crowd is challenging. But I plan on making a full-court press this year to bring more readers to my mystery, crime, and thriller stories.

This newsletter is a great way to keep in touch with readers. I’m working on ways to expand it as well, to get more people looking at my books. Doing marketing and promotions of various kinds. This will include paying email marketers to promote my books and Amazon Ads to place my books higher in their search engines. This will take time but needs to be done to make my business profitable and be able to make a full-time living as an author.

One other avenue for readers to find me is through the Kindle Unlimited Book Program. This is a great deal for readers, who pay a monthly or yearly fee, to read unlimited books, though only those available under the Kindle Unlimited Program. For authors to put their eBooks into the program, they can only be available on Amazon and nowhere else. Authors are then paid for the page reads, the amount which changes each month depending on many factors. Generally .003 to .004 per page. The money author’s receive isn’t as good as when someone buys the ebook. But it still adds up. All of my books are on Kindle Unlimited and available to those who subscribe. So if you’re on the Kindle Unlimited Program, please check out any of my books and read all the pages, including the front and back matter.

I’m pleased to announce I’ve set a release date for my new book, Justice for the Forgotten. It will be released on March 3rd. You can pre-order the eBook for the low price of 99 cents. A great discount on the regular price of $5.99. Order it now via this link and it will automatically download to your Kindle on March 3rd. Starting today you can order a signed paperback copy through my website for $15 plus $4 shipping (US Only). Orders through my website will be shipped once I receive author copies which should be in 2-3 weeks.

Here is the blurb for the book.

Justice for the Forgotten: A Steel Wheels Cold Mystery
For widower Donnie Steel
Grief is a powerful emotion and a dynamic motivator
The retired police officer crafting an online blog
Therapy to ease the anguish of his lost soulmate
Readers reaching out, requesting his help

While traveling in his RV, with his faithful K-9 companion, Kogel
He learns of a three-year-old cold case in Southern Colorado
The victim’s parents in search of answers to their son’s death
Upon further investigation, he discovers the case was purposely botched
Those in power doing all they can for the solution to remain buried

With relentless determination to go the extra mile
Heart and soul worn on his sleeve
And his highly trained K-9, fighting by his side
Donnie digs deep to go beyond his emotional and physical pain
To find Justice For The Forgotten

You can read three chapter previews for Justice for the Forgotten on my website. The Prologue, Chapter 1 and Chapter 2. And for the first time exclusively for my newsletter readers, here is the cover for the new book.

While working on new marketing tactics, I’m busy writing my next book. It will be book 11 in the Jarvis Mann PI series. This one takes place in Nashville Tennesse, as Jarvis is hired to help a friend who’s providing bodyguard services for a Country Music husband and wife duo. So far I’ve written about 25k of the book, which puts me on track for it to be released later in 2025. I’m excited about this new book and I’m already forming in my mind book two in the Steel Wheels Cold Mystery series.

And don’t forget about my award-winning Divine Devils series. All four books are available on Amazon in eBook, paperback or on Kindle Unlimited. Or you can order signed paperbacks through my website.

I have more author interviews on my Bringing Life to Characters video podcast. First was award-winning and best-selling author Barbara Nickless talking about her recently released best-seller The Drowning Game. Next I interviewed aspiring author and criminal lawyer Phillip Kushner. Next I’ll be interviewing the sister author team of Blythe Hudson and Carter Fielding on Feb 3rd at 8 PM Mountain time. Next will be best-selling author Elizabeth Crowens on Feb 10th at 6 PM Mountain time. And I have several more guests including Sara Paretsky, and Manual Ramos, both Guests of Honor at Left Coast Crime which is being held in Denver March 13th-16th. You can find all my interviews on my YouTube Channel.

This month’s author feature is Linda Rawlins. If you love reading about mystery at the NJ Shore, you’ll love reading books by Linda Rawlins. Linda’s affinity for the quality of shore life run through her Misty Point Mystery series, in which protagonist Megan Stanford and Officer Nick Taylor probe skullduggery in the coastal town of Misty Point, NJ. She also writes about famous author Cassie Ashcroft who travels to England to help DCI Alexander Knight solve a mystery and her paranormal stand alone involves a doctor who has help solving mysteries from some of her “dead” patients. She is currently writing a new Academic Mystery series titled Murder Academy.

Linda is an American writer of mystery fiction best known for her Misty Point Mystery Series, including Misty Manor, Misty Point, Misty Winter, Misty Treasure, Misty Revenge, and Misty Retreat. She is also known for her Rocky Meadow Mystery Series, including The Bench, Fatal Breach, Sacred Gold as well as two independent novels, Midnight Shift and Mystery of Heather House.
Linda loved to read as a child and started writing her first mystery novel in fifth grade. She then went on to study science, medicine, and literature, eventually graduating from medical school and establishing her career in medicine. Linda lives in New Jersey with her husband, her family and spoiled dog. She loves spending time at the beach as well as visiting the mountains of Vermont. She is an active member of Mystery Writers of America. As a member of Sisters in Crime, Linda was the President of the Central Jersey Chapter for 2022, 2020, 2019 and the VP in 2018, 2025
You can visit Linda on her website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Ticktok, Goodreads, and Threads.

My next newsletter will be on release day for Justice for the Forgotten where I’ll give you more information on this new series and how this new story and characters were brought to life. Make sure you get your eBook copy ordered today for 99 cents before the price goes up to $5.99 on March 9th. If you’d like a signed copy, order it on my website.

Thanks for reading and sharing this newsletter. Stay safe and warm.

All the best!!

R Weir

I hope everyone had a wonderful, happy, and safe holiday. A couple days before Christmas Kim, Dakota, and I enjoyed a night of mini-golf surrounded by Christmas lights. Christmas Eve was spent with family and Christmas Day with the three of us. And the dogs of course. For New Year’s Eve, we took it easy, which is normal for us. The days of staying up until the ball drops have long since passed. A quiet night of relaxation watching a movie. And on New Year’s Day, we pulled out the fondue pot for Linner. All in all, it was a wonderful time for the Weir family. If you have a holiday story to share, please send it along.

Looking back on the year, Kim and I traveled in our motorhome to South Dakota for 10 days and then spent 16 days in Nashville for two author events. We bought a Spyder Motorcycle, plus a trailer to pull behind it, and sold our Toyota Corolla. I am mostly retired from work, though I will take a few IT jobs here and there to make a little extra cash. Kim is heavily involved in a two-year work project which may prevent her from traveling on vacation in 2025. However, she’ll be traveling nearly every month to Salt Lake City for the project. Dakota continued her job at Motorola Solutions and working on her IT Degree which she vows to complete this year. She may join me on a few of my travels, though much of that is still in flux. And our energetic dogs Abby and Nuka have been keeping us busy.

Looking back on the year for myself as an author, it was a lot of ups and downs. I did release one book, Murder by a Hundred Cuts, which received great reviews, but not a lot of sales. Book one, in my new series which I hoped to release in 2024, will now come out in February or March of 2025. I did 27 events, which is the same as in 2023, the most successful one being Bear Creek High School. Overall, my sales were down 30% from the previous year and 42% from my best sales year in 2022. This has caused me to take a long hard look at the events I’ll be doing in 2025. My thoughts are, I won’t do as many spring or summer events, and stick to the Fall and Holiday events where I get most of my sales. It’s simply a cost issue, for many of these events are getting too expensive. And with little to no sales, it doesn’t make financial sense. Though I have at least two author events planned, with the possibility of at least one more, all of them providing me great networking opportunities with other authors and readers. I will keep you up-to-date on which events I’ll be attending, including ones coming up in March, April, and May. These can always be found on the Events page of the website and at the bottom of the newsletter.

My focus is to work harder on marketing, with more promos and advertising to get eyes on my books and expanding this newsletter to reach more readers. I will continue to do my video podcast, Bringing Life to Characters, with many great guests lined up. I will work to get out my new book, which I’ll talk about later in the newsletter, and continue writing the next Jarvis Mann PI book, which will mostly take place in Nashville. And then I’ll begin book two in the new series, with the plotline for that story already forming in my head. My plan is to release two books in 2025.

Here are a few other pictures of those who bought books at the last events in 2024. And I had two $10 Amazon Gift Card winners, Rick and Joan.

In March I’ll be attending a big author event, Left Coast Crime which is coming to Denver. I’m thrilled I’ve been able to line up the two Guests of Honor for Left Coast Crime to interview on my podcast, Sara Paretsky and Manual Ramos. Watch for more news on those interviews in next month’s newsletter.

I’ve recorded more episodes of Bringing Life to Characters. I hope everyone has had a chance to watch some of the wonderful authors I’ve been interviewing, as they tell the story of their lives and the books they’ve written. Check out my interviews with T.O. Paine, Kathleen Donnelly, and Mary Keliikoa. For January I’ll have Barbara Nickless on Jan 6th at 6PM Mountain time and the sister writing team of Blythe Hudson and Carter Fielding on February 3rd at 8PM Mountain. And likely one other interview squeezed in between, the guest still to be determined. You can find all my interviews and sign up as a subscriber to my YouTube Channel.

As promised, I have news about my new book, the first in a new series. The story is in the final editing stages. The release date has not been set, for I’m still waiting on the final cover design and logo. I’ll reach out to my early readers in the next few weeks to send out ARC’s (Advanced Reader Copy). I’ve included a link to the Prologue and Chapter 1, for you to preview. I have the title and the synopsis of the book below.

Justice for the Forgotten: A Steel Wheels Cold Mystery:
For widower Donnie Steel
Grief is a powerful emotion and a dynamic motivator
The retired police officer crafting an online blog
Therapy to ease the anguish of his lost soulmate
Readers reaching out, requesting his help

While traveling in his RV, with his faithful K-9 companion, Kogel
He learns of a three-year-old cold case in Southern Colorado
The victim’s parents in search of answers to their son’s death
Upon further investigation, he discovers the case was purposely botched
Those in power doing all they can for the solution to remain buried

With relentless determination to go the extra mile
Heart and soul worn on his sleeve
And his highly trained K-9, fighting by his side
Donnie digs deep to go beyond his emotional and physical pain
To find Justice For The Forgotten

This month’s featured author is Mary Keliikova who was a guest recently on Bringing Life to Characters. Eighteen years in the legal field, and an over-active imagination, led Mary to write murder and suspense novels. A Pacific Northwest native, she is the author of the domestic thriller DON’T ASK, DON’T FOLLOW. Her third book in the Misty Pines Mystery Series, which is an IPPY Silver and Bronze Award winner, a Silver Falchion finalist, and a Foreword Indies awards finalist, will be forthcoming in September 2025 (KILLER TRACKS). Her debut series featuring PI Kelly Pruett was a Shamus and CLUE Finalist, and received a Lefty, Agatha, and Anthony nomination for Best First Novel. Her short stories have appeared in Woman’s World and the anthology Peace, Love, and Crime. When not in Washington, you can find Mary on the beach in Hawaii. But even under the palm trees and blazing sun, she’s plotting her next murder—novel that is. Follow Mary on her website, sign up for her newsletter to receive a free mini-mystery, and you can find her books on Amazon.

I will wrap up the year in review, thanking everyone who bought a book from me and stopped by any of my events to chat. I appreciate all of you and thank you for sharing my work with others you know who love to read. Your help is priceless in growing my fanbase. And don’t forget, I give away a free eBook of my best-selling Jarvis Mann PI book, Tracking A Shadow for anyone who signs up for my newsletter via the website. And you can order signed paperback copies of all my books through my website order form.

All the best!!

R Weir

I’m often asked if I’ve ever experienced writer’s block. My answer has been, not really. There are times when I don’t feel like writing. But it’s not because I’m blocked, but because I need to have emotion and passion to write. True writer’s block is when a writer has no idea what to put down on paper or continue the story where it sits. Thankfully, that has never happened to me. I step away for several days, come back and the story flows out of me until I’m drained and then I’ll stop again and take a break. I’ll even go back over what I’ve read, which gets me going, and I’ll start writing. Normally it takes about six months or so to write a story, at least when it comes to the first draft. When it’s a new series, like the one I’m working on now, it can take longer since I’m fleshing out new characters, especially my new protagonist. When it’s a long-standing series like the Jarvis Mann PI books, then those characters are ingrained in my head and the writing of the story can come much quicker.

Speaking of my new series. I received my editor’s first round of edits, which I’ll be fervorously working on this week. Once this is completed, it will go back to her for one final read-through, which will finalize the book. My cover artist had a death in the family, so I won’t get any cover designs from her for another week or so. Once this is done, I’ll set a release date for the book. It’s looking like it will fall into January or February. When I have a date I’ll let you know through the newsletter and set up pre-orders of the eBook and paperback versions. Here is a short synopsis of the story to whet your appetite.

For widower Donnie Steel
Grief is a powerful emotion and a dynamic motivator
The retired police officer crafting an online blog
Therapy to ease the anguish of his lost soulmate
Readers reaching out, requesting his help

While traveling in his RV, with his faithful K-9 companion, Kogel
He learns of a three-year-old cold case in Southern Colorado
The victim’s parents in search of answers to their son’s death
Upon further investigation, he discovers the case was purposely botched
Those in power doing all they can for the solution to remain buried

With relentless determination to go the extra mile
Heart and soul worn on his sleeve
And his highly trained K-9, fighting by his side
Donnie digs deep to go beyond his emotional and physical pain
To find Justice For The Forgotten

Unfortunately because of a bad snowstorm, the Columbine Craft Fair on November 9th was postponed to November 16th, which I couldn’t attend since I was already booked for Mollie McGees that weekend. If anyone went to that event wanting to buy books, reach out to me and I’ll work with you on getting books to you with no shipping cost. Just send me an email and we’ll work out the details or put in a order through the form on my website.

The other events for the rest of November went well. I had more winners of the $10 Amazon Gift Cards. Lisa, Dianne, Christian, Stephanie and McKenna. Thanks to them and everyone else who visited my table, signed up for the newsletter, and purchased books. Here are a few pictures.

In December, I have three final events to wrap up the holiday season, which you’ll see below. If you can’t make it to any of those events and want signed paperbacks for yourself or someone for a holiday gift, you can order them via my website on the paperback order form. Once I get the order, I’ll work on getting the books to you. If you’re local to the Denver Metro area, I’ll work out getting them to you with little or no shipping costs. If you’re outside this area and live in the US, there is a shipping cost for each book.

Get your orders in early, for I have a limited supply of books on hand, including my latest release, Murder by a Hundred Cuts. Or you can buy them directly from Amazon via my author page. All my books on Amazon are available in eBook, paperback, or via the Kindle Unlimited Subscription.

There are more episodes of my podcast, Bringing Life to Characters for you to check out. First I interviewed Author Mary Yungeberg which you can watch here. Then I had New Times Best Selling Author Reed Farrel Coleman which you to watch here. And best selling author Helen Starbuck which you can watch here. In future shows, I’ll have author T.O. Paine on Dec 2nd at 6PM Mountain time and Kathleen Donnelly on Dec 9th at 6PM. And don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel to keep up to date with all the latest interviews.

This month’s featured author is one of my podcast guests this month, author T.O. Paine. In the mid-2000s, T.O. Paine and his family lived in a cult on the edge of a protected forest for roughly three years. His novel, The Teaching, is a thriller mystery based on his experience there. The practices and beliefs expressed in The Teaching actually occurred. The Abduction is a prequel novella to The Teaching, and it is available for FREE from the major booksellers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple, Google Play, and Smashwords. He also runs an awesome recurring GIVEAWAY for fearless readers interested in his newsletter. T.O.’s fast-paced, thriller suspense novels have won several awards and keep readers on the edge of their seat. He is a member of International Thriller Writers association and holds a master’s degree in computer information systems. When he is not writing, you can find him running and cycling extreme distances.. He has run fifty marathons in fifty states, ridden his road bike hundreds of miles over 10,000-foot mountains, and completed an IRONMAN. He resides near the Rocky Mountains in Colorado with his wife and two Boston terriers: Fiona the Ogre and Rudy the Trickster. His degree in computer information systems heavily influenced the technothriller, The Delusion, where a psychology graduate student has spent her life researching mass persuasion only to have it stolen by megalomaniacal social media influencer who uses it to brainwash the world. T.O.’s residence in Colorado inspired him to write his most popular novel, a “trapped-in-a-blizzard-with-a-killer” thriller, The Excursion. His upcoming novel, The Crisis, will be published in early 2025. In The Crisis, a convenience store clerk must rescue a young women from a human trafficking ring to avert a nuclear missile strike on US soil. It’s crazy thrill-ride with more twists and turns than an alligator on meth. You can find out more about T.O. Paine and his novels on his website at topaine.com.

This will likely be the last newsletter for 2024. I want to thank everyone for the support this year. And wish you all Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year.

All the best!

R Weir

A quick newsletter with a special eBook deal I’ll mention later. First off, my new book will be going off to my editor by the end of the week. I have three beta readers who are finishing reading my second draft. Early feedback has been great. One telling me the story held her attention from beginning to end. I’ve also reached out to my cover designer to begin the process of developing the cover, giving her a few ideas on the design. The book, Justice for the Forgotten, will be the beginning of a new series. I will have more information in my next newsletter.

I have a big couple of months of Craft Fairs starting on Saturday, with seven straight weeks of events. I had two more winners of $10 Amazon Gift Cards, Deana and Brandi. And I have a few pictures of book buyers at each event.

Brandi, who is a collector of my work, bought two books to complete her bookshelf, which she sent me a picture of. If you have a bookshelf with my books on it, I would love to see a picture.

The special deal I mentioned earlier, is a free eBook version of one of my favorites. One near and dear to me, because of my Computer Information Technology background. Dead Man Code took my private eye, Jarvis Mann, into the world of computer hacking and theft. The murder of a computer engineer and involvement from the Russians and Chinese. Fictionalized, real-world events. Here are a couple of reviews:

The plot is thrilling and the action is amazing! I was on the edge of my seat from one page to the next. At first, it seemed that Jarvis was out of his depth in the tech world; however, his wit and intelligence ensured that he brought himself up to speed pretty quickly. There are several unexpected twists in the plot as Jarvis makes new enemies, finds new allies, and discovers his client’s big secret – Charity

I could not predict how the story would turn out or if Jarvis would be victorious in the end. Sometimes, no names are mentioned in the dialogue to withhold the character’s identity and it keeps me at the edge of my seat. The characters are well-developed and realistic. The 62 chapters in this book just flew by and all were equally fascinating. Many times, I would cringe and think, is this finally the end of Jarvis? He manages to get himself in the most excruciating of predicaments – Star Platinum

You can locate the eBook for free from Amazon from Oct 29th through Nov 2nd. Please take advantage of this great deal so we can shoot the book up the Amazon Best Seller Charts. And when you’re done reading don’t forget to leave an honest review.

I’ve included the free eBook of Dead Man Code as part of the Author’s XP Mystery-Detective Book Giveaway which starts today (10/29). Below you’ll find a graphic you can click on to enter the drawing for (2) Winners of eBook “Gift Baskets” of ALL ebooks that are part of the giveaway. With other Winners of individual ebooks or paperbacks (randomly selected). This is the first time I’ve signed up for a promo like this and I hope you’ll take advantage of it. A few other authors I know have used this and it’s been great for them and their readers.

eBook & Paperback Sweepstakes!

(2) Winners of eBook "Gift Baskets" of ALL ebooks
Other Winners of individual ebooks or paperbacks (randomly selected)

More free eBooks from Prolific Works. Hidden Truths: Mystery Group Giveaway runs until Nov 15th with 18 free eBooks you can find here.

Mysteries Your Mother Never Told… has 54 free eBooks available until Dec 31st at this link.

I have more guests coming up on my Bringing Life To Characters video podcast. Next will be Mary Yungeberg tonight (10/29) at 6PM Mountain which you can watch here. Then I’ll have Reed Farrel Coleman on Nov 5th at 6PM Mountain time you can watch here. Recent recorded interviews you can watch have been with Jim Nesbitt and Margaret Mizushima. And I have more wonderful guests to finish out the year. You can subscribe to my YouTube Channel to stay up-to-date and you can watch all past video interviews with many of your favorite authors on my YouTube Channel.

I will wrap up with a Happy Birthday to my daughter Dakota, who turned 25 yesterday. My how the time flies. She wanted to spend the day at the Denver Zoo, which is what we did. And with the help of her grandmother, she made a German Chocolate Three-Layer cake from scratch. As you can see from the picture it won’t last long.

Thanks for reading and sharing this newsletter. I hope to see some of you at one of the events I’ll be attending in November or December. All upcoming events can be found at the bottom of the newsletter and on my Events page on the website.

All the best!

R Weir

The hot weather is continuing for us along the Colorado Front Range. And unfortunately, we now have four wildfires burning in the foothills and mountain areas. The Quarry Fire in Jefferson County, the Stone Canyon Fire in Boulder County north of Lyons, the Lake Shore Fire in Boulder County, and the Alexander Mountain Fire in Larimer County West of Loveland. With highs in the upper 90’s and humidity running about 10%, it’s making for terrible conditions for firefighters to battle these fires. Not to mention they are burning in hilly and rocky areas making it even more challenging. Though it is not in the forecast for a few days, cooler and wet weather would be a welcome relief. Please keep the people affected in your thoughts.

Coming up with names for characters is always a challenge. You can only use John and Mary for names so often. The job of trying to find unique names that fit characters. I often look for names that fit their personality, a hook so to speak. If they are a tough protagonist, a criminal, a lawyer, and so on. And the ethnicity of the characters plays a role. This applies to all the major characters in each story. Jarvis Mann, Hunter Divine, Athena Nasso, and Brandon Sparks are a few from my books. But I also watch out for names that are too similar or share the same first letter. One of my beta readers was reading an early version of one of my books and told me I had too many people whose given name started with the letter B. It was one of those items I’d missed. Now I watch for such common traits, for it helps make the story less confusing and allows readers to track those characters more easily, especially with many of my books having more than fifty in the story. These days I track all of my character names, their traits, and what they look like in the application Scrivener. This prevents me from repeating myself in my plots. With 14 books and 2 more in the works, it can be challenging to remain fresh when it comes to my stories. If you have a unique name and would like to share it for use in a future book, send me an email.

Speaking of books in the works, I have news on my new series. I had submitted a portion of the story for a possible award and had to keep it anonymous. Unfortunately, it was not nominated, so I’ve been working hard to finish it. The book is currently sitting at 75k words, which is about 3/4 of the way until the first draft is finished. My goal is to have the first draft completed in a few weeks and the new book released by the end of the year. I’ll be reaching out to my beta readers in the next week or so to solicit feedback. The working title is Justice for the Forgotten and it will be the first book in The Steel Wheels Cold Mystery series. I already have a new logo designed which I’ll be sharing in the future.

In less than two weeks, we’ll be traveling in our motorhome to Nashville. It will take two long days to drive there from Colorado. We’ll be staying for two weeks to attend Killer Nashville and Bouchercon, which are being held on back-to-back weekends in Nashville. Though Lethal Blues was named one of the top books of 2023 by Killer Nashville, it was not a finalist for the Silver Falchion Award in the Investigator category. Disappointing, but I’m looking forward to both events. I’ll be on one panel for Killer Nashville and one for Bouchercon. And I’ll have books for sale at both events. This should be a fun time networking with other authors.

After we return from Nashville on Labor Day, we turn right around 3 days later and head to Loveland Colorado for the GoodGuys Car Show, where I’ll have a table with many other crafters. This is another 3-day event which is always fun to attend. Be sure to stop by and say hello.

Below are a couple more reviews for my latest book Murder by a Hundred Cuts, which you can purchase on Amazon in eBook, paperback, and via Kindle Unlimited. Or get a signed paperback copy, along with all my other books, directly from me through the form on my website.

I love a good P.I. story and this author is one of the best. I am always amazed at the way he puts his plot together. It’s like assembling pieces of a jigsaw until they all fit and you get the “Wow, I’d never have put that together” affect. This story also brings in some sorrowful moments and you can feel the pain Jarvis is in. This is quite a gruesome tale but well written and gripping as the thoughts and actions come tumbling out onto the page. I found the ending amazing; it felt like a new cold and calculating Jarvis Mann. Makes me wonder what’s next for this armour plated P.I. – Avis

The story is fast-paced, with a secondary mystery. At the same time as it’s suspenseful, there is some wistfulness that comes with age. The point of view shifts to provide a glimpse into the new “butcher” and his agenda. As with others in the series, this is well-written and sure to keep you up late. With Jarvis reflecting back and providing the needed history, this can be read out of order, although I always recommend starting a series at the beginning – Christa

If you enjoy Audiobooks, check out The Divine Devils and Fallen Star: The Divine Devils Book 2. Both were produced by Phillip Polite. I do have Audible Codes for each book available if you’re interested. All I ask is for you to post an honest review. You can email me or if you have Audible credits to use, you can find both today to add to your listening list.

I recorded two more episodes of my video podcast, Bringing Life to Characters in July. My first guest was award-winning author Nancy S. Thompson. You can check out this episode via this link on my website.

The next episode featured award-winning author Jodi Bowersox. You can watch this episode here on my website.

In August, I have two guests in back-to-back weeks before I head to Nashville. I’ll have on award-winning author Leigh M. Hall on August 6th at 6 pm Mountain time. And then award-winning author Bruce Robert Coffin on August 13th at 12 pm mountain time. You can find all the episodes on my website or my YouTube Channel, which you can subscribe to and find all the episodes.

This month’s feature is award-winning and best-selling author Carmen Amato. Carmen is an Ex-CIA intelligence officer and award-winning author of 17 thriller novels that Kirkus Reviews described as “Danger and betrayal never more than a few pages away.” Beginning with Cliff Diver, her contemporary Detective Emilia Cruz series pits the first female police detective in Acapulco against Mexico’s cartels, corruption, and social inequality. Optioned for television, it’s a 2-time winner of the Outstanding Series award from CrimeMasters of America and a 4-time finalist for the Silver Falchion award. Her standalone thrillers include The Hidden Light of Mexico City, which was longlisted for the 2020 Millennium Book Award. Most recently, Murder at the Galliano Club won the 2023 winner of the Silver Falchion Award for Best Historical. The Prohibition-era Galliano Club series was inspired by her grandfather’s experiences as a deputy sheriff in the 1920’s. Carmen is a recipient of both the National Intelligence Award and the Career Intelligence Medal. After years of globetrotting, she and her husband live in Tennessee with their German Shepherds, Hazel and Bear. You can Grab a free copy of the free Detective Emilia Cruz Starter Library by clicking this link and find her books on Amazon. And you can follow Carmen on Instagram, Facebook and on her website.

This month there are three Prolific Works eBook giveaways to discover new books. First is Cloaked in Secrets: Mystery Group Giveaway with 15 free ebooks available until August 15th via this link.

Next is Teenage Tales: Young Adult Group Giveaway with 12 free ebooks available until August 15th on this link.

Curious Cases: Mystery Group Giveaway which doesn’t start until August 15th with 12 eBooks you can find via this link.

Another month and another newsletter. Thanks for reading and sharing this with others. Anyone signing up on my website to receive the newsletter will be offered a free eBook of my best-selling Jarvis Mann novel, Tracking A Shadow.

All the best and stay cool everyone!

R Weir

On our trip to South Dakota, we had a wonderful time. Not only at the Wild Deadwood Reads book event, where I sold quite a few books, but traveling around the Black Hills region and seeing the sights. Here are a few pictures taken at the book event, including the winner of the Little Free Library created by my father-in-law Danny and brother-in-law Tim. The young man the winner of a slot machine-designed library full of books donated by authors attending the event. All part of a raffle of baskets and gifts provided by authors that raised over $2K for the Shiloh Rescue Ranch in Deadwood.

Here are a few smiling faces of people who bought books from me.

Here is a picture of the good-looking group of authors who participated. I can be seen in the middle near the back.

I’ve added more pictures of Wild Deadwood Reads under the Events tab on my website. Here are a few photos taken of the vacation part of our trip.

I have more pictures and videos of our vacation on my website under the Fun Stuff tab.

The new flooring was completed in our house and it turned out great. Here are a couple pictures of the completed work, including my Packers man cave. A comfortable space I enjoy year round.

I get a little break in July with only one event and then it gets busy for the rest of the year. This will include two weeks in Nashville living in our motorhome for Killer Nashville and Bouchercon, and then again for several more days in Loveland Colorado for the Goodguys Car Show. After that nearly every weekend I’ll have an event of some kind. The July event will be in Lafayette Colorado for Art Night Out which I understand is well attended. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for good weather and minimal wind since we’ll be outdoors.

Work by Phillip Polite is continuing on the audiobook for Fallen Star: The Divine Devils Book Two. I’ve been listening to the chapters to approve them and he has done a great job. I hope to get the audiobook finalized in the next couple of weeks and available to purchase and download shortly after. You can listen to a couple of previews of the audiobook here.

More excellent reviews are coming through for Murder by a Hundred Cuts.

Mr.Weir never disappoints. By far the best novel in the series. Murder by a Hundred Cuts had me on the edge of my seat during every page turn – Madeleine

Weir gets you hooked in and never lets go. Love how he finished out book. He keeps multiple things going on all at once and pulls it all together in one great book. Great author I can’t wait to read more – Shannon

I’ve been a fan of R. Weir’s stories for a while now. Although I suspected this book might push me out of my comfort zone, I decided to dive in anyway. I was right—it did make me uncomfortable. But wow, what a story! I’m so glad I trusted Mr. Weir to take a bloody murder mystery and turn it into an unputdownable read – Gina

Pick up your copy of Murder by a Hundred Cuts today on Amazon in Kindle format, paperback, or via Kindle Unlimited. Or get a signed paperback copy via my website, along with any other book I’ve released.

This past week I hit 1000 ratings and reviews on Goodreads. Thanks to everyone who has left a rating or a review on any of my books. It does my heart good when I see people are enjoying my stories.

A reminder to watch my video podcast, Bringing Life to Characters which I’m doing every two weeks. It is streamed live on my two Facebook pages or on my YouTube Channel. You can find links to all the video podcasts under the Bringing Life to Characters tab on my website.

My first interview in June was with best-selling and award-winning author Mike Faricy which you can watch via this link. You’ll learn more about Mike and his great books below, as he is my featured author this month.

My second interview was with best-selling and award-winning author Carmen Amato, which you can watch via this link. Carmen worked for the CIA for 30 years which we discussed during the podcast.

A shout-out to everyone to place your vote for the Killer Nashville Readers’ Choice Award. Besides myself, there are several authors I’ve interviewed recently on my new video podcast or will be a guest in the future. Lynessa Layne, Mike Faricy, Carmen Amato, Leigh M Hall, and Jodi Bowersox. And so many other great authors and books to choose from. Many are indie authors who can use your support. All the authors are listed alphabetically and you can vote for as many as 10. Voting ends on July 31st, so place your vote before it’s too late via this link.

Only one Prolific Works free book giveaway this month. Clues and Conspiracies: Mystery Group Giveaway with 24 free eBooks available until July 15th via this link.

As I mentioned, this month’s author feature focuses on best-selling and award-winning author Mike Faricy. Faricy’s novels are filled with the sort of oddballs we’re all curious about but wisely prefer to keep at a distance. His characters serve not so much as an example as they do a warning. No one will be saving the world from terrorism, international banking conspiracies, or coups to take over the government. Rather, Faricy’s characters inhabit a world just below the surface of polite society. The trouble they find themselves in is usually due to their own bad decisions, but then bad decisions make for interesting stories. Faricy’s tightly woven Dev Haskell series is penned with a delightful sense of humor and even some romance. His Jack Dillon Dublin Tales series features US Marshal Jack Dillon who is sent to Dublin and decides to stay. The Hotshot series consists of zany, delightfully entertaining standalone crime tales. The Corridor Man series is a bit more gritty and a lot more violent. Learn more about Mike on his website. You can sign up for his newsletter and get 5 free eBooks and offers every couple of weeks for free and discounted books. You won’t be disappointed.

Last month I mentioned we purchased a 2024 Can-Am Spyder Sea to Sky to get back to riding a motorcycle. Last week we added a trailer (picture above) to pull behind the Spyder to carry extra gear for longer trips. Below is my daughter Dakota getting a riding lesson from me in the local community college parking lot. She now has the bug to one day get a Spyder of her own.

I will wrap up this month with a note that you can click on any of the underlined blue links in my newsletters and it will take you to a web location for information about me or the author I’m featuring. With no worries on your part about being sent anywhere that will compromise your computer. I test every link in my newsletter before it is released.

Thanks so much for your support. I hope everyone is staying cool, for the heat has been brutal here in Colorado, with our hottest months on the horizon.

All the best!!

R Weir

We are currently re-doing a large section of the upstairs in our house. This includes the loft, which is my Packers Man Cave (Yes I’m a Green Bay Packers Fan). New paint, and new hardwood flooring. New flooring for the entire loft, hallway, and all the stairs in the house. The painting is already done and the flooring is being installed this week. Here are a couple of before and after pictures with the last one being the partial completion, without the flooring. We have high hopes for the finished product when it’s done. I will have a final picture in my newsletter next month.

There isn’t much that boils my blood more than when I find a website giving away my books for free, without my permission. If you do a Google search for pirated eBooks, you will find a long listing of sites. All of which you should stay away from, for they are crawling with malware. One such website I discovered, had several of my books. When I contacted them through the email address provided to contest them giving away my books, the email bounced back as undeliverable. I then searched The WhoIs database to learn who the web provider was that hosted the site. I contacted them with a forceful email to take my books down or I would take legal action. It took a couple of weeks, but now my books are no longer on their website. This is clearly theft of my copyrighted material. People may not understand how much time and money is involved in writing a book, especially by indie authors. Most of my books take 6-9 months to create. Not to mention the costs of paying an editor and an artist to design the cover. All these costs come straight out of my pocket. Then when it comes time to sell the book, Amazon takes their cut, which runs between 35 to 70 percent. Honestly, I don’t believe I’ve made a profit on any of the books I’ve sold. And then when I find someone has stolen my material and is giving it away for free, it makes me angry. If you see sites like this claiming to be giving away free eBooks, stay away from them. If not for me and other authors, but to keep malware off of your computer. If you know about other sites out there that might be giving my books away, let me know and I’ll investigate. The only place to legally purchase my eBooks is from Amazon.

Speaking of my books, Murder by a Hundred Cuts is now available to purchase. Get your eBook from Amazon for the current price of $6.99 or free if you have Kindle Unlimited. While the paperback on Amazon costs $17.99. Or you can purchase a signed copy directly from me for $15 with $4 shipping (US Only) via the form on my website. I have the Prologue and Chapter 1 of Murder by a Hundred Cuts for you to read as a preview. Here are snippets from a couple new reviews for you to enjoy.

Mr. Weir writes an intense mystery, great characters, and page-turning plots. Can we talk about that ending —- amazing – Shelly

I found the ending amazing; it felt like a new cold and calculating Jarvis Mann. Makes me wonder what’s next for this armour-plated P.I. _ Avis

This author has a grand imagination, and talent for showing the story. Weir has built a world that revolves around Jarvis, and his investigations, and the truths behind what people wish to keep hidden, but it comes to light – Amy

If you enjoyed Murder by a Hundred Cuts, I hope you’ll post a review on Amazon, Goodreads and/or BookBub. I read every review, good and bad. And if you’ve read any of my other books, either in the Jarvis Mann PI series or The Divine Devils, please leave a review on any of those sites. Reviews are the lifeblood of indie book authors and help others discover my books. I have over 1100 reviews and ratings on Amazon and nearly 1000 on Goodreads. But I can use more.

Speaking of mailing out books. I’ve had to stop mailing them for free, as costs for shipping have increased. Single books now will be mailed out with an additional shipping fee of $4 (US Only). While all sets or multiple books will be shipped from $10 to $15 (US Only). Credit Card payments will also include a $1 fee, with no fee for Venmo or Zelle payments. If you live in the Denver metro area, I will still deliver the books to you for free. And you can always come to any of my events for a signed copy. A list of future events is always displayed towards the end of each newsletter and on the Event page of my website.

I now have 5 episodes in my Bringing Life to Characters Video Podcast. You can find them either on my website or on my YouTube channel. Please subscribe to my YouTube channel to keep up-to-date on new shows, which right now I’m doing every two weeks. In Episode 4, I interviewed Johny Weber and talked about the Wild Deadwood Reads Book Event which is happening this month. Be sure to check out the interview here, while learning more about the history of the Wild Deadwood Reads Book Event.

In Episode 5, I had a wonderful time talking with Colorado best-selling author Renee Pawlish which you can listen to here.

Episode 6 will take place on June 10th at 9AM Mountain time. I’ll be interviewing best-selling mystery crime author, Mike Faricy. Mike spends most of his time in Ireland, which is why this interview will be early in the morning because of the 7-hour time difference. Here is the link to YouTube to watch.

Speaking of the Wild Deadwood Reads event, we’ll be traveling to South Dakota in a couple of weeks in our motorhome and staying for a week in Spearfish. This event has been fun to attend in the past, with over 80 authors from different types of genres. We are hoping for good weather and a great turnout, which is being held during Wild Bill Days, a huge event held each year in Deadwood South Dakota.

This month there are a couple of Prolific Works eBook giveaways. First is Curl Up with a Mystery: Cozy Mystery Group Giveaway with 5 free eBooks until June 30th provided by authors at this link.

Next is Buried Secrets: Mystery/Thriller Group Giveaway with 26 free eBooks available until June 15th at this link.

This month’s author feature is award-winning author Benny Sims. Benny and I met at Killer Nashville a few years back, both of us winning the Silver Falchion award that year. His for best Mystery for his debut novel, Code Gray. A book which took Benny 9 years to write, with 146 rejections from agents and publishers before it was finally published. His second book “Mile Marker Zero,” is told in first-person from a serial killer’s point of view as he attempts to kill one person a week for an entire year. Benny is currently retired on the Alabama gulf coast, and when he’s not writing, he’s walking the beach and fishing. Benny has a writing quirk, where he likes to write standing up (As I do!). It helps him focus and makes his writing sharper. He got the idea from visiting Ernest Hemingway’s house in Key West. He wrote standing up, and Benny decided to try it and liked it. You can find Benny’s exciting books, Code Gray and Mile Marker Zero on Amazon. And you can visit his website via this link.

A plug to check out the work of Phillip Polite who produced my audiobook, The Divine Devils. My award-winning story was brought to life with his excellent narration. He is currently producing Fallen Star: The Divine Devils Book 2. I hope it will be released later this year. You can listen to the audio with your Audible subscription and purchase it on Amazon. If you enjoy audiobooks, add this thrilling story to your list. I need more listeners if I’m to continue to produce more of my books in audio format.

Kim and I took the plunge and purchased a high-end Can-Am Spyder three-wheeled motorcycle to return to riding. More pictures to come as we cruise down the road with this beautiful machine.

Thanks again for reading. Don’t hesitate to reach out and say hello via email. I love hearing from readers and answer them all.

All the best!!

R Weir

It will be 5 years this August since we moved into our new home. Our previous home, which we lived in for 22 years, had very little grass to mow. Transitioning to a Xeriscape yard with mostly mulch, plants, bushes, and trees. Our new home is on a large corner lot with all grass, which I hated to mow. Not to mention the huge water bills needed to keep it green during our dry Colorado summers. This spring I completed the transformation of that front lot to a more waterwise landscape. Now with only a small section of grass to mow (YIPPEE!!). It was hard work, but worth it. I’ve received many compliments from our neighbors on how it looks. Below you’ll see what we started with and what it looks like now. And it will be even more beautiful when it all starts to bloom.

Here are a few more shots of flowers flourishing in our wildly changing spring weather, with more heat, followed by another wet snowstorm. And this past weekend about 2 inches of rain. The weather is never boring here.

A bit of comic relief while Kim and Dakota work in the yard. All caught on our security camera. The fun begins at around the 24-second mark. Hopefully, the video plays properly in the email. If not then you can enjoy the hilarity via this link.

This Wednesday, May 1st, is the release day for the new Jarvis Mann PI novel, Murder by a Hundred Cuts. A riveting and stirring book that will change Jarvis Mann’s life forever. And a follow-up to the award-winning novel, The Front Range Butcher. Order the eBook today for the low pre-order price of $4.99 from Amazon or the paperback on Amazon for $17.99. Or you can order a signed paperback copy from me for $15 with free shipping (US only) via my website. I have copies of the 440-page paperback to mail immediately. And while you’re there, you can order any of my books, including the other 8 Jarvis Mann PI paperbacks and the award-winning 4-book Divine Devils series.

Here is an early editorial 5-star review by Alma Boucher for Readers’ Favorite.

In Murder by a Hundred Cuts, a murder mystery novel by R. Weir, private eye Jarvis Mann is a witness in the trial of serial killer Simon Lions, known as the Front Range Butcher. A witness was found brutally murdered, and graphic pictures and a message were left for Jarvis before the trial started. Jarvis was certain that a new serial killer was imitating the Front Range Butcher and that the killer was sending Jarvis a message. Meanwhile, Corrine hired Jarvis to follow her husband because she was certain he was having an affair. Corrine’s husband had withdrawn large amounts from their joint account, and she wanted proof of his affair. Jarvis had his hands full with finding the identity of the new serial killer and following Corrine’s husband.

Murder by a Hundred Cuts by R. Weir is fast-paced and action-packed. It has all the elements of a well-written detective mystery, and the suspense kept me on the edge of my seat. I was hooked from the start and was kept guessing until the very end. With all the twists and turns, I never knew what would happen next, and I turned the pages as fast as I could. The characters were authentic and relatable. Jarvis went out of his way to help Corrine with her husband, plus doing everything possible to track down the serial killer. As if that was not enough, Jarvis also had to testify against the Front Range Butcher. Different subplots were masterfully woven into the main story, and the chapters flowed into each other. This was such a suspenseful read and gave me much more than I expected.

Here is the first 5-star review from an early reader of Murder by a Hundred Cuts.

Jarvis Mann, private investigator is anxiously awaiting the trial of the Front Range Butcher. Jarvis can’t wait to see the Butcher found guilty and sentenced to death. While waiting for the trial to begin, Jarvis takes on a seemingly easy domestic case which turns into an unexpected investigation with mafia type bosses, familiar foes and friends. In the midst of this investigation and his pending court testimony against the Butcher, another serial killer strikes with a similar modus operandi.
This story has twists, turns and enough rollercoaster action, the reader can’t put the book down. The author leaves each chapter begging the reader to continue on. I was sucked in from the Prologue till the end. And speaking of the final chapter, I now wonder what is next for Jarvis. I like thrillers and R. Weir has a writing style similar to authors Vince Flynn and David Baldacci. His books are truly a must read – Charlene

With the release of Murder by a Hundred Cuts, I will be offering an eBook version of The Front Range Butcher on Amazon for free. This will be available starting today April 29th and run through May 3rd. If you don’t already have this book, now is your chance to add it to your Kindle eReader. Please share this with anyone else interested. I’m only offering this promo through this newsletter and on social media. I’d love to see a lot of downloads and hopefully get people to buy more of my books, including Murder by a Hundred Cuts.

The Front Range Butcher was the Readers’ Favorite Gold Medal Winner of 2019 for Best Mystery-Psychological Thriller. Here are a few of the wonderful reviews for this dark thriller.

Dark, gritty, twisty psychological suspense with multifaceted characters to grab your mind and hold it captive. This is a must-read read for nail-biting suspense fans – K-BRC

LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!! It pulls you in from page one and keeps you riveted to your seat reading page after page. 20 years after mysteries killings just stop, they start again……Is it a copycat killer, the same one that killed before? you will have to read and see……. Jarvis has a dark mind like killers, can he solve this unsolved mystery? Chelle

I’ll be honest when I say this is the first book I have read in this series, but I guarantee it will not be the last. This is the 7th book in the Jarvis Mann series, but luckily for me, can be read as a stand-alone. Right from the jump, the realness of suspense and violence were right up in my face. This is supposed to be a graphic thriller, so the authentic approach and storyline is well perceived. From story line, the character development, and the evolution of Mann, this is a series I will be starting from the beginning and seeing all the way through – Tony RRM

I’ve started my Bringing Life to Characters author interview podcast with two shows streaming live, the recordings, are now available to watch on my website and YouTube. My first interview was with bestselling and award-winning author Lynessa Layne. She was a wonderful guest for my first live-streaming event. Be sure to watch it via this link.

My second interview was with bestselling and award-winning author Andre Gonzales. He was the first author I featured in this newsletter back in January. We’ve known each other for several years and I learned more about him and his growing publishing business. You can watch the video via this link.

On April 30th at 10AM Mountain time, I’ll be interviewing best-selling author Bruce Most. You can listen live on Facebook or YouTube.

To keep up-to-date with future shows, subscribe to my YouTube channel or follow my Facebook Author Group under Live for past shows and Events for future shows. If you join the interview while it’s live, you can ask questions of the author or myself via the comments field.

This month’s free Prolific Works giveaways start with Historical Fiction/Crime which runs until June 1st with 7 free eBooks to check out via this link.

Next is How to Raise a Reader – Young Adult and Children’s GG with 22 eBooks available to download until May 15th via this link.

Message in a Bottle – Mystery and Thriller GG has 34 eBooks to check out until May 15th via this link.

This month’s feature author is Mary Yungeberg. Mary has been an avid writer all her life. After graduating from Iowa State University with a B.S. in Animal Science, she pursued several careers that included selling hybrid swine breeding stock, professional resume writing, and the airline industry. Along the way, she wrote numerous freelance articles, together with her husband raised two rambunctious sons, and trained and showed her horses. When not writing, you’ll often find her tearing up the pavement in her Mustang convertible, sharing a glass of wine with friends, or busy with family.

Her political thriller series, The Rowan Milani Chronicles, includes these titles:

CONSUMMATE BETRAYAL introduces readers to the world of Rowan Milani, decorated Iranian American FBI agent and secret, presidential assassin. UNHOLY RETRIBUTION explores the dark side of Rowan’s character and the catastrophic consequences of his choices. A DIFFERENT MAN chronicles Rowan’s determination to change course. TERMINAL REDEMPTION is next in the series and follows Rowan on a globe-hopping journey toward his destiny. THE MAN BEHIND THE SHADOWS finds Rowan’s life exploding in an unexpected direction. Mary is currently working on the sixth in the series, A MOST WANTED MAN. All of her books are available in print and digital formats.

You can find Mary on her website and on Amazon. Since I’m featuring her this month, she is running a free 3-book combo of The Rowan Milani Chronicles from April 30 through May 4th which you can find via this link. A great deal you need to check into, for the three eBooks normally cost $7.99.

I’ll wrap up this month’s newsletter with a final request to pre-order my latest book, Murder by a Hundred Cuts. You can order the eBook on Amazon for $4.99 (a two-dollar savings over the release price) or a signed paperback directly from me for $15 with free shipping (US Only). Or order the paperback on Amazon for $17.99. And remember the eBook version of The Front Range Butcher will be free on Amazon starting today through May 3rd.

Drop me an email, as I love to hear from fans. Thanks again for reading and sharing my newsletter.

All the best!!

R Weir