Newsletter #15 - Big News!

Big News, indeed!

I’m thrilled to announce that my next novel, the political/psychological thriller Body Man, is under contract for publication by Amphorae Publishing Group. It’s a long process, but I’m looking forward to working with the fine folks at Amphorae to finalize the manuscript, design the cover, and bring Body Man to print and ebook formats, and possibly audiobook, in April, 2026.

I want to give special thanks to my agent Mira Perrizo of WordLink Literary, her colleague Dean Krystek, and Stacey Walker and Lisa Miller at Amphorae for making the deal happen. I particularly appreciate Amphorae’s willingness, indeed eagerness, to take on a book set in today’s divided America during this fraught time in our country.

Body Man takes a cold look at the hot mess of America today and shows how much worse things could get if we let them. The story is told by two young men from neighboring towns. One gets a communications degree and becomes the Body Man, close personal aide, to a liberal senator who catapults to the presidency on a strong gun control platform. The other becomes a marine corps sniper—a Body Man of a different kind—gets a bad conduct discharge, and is drawn into the militia movement and recruited to assassinate the new president. When the attempt goes horribly wrong, the president launches a war against the militias, sparking nationwide riots and mutinies in the military 

In Body Man, you’ll go inside the Alt-Right movement, the White House, and a Marine Corps unit in combat. You’ll experience riots in the streets, insurrection in the military, and desperate last stands mirrored in the president’s private study and a remote cabin in the northern woods.

As the president spirals into depression, Spencer takes on more responsibility and power than a Body Man ever should. By the end, one of them—the president, the marine, or the Body Man—is a national hero. Which one, will depend on your point of view.

I’ll keep you updated—including cover reveal, giveaway, and pre-order information—as we work through the process.

In other news, I’ve been busy in the last few months speaking about writing and the publishing process at several venues.

In October, I gave two seminars at Florida WritersCon, the annual meeting of the Florida Writers Association. My seminar The Secrets of Bad Writing took a humorous (I hope) look at writing pitfalls. In How to Get Published After Really, Really, REALLY Trying, I took aspiring authors through usually long and sometimes torturous process of finding an agent and a publisher.

A few weeks later, I did the How to Get Published seminar at the main Broward County Library in Fort Lauderdale. My plan to speak at SleuthFest in St. Petersburg, the conference of the Florida Chapter of Mystery Writers of America, was postponed due to Hurricane Helene. We are rescheduled for next May. If you’re local to me in Delray Beach, I’ll be speaking to a large neighborhood book club in February. That talk will be about my books and my writing process. Drop me a note if you want to attend.

That’s all for now. In case you’re working on your holiday shopping, my first three books—Sandblast, Blowback, and Shock Wave—are available as paperbacks, e-books, and audiobooks on Amazon and wherever books are sold.

Watch for updates on Body Man, including the cover reveal, coming soon.

Thanks for reading and all best for the holidays and 2025!

Al

Newsletter #14 - That Time I Had My Fifteen Minutes of Fame

Hi,

Click the image to get to the video on my homepage.

I wanted to draw your attention to a new TV piece about the 35th anniversary of the Tiananmen Massacre (June 4) and my experience during that period in China. The Voice of America Chinese Service did a great job of collecting archive material — including never-before-published footage I shot with my old video camera — and putting together the story of that dramatic period, which still has resonance today.

It’s on my homepage for easy streaming.

I added English subtitles to the Mandarin narration, and my soundbites are in English. You’ll see inspirational footage of the student demonstrators, heart-rending scenes of mayhem during the crackdown, and you’ll hear one of my old radio reports from Beijing as well as my recollections of that time and my analysis of China’s prospects for political reform now.

The opening video shows protesters going past my apartment. I shot it from my balcony, and I also filmed some of the other clips they used. They even found news video of me packing up my office after I was ordered to leave the country, and a shot of me arriving in Hong Kong a few days later. It was a big deal at the time, and got me on the front page of many American newspapers as well as stories on evening news broadcasts, and even slots on Nightline and other TV shows.

The report is very well put together, so have a look.

For the writers among you, I’ll be speaking about the craft of writing and the process of getting published at two conferences this fall – Sleuthfest in St. Petersburg, FL Sept 26-29 and Florida WritersCon in Orlando Oct 18-20. Both are great not-too-big conferences with loads of great speakers and the chance to meet agents and publishers, as well as to network with fellow-writers.

I always find conferences inspirational. I wrote a blog about them here. Come on down to Florida in the fall!

It’s been a while since I produced a newsletter because I’ve been busy writing, revising, and trying to publish my next book, BODY MAN, a thriller about the political divide in America. I have a new agent and she is working hard to find the right home for the book.

I’ll update you when we have a plan.

Until then, have a great summer!

Al

Newsletter #13 -- Big Sale and Off to NYC

Hello Everyone,

I had to write to tell you that thanks to my wonderful publisher Kensington, the ebook of the Florida Book Awards Silver Medal winner BLOWBACK is on sale through May 23 on Kobo.com for just $2.99. If you haven’t read BLOWBACK, or have a friend who would like it, this is a great opportunity to grab a copy, or several.

The ebook of the newest Task Force Epsilon thriller, SHOCK WAVE, is just $6.99, so if you haven’t followed Faraz and Bridget to Israel and the Palestinian territories, now is the time.

I’m off to New York June 1 for my first in-person writers’ conference since 2019. It’s exciting to hit Thrillerfest again to renew acquaintances with old friends, make new ones, and meet people face-to-face who I’ve known online for years. I’ll be on a panel discussing how to keep the pace going in novels, along with half a dozen great authors. And I’ll have a chance to sign my books for folks who buy them.

 

I’ll also be working to get my next novel published. It’s called BODY MAN, a political/psychological thriller about the polarization in America today. Stay tuned for a teaser excerpt one of these days.

The final phase of preparing the manuscript involves beta-readers, friends with particular expertise, who read the book and offer me critiques to ensure I have the maximum authenticity. For BODY MAN, my beta-readers are from law enforcement, the military, politics, and, of course, the merciless writing community. I’ve been going through their comments and incorporating them into the manuscript.

I talk about how I got SANDBLAST, BLOWBACK, and SHOCK WAVE published in my latest blog post. I think both readers and writers will find it interesting.

By the way, a friend saw SHOCK WAVE in the wild at a store in Maryland, in some very good company.

That’s all for now. Please post reviews when you read my books. The best outlets are Amazon and Goodreads, and you don’t have to have bought your books through them to post.

Thanks for reading. I’ll report back after Thrillerfest.

Best regards,

Al

Newsletter #12 -- Super Launch Event and an Award

A Blockbuster Event for SHOCK WAVE

Wow!

Thank you to everyone who came out to my first in-person book launch. We set a post-pandemic record at Murder on the Beach with 40 people in the store (including one very special guest!) and 20 more on Zoom.

Unfortunately, the recording didn’t work, so I can’t link a video it for those of you who couldn’t be there. I spoke about why I wrote the Task Force Epsilon series—the stories I wanted to tell, characters I wanted to introduce and the themes I wanted to explore. Here’s a link to the text.

If you haven’t grabbed your copy of SHOCK WAVE yet, it’s available everywhere. Marc Cameron, who writes the Tom Clancy “Jack Ryan” novels calls it “Intense, unique, and frighteningly real. A standout!” And military vets and bestselling authors Andrews and Wilson say SHOCK WAVE has “authenticity and emotion” and is “sure to be one of the best reads of the year.”

Right on the heels of the SHOCK WAVE launch, BLOWBACK won a Florida Book Award—a silver medal in the Popular Fiction category. Copies will be part of the permanent collection at the Florida Governor’s Mansion and Florida State University.

That’s the second award for BLOWBACK, which is now on Kindle Unlimited along with multi-award-winner SANDBLAST.

By the way, if you enjoyed any or all of the books, please do a rating and a short review on Amazon, Goodreads or whatever websites you use for books. I will much appreciate it. As I always say, “If you don’t like the books tell me. If you like them, tell EVERYONE!”

If you have a minute, check out my blog for the Florida Writers Association. I tackle writing issues with a light touch, and I’ve had great feedback.

I’m looking forward to getting back to writing conferences with ThrillerFest in New York in June. Besides connecting and re-connecting with my fellow-writers, there will be great seminars and panels, and chance to explore the City after a long absence. More on that in the summer.

Until then, thank you for subscribing and for reading the books. Please feel free to write to me anytime through www.alpessin.com.

All best,

Al

Newsletter #11 -- SHOCK WAVE Hits in January

SHOCK WAVE Hits in January

Hi Everyone,

Wow. It’s been six months since I published a full newsletter. I guess I was waiting for some big news to share...

I’m finally having an in-person book launch event!

After two on-line-only pandemic launches for SANDBLAST and BLOWBACK, I will launch SHOCK WAVE with a celebration (fingers crossed) at my local independent bookstore.

We will gather for a short presentation, Q&A, wine and treats on Friday, January 28 at 6pm at Murder on the Beach Mystery Bookstore, 104 West Atlantic Avenue, Delray Beach, FL. If you can’t make it to the event, we will also live stream it (though, sadly, not the refreshments).

If you’re planning to buy SHOCK WAVE, and I hope you are, please order from Murder on the Beach by calling 561-279-7790 or emailing murdermb@gate.net. They provide free shipping, and I’ll sign your book before they send it out. Let them know if you want a special dedication. When you contact the store, also tell them if you want to be on the list to receive the Zoom link.

If you’ve already ordered SHOCK WAVE, thank you(!) and don’t worry, I’ll also be sending the link to this list. (Of course, you could order an autographed copy from the bookstore anyway, and give one of your books to a friend!)

New York Times bestselling author Marc Cameron, who writes the Tom Clancy “Jack Ryan” novels, calls SHOCK WAVE “a standout,” and says it is “intense, unique and frighteningly real.” International bestselling authors Andrews and Wilson say SHOCK WAVE is an “explosive...intense, non-stop ride...written with authenticity and emotion.”

I hope you’ll order yours today.

——-Click to order online or contact your local bookstore.———-

In other news, BLOWBACK won a Silver Medal at the Royal Palm Literary Awards in October. Congratulations to all the winners and thanks to the judges and staff. If you haven’t read BLOWBACK, now is the perfect time, with the next sequel, SHOCK WAVE, just a few weeks away. Murder on the Beach can send you an autographed copy, or BLOWBACK is available from all local bookstores and online retailers.

In the last newsletter, I wrote about a seeming surge in the use of the word “blowback.” In August, the New York Post proved my point!

Also, SANDBLAST won a Bronze Award from the Florida Authors and Publishers Association in the summer, adding to the Royal Palm awards it won previously. Again, my congrats and thanks to everyone involved. SANDBLAST can be purchased as a paperback, e-book or audiobook, and it’s available free to Kindle Unlimited and Audible subscribers.

I’ve started blogging about writing for the Florida Writers Association. Click the image to check out my tips for writers and get a bit of an inside look at the writing process. I post a new item every month.

The pandemic has continued to wreak havoc with writers’ conferences, leaving me with no recent pictures to share of myself at parties with famous authors. Events I planned to attend this year in New York, New Orleans and Orlando were all canceled. There’s a robust schedule all around the country for 2022. Again, fingers crossed.

Meanwhile, I’m working on a new book—something outside the Task Force Epsilon series. It’s a political/psychological thriller that takes a cold look at the hot mess of American society here in the early 21st century. Stay tuned for more about that next year.

Until then, Happy Holidays and I hope to see you in Delray or on Zoom on January 28.

Al

Newsletter #10 -- Another BIG REVEAL

Hello Everyone!

 

I hope you are all well and coming out of the pandemic blues.

 

There are several updates to share, and a MAJOR REVEAL at the end, so let’s get started.

 

First up...BLOWBACK has been doing well. Thanks to your support, it was the #1 paperback bestseller for April at Murder on the Beach, which co-hosted my Zoom launch event. Many thanks for your loyalty and for supporting my local bookstore.

If you haven’t grabbed your copy yet, here’s a link.

The ebooks of both BLOWBACK and SANDBLAST were on sale for several weeks, and shot up the Amazon charts. Sandblast is still available FREE on Kindle Unlimited, so please tell all your friends this is a great chance to try the series.

In fact, new readers might want to tune in this Thursday at 7pm EDT for what promises to be a fun event with three other new-ish thriller authors who are launching books. Our moderator, author Stacy Woodson, plans to pepper us with questions about our books and our lives and how they intersect, among other topics.

You can join here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81683783532?pwd=MkF6dGJYU2QwMis2aUEwbWtKSTIzQT09

I’ve heard that some people were not familiar with the term “Blowback” when I chose it as the title of the second Task Force Epsilon thriller. Lately, I can hardly turn on the TV without hearing it.

Who can guess what show I’m binging??!!

 

OK, now the big reveal……… 

We have the cover for Task Force Epsilon Book Three, SHOCK WAVE—another fantastic design by the team at Kensington Publishing.

I love it! And I hope you do, too. SHOCK WAVE has just gone up on Amazon, so you can be among the first to pre-order your copy, for delivery January 25, 2022.

In SHOCK WAVE, the action shifts to Israel and the Palestinian Territories, as Faraz and Bridget get caught up in a conflict very much like today’s headlines!

Click on the cover to order →→→

Thanks for reading. And remember:

BLOWBACK event on Thursday. SHOCK WAVE available to pre-order.

Follow me on Twitter @apessin, Instagram alpessinauthor and Facebook on the Al Pessin Author page to be sure not to miss any sales or news. All three links are at the bottom of this page.

Stay healthy!

Al

Newsletter #9 - Come to the (Online) Party!

The time has come. No more waiting. BLOWBACK is here!

Yes, one pandemic book launch was not enough. So, I’m having a second one. The event will be on Zoom, Wednesday, February 24 at 6:30pm EST.

I’ll be in conversation with award-winning NY Times bestselling author John Gilstrap, who will be launching CRIMSON PHOENIX, the first book in his new series. John and I will be talking about our books, our writing, our experiences that led to our writing, the perils of men writing strong female lead characters and who-knows-what-else.

Here are the details:

If you tweet, please tweet it out. Perhaps something like:

#BlowbackNovel, launches this month from @KensingtonBooks. It’s the 2nd #TaskForceEpsilon #Thriller by @apessin, award-winning author of #SandblastNovel. Check it out! www.alpessin.com

Feel free to embellish. ;)

In other news... 

Book Three in the Task Force Epsilon series, SHOCK WAVE, is done! Pretty much. After a summer of pandemic-related writing malaise (a well-recognized condition among writers), I made my deadline on January 15. Whew! After reading it, my editor at Kensington Publishing, Michaela Hamilton, said “Bravo! Great job.” I’m waiting to hear from my wonderful expert beta-readers before making a few tweaks ahead of the production deadline in the spring. SHOCK WAVE will be out in about a year, and I hope I’ll finally be able to see many of you in-person at some real, live brick-and-mortar events for its launch.

Please “Like” the Al Pessin Author Facebook page, and follow me on Twitter, to see the latest news, interviews and reviews as BLOWBACK meets the world.

And please do support my local independent bookstore, Murder on the Beach, by buying your copy through their call-in number, 561-279-7790, or email address, murdermb@gate.net. If you’ve already bought BLOWBACK, please consider grabbing another one for a gift, and/or buying John’s book, and the bookstore will send you the Zoom link to attend our launch event. Or, as a loyal reader, shoot me an email at alpessinauthor@gmail.com and I’ll send you the link for free. I’d really love to see you all there!

Many thanks for subscribing and for reading my books! I hope to see you all on Zoom on the 24th.

All best,

Al

Newsletter #8 - Book Fair and a Surprise

Hello and Happy Autumn from cool, crisp Washington, DC,

More about why I’m here in a moment.

But first, mark your calendars for Wednesday, December 2 at 9:30am. That’s when you can hit this link to watch my appearance at the 2020 (Virtual) Detroit Jewish Book Fair. I’ll be talking about the Task Force Epsilon series, writing about a Muslim-American hero, the themes of the books and other topics, with time for Q&A. Please tune in.

I’ve been spending these Covid limited-activity days working on the series. I just finished proofreading book two, BLOWBACK, and it’s now in the hands of the Kensington production department. BLOWBACK is available for pre-order, and will be delivered on February 23. This will be my second Covid book launch, so please help spread the word. More about BLOWBACK on my updated website.

Here is the final cover:

 

Steve Berry says “Don't wait. Check it out. Now.” Jon Land calls BLOWBACK “blistering and bracing.” John Gilstrap warns it’s “one helluva ride.”

 

And...and...and I’m really pleased to announce that I finished the first draft of book three, which is now officially called...

 

SHOCK WAVE

 

for publication in the spring of 2022. More about SHOCK WAVE next year.

I’m very happy with the arc of the series. Each book stands alone, but the full impact of the story works best as SANDBLAST-BLOWBACK-SHOCK WAVE. I hope you have a chance to read them all.

Finally, if you’re wondering why I drove two days from Florida to Washington, DC, it wasn’t for the fall colors. It was for this —->

Meet Ezra, my first grandchild, born on 11-11-2020. Ez and his parents are doing great. And isn’t he just the cutest thing ever! I may become a regular on I-95.

Thanks for reading. Stay well. And please tune in to the book fair event on December 2.

Wishing you all happy and safe holidays,

Al

Newsletter #7 - The Second Big Reveal

Hello Everyone!

Click the cover to order.

I hope your summer is going well and that you are staying safe from COVID, hurricanes, murder hornets, etc.

It’s time for the Big Reveal #2—the cover of Blowback. Tada!

Cool, right?

Pre-order here. The cover will be updated to insert this quote from NYT bestselling author Steve Berry:

“If your thing is adventure, political intrigue, suspense, and action galore, then this is the thriller for you.  Don't wait. Check it out.  Now.”

Other thriller authors were also impressed with Blowback:

“Blowback is a timely military thriller that pulls no punches. Al Pessin brings the war on terror to life like few authors can.” — Ward Larsen, USA Today bestselling author of Assassin’s Strike

"The blistering and bracing Blowback is a thinking man's (or woman's!) action thriller, a scarily prescient take on current events that foretells the headlines instead of exploiting them. A riveting and relentless read." – Jon Land, USA Today bestselling author

“Don't mess with the good guys. Reading Al Pessin's Blowback is like saddling a rocket. Once it gets going, hang on for one helluva ride!” – John Gilstrap, bestselling author of the award-winning Jonathan Grave thriller series.

“Blowback is a realistic—and top-notch—boots-on-the-ground military thriller. The pages will fly by as you draw closer to the heart-thumping, action-packed climax.” – Alan Orloff, Thriller- and Derringer-Award winning author of I Know Where You Sleep

“Original, action-packed, gripping, and timely - Blowback kept me up all night. Read this. And Hollywood, take note, Al Pessin is the new Tom Clancy.” –  Tony Park, international bestselling author

Whew! I’m really humbled by the reactions. And I look forward to hearing all of your reactions early next year.

So, what is Blowback about? Well, as you probably guessed if you read Sandblast, Faraz follows al-Souri to Syria. Al-Souri is now the world’s top terrorist, and if he encounters Faraz, he’ll likely shoot him on sight. It’s a cat and mouse game across the desert of eastern Syria. Along the way, Faraz meets a new cast of jihadists, including his new commander, who is certifiable, and a crew of foreigners who travel to Syria filled with militant idealism and run smack into the reality of war. One of them, a young woman from Britain, particularly catches Faraz’s eye. Meanwhile, Bridget is on site when terrorist bombs go off in Washington, goes to a White House meeting bloodied and covered in debris, and gets posted to Baghdad. She’s not so far from Faraz as the crow flies, or as the helicopter flies if there should happen to be an emergency. Will is involved, too, as is Carter, a new character I think you’ll like, and also not like.

Blowback is finished except for the proofreading. It’s set for publication on February 23. That’ll be two books published during the pandemic (barring a miracle). No book tour. No live events. No writers conferences. So, go on, flex that index finger, give a click.

Meanwhile, I’m moving along on Book Three in the Task Force Epsilon series. I still can’t reveal the title, but stay tuned. It’s scheduled for spring of 2022, which seems like a long way away...unless you’re writing it.

Also, I’m thrilled to tell you that Sandblast will be featured on the First Chapter Fun webcast on September 24 at 12:30pm Eastern Time. None other than the fabulous Hank Phillippi Ryan will talk about the book and read the first chapter. I hope you can tune in on Instagram @firstchapterfun or Facebook Live by liking the First Chapter Fun page. Please put it on your calendars, but don’t worry—I’ll remind you several times on social media.

Finally, the e-book of Sandblast is on sale on Amazon for $6.64. I know most of you have read it, but it makes a great gift! Did you see my post about the review in Stars & Stripes? Executive Editor Robert Reid calls it an “engaging….page-turner.”

You can link to that and all the other reviews, interviews and newsletters via www.alpessin.com.

Thanks for subscribing and stay safe. You can always reach me via the website or at alpessinauthor@gmail.com.

Best regards,

Al

Newsletter #6 - Sandblast is on Sale!

Dear Friends,

The Sandblast ebook is on sale for just $1.99! Please tell EVERYONE you know. And the paperback is still a bargain at $8.99. The audiobook is also a great option.

Bookstores are starting to reopen. Let’s spread the word about the book that the Palm Beach ArtsPaper calls the next “Homeland” and WeAreTheMighty.com says is “one of the best espionage thrillers...in years.” As of this writing, Sandblast has eighteen reviews on Amazon, ALL Five Stars. (Feel free to add your own!)

It’s been a crazy six weeks since the launch on March 31, but I don’t have to tell you that. It’s hard to believe the publication date is now in the past, after so many years leading up to it. Launching into the teeth of the pandemic was not the best bit of timing I’ve had in my life, with all the bookstores and libraries closed. But Sandblast has gotten some great reviews and I’ve had some really nice publicity from interviews and articles I’ve placed in various magazines and websites.

There are links to all of them from the homepage.

Many people have been kind enough to say they can’t wait for the sequel. I can tell you that Blowback, is nearly, nearly, nearly done. I’ve written some revisions that I think deepen the story and the characters, based in part on recommendations from my critique group and beta-readers. I’m working out final points with Michaela Hamilton, my editor at Kensington Publishing. And we should go to the typesetting process on schedule next month. (Do they still call it typesetting, or did I just date myself sometime in the 1950s?) 

Meanwhile, I’m about 10% of the way through Draft One of Book Three in the Task Force Epsilon series. Unfortunately, that’s well behind where I’d like to be. Blame pandemic blues. But I have a great plan and I look forward to getting back to it. Blowback is scheduled for spring of 2021 and Book Three a year later.

I hope to reveal the cover of Blowback and the title of Book Three in my next newsletter.

Until then, stay safe, check out the reviews, and don’t forget to tell all your friends about the Sandblast sale.

Thank you, and all my best,

Al

 

 

 

 

Newsletter #5 - Launched! (And Also Grounded)

Hello Dear Subscribers!

If I say it’s been a heck of a month, well, I’m not really saying anything any of you couldn’t say. I had a haircut a month ago. Seems like a luxury now. Who knows when I’ll be able to have another one? I think it’s the impossibility of the ordinary that weighs on so many of us during our coronavirus stay-at-home—whether “ordinary” refers to necessities like going to work and being able to pay bills or less crucial but still important things like visiting family or just the mundane activities that, it turns out, help keep us sane, like getting a haircut.

In the midst of all this, of course, I launched Sandblast. Plans for a party at my local independent bookstore, Murder on the Beach (with wine and cake!) had to be cancelled, along with my plans to appear at bookstores elsewhere. It was all consolidated into a half-hour online launch, which was well-attended in spite of the crazy timing and a server crash that knocked a lot of people off just as we were getting started. It’s now available for replay on the alpessin.com homepage and the Al Pessin Author page on Facebook.

I’ve gotten great feedback on Sandblast, and please join the chorus by writing an Amazon review. Just click the Review button toward the bottom of the book’s Amazon page, which links from the photo above.

In The Palm Beach ArtsPaper, Sharon Geltner wrote, “Goodbye, Homeland. Hello, Sandblast.  Showtime’s hit series Homeland ends in May. But covert ops fans can now turn to Sandblast, the first book in an action, adventure and suspense trilogy by Al Pessin. The book moves fast and the complex plot makes sense. Sandblast reads like the real deal.”

On Game of Books Blog podcast, host Christie Bunting said, “I read it in two days. I couldn’t put this down.” Her blog partner Cathi Twitero said, “(Bridget is) a strong, kick-ass female lead. I really did picture this in my mind as a Netflix series or a movie.”

From your mouth, Cathi...

I was also on several podcasts, and there were articles about my online launch in the South Florida Sun Sentinel and on BocaMag.com. All the links are on the Reviews and Interviews pages of alpessin.com.

So, how are the sales? That’s what everyone asks. The answer is...drum roll...I don’t know. I should see the first sales figures in a couple of weeks, but those will be both preliminary and partial. From what I read, broadly speaking the pandemic and the closure of all the bookstores is expected to hurt book sales. No surprise there. On the other hand, online retailers are still delivering and people have plenty of time to read, so there may be at least some countervailing impact. Also, Sandblast is available as an ebook and as an audiobook, both of which can be downloaded instantly.

I can also tell you that before the launch, Sandblast was about 1.5 millionth in sales on Amazon. After the launch it soared to about 19,000th, so that’s some sort of progress. And I hope for additional blips as more of our publicity efforts appear in print and online.

Meanwhile, I’m gearing up for a final run through the manuscript of the sequel, Blowback, which is scheduled for release about a year from now. And I’ve started Book Three. Watch for the cover reveal of Blowback and the title reveal for Book Three, coming soon.

Most important...Thank You, Thank You, Thank You for your support!!!

Please let me know your thoughts on Sandblast, and I hope I’ll be able to see many of you in person, perhaps at your local bookstore, before too long.

Until then, #StayTheFAtHomeAndReadABook.

All my best,

Al

Newsletter #4 - Crazy November, Lazy(ish) December

As soon as I got home, we dove into several rehearsals per week, culminating in a fantastic premiere weekend of family, friends and hundreds of strangers who came out to see it. We had four sold-out houses, and lots of laughter, as the cast rose to the occasion and delivered sterling performances. My thanks to director Teresa Biber LoMonte and set designer Tom Andrew, who, once he started making Styrofoam meat, couldn’t stop.

At the final performance on the Sunday, they called me up on stage and gave me the play poster signed by all the actors, Teresa, and our wonderful stage manager, Anna Maria Leon.

On stage with the cast and director at the final performance.

Benny (Daniel Malone) and Miriam (Elli Murray) argue over how to cover up the truth, even though they don’t know what the truth is, with some of Tom Andrew’s “meat.”

As soon as I hit ‘send’ on the Blowback manuscript, I started proofreading the page proofs of Sandblast. It was a joy to see the book in print, formatted in paperback size, centered on 8x11 sheets of paper. Working at the same time as a professional proofreader, I marked it up in red pen (Old School), then scanned and emailed the corrections (New School) to the publisher.

So, by the time we got through the play weekend, November 22-24, I was ready for a break. Thanksgiving in the Florida Keys was lovely and relaxing, and we declared it a turkey-free zone.

A family of manatees visited the canal outside our rental on Key Marathon.

Friends, when I say ‘Crazy November,’ I ain’t kidding. I was juggling three writing projects, plus prep for dozens of visitors and a Thanksgiving trip.

The craziness actually started in late October with the Florida Writers Conference in Orlando. I’m thrilled to report that my play, Murder at the Butcher’s, won the Dahris Clair Memorial Award for Best Play of the year! It was a fun and interesting conference, with lots of old(ish) and new writer friends and interesting seminars. The awards banquet was a blast! And my award is a mini-Oscar look-alike.

With Johathan Maberry, conference guest of honor. His first editor was my current editor, Michaela Hamilton at Kensington Publishing.

With South Florida writer friends Victoria Landis, Ann Meier and Sharon Menear.

For the first part of November, I was on a self-imposed deadline for Blowback, the sequel to Sandblast. I sent it out to a dozen beta-readers by the 10th, a few days later than hoped. Luckily, I’m a very forgiving boss. The beta-readers are friends with particular expertise related to the book, particularly military members and journalists. Their critiques will inform my final revisions in time for the publisher’s January 15 deadline. That one, I will not miss!

Proofreading Sandblast.

Thanksgiving lobsters.

One final pic — the wonderful cake my friend, pastry chef extraordinaire Dana Iannelli made for. It was as delicious as it looks!

Back home now, there’s no shortage of things to do. Book Three isn’t due until January 15, 2021, but the sooner I figure out what I’m doing, the more time I’ll have to write it. More on that, including the title, in my next newsletter. We’re also starting to work on publicity for the Sandblast launch March 31. The official event will be here in Delray Beach, but I plan to visit the Northeast in April for some book talks, and I hope to see many of you there.

Meanwhile, I’m watching for the mail carrier every day because the advance copies of Sandblast should be here this week. These will look almost exactly like the final book, but pre-proofreading. These are for reviewers, bloggers, journalists, book buyers, etc. We could start to see some reviews soon after New Year’s. A bit of nail-biting time for me!

So, more excitement ahead. Thanks for subscribing and stay tuned.

Happy Holidays!

Al

Newsletter #3, Bye-Bye Dorian, Hello Deadline!

Welcome to your post-summer, post-Dorian newsletter!

My August writing view

Our month in the north Georgia mountains was extended thanks to ol’ Dorian.  We were fortunate that he turned north and missed our area.  It gave me a few more days to hike, visit wineries and stare at the woods while pretending to write.

Although we were on “vacation,” it was a busy time.  So, I have lots to report. 

Sandblast has been copy edited, and it was a surprisingly painless process.  I was pleased that the copy editor didn’t have any major complaints.  He made a few good catches of small problems and smoothed out a couple of style issues.  No biggie.  Next step: proofreading.

Sandblast cover proof. A very quick read!

Even better, something arrived in the mail that I was not expecting: cover proofs.  They’re the book without all those pesky words inside.  They really make the whole thing seem real.

The actual, whole, entire book – with the words inside – has been priced at a mere $8.99, a dollar less than I anticipated.  And most of the time Amazon has it discounted to $7.19.  The ebook is also available, and discounted.  Both will be delivered March 31.

And...my publisher, Kensington, has licensed the audiobook rights for Sandblast and the first sequel!  Tantor Media, a major audiobook maker, will produce the audio versions with one of its stable of experienced actors.  Audiobook sales are growing every year, so this is a great development.  I already sent a pronunciation guide to them for the foreign names and phrases in Sandblast, which turns out to be a lot.

Speaking of sequels, I can now reveal that the first one will be called...drum roll...

Blowback. 

In military and intelligence parlance, “blowback” is an unexpected negative consequence.  That’s what my characters will face.  I can’t tell you much more about Blowback without giving spoilers for what happens in Sandblast.  But I can tell you it’s due January 15, well before Sandblast even hits the shelves.  Blowback is on my screen now, at about 70% done in rough draft.  Four more months may seem like a lot of time to finish it...but not to me!

Meanwhile, rehearsals start in a couple of weeks for my play, Murder at the Butcher’s, and tickets are already on sale at www.willowtheatre.org.  If you’re going to be in South Florida the weekend before Thanksgiving, I’d love to see you at the show.

Murder at the Butcher’s is now a finalist in the Royal Palm Literary Awards, which will be presented at the Florida Writers Association conference in Orlando on October 20.  I will be there for the white-knuckle moment.

Delray Newspaper, September, 2019.

With the play coming up relatively soon, we’ve started doing publicity, which resulted in some coverage in our local monthly, the Delray Newspaper.  They did a very nice layout for their “Five Questions With...” feature.  The image is what the print version looks like, and here’s a link to the online version: http://delraynewspaper.com/5-questions-with-delray-author-al-pessin-28713.

My first fan selfie.

Finally, I had my first fan selfie moment a few weeks ago at a restaurant in Georgia.  A man overheard me talking about the book, and, unbeknownst to me, went online on his phone and bought it.  He came over to me and showed me his receipt and asked for a selfie.  So, thanks Bill, for my first, but hopefully not last, fan selfie moment!

That’s all for now.  It’s back to Blowback for me.

All the best and thanks for subscribing!

Al 

Newsletter #2 - The Big Reveals →

Hello again, and welcome to Al Pessin Author Newsletter #2, “The Big Reveals!”

It’s here.  OMG, it’s here!  This is the cover of Sandblast, thanks to the amazing team at Kensington Publishing:

Click for amazon.com.

Cool, huh?

They used the great quote from Richard Castle (pen name of Tom Straw, a terrific guy and great author/screenwriter I met at Sleuthfest).  Other quotes will be on the back and/or inside.

I love the the texturing in the background that, to me, suggests a desert at night (“sand”) and the shadow of a man running through an explosion (“blast”).  The Capitol Building indicates that he’s an American.  And the explosion and fire promise plenty of action.

We came up with Task Force Epsilon as a way to link Sandblast to the two sequels that are in the works.  The name is explained toward the end of Sandblast, when the team’s success is rewarded with a permanent status.

Sandblast is available for pre-order from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Target and soon other online outlets, and also by order from your local bookstore.  It’s already discounted on Amazon and Target!  At this writing, only the paperback is available, but the ebook should be posted soon.  Shipping or electronic delivery will be March 31, 2020.

Click for Willow Theatre.

My other big news is that we have the official poster for my play, “Murder at the Butcher’s.”  And we also have a cast – ten wonderful actors who are studying their lines right now to prepare for our first rehearsal in early September.

It was fun to attend the auditions.  We have four great young actors, fresh from the Florida International University Theater Department, to play the twentysomethings, and six seasoned pros for the, um, older roles, including Benny the Butcher, his wife Miriam and their ‘seductress of a certain age’ neighbor Sylvia.

Tickets go on sale September 1.  They’re just $25, $15 for groups of four or more, www.willowtheatre.org.

The performances promise to, as director Teresa Biber LoMonte says, “bring the house down every night.”  So, if you’re in the area, or can possibly be, please come by and see the show!

One other thing.  I had a fun three-night trip to New York a couple of weeks ago to attend the Thrillerfest writers’ conference and meet the team at Kensington Publishing.  I did not take any good pics at Thrillerfest, and none at all of the Kensington authors’ lunch.  I will do better in the future.  The lunch at Capital Grille was hosted by Kensington CEO Steve Zacharius, who is a great guy.  It was terrific to meet some other Kensington authors, including fellow-thriller writer John Gilstrap, and modern western writer Reavis Wortham.  I attended some interesting panels on writing and publishing, and met lots of authors, agents and publishers.  I also had a chance to see “The Play that Goes Wrong,” a farce playing on Broadway.  So, lots of inspiration for my novels and for the work ahead on the play.

Click for more on Manahattan-henge.

One pic I did take was “Manhattan-henge,” that moment (two nights, actually, twice a year) when the sunset lines up perfectly with the east-west numbered streets.  So, I’ll leave you with that, until next time.

Cheers,

Al

P.S. Please “Like” my Al Pessin Author Facebook page, and follow me on Twitter @apessin and on Instagram alpessinauthor.  Thanks!

P.P.S. If you’re reading this on email, you may have noticed I’m writing from a new email address.  I’ll be using alpessinauthor@gmail.com for communications related to Sandblast and Murder at the Butcher’s.

 

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Newsletter #1 - Advance Praise for Sandblast and Some 'Murder' News

Dear Friends,

 I have lots of exciting news to share!

Several wonderful writers have read Sandblast and loved it.  They have been kind enough to share their reviews with me, and allowed me to share them with the world.  They’ll be used in the marketing campaign, and they’ll be printed on the book cover, back and inside.  You can get an advance look at them below.

But first, a few other tidbits.  The cover copy for Sandblast is just about done, and I’ll share that with you in my next email.  I hope to have the cover artwork in the coming weeks from the team at Kensington Publishing.  I put in some ideas at the beginning of the process, and left it to the experts to make something incredible that people will want to buy.  Believe me, I’m super eager to see it.

I also understand that Sandblast will be available for pre-orders soon.  Don’t worry, if you’re on this list, you’ll know!  Save your pennies.  It’s only $9.99 for the paperback, $9.49 for the eBook.  You’ll receive your books on the official publication date in late March or early April.

Finally, you may know I also wrote a play, Murder at the Butcher’s.  Well, I’m thrilled to tell you I just got confirmation that it will have its world premiere run this November, produced by The Playgroup, LLC, a local professional theater company where I’ve done some workshops. 

The hugely talented and energetic Teresa Biber LoMonte will direct.  Recalling the first time she heard a reading from Murder at the Butcher’s, Teresa said, “I nearly fell out of my chair laughing.  I love every page of this script. It's going to bring the house down every night.”

So, if you’re in, or want to visit, my area, mark your calendars for November 22, 23 and 24.  And no, it’s not Thanksgiving.  That’s the following weekend.  I’ll unveil the hilarious poster for the play in my next newsletter.

Murder at the Butcher’s is completely different from Sandblast.  It’s a farce, a murder mystery spoof, in which Benny Benjamin, Brooklyn Butcher finds a body in his walk-in fridge, and then it disappears.  As we say in the farce business, mayhem ensues.  The performances will be at the Willow Theatre in Boca Raton.  I’ll let you know when tickets go on sale.

Thanks again for subscribing.  Please tell all your friends to do the same.  And check out the advance praise for Sandblast below.

All my best,

Al 

Advance Praise for Sandblast

“Al Pessin escorts you through thrills and chaos, writing with the sure hand of authority. This guy knows his stuff.”  

-- Richard Castle, New York Times bestselling author of the Nikki Heat thrillers.  “Richard Castle” was the pen name of Tom Straw, a great guy I met this year at Sleuthfest, the writing festival organized by Mystery Writers of America Florida Chapter, where I am a member.  Tom is an award-winning TV writer, and now writes novels under his own byline.

“Sandblast is tense, believable and relevant.  Pessin calls on his years in the Pentagon and White House press corps for the keen details that bring this tale to life.  There's a high emotional content here, too, as we follow the almost impossible quest of a likable and massively outgunned hero.

--T. Jefferson Parker, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Good Guy.  Jeff was one of the main speakers at this year’s Sleuthfest.  I recently read Full Measure, his very relevant and excellent 2014 novel about a soldier returning home to economic and family problems, compounded by his own need to readjust to civilian life.

"Sandblast is the definition of a terrific military thriller--straightforward, precise and devastating. This timely, realistic story--with its authentic and knowing voice, and courageous main characters-- propels readers to the peak of white-knuckled brinksmanship, and will be awarded top marks by fans of Alex Berensen and Vince Flynn."  

--Hank Phillippi Ryan, winner of the Mary Higgins Clark, Anthony, and (five times!) Agatha Awards.  Author of the current nail-biter Trust Me, and the forthcoming Murder List, as well as five Jane Ryland Thrillers, the Charlotte McNally series and more.  Hank is tireless, holding down a reporting job with Boston’s Channel Seven while speaking to groups nationwide about Trust Me, writing The Murder List and helping other authors, like me.

 “In Sandblast, Al Pessin has crafted a taut action-thriller that really pulls you in. You’ll feel like you’re right beside the main character, on an increasingly perilous journey filled with impossible choices that threaten to change him at his very core. The plot is highly original, and I felt like I was there. It’s a great book.”

-- Henry V. O'Neil, author of The Sim War Series.  “Henry V. O’Neil” is the pen name of Vince O’Neil, whom I met at Sleuthfest last year.  He’s a West Point grad and army vet.  He writes military science fiction under his pen name, and mystery, horror and sci-fi under his real name.  Vince also provided some great insider tips for the (many) military parts of Sandblast.

"So exciting, and so terrifyingly realistic, you won’t be able to put it down. If you like complex international thrillers, keep Al Pessin on your short list of must-read authors."

-- D.J. Niko, international bestselling author of The Sarah Weston Chronicles.  Lots of pen names here.  This is Daphne Nikolopoulos, a friend here in South Florida, who is devoted to being an author who helps authors.  She’s a frequent speaker at conferences and at our local book store, and a great supporter of her fellow-writers.  Her series features a female sort of Indiana Jones character, who travels the world solving mysteries through archeology, history, and lots of grit.

"Sandblast is an aptly titled nail-biter of a thriller that opens at a pulse-rattling pace and only ratchets upwards from there.  Al Pessin not only knows how to tell a story, but his journalistic background imbues this tale of an Afghan-American Army officer infiltrating a terrorist organization with compelling authority."

--Les Standiford, author of Water to the Angels, founding director of the Creative Writing Program at Florida International University.  Les gave a great talk at Sleuthfest this year about writing his book Last Train to Paradise, the fascinating true story of the building of the railroad from Miami to Key West, much of it over open ocean.

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Newsletter #1