Happy New Year! (2014)

I want to wish all of my readers and fellow authors a Happy New Year and thank all of your for your support during 2013.

I thought this would be a good time to share what I hope to accomplish in the coming 12 months so you'll have an idea of what to expect:

Sequel to Lust, Money & Murder - as I mentioned in the December newsletter, I'm working hard on this project.  Although the way I ended the first series made it particularly challenging to write a sequel, rising to that challenge has resulted in a rich story that I believe is just as engaging, if not more so, than the original.  In fact, struggling with this sequel has made me realize that there a quite a few books that could be spun off from the original, books featuring different characters that many readers have expressed interest in knowing more about. These include Nick LaGrange, Luna Faye (Elaine Brogan's tough-as-nails martial arts instructor at the Secret Service Academy), and Dmitry (the Russian taxi driver who helps Elaine in Moscow).Escape from Attica. Lust, Money & Murder audiobook has already agreed to narrate the sequel and hopefully can start as soon as it's in her hands.
You can expect to see the sequel and one or more of these books in 2014.  Also, Sue Sharp, who narrated the original trilogy has already agreed to narrate the sequel and hopefully can start as soon as it's in her hands.
I've already outlined several of these and even designed a cover for Luna's story,

Passion, Power & Sin Audiobook - this is a fairly long series, with about 22 hours of estimated recording time, but I hope to have this out in  the latter part of 2014.  I'm auditioning narrators as we speak.  This series also has the potential to branch out into more stories featuring Heather Bancroft and/or the minor characters (Alana Maya and David Winsor, for example). I feel some inspiration to move in this direction, but will have to gauge how readers feel about it--the series has not been out long enough to tell.

Wild Child 3, 4...etc.?  This is a series I really need to finish, but I'm in a sticky place with it.  The readers who want more are very loyal and vocal, but, unfortunately, small in number.  Believe it or not, Wild Child is the slowest selling ebook title of all that I've published.  I still haven't figured out why, especially considering the amazing history of the paperback version of the book.  But to those readers who are waiting for the continuation and conclusion of the story:  I will finish it, I promise.  I just don't know when.

That should keep me busy!

As always, I'm open to questions and suggestions about what you would like to see from me - always feel free to let me know your thoughts by commenting below or emailing at mike (at) mikewellsbooks.com

I wish you a happy and rewarding year ahead!

Adventures in the Writing of Unplanned Sequels

Often, when I'm writing a story, if I have a feeling that I might want to write a sequel, and that readers might want one, too, I leave the ending somewhat open.  That is to say, I try to write an ending that resolves the main story conflict and ties up the loose ends, but at the same time leaves room for more adventures to take place with the same hero and perhaps some of the same characters.

When I wrote Lust, Money & Murder, however, I had no plans for a sequel, nor did I think that readers would want one.  Boy, was I ever wrong about that!  I was flabbergasted when the book first came out and I began to receive a steady stream of emails and tweets and Facebook posts from readers saying, "We want more Elaine and Nick!  When will more Lust, Money & Murder books be out?"

I think most of you already know that I highly  value the wants and needs of readers.  I did leave the ending of Lust, Money & Murder "slightly" open--if you've read the trilogy, you remember the Epilogue:  it says that even though Elaine Brogan did away with Giorgio Cattoretti, his body has never been found.  But the main reason I did that was to show how strong and resilient he was as a villain.  To use his own words, "The Cat always lands on his feet."

The problem is, the Epilogue also states that Elaine and Nick marry and have two kids together.  Which means that  in any sequel, Elaine Brogan, Special Agent in the Secret Service, is a wife and a mother.  This is a big change for a secret agent-type character.  Think about it.  What would happen to the famous Ian Fleming stories if our beloved "Bond, James Bond" were suddenly married?  And had a couple of kids and became a Daddy to boot?

I daresay that this new Agent 007 would be a drastically different character than the one we have grown accustomed to.

Despite this, dear reader, never fear:  I do believe I've found an effective solution to this problem, a solution that not only preserves the Elaine Brogan we know and love, but makes her even more interesting and three-dimensional.  I wouldn't think of spoiling a potential new book for you, but here's a hint: just because Elaine and Nick got married doesn't necessarily mean they're happily married, does it?  You know as well as I do that a heady new love affair is one thing, but when "the bloom is off the rose," it can be quite another.

Stay tuned!

Is the Amazon KDP Select Program Dead? A Fresh Case Study

I have a friend named Farsheed Ferdowsi, and he’s a good writer.

A damn good writer.

Last weekend, he used three of his “free days” in the Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing Select program to try and boost the sales of his international thriller, Mushroom in the Sand.

In advance of this, he spent a lot of time preparing.  He fine-tuned his genres/categories so that the book, if downloaded in large numbers, would be listed on as many of the Amazon subgenre bestseller lists as possible.  Meanwhile, he placed ads in BookBub and Freebooksy to appear during those three days to maximize exposure. 

The book went free at 12:01 a.m on Friday, October 18th.  To help him out, I tweeted the news that the book was free several times to my 60,000 Twitter followers.

The downloads took off like a rocket.  By Friday night, the book was already #1 in several categories, and continued to climb in others.

Over the weekend, the novel had over 25,000 downloads!

Here is a summary of its bestseller list performance in Kindle Store eBooks:

#1 in Mystery, Thriller & Suspense > Thrillers – all weekend

#1 in Mystery, Thriller & Suspense > Thrillers > Conspiracies – all weekend

#1 in Mystery, Thriller & Suspense > Thrillers > Military - all weekend

#1 in Mystery, Thriller & Suspense > Thrillers > Espionage – all weekend

#1 in Mystery, Thriller & Suspense > Thrillers > Terrorism – all weekend

With performance like this, I don’t have to tell you that Farsheed was excited to see what would happen on Monday morning when the book went back to paid status.

Well, the novel has now been back on the paid list for three days, and has sold a grand total of...are you sitting down?

14 copies.

That’s right, 14 copies!  At $5.95, the royalty payments will amount to about $60.  This doesn’t begin to even cover the costs of the two ads he placed.

Now, before you start thinking, “Maybe it’s not a very good book” or “maybe the subject matter is boring” etc. let me stop you right there.   This is a novel about what would happen if Iran actually develops a functional nuclear weapon. You can’t get much more timely subject matter than that. The story is fast-paced and extremely well-researched.   Readers of spy novels and thrillers love it.  The book has earned 50 reviews on Amazon, averaging 4.7 stars.  I know for a fact that Farsheed has never bought reviews or even exchanged reviews with other authors—every one of those 50 reviews is legitimate, from ordinary readers. 

As an author who has a fair amount of experience in publishing, I can only come to one conclusion about all this, which is pretty obvious.  I personally don’t think it’s worth giving Amazon exclusivity and removing a book from B&N, iTunes, Kobo, Smashwords, Google Play, Sony, Flipkart, and all the other ebook retail sites (which is required) to be included in this program.

What do you think?

Audiobook Version of Lust, Money Murder 1, 2, & 3 to be Released in December!

The production of Lust, Money & Murder 1, 2 & 3 as an audiobook is quickly moving along.  The target release date is December 20th, 2013.  Sue Sharp, an experienced L.A.-based voice professional is narrting the book.  To listen to the prologue, click on the PLAY button to next to the book cover image at the bottom of the post.

Sue Sharp holds a Bachelor of Music Degree from California State University Fullerton.  For the past 25 years she has worked in the area as a professional singer, musical theatre director, voice teacher and voiceover artist.  Sue’s voice can be heard on projects ranging from commercials and audiobooks to children’s music CDs.  Sue lives in Los Angeles with her husband Thom, in their “almost” empty nest.

Lust, Money & Murder and The Mysterious Disappearance of Kurt Kramer Both Featured on Apple's iBooks BREAKOUT BOOKS Section

My Free Books Are Now Available on the Fastr Speed Reading App for iPad & iPhone

I'm pleased to announce today that all my free books are now available on the Fastr speed reading app for iPads and iPhones.  Fastr is an ebook reader with tools to improve your reading performance and make you a more efficient reader. Fastr Pro is the most downloaded educational app in Spain, France, Italy, UK and 12 other countries and reached TOP10 apps in Education category in 57 countries in July, 2013.  Click here to see the app on the iTunes store.

Three Ways to Make Your Story Pull Readers In from the First Page

Readers often tell me that my books draw them in from the first few sentences.  This is of course a very pleasant thing to hear, but it’s also no accident—I’ve spent many years refining my technique and learning various ways to quickly engage the reader.  For the benefit of other authors who are learning the basics, I thought I would write a blog post and discuss a few of these techniques in detail.  While I admit it takes practice and finesse to execute them well, the methods are simple enough and can be learned by anyone who aspires to write more engaging fiction.

1.  Open with Enticing Dialogue that Immediately Establishes Tension

One of my young adult novels, Wild Child, opens with a single line:

“Let’s swim over to the cliffs.”

Dialogue is always attention-getting in itself, but this short sentence also contains two tension building elements.  Cliffs are dangerous in themselves, and swimming “over” to them sounds a bit risky, too, even though we do not yet know who is speaking and where these people are located.

The question is cleared up in the next paragraph, in which we learn that the two characters—one male and one female—are on a lake, lounging on a small boat, and the cliffs are a half-mile away.  That’s indeed a long swim.  More importantly, in this second paragraph we also learn that Kyle, the person to whom Briana is speaking, isn’t at all keen on the idea.

In the next few paragraphs, it becomes clear that the two are both teenagers and that Briana has a reputation for being a “wild ass” and often pushes Kyle into taking risks, even when it’s against his better judgment.  Kyle tries to make excuses, telling Briana that another boat could come along and that the driver might not see them swimming, but she keeps pushing him, calling him a chicken and rousing his male ego.  Although not stated, it’s obvious that Kyle doesn’t want to look like a coward, especially in front of a girl.  He finally gives in.

They’re soon in the water and both swimming hard.  Now we’re fully engaged with the story.  We want to see who’s going to win this “race" to the cliffs, and we’re also worried that something might happen them as they swim across this large, seemingly deserted body of water.

2.  Use a Titillating Prologue to Showcase Your Deliciously Twisted Villain

Book 1 of my Lust, Money & Murder series opens with the line, The man picked her up in Vernazza, a picturesque village perched along the rugged coastline of the Italian Riviera.

From these few words, we already know that a man has picked up a woman, and in an exotic location.  These two facts are enough to pique the interest of the nosy part of us that wants to read on merely to see what juicy things might come next.

And come next, they do.  Sentence 2 reads: From his salt-and-pepper hair, and his lined face, Maria guessed that he was in his early 50s.  The implication here is that the man is much older than the woman or girl, and that he’s buying her.  We read on to find out that our suspicions are correct—he’s “spending lavishly on her,” showering her with drinks, dinner, a dress, shoes...

Now we wonder:  will this approach be successful?   By Paragraph 5, we know it is, and that Maria is a more-than-willing participant in the tawdry arrangement.  When she asks the man’s name, he shrugs it off with, “Are names important, cara?”  All she knows is that he is a businessman from Rome, and she supposes it doesn’t matter.  This is followed by a short paragraph which delivers a bit of the hoped-for “juicy details” (you can read the book to find out—it’s a free download).

But as far as engagement goes, that's all just foreplay.  It's a sneaky method of keeping the reader's attention until we reach the next scene of the prologue—the key scene.  This takes place after our two naughty characters have had a three-day frolic of nonstop sexual and sensual pleasure.  Maria still doesn’t know the man’s name, and neither do we, which makes us suspect that he is up to no good.  Indeed he is...we watch, with a kind of detached horror, as he deftly manipulates her into testing out a large amount of counterfeit bills at a nearby casino and then “rewards” her by shoving her off a cliff (yes, another cliff!) and “into the abyss.”

Nice guy, huh?

Readers tell me that they want to keep on reading the book to see how the hero—whom we have not yet met—will deal with this monster.

3.  Show Your Hero Being Mistreated by the World and Make the Your Reader Sympathize

In my newest series, Passion, Power & Sin, I also used a prologue to depict a colorful and “deliciously evil” villain, one who readers hopefully want to see more of.  In this case, I present you with Ricardo Maya, an egotistical Venezuelan man who lives aboard a 300 million euro superyacht in what can only be described as obscene luxury.  He’s clearly involved in some sort of a scam that is so financially devastating to his victims that many of them commit suicide.  But writing an engaging prologue isn’t enough.  You also have to quickly capture your reader’s attention when he or she reaches the main body of your story..

In the case of Passion, Power & Sin, when we turn to Chapter 1 we are introduced to another character who is apparently living in obscene luxury.  Her name is Heather Bancroft, and she is happily on her way to work in New York City, “floating” along Fifth Avenue in her chauffeur-driven limousine, peering out the tinted windows with pity at all the poor slobs who struggle to make ends meet.  From this description we assume that she must be some high-level executive in Manhattan, or maybe a celebrity of some sort.  We learn that she shops regularly at Tiffany’s and Oscar de la Renta, has a personal trainer named Hanz, and spends her weekends sipping Dom Perignon and nibbling on beluga caviar.

Just as we’re getting sick and tired of hearing about all this extravagance, not to mention feeling more than a little envious of Heather's lifestyle, we find out this is all simply a fantasy she engages in every day to keep her mind off her aching feet as she makes the 40 block walk to work.   In reality, Heather can’t even afford a bus ticket, let alone a chauffeur-driven limo.  When she arrives at the office, we further learn that she occupies a tiny cubicle “wedged between the kitchen and a copying machine” and is nothing more than a low-level assistant at a PR firm who is ordered around like a galley slave.  We also discover that she’s actually from North Carolina, not New York City, and that she recently moved to the Big Apple thinking—wrongly—that she could make enough money to save her mother’s house from foreclosure.

Heather is clearly miserable, but she’s keeping her chin up and doing her best to cope.  The next morning, when she gets a rare chance to prove her true worth to the higher-ups at the company, we are eager to root for her and continue reading to see how she makes out.

Conclusion

These are just three different techniques that I’ve used in my storytelling to grab the attention of readers early-on and keep them turning the pages.  There are many others.

Feel free to steal them.

Note: I offer mentoring, story editing, book cover design, interior layout, and other services to authors, time-permitted. More information here. 

If you found this article useful, feel free to buy me a cup of coffee 😃  click here  - 

RETURN TO ADVICE FOR WRITERS PAGE

How a Big, Burly Truck Driver Showed Up and Took My Story

Not long ago, a strange thing happened to me.   When I was smack in the middle of writing my latest novel, a huge, bearded, tattoo-clad truck driver showed up and made off with the whole damn thing.  Well, that’s not completely true—he actually forced me to rip the manuscript to pieces and write a completely different story...

About him.

The original book was a Silicon Valley thriller about a young, upper middle class couple who get in serious trouble with the mafia and have to go on the run.  The problem is, their marriage is in such bad shape that Cynthia would just as soon be on her own than stuck as a fugitive with her self-centered, workaholic husband. 

As they flee their beautiful San Francisco home, their only means of protection is an ancient .22 calibre Beretta that belonged to Allen’s father, which Allen has never even fired.  To test it out, they stop at an outdoor shooting range in Oakland.  Allen has zero experience with firearms and of course he wants to hide this from Cynthia.  Fortunately, the shooting range is deserted and no one is around to witness Allen’s bumbling lesson in marksmanship.

That's when Billy shows up, out of nowhere.  The quiet morning stillness is shattered by roar of an engine...a smoke-belching tractor-trailer rig pulls into the shooting range parking lot.  Not an entire truck—only the cab portion.   If the image that's air-brushed on the side of the driver's door isn’t enough to unnerve the young couple—a gibbering skull crowned by a ring of roses—the man who emerges from the monstrous vehicle is.  He seems as big as a mountain.  He's wearing a snakeskin cowboy hat, matching snakeskin boots, and is clad head-to-toe in faded denim.

Billy

“Howdy,” he mutters, from behind his thick, scraggly beard.  He proceeds to unload a veritable arsenal from his truck—pistols, rifles and shotguns.  

Allen turns back to Cynthia, trying to concentrate on teaching her how to shoot their little pistol, but he can feel the trucker just standing there, watching them with what Allen imagines is a kind of mocking amusement.

“Ya’ll don’t know much about guns, do ya?” the man finally says, in a thick Southern drawl.

“Ignore him,” Allen whispers to his wife, but it’s no use.  Billy  is already sauntering over to them.  Before Cynthia knows what's happening, he steps up behind her and encircles her with his thick arms.

“Darlin', you got to stand with yer legs more far apart, like this.”  Billy moves in a little closer, his head almost touching hers.  “That’ll give you a stable base.  See?”

Allen doesn’t like it one bit, being pushed aside, standing there watching his wife be all but fondled by this overbearing, redneck version of Santa Claus.

Billy tilts his head, looking down the line of sight with her, even closer now.  “Now, ya gotta aim real careful, keepin' your arms steady, and then you slowly pull back on the—”

“Get your hands off my wife,” Allen says.

Billy becomes perfectly still.

Cynthia is afraid to breathe, her torso wedged between the trucker’s beefy arms.  As his bearlike head slowly turns towards Allen, she could feel his whiskers scratching across the back of her neck.

“I said, get your hands off my wife.”

There is another long, tense moment.  The shooting range is so quiet you could only hear the sound of the breeze whispering through the trees.

Billy finally lowers his arms from around Cynthia, but not completely.

That’s when he looked at me.  Right past the two of them, straight at me, his brown eyes burning with an intensity that sent chills up my spine.

“Listen here, Mr. Writer-man.  You're gonna tell this story the way I want it told, see?  It ain't about no mafia, and it sure as hell ain't about no Sili-cone Valley.  This story about me.  Billy.   Billy Hunt.”  He paused, letting his words sink in.  “You got it, Writer-man?”

Oh, I got it.  I got perfectly.

I tore up everything I had written and started over again, madly writing down everything he said.

My new book is called The-Drive-By Wife, and it's supposed to be out by September.

At least, I sure hope it is.

That's what I promised Billy.

Why I Disagree with Stephen King and Will Continue to Publish E-Books

A few days ago, bestselling author Stephen King took the world by surprise when he announced that his latest book, Joyland, would only be available on paper.

 

"…let people stir their sticks and go to an actual

bookstore rather than a digital one."

This news came as a shock to me.  Stephen King has always been one of my heroes, a rather wise and clear-thinking representative of those two special groups of people called "readers" and "writers."   He is also one of the individuals who I considered to be a pioneer in electronic publishing, breaking new ground in 2000 by posting an e-book that was downloadable from his own website, and—a year later—becoming the first mainstream author to publish a novel solely as an e-book.

I'm confused, Mr. King.  

First, based on your comments to The Wall Street Journal, there seems to be an anti-technology undertone in your words.  When asked how your devoted readers can get your new book, you said "…let people stir their sticks and go to an actual bookstore rather than a digital one."

With all due respect, Mr. King, my "stick" is doing just fine and does not need stirring.  If you're implying that technology is somehow "bad," I don't agree.  I love my tablet and smart phone and e-books every bit as much as you loved your ragged, dog-eared paperback books as a kid.    If you are implying that technology is making everyone fat and lazy, well, there may be some truth in that...but is there anything more sedentary than the mere act of reading itself?   

The second reason I'm confused, Mr. King, is that there seems to be some sort of political motivation behind your decision, a "Save the Paper Books!" mentality, something akin to saving the whales. Paper books are not an endangered biological species—they are the result of technological advancements that took place a few centuries ago, which some folks resisted, just as some resist the transition to e-books today.  If you want to get political about this issue, it seems to me that a "Save the Trees!" campaign makes a lot more sense.  

But the main reason I'm confused is that, as one of your loyal readers, your unexpected decision has a significant impact on me—a negative one.   I don't currently live in the United States and it will be weeks before I can get your new book.  The fastest way, despite your best intentions, will be for me to order it online, not go to a physical bookstore.  I resent the fact that I will not be able to push a button and have it the same day that it hits the bookshops in New York City.  I also resent the fact that you are trying to force me to read your book in a certain format—paper—instead of the format that I'm now comfortable with and is most convenient for me—e-books.

I'm the author of over 20 thriller and suspense novels, and I will continue to publish in electronic form across all the e-reading platforms so that my fans can have access to my books as quickly and as easily as possible. 

How to Download & Read Free Ebooks on Your Smartphone, Tablet, PC or Mac

You don't need a dedicated ereading device like a Kindle or a Nook to read ebooks.  You can read them on smartphones and tablets, as well as desktop PCs or Macs.  All the companies that sell ebooks make this very easy and convenient as follows:

If you have an iPhone (also applies to iPads and iPods):

If you have an iPhone or iPad or iPod, the simpliest way to read ebooks is to download them to your device directly from the Apple iBookstore (via iTunes).  You can search for books and download them onto your phone with one click.  One of my thrillers, Lust, Money & Murder, Book 1, is currently a free iBook (if you are reading this on your Apple device right now you can just click on the links in the previous sentence).  Once you have the book you can read it with iBooks (also free).  

You can also read ebooks on Apple devices using a number of free ereading apps.  There are good apps from Amazon (Kindle books), B&N (Nook books), Kobo, and other ebook retailers.  However, doing it this way requires having another account in addition to your iTunes account.

If you have an Android Phone or Windows Phone (also applies to iPhones and iPads): 

On your smartphone, go to the store where you download apps and get a free ebook reader app, such as free Kindle for Android app. You do this the same way you would download any other app.  Once you have the app on your device, all you need to do is go to the Amazon store (it's usually easier with a computer) and then "buy" the book. Of course you must have an account at the store from where you downloaded the free ereader app to do this.  Non USA/UK readers tell me that Kobo is a good place to get ebooks for non-Apple devices, as in addition to credit cards, they accept PayPal.

If the book you want is currently free on Amazon (or Kobo), like my thriller (Lust, Money & Murder, Book 1) the price will be listed as 0.00.  When you "purchase" the book, it will automatically be downloaded to your smartphone, tablet or whatever device you select at that moment. 

For tablets and smartphones, it's that simple.  I have an iPhone, and I often prefer reading ebooks on it over my dedicated Kindle reading device.  I always have my phone with me, and sometimes in tight places (for example on the London Tube at rush hour!) there is very little elbow room, even for a Kindle. The iPhone is handy and quick to pull out of my pocket and start reading.

For Your Desktop PC or Mac:

Many people are suprised to find that they enjoy reading ebooks on desktop PCs or Macs...after they have installed a good ereading app.  This is because such apps provide an attractive, comfortable reading space on your screen, and many also include many useful features, such being able to click on a word to immediately see its definition.  Most of the major companies that sell dedicated ereading devices (Amazon, B&N, Kobo, etc.) also provide free ereading apps for PCs & Macs.  Simply search the web for "free ereading app for (your preferred store)" and you'll find the links.

Also, Smashwords, an ebook reseller and distributor, has a good onscreen reader that allows you to read any book you buy right on your screen.  They also accept PayPal, which is convenient for non-USA/UK customers.

Once you're set up to read ebooks on whatever device you have, there are thousands of free ebooks you can download to your device, including many of the classics.

Enjoy!

This Week's Reader Interview with Rebecca Welch

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

It is hard for me to say a little bit about anything, much less myself, but I'm going to give it shot. I am a single mother of an amazing teenager. I am a legal assistant with a major fascination with the law, government and all the shenanigans that entails. 

When and how did you discover that you love reading fiction?

I didn't learn how to read until I was almost 6 years old. But when I finally learned, I couldn't stop reading everything in sight. I reached a college reading level by the time I was eight years old, it was strictly from wanting to just read and read. I love reading everything I can get my hands on and fiction has a special place in my heart because it allows me to use my imagination and be transported to lands that "could" exist. 

What are some of your favorite books and who are some of your favorite authors?

I have a number of favorite books and authors. I am a huge fan Janet Evanovich and basically all of her books are on my favorites list. Pete Hamill's Forever is also a book I think that everyone should read. It is a fascinating telling of the history of New York City from a first person perspective. 

What is your favorite thing about reading fiction?

My favorite thing about reading fiction is the ability for my personal imagination to play a role and almost be an extra character. While it is important for an author to include proper description of characters and places, a reader is able to add their personal thoughts, memories and visions to a story. Reading fiction is always a pleasure that you make it. Even a story that you may not think you will enjoy can be a true journey through your own imagination. 

Do you have any “pet peeves” about authors, something they do that really annoys you?

I don't really have any pet peeves as far as authors go. I am truly amazed that any individual would even attempt to put into print words that will last forever, words that came from their own mind. It is an amazing thing to be an author and to work to have your words read by the masses or even by a few chosen individuals that you trust. 

Do you write fiction yourself?

I do write fiction on occasion but I have found that my fiction tends to be more fantasy, based on my personal reality. I definitely tend to write what I know and this can make for difficult completion of anything I start. I tend to revise too often to complete but maybe someday I  can have some finished work to share with others. 

What do you think about ebooks vs. paper books?

When it comes to the e-book versus the paper book, I am very torn. I love the new technology and what it has allowed a reader to do. It is wonderful to be able to carry a book with you in a compact manner and have it available for reading anytime...waiting in line, or sitting at a doctor's office. But I have to admit that I still love the smell of a book and the feel of a well worn book spine in my hands. I think that there is a place for both in the world and hopefully I won't be looking back one day wondering where all the books went! 

What is your favorite Mike Wells book and why?

I am sad to say I have only read book one of Lust, Money and Murder. But I truly loved every second of it. I have recently become the proud owner of an iPhone and intent to continue reading Mike's writing. I think the pictures he paints, and the ability to make every character even the antagonist in a story likable is something that is truly amazing. I am looking forward to more and sharing updates on how I have loved the other books he has written, as I can already tell that I will. 

Thank you, Rebecca!

My pleasure!

Rebecca Welch can be found on Twitter at @rebwel