I've received a lot of great questions about the new books the last few days. So I'll try to do my best to answer the most predominant ones here in the mail bag. If I don't answer your question or perhaps sparked another, drop me an email at derekbkclb@yahoo.com and I'll get right back to you.
The ebook versions of The Trials of Max Q and The Truant Officer are ON SALE NOW! at Amazon, Apple, Barnes&Noble, and most places where ebooks are sold.
What are they about? What kind of books are they?
Just like Painless, they are mystery/thriller fiction novels. I posted recent blog entries that goes into much more detail about the books and my thoughts on them, so be sure click the link to check those out. Trials of Max Q. The Truant Officer.
Why are the ebooks first? Will there be a paperback and hardcover version?
The "traditional" book takes a lot longer to produce, due to printing time, etc. Since the ebook version was ready, I didn't see any reason to wait to make it available. But YES, there will be a paperback and hardcover version coming soon. I don't have an exact time frame yet, but I will be sure to update when it gets closer.
Why 2 books?
Just showing off (-: Just kidding. Both books were at a similar stage of finish, so I figured that there is no advantage to one coming out sooner than the other - they are not a series or connected in any way, so it isn't important that they are read in any sequence. I would much prefer someone having the opportunity to read both of them, rather than having one sitting on my computer.
Are they like Painless? Is it the same characters or part of a series?
They are all "stand alone" books, so there is no carryover to Painless - all new people, places, and craziness. And as I mentioned above, none of the books are connected to a series, so read them in any order you wish.. The similarities between the new books and Painless is that they are all mystery/thriller fiction novels in which "seemingly" normal people end up in unimaginable situations. Where they differ is in the topics - Painless centers around a "unique" girl being hunted by a rogue military group, while Max Q is about the murder of an adult-film actress and the subsequent arrest of a local hero. The Truant Officer centers around a couple who find themselves being chased by the Russian mob.
What (is taking) took you so long?
Sigh haha Unfortunately it can be a long process to bring a book from manuscript to finished product, but I think this recent experience with Trials of Max Q and Truant Officer was beneficial for setting up an efficient process for future books, so that they can be made available in a much more expeditious manner. The good news is that I'm not currently working with a traditional publisher, because if that was the case, I'd still be waiting for Painless to be coming out!
Photo source: is from an actual book on mail carriers. who I must commend on getting me my mail the last few days even though the mail box is no longer functional after the storm. If you are into books on mail carriers you can get it here
