Mail Bag #4...the new books version

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.

When will the new books be out?
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

Mail Bag #3 (the What's Next version)

The recent questions I've received have fit into one of three areas:

1. Are there going to be more books?
2. (If so) when will they be available?
3. What are they about?

So this mail bag will focus solely on those categories. If you have any follow-up questions on the subject, or I didn't cover something, feel free to email me at derekbkclb@yahoo.com.

Will there be another book?
Yes. Painless has been a fun experience for me, so I look forward to putting other books out there and I'm excited to find out what people think.

When will they be out?
I don't have a specific date, but here is the general plan: I've identified 5 stories I've written that I hope to be made available in the next calender year. I'm shooting to have the first one released sometime this summer. Not sure if that timeline is realistic, but it's the plan as of today. I also expect any new material to be out in ebook version first, as the paperback/hardcover versions take longer.

What's taking so long?
Since I thought Painless would only be read by friends and family, a lot of corners were cut and had to make a lot of changes on the fly. So for the upcoming books, I have put together a talented team to help me review them, edit, proofread, etc. This process takes more time, but hopefully the extra time and effort will be worth it.

Are the future books like Painless?
Yes and no. They are not a sequel or series, and none of them are about a girl who can't feel pain. The stories I've written have all been standalones - I have ideas for continuations of certain characters and storylines, and might write them in the future, but I enjoy meeting new people in each book, so that is where I have tended to go so far. The topics change from book to book, but the basic style remains the same.

What is that style?
I guess they would be technically classified as mystery's or thrillers, but as was the case with Painless, I tend to mix a bunch of genres together, and basically write books that I'd want to read myself. The key for me is to write characters that I find interesting. I think of it like a cross-country airline flight - if the person sitting beside you is interesting, it often makes for an enjoyable flight. But if you sit beside the sort of people I generally get stuck next to on planes, then a six hour flight can seem like six days!

The characters are usually ordinary people (or at least think they are) who end up in extraordinary circumstances. And while the topics of the books can range anywhere from a gritty crime story to the tale of girl who can't feel pain, as long as I care about the characters and want to find out what happens to them next, then the story will draw me in and keep me wanting (in my case, writing) more. And hopefully it will for you.

Have a Happy Easter!!

And here are links to previous Mail Bags:
#1 (8/27/10) #2 (11/18/10)