Free short story & more

My hard-boiled short story PAYOFF is now a free e-book via Smashwords. Click here to see it. Smashwords allows you to download such stories to virtually all e-readers, including Kindle.

PAYOFF was written originally for DAMN NEAR DEAD (Busted Flush Press), an anthology of "geezer noir" featuring protagonists who are senior citizens. In PAYOFF, a 77-year-old heist man named Eddie gets approached by someone who wants a murder committed. Eddie's no killer, but at his age, what has he got to lose?

PAYOFF is also on Amazon.com, but it's listed there at 99 cents. I'm trying to get Amazon to make the 20-page story free there as well, but that's taking a while. Check out PAYOFF. I think you'll enjoy it.

Meanwhile, work on the new Bubba Mabry novella proceeds apace. I'm doing the final edits on PARTY DOLL, and should have it posted to Kindle and Smashwords (at a price of only $1.99) within the next couple of weeks. Here's the first look at the cover art, designed by Kelly Brewer. She did the PAYOFF cover as well. Is Kelly great at this or what?

In PARTY DOLL, the bumbling Albuquerque private eye is hired to track down a missing stripper who goes by the stage name Joy Forever. Fun story, with lots of action. Coming soon!

New "Rules" for the New Year

I'm pleased to announce a second edition of my 1000 Rules for Successful Living, now available via Kindle and Smashwords.

To start the new year off right, I revamped the e-book to include some of the more recent entries in my long-running list of twisted adages and fractured advice. The new edition is truly a "best of" list, including such gems as:

It takes two to tango, but you can pirouette all by yourself.

Many a man's nose has been broken by his own middle finger.

When in the company of well-diggers, don't get them started on how cold it is.

It takes a lot of balls to overdecorate a Christmas tree.

In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man should not run with scissors.

If you enjoy my "Rules," please consider the e-book. It's only $2.99. Thanks!

You're doing it wrong

A tip for the Deputy Barney Fifes of the world: If you leave a suspect in your patrol car, make sure he can't drive it away.

Police in northwest Indiana are still on the lookout for a man who stole a cop car, then had the audacity to use the police radio to ask headquarters how to remove his handcuffs. He also asked whether the car had a cigarette lighter.

The car was later found submerged in water in a nearby county. No sign of the 22-year-old suspect, who presumably still was wearing the handcuffs.

Full story here.