First of all, let me tell you that the book is off to a genuinely gratifying start. Self-publishing anything recalls what Don Marquis said of bringing out a volume of poetry—it’s like dropping a rose petal into the Grand Canyon and waiting for the echo.

But in the weeks since it came out, Dead Girl Blues has already had more of an echo  than I’d expected, and it’s been selling copies at a faster rate than my previous adventures in self-publishing, and for all of that I have all of y’all to thank.

Now for a bare-bones newsletter. I’ve some things to tell you, and I’ll number them to create the illusion of system and order:

1.  Where to buy the ebook:  If this wretched pandemic has had any good effect, besides making parents aware of the extreme importance of schools and teachers, it’s the shot in the arm it’s given the ebook industry. What could better suit a world of locked-down folks desperate for something to read? You shop and order without leaving your desk, and you start reading immediately, without even having to walk to the mailbox.

Click here to buy the $9.99 DEAD GIRL BLUES ebook:

amazon.com   amazon.co.uk   amazon.ca   amazon.com.au (and all other Amazon platforms worldwide)

Barnes & Noble   Apple Books   Thalia   Vivlio   Scribd

2. Where to buy the printed book: It’s not as easy as it might be. Even if you find a bookstore open and accessible, you won’t find DEAD GIRL BLUES on its shelves. But we’ve been able to publish the printed book, as a library-binding hardcover volume @ $24.99 and a paperback @ $14.99.

Here’s where to order it:

amazon.com   amazon.co.uk   amazon.ca   amazon.com.au  (and all other Amazon platforms worldwide)

Barnes & Noble          IndieBound           Bookshop.org

3. Where to buy the audiobook: I’m not sure what effect the present health crisis has had on audio sales. The medium has aways been a favorite of commuters and road warriors, and listening to a gripping novel is certainly safer than texting with somebody you just met on Match.com—safer in more ways than one. Most of us are driving less, but we’re also discovering that audio can be a nice changed of pace, and that reading with your ears can save wear and tear on one’s eyes.

Happily, Tantor Audio enlisted Peter Berkrot to voice DEAD GIRL BLUES. One reviewer writes, “The narrator was spot on. He voiced the character better than I could have imagined him. Like many a stellar narrator, his vocal choices enhanced the story without getting in the way.” Another adds, “Peter Berkrot did a great job with the narration. You can almost hear him grimace through some of the more visceral scenes. He brings the first-person viewpoint to life, at once making one forget that it’s a contemplative psychopath telling the tale and giving voice to the savagery he is capable of.”

Here’s where to buy it:

audible.com      amazon.com      audiobooks.com

Apple Books

4.  Where to buy the German and Italian editions: June 24th was a particularly eventful publication day. That was the book’s on-sale date in print, ebook, and audio—and not only in the English language. Due to the shoulder-to-the-wheel energy of translators Sepp Leeb and Luigi Garlaschelli, and the resolve and resourcefulness of Design & Production Goddess Jaye Manus, DEAD GIRL BLUES was loosed upon the world in three languages at once.

As you’ll see, Luigi and Sepp translated everything but the title; we decided to retain the English wording and add Edizione Italiana or Deutsche Ausgabe. Both books are widely available as ebooks, and increasingly available in paperback editions.

Here are some links to them:

amazon.com   amazon.it   amazon.de
(and all other Amazon platforms worldwide)

Weltbild   Thalia  Barnes & Noble  Kobo  Hugendubel 

Hey, can I get a word in edgewise here? See, what I really want is an autographed copy.

Well, as my late mother-in-law used to say, “People in hell want ice water.” I’ve occasionally observed that, with many of my titles, the unsigned copies are the scarce ones, but that’s not likely to be the case for DEAD GIRL BLUES. In these virus-laden days I barely leave the house, and I’m certainly not going anywhere for appearances or signings. And I never allow anyone to send me books for signing.

5…BUT I have somehow contrived to sign a limited number of hardcover copies for The Mysterious Bookshop. The link’s to their order page, and you’ll find a great stock of other signed books of mine on their site as well. Please note that their supply of the new book is limited, so if you’d like to lock in a signed copy of DEAD GIRL BLUES, you might want to pick up the phone: (800) 352-2840.

6. Gosh, what’s the number six doing there? Because that, I do believe, is that. I hope you’ll read the book—with your eyes or your ears, in one language or another. And, if you do, I hope you enjoy it. And, um, don’t feel obliged to keep your enjoyment and enthusiasm a secret. Tell your friends—including the ones you haven’t met yet, by blogging about it and dropping a review on Amazon or Goodreads or Audible or, well, all of the above. The book’s been well received, with 14 reviews on Amazon in the first week, but it turns out that DEAD GIRL BLUES is a genuine star queen. You know how a woman can’t have too many earrings? Turns out it’s the same thing with stars. Who knew?

Cheers,

PS: As always, please feel free to forward this to anyone you think might find it of interest. And, if you yourself have received the newsletter from a friend and would like your own subscription, that’s easily arranged; an  email to lawbloc@gmail.com with Newsletter in the subject line will get the job done.

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