AfterStrike Released!

The fabulous reviews for this book just keep coming, and I’m excited for it to be out in the world.

The Story Behind the Story

AfterStrike is based on true events and real people. The specifics of the fraud crimes were so bizarre and fascinating, I knew I had to write about them.
Then after reading articles about two separate lightning-strike survivors, I met (and danced with) a man who’d lost both arms in a high-voltage shock incident. I felt like the universe wanted me to tell their stories.
So I bounced the ideas off each other until this wild thriller plot emerged.

As always, if you like the story, please leave a review/rating online (Amazon, Goodreads, B&N, etc.). Your support helps keep me writing!

Readers and Authors Rave:

“A sizzling must read thriller. I absolutely loved this story!” — Midwest Book Review

“A fantastic read! Un-put-down-able!” — Terry Shames, award-winning crime-fiction author

“A gripping thriller that keeps you guessing until the very last page. An L.J. Sellers masterpiece. Do not miss this one!” — Gary Ponzo, thriller author

“L.J. Sellers peels back layer after layer of a young woman’s troubled past in this relentlessly suspenseful tale of bad people, bad decisions, and very bad luck. Add an adorable dog to the mix, and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. A lightning strike of a book!” — Ann Voss Peterson, author of Pushed Too Far

“After Strike starts at a dead run and doesn’t let up. The satisfying twists and unexpected turns come at a breakneck pace, all crafted with laser precision by a master storyteller. The result is a book that’s hard to put down, and that leaves you breathless and eager to continue, assuming you even can. L.J. Sellers is at peak form in this breathtaking thriller. I declare it an absolute must-read.” — Bill Cameron, award-winning crime-fiction author

“The best thriller L.J. Sellers has written, and she’s at the top of my must-read list.” — Teresa Burrell, bestselling author of legal thrillers

There are some books you read and enjoy but do not remember and then there are some books you inhale, devour and BREATHE. Afterstrike is one of these books.”— Di, Goodreads Reviewer

“I was intrigued from the first page of this smart new thriller.”— Elizabeth Sims, bestselling mystery author

I hope you’ll check it out. Thanks for your support!

L.J.

Hot New Thriller!

Hello again

Sorry it’s been so long since I posted. The good news is that I have been writing! I’ve also been working part time to keep up with inflation and running my family-rescue service to keep loved ones from drowning, so I may not write my next Jackson story until this fall. But enough about me. It’s my new book that matters! LOL

AFTERSTRIKE is a standalone thriller that features my favorite character—Agent Dallas. I didn’t start with her in mind, but as I outlined, I realized I needed law enforcement. Who else is as flexible and exciting as Dallas? So she steps into the story about half-way and cranks up the heat.

The beta reader response to this book is by far the best I’ve ever received with comments such as “I absolutely LOVED it!” and “I couldn’t stop reading.” I hope you’ll like it too.

The plot is founded on true events (news stories) that I couldn’t stop thinking about. When I started bouncing the concepts together in my head, an amazing story came together. I’ll blog more about the specific details as I get closer to the release date (May 10). By then, I hope many of you will have read it, reviewed it, and posted about it.

I need this book to be a success, and I can’t do it without you!

Starting in March, I’m giving away ebooks on Goodreads and NetGalley. If you download one—and like the story—please leave a review or social media post anywhere or everywhere. I’d love to see this book get the attention and readership it deserves. Other things you can do to help promote is to mark “Want to read” on Goodreads and add it to your collection on any other book site you belong to.

Here’s the short pitch:

Can a lightning strike survivor save herself from a predator she can’t remember? Maybe . . . with a little help from Agent Dallas.

Thanks again for being faithful readers and making my writing journey so satisfying!

AfterStrike

You can pre-order it at a discount price right now. Those orders help give the book visibility (via the algorithm). It will soon be available on B&N and Apple too, at least for a few months. 😊

 

Goodreads Book Giveaway

AfterStrike by L.J. Sellers

AfterStrike

by L.J. Sellers

Giveaway ends March 31, 2023.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

New Thriller with Co-Author

Hello Friends!
I hope everyone is doing well. It’s been a crazy year. I’ve written several scripts, and I’m hopeful The Extractor will make it to the screen someday. I also co-authored a book with Teresa Burrell (The Advocate). NO CONSENT is the first in a new series featuring new characters, and we had a blast writing it. October 5th is the release date, and we’re hosting a launch party with lots of prizes. Join us on Zoom from 4-6.

NO CONSENT
A stressed-out prosecutor needs help from a charming ex-con. What could possibly go wrong?

District Attorney Clara Hitchens faces two major battles—exposing a corrupt DA, who might be her boss, while handling a high-profile trial with a victim who isn’t sympathetic. When Hitch runs into Nate Conner, he’s the last person she would expect help from.

Newly released from jail, Conner has his own problems. A thug is pressuring him for money, and his little sister Kaylee is missing. Determined to go straight, Conner decides that Hitch is the one person he can trust with his suspicions.

They develop a plan, but everything goes sideways.

The snitch who testified against Conner turns up dead, and all the evidence points to him. Then another key player is murdered, and Kaylee goes deeper into hiding, On top of all that, Hitch’s trial gets derailed when the victim’s OnlyFans videos are revealed in court—a devasting blow.

Can Conner and Hitch beat the odds to bring down the corrupt prosecutor, win the trial, and find Kaylee in time to save her?

Order it now while it’s discounted 20%!

Win the New Jackson Story!

Hello Friends & Readers!

I hope the new year is treating you well . . . all things considered.

I’m happy to report that I have a new novel coming out Feb. 11. Called THE BLACK PILL, it’s a Jackson book that features a strong role for Agent Dallas, my undercover specialist. I’m so honored by the early reader response, which has been fantastic.

The story deals with the subject of incels (involuntary celibates) and their violent tendencies. But it also explores how they might have become that way.

Some of you will recognize the characters’ background as the real conditions of how my grandchildren were living before we rescued them from a dangerous cult in Costa Rica. I’ve often thought about how their lives might have developed without our intervention. Because I write what I fear, this story highlights what they could have become. But that’s all just background. The main story is:

A bizarre murder, a missing woman, and a pack of online predators. Can Jackson and Dallas stop the heinous crime spree?

An early-reader review: “Flawless pacing, fascinating characters, and a plot woven together with seamless complexity: The Black Pill is one of LJ Sellers’ most masterful works.”—Andrew Kaufman, bestselling thriller author

The ebook is available now for pre-order, and the print book will be released in a few weeks.

But I’m giving away a few ebooks today just for fun. In fact, I’ll give one to the first ten people who post a comment in response to my question. The question is: What should I write next?

The options are:

Costa Rican Rescue: The true story of how we extracted our grandchildren from a cult and had to hide from men with guns to keep us all safe.

Pretty Crimes: The first book in a new humorous crime series, or possibly the first TV episode of the series.

Jackson #16: If so, should I include other characters, such as Dallas again, or maybe the Extractor?

Let me know what you think. And thanks again for all your support! Also, if you like the story, please leave an Amazon review. Every review helps the book’s visibility.

 

Hey Friends and Readers,
The new Jackson book is finally out. And the feedback from early readers is terrific. Whew! I’m always relieved to hear that.

In other news, I now have a Hollywood manager who’s actively working to sell the Jackson series (and the Extractor) to a TV distributor. I’m cautiously optimistic.

A Crime of Hate:
When a victim with no ID is found murdered, Detective Jackson believes it’s another hate crime. He rounds up members of a local white nationalist group, but his task force doesn’t have enough evidence to hold them.

Soon after, another woman dies of what looks like a possible suicide. Yet a witness claims the victim had argued with her estranged husband right before. The team has to split up to investigate both deaths, and the detectives are pushed to their limits.

When they finally identify the first victim and a reporter reveals a shocking detail about the second, Jackson realizes the crimes are connected. But without any solid evidence, he has to extract a high-stakes confession from a suspect with everything to lose.

I hope you enjoy the story! And if you do, please leave a review. Thanks for your support!

L.J.

Winning Names

Thanks to everyone who participated!

I love reading all the submissions. I keep the names on file to use later for minor characters—because every story needs 20 or 30 names for witnesses, shopkeepers, and relatives.

Some favorite submissions that didn’t win are:
Dillon Maddox (which I’ll use for the victim, because he sounds sweet)
Donald Jong/Jong Donald (because it made me laugh)
Bolder Malone (because it’s bold and sleazy at the same time)
Author Grimes (just so unlikable)
Chandale Orsini (unique and fun)
Bodhi Reign (original, but I would misspell it every time)

And special thanks to Robyn Jones for a list of interesting names!

So what names did I choose? Rosco Jagger  Submitted by Angie Leblanc and Heather Snyder, respectively. Congratulations!

Why those two? The choice is completely subjective, of course. But Rosco sounds kind of rascally, and Jagger sounds like jagged and dagger and kind of evil. And they seem to work well together.

Thanks again to everyone who commented and/or sent an email response. I sent a link for a free book to all the good sports, but if I missed you in that mailing, let me know.

Win a Jackson print book!

Hi Friends and Readers

I finally have a few print copies of A LIAR’S DEATH (Jackson #13), and I’d love to give them away. (Some readers have said this is the best Jackson yet!)

We haven’t done a character-naming contest in a while, and everyone seems to enjoy them, so here it is.

I’m outlining a new Extractor story, and this one has a technology/hacker/digital ransom theme. The main antagonist is a fifty-something man with a background of failed start-ups and multiple divorces. He’s bitter but still passionate about his projects. Fortunately for my crime-fiction story, his projects are potentially deadly.

So give me your best bad-guy names for this character, and I’ll give away two print books, one for the best first name and one for the best surname name. If a single reader offers a winning combination, I’ll randomly pick a second winner.

In other news: POINT OF CONTROL, my standalone thriller featuring Agent Bailey, is only $.99 right now. If you haven’t read this one, now is a good time to download it.

Scripts, Giveaways, and a TV show?

Hello again

I promised Part 2 of the update, so here it is.

When I got back from Costa Rica, I struggled for a while to regain my energy and focus. (I think I had a little PTSD.) We spent a lot of time in Vancouver with the kids, helping them adjust to their new home and dealing with all the aftermath. Such as a call from the FBI… because we’d been accused of kidnapping. And a call from the state department … because we’d been accused of international child abduction. Neither was true, so we’re not in any trouble, but it was still distracting and stressful.

Then, when I tried to get back to writing the Jackson story, I couldn’t focus on it. The Costa Rica episode kept playing in my head. So I finally wrote a script about our rescue adventure. Getting the story down was cathartic, and I was finally able to get back to work on the Jackson book.

Meanwhile, I’m also marketing the script. And the good news is that two producers (one at Lifetime!) are currently reading it. A well-known actor has shown interest too. Fingers crossed! My purpose in trying to sell this script is to raise money for the kids. They’re doing well, but they need a lot of medical and dental attention, among other things. (A place to donate, if you’re inclined.)

Another interesting bright spot: In the middle of writing the Jackson book, I got a call out of the blue from a production company, asking me to host/narrate a true-crime TV show. Say what? I still had to audition for it, and so far, I made it past the first committee. Now I’m waiting for the next-level approval. This is just how the TV/Hollywood business is. Slow and usually disappointing. So I’m not counting on it, of course. But if it works out? Fun!

I’m also plotting my next script. Because writing them is fun too.

The blog title mentions a giveaway, so here it is: If you haven’t read THE GENDER EXPERIMENT, a thriller featuring Agent Bailey, you can download it for free here.

It’s also free on Amazon today (5/16).

 

 

Costa Rican Rescue

Hello Friends!

Sorry to be out of touch. I have a lot of news to catch you up on! But I’ll do it in several posts . . . and in a logical order.

By request, I’ll tell the Costa Rican Rescue story first—the one where I ended up in real danger while stuck in a foreign country.

The mugger left quite a bruise!

My new husband and I traveled to Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica on our honeymoon. We chose that spot so we could check on Dave’s three grandkids, all under the age of seven, because we were worried about them. And rightfully so. We found them living in a squalid tree house filled with mosquitoes and spiders and zombie-like, cult-member roommates. (No toys, books, or beds!) They also seemed to be starving, and their little bodies were covered with staph infections. Their mother’s mental illness had clearly escalated, and she refused to take the children to the clinic for antibiotics.

Sick with an infection myself (and recovering from an assault!), I decided as soon as I was able to get up I would find a translator and a cab driver and head for the Costa Rican Children’s Service office (PANI) in a nearby town to get help for the kids. Even knowing it would alienate his daughter, Dave decided to go with me. So the next morning we headed out, not knowing what to expect.

At first, the administrator seemed angry with us. “Why didn’t you pick up the niños and take them to the doctor?” she shouted. “You’re familia!” Even in Spanish, I understood the accusation. We had to explain that in the United States, grandparents have no rights.

But the mother had been reported months earlier for the same health-neglect issue, and the PANI office was already looking for her. After hours of back-and-forth translation, they agreed to call the federal police and go out to pick up the children.

Dave and I had been to the home only once, with her driving. It was near the top of a long, winding mountain road that required many turns. Also, we’d come back down in the dark. But we were determined to find it again. Our cab driver stopped at the base of the hill and wouldn’t go any further, so Dave and I climbed in the back of a police truck, doing our best to communicate with officers who didn’t speak English.

We finally found the house again, and relief washed over us. But we quickly realized the mother and  kids weren’t there. A devastating moment. Even worse, her roommate grabbed his phone and started texting. I yelled at an officer to stop him because I knew he was alerting the mother. But it was too late. Dave’s daughter started sending hateful, threatening messages, then went into hiding and never returned to that location.

We couldn’t give up though. The police had put out alerts for the mother, but we knew she had gone deeper into the jungle and that her cult friends would help her. More determined than ever to rescue the children—before they disappeared from us forever—Dave and I went into detective mode. We biked all over Puerto Viejo and the small neighboring towns, asking everyone if they had seen the mother or knew anything about where she might go. I searched the group’s website, looking for details about who they were and what property they owned.

We eventually discovered two pieces of information that made us able to map out an area of the jungle called Carbon 2 where we thought we could find them. Dave spent an hour at a local police station, trying to communicate our findings. Finally he and four officers loaded into two trucks and set off into the jungle again.

I would have gone with them, but I had to find a place to stay that evening. We had to move from our B&B rental because the owner knew the kids had staph infections and wouldn’t allow them there. So on Christmas Eve, I was biking around in the rain, talking to hotel clerks and locals, desperate to find a place for all of us to sleep—hoping against the odds that Dave would get lucky and locate the kids.

The kids in San Jose

And he did! After hours of driving up gravel roads, only to have to turn around and try a different route, he finally spotted his daughter’s car in some bushes. The police raided the primitive shack and called for an ambulance to take the children to the clinic.

By that time, I’d secured a rental , so I biked out to the clinic to join Dave as he waited outside. After two long hours of negotiation, the sick children were released into our custody. And we got our first taste of what was in store for us. Two of the mother’s cult friends were parked nearby in a silver van, watching and waiting. The police had to block them so we could leave without being followed.

That evening, she posted a Biblical verse on her Facebook page about a child killing her father, and her friends posted that they intended to find us and hurt us, then take the kids back. So for the next eighteen days, we moved from one cramped rental to the next, constantly looking over our shoulders.

At one point, we were staying with a French couple deep in the jungle. On a walk one morning, I spotted a silver van parked at the end of the gated road. I turned and ran, fearful that I would lead the men back to the kids. We later learned that they had been searching for us at nearby vacation rentals, and that one of them had a gun.

It was the most stressful three weeks of my life. But it was also incredibly rewarding to watch the kids blossom as we fed them real food, gave them love and attention, and treated them with antibiotics. (We also had to teach them how to take showers and brush their teeth!) Eventually, we were allowed to travel to San Jose—for our safety—and we enlisted the help of the American Embassy.

Finally, we got word that the custody paperwork was ready. We picked up the kids’ passport and bought tickets for Oregon for the next morning. After one last nerve-racking moment at the airport immigration office, we boarded a plane for home.

The kids are with their aunt and uncle and are doing really well. But they have a lot of catching up to do. And one of my motivations in writing about this is to encourage people to report neglect and abuse when they suspect it. Several people came to us after the rescue and said they’d witnessed how bad it was (even before Costa Rica) and wished they had reported it. It’s always better to err on the side of children.

On a completely different note: After many interruptions (see above), Detective Jackson #13 is finally done and will release on May 29. You can pre-order it now.

Giveaways!

Hello Friends!

This is just a quick update, mostly about a couple of free ebooks that are available—and to reassure my Jackson fans that I’m working on a new Jackson story that I hope to release in May. I started working on it in December, then had to travel to Costa Rica to rescue my grandchildren. I essentially did my own extraction, complete with real danger. A wild, but true, story! I’m home safe now and back to writing.

In the meantime, if you haven’t read my new psychological thriller, THE OTHER, which features my Extractor character, you can enter to win one of a hundred ebook copies on Goodreads. So far, the novel is garnering all 5-star reviews. You can enter the contest here:

You can also download a free copy of THE GENDER EXPERIMENT from Amazon right now too. This standalone thriller features FBI Special Agent Baily and the Readers Favorite Awards calls it “the best thriller of the year.”

If you miss the free giveaway, contact me, and I’ll send you a copy.

 

 

 

 

I’m also honored to introduce you to Teresa Burrell, a good friend and terrific writer. You may already know her as the author of the bestselling legal thriller series called The Advocate. But she’s also started a new series and is giving away ebooks to people who want to read and review. If you’d like a copy of MASON’S MISSING, you can contact her directly through a Facebook message, or let me know and I’ll send your contact information to her. If you want to know more about the story, here’s a link to the book’s description (and great reviews) on Amazon, I’m reading it now and love it so far.

Thanks for your consistent support of my work!