Hey friends and readers! Sorry I haven’t been in touch. But in the last twelve months I’ve written three novels, hosted a Left Coast Crime conference, recovered from a broken leg (with two surgeries), and moved! Among other things.

The book news is that Point of Control, a standalone thriller, will release January 19. If you’re on my mailing list you’ll get an email at the time. Then Death Deserved (Jackson #11) will release in June. It’s a long way off, I know! Sorry! But I did my part. The Jackson book is done and in the editing process now. (And I’m already outlining a new standalone book.)

I hope you’ll try Point of Control. I had a blast writing the story, and( it’s available for preorder now. The character is new, and the plot is both “ripped from the headlines” realistic and wild as hell. Here’s the cover copy:

In her personal life, FBI agent Andra Bailey works hard to control her sociopathic tendencies. But on the job, her cold logic comes in handy.
Now two world-renowned scientists have disappeared, and the bureau assigns Bailey to find them and hunt down the kidnapper. Bailey soon suspects that a rare-metal shortage may be the link between the disappearances and that the motive is far more dangerous than she imagined. With the market in turmoil and prices sky-high, electronics companies and their power-hungry CEOs are ready to do anything—even kill—to keep production lines going.

When a third scientist disappears, Bailey throws caution aside to track the crimes to their source. But by immersing herself so deeply in the case, she risks letting down the defenses she’s built to contain the sociopath inside her.

Here’s what bestselling authors say:
“L.J.Sellers outdoes herself in POINT OF CONTROL, a nonstop action juggernaut that gives the reader a unique female protagonist and lots of real-life issues to think about. The book ranks right up there with the best of her excellent series novels.” —Tim Hallinan, bestselling author of The Junior Bender and Poke Raferty Mysteries

“With cutting-edge technology, nonstop action, and a wholly original character in Agent Bailey, L.J. Sellers’ POINT OF CONTROL is a heart-pounding thriller that is smart as all get-out.”— J. Carson Black, NY Times bestselling author

Here are my public-events calendar for the next six months:
Driftwood Public Library in Lincoln City: October 15
Holiday Market, Lane County Fairgrounds, December 5
Left Coast Crime, Phoenix AZ, February 25-28

You folks have outdone yourselves this time! Such great prison names. Confines, Claustrum, Guardian, Revisions. I loved them all. And if I were writing a futuristic thriller or satire, I could have used any of them. I was very tempted to use Lorna’s suggestion of Guardian, a company that wants to project the image of doing the country a favor and seeing itself in a positive light. But there are companies and products named Guardian, and I never want to malign any real people, places, or things.

So I chose the straightforward Corrections for a Safer America, CSA, because it felt the most realistic. Thank you, Angela Davis, for this submission!

Angela also submitted the very creative name Olga Krivitsky for the judge. It never occurred to me to make the judge a woman, but if I did, she’d be Olga. But the judge in this story is based on a real person who made the news, so I’m sticking with a male.

Of the other submissions for the judge’s name, there were three I liked so much, I couldn’t make up my mind: Winston Slaybaugh (from Sandy), Jedidiah or J.D. Bidwell  (from Jack Finch), and Ralph Bletzo (from Briana Stansberry). Slaybaugh, Bidwell, and Bletzo. They sound like a corrupt law firm.

I went back and forth so many times, I finally asked my husband to chose his favorite, and he liked them all too. We finally narrowed them down to Bidwell and Slaybaugh, then tossed a coin. So the judge will be J.D. Bidwell, who does anything but bid people well. Thank you, Jack!

But I’ll use the other two great names in the story somewhere. They’ll most likely be politicians, which seems appropriate. And because I like all three so much, I’ve decided to send the print book to Angela for CSA. Everyone else gets an ebook. I can send either The Trigger or The Target now, or put you on the list for The Trap when it’s released in December.

Thanks again, readers. I love your input.

by L.J. Sellers, author of provocative mysteries & thrillers

Reviews are always a hot topic for authors and readers, but this new legal development could fundamentally change online reviews.

A business owner has sued for the right to see the names of anonymous online reviewers. The owner believes a rash of suddenly negative reviews came from competitors, because he can’t match their complaints and timing to his service records. The reviews hurt his business, and he sued them for defamation, demanding that Yelp turn over their identities. Yelp has refused, claiming first amendment protection. The Virginia state supreme court will decide the case this month.

I’m rooting for the business owner. A good friend lost half her business after one bad posting on Ripoff Report, in which the reviewer used a phony name and made false claims—after she gave him his money back.  As an author, I’m never going to sue any reviewers, but wouldn’t it be nice if they couldn’t hide behind fake internet names?

I expect readers to disagree, and I understand why anonymity seems important. Because I know so many writers personally, I don’t feel comfortable reviewing most books. But I also never use a made-up persona either. For anything. I stand by my words.

Consumer reviews have become very powerful in influencing buying decisions, subverting the power that marketers once had. Overall, I believe this is a good thing for all of us.

Yet, both authors and readers have abused the ability to post anonymous reviews. Some authors have used it to promote their own work and to trash their competitors. Readers have used it to complain about a book’s price with one-star reviews, and some just spew negativity and hatred wherever they go.

For me, the issue is opinion versus false claims. When someone reads a book and honestly hates it, they have a right to say so. But so many reviews, particularly of products and services, go beyond opinion and make false claims. Don’t those authors or small businesses have a right to counter those claims? Doesn’t the reviewer have an obligation to support those claims—if challenged?

I’m hoping the court decides that Yelp needs to turn over the reviewers’ identity. If it does, a precedent will be set, and more and more businesses will demand that negative/false reviewers produce documentation. That should lead to more and more transparency in online reviews—as the trolls realize they could be identified and held accountable.

What do you think? Does the first amendment guarantee our right to anonymous free speech or just free speech?

People get into the spirit of giving this time of year, and I love to see it. For my charitable foundation Housing Help, it has been a special blessing.

Recently, a local philanthropist & consultant contacted me and asked if I wanted to discuss my foundation and take advantage of his experience. I was thrilled! All of my previous efforts to network with local groups had been meet with silence. And, other than calling St. Vincent de Paul, I had no idea how to find and screen families in need.

My new mentor put me in touch with Shelter Care, and few days later, Housing Help assisted a single father of two school-age kids, living in Springfield, who needed help with December rent so he wouldn’t lose his new apartment. It was a great feeling to finally accomplish what I’d set out to do years ago when I visualized this foundation.

I posted online about it, and several friends, both online and local, made contributions to the foundation. Thank you! I matched those donations, and we were able to help a second household. Two Eugene single mothers, with a combined three children, had received an eviction notice from their landlord—for no cause. They’d scraped together what they could but had still come up short of the $1300+ needed for first month’s rent plus a security deposit on a new place—which they felt lucky to find and quality for.

Housing Help provided the other half of the move-in costs, and the two families—which had nowhere to go—will have a new home, rather than live in their cars.

This is such a critical service!

I thank everyone who’s donated to this foundation, and I hope you’ll make it a habit. My original goal was to help one family a month. But I want to do more. So I’m aiming for two a month all next year. The list of families in this situation is endless, and not just in Lane County. Millions of people are one paycheck, or one unexpected expense, away from homelessness.

To motivate others to get involved, I’m offering an incentive: Anyone who donates $5 a month all next year, for a total of $60, will get a free book from me with every new release next year. And I plan to publish four! Two are already written and scheduled.

Find out more about the foundation at its website, where you can donate through PayPay (or credit card). A mailing address is listed as well. Or contact me with any questions.

Thank you! And Happy Holidays!

The always-innovative Amazon has several new programs, with each tailored to make either readers, writers, or bookstores happy. Yes, I said bookstores, so read on.

For Writers
Gayle mentioned this program yesterday, but it’s worth looking at again. Kindle Countdown Deals allows authors to discount their books to as low as $.99 for a set period of time, but pays a full 70% royalty, even at that price. (Normally a $.99 book earns only a 35% royalty). With the higher royalty, more authors will offer books at the low price, so it’s good for readers too.

Amazon also features those discounted books on a special webpage so readers can find them and know how long the discounted price will continue. It’ll be interesting to see what kind of effect the promotions have on future sales. Note: The program is only available to books that have been in the Select program for 30 days.

For Bookstores
Another new program called Amazon Source allows indie bookstores to profit from the cultural shift toward e-reading. Here are the basic options for bookstores:

• Sell any Kindle device at a 6% margin (or less, should a store decide to discount), any Kindle accessory at a 35% margin and get 10% of all subsequent ebook sales on sold devices.
•  Sell any Kindle device at a 9% margin (or less with discounting), any Kindle accessory at a 35% margin and get no part of ebook sales.

I’m hoping bookstores will get on board, increase their profitability, and lose some of their hostility toward Amazon.

For Readers
Amazon also has two new programs designed for readers. Kindle Matchbook launched a month ago and allows publishers and authors to offer readers a discounted (or free) ebook version when readers buy the print book. Readers have been asking for this all along, and it’s a great idea, even if overdue. Those who participate will build reader loyalty.

A fourth new program for readers and writers is launching in December, but I’m sworn to secrecy so you’ll just have to wait for the details.

What do you think? Will the Source program lure bookstores to participate? Writers: Have you participated in any of these yet?