My First Ever Readings of UNTOLD DAMAGE!

Howdy.

So, I got a couple readings/signings lined up for UNTOLD DAMAGE. It’s a little intimidating… to think that I’m going to be out there, sitting in a bookstore, reading aloud to a bunch of people, and then answering any questions they might have.

But, I have to add here that it will also be a TON OF FUN.

THIS is one of those moments you’re working towards as a writer. Being out there, meeting your readers and answering their questions. It’s going to be a blast, and strangely I’m not stressed about it. Maybe it’s the ham in me. I always was the lead in the class play. Yeah… I’m a ham for sure.

The first reading is Wednesday, May 22nd @ the San Francisco Marina Books Inc. 7pm. There’s a pub-type thing across the street that I’m going to go to afterwards with any and all that’ll come.

The second reading will be on Tuesday, June 4th @ the Berkeley Books Inc. 7pm. There’s also some bar in the vicinity that you’re all invited to after the reading.

This is going to be a blast. I’m very excited to hear what questions people have (if any, lol).

Come on down! Bring a friend!

I’ll report back after the events to let you know they went. I’m sure I’ll have some good things to relate.

Best,

RkL

My Blog Tour is Now Over. Great Results!

My blog book tour for UNTOLD DAMAGE, worked out for me by TLC Book Tours is finished. And let me again add here I could NOT recommend TLC highly enough. If you need to
promote your novel, these people are GOLD, trust me.

Here’s where the book was reviewed:

1. Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile
2. Crime Fiction Lover
3. Booksie’s Blog
4. Tales of a Book Addict
5. http://aceandhoserblook.blogspot.com/
6. http://joyfullyretired.com/
7. http://mustreadfaster.blogspot.com/
8. http://luanne-abookwormsworld.blogspot.com/
9. http://shetreadssoftly.blogspot.com/
10. http://www.mytwoblessings.com/

I’ll update this list as I go. (UPDATED 5/1/13)

All the reviews are VERY good, very strong. The really happy part is the Mallen is resonating with people. They’re rooting for him. A protagonist that people root for bodes very
well for the future of a series.

Check the reviews out, and please leave a comment on these blogs if you can. I know that both I and the bloggers would appreciate it.

Thanks!

See ya,

RkL

The Winners of My Book Giveaway!

Thanks to everyone who entered! If you didn’t win this time, don’t despair! I’ll be having more giveaways in the future. Even ones like I’ll give away a stack of noir mystery books, etc.

And the winners are:

Peter Burton
Angie Sandro
Cheryl Dale

I’ll be contacting you three via email or some other way. Or, feel free to contact me via my website (www.robertklewis.com),
leaving me your address.

Thanks again for entering!

Best,

RkL

My Blog Tour is in Full Swing.

So, I’m about 1/3 through my blog tour for UNTOLD DAMAGE, worked out for me by TLC Book Tours. And let me add here I could NOT recommend them highly enough. If you need to
promote your novel, these people are GOLD, trust me.

Here’s where I’ve been so far:
Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile
Crime Fiction Lover
Booksie’s Blog
Tales of a Book Addict

I’ll update this list as I go.

So far, just about all the reviews are VERY good, very strong. The really happy part is the Mallen is resonating with people. They’re rooting for him. A protagonist that people root for bodes very
well for the future.

Check them out, and leave comment on these blogs if you can. I know that both I and the bloggers would appreciate it.

Thanks!

See ya,

RkL

My Publication Day has Arrived. (along with a BOOK GIVEAWAY and NEWS!)

Sixteen months ago this road started, and now it’s finally here: my publication day. Again, I want to thank everyone who has supported me, whether by cheering me on, by advising me on what to do next, or just helping me to keep my feet planted firmly on the ground.

I couldn’t have done this without all of you. Trust me on that one.

And to celebrate, I’m going to have my first book giveaway. I’m going to give away THREE copies of UNTOLD DAMAGE. Just leave a comment in this thread and I’ll choose three people at random (or I’ll just roll my twenty-sided dice) a week from today.

Also: UNTOLD DAMAGE gets the Fresh Meat treatment over at the greatness that is Criminal Element!

I also start my blog tour today. Today I’ll be at Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile. Tomorrow it’s over at Crime Fiction Writer. If for some reason there’s a hitch in the machine, I’ll let you know when those appearances will be rescheduled.

AND, to top it off, I have my first ever book signing. I’ll be at the Books, Inc. in the San Francisco marina district on Wednesday, May 22nd @ 7pm. If it’s at all possible, I’d love to see you there! If you come to the signing and buy a book from the store (doesn’t even have to be mine), I’ll take you across the street to the bar and buy you a drink. Yes, yes I will. Gotta keep the

So, there we go: my pub day has arrived, I’m giving books away, and I have my first book signing set up. A good start!

UNTOLD DAMAGE isn’t Even OUT Yet, But Here’s the…

… cover for the SECOND Mark Mallen book, CRITICAL DAMAGE!

THIS f’n rocks my socks, and then some! Hope it rocks you, too!

And Down the Rabbit Hole We Go.

So, Amazon began shipping copies of UNTOLD DAMAGE this week.

I guess that makes me officially published.

I think I’m still in shock. All the endless hours spent at the desk, writing and rewriting and rewriting and then some more rewriting. The countless query letters. The countless rejections. The hopes, dashed. But that’s all just part of the job, yeah? And now, approximately ten years or so later since I started writing fiction (after some years of writing screenplays), here I am. With a book out there in the big world. Even at Barnes & Noble for Christ’s sake!

SO unbelievable.

But yet, here we are. This is the time to take a breath, sit back for a moment, and reflect on the road that got me here. A road complete with potholes, oil slicks, and all the great and loving people that kept me going. Amazing. Now that UNTOLD DAMAGE is out, it’s all about helping it do the best it can by publicizing it, getting some readings/signings set up, and doing some giveaways and blog tours.

And while I’m doing that? I’m working on the second book in the series, due out one year from now.

I started this blog almost four years ago, back when I first landed my agent. Thank you for walking this journey with me, to this point.

RkL

Getting Down to the Wire.

Hello there.

Okay, so here we are, less than a month now before UNTOLD DAMAGE is released. I found out today that the Kindle version will be available on April 1st! I thought they were doing an April Fools gag on me, but it’s for real.

So, let me see… what’s been going on?

Well, I’m working on getting signings and readings in order. Due to a few glitches, the signings will be happening in May, not April like I’d hoped. But, sometimes stuff happens and you just have to
play it as it lays.

I will be getting my author copies soon and then I can begin the book giveaways! I’m REALLY looking forward to those, trust me.

Went to a great launch event for a friend of mine, Sophie Littlefield, over at Diesel Books in Oakland. Her latest novel, called GARDEN OF STONES is getting rave reviews, and if you ever get a chance to hear Sophie speak in person, go for it! She’s a ton of fun. And man, what a great store Diesel Books is, staffed with incredibly friendly book lovers. I am so hoping that I can work some sort of appearance there.

Oh, and have I told you how awesome the people I’ve been working with are? From my agent to my editor to fellow writers, everyone is being so helpful. Really putting their hand in the pile, pulling together on the rope etc. All of their support keeps reminding me just how very lucky I am.

And finally, I’m working on one of those events that only happen once in an author’s life: the book launch party for their debut novel. A friend has donated their live/work loft for the space and is also going to make their legendary martinis. My sister and brother-in-law are donating a couple boxes of wine, and my wife is handling the catering (if I can let her, as I’m a control freak dickhead). I’ve invited everyone I know (all ten of them, lol) and it should be a great celebration. A real coming-out party. The last time there was a party for me was my birthday party back when I was like nine or something. And I’ve NEVER thrown a party. Not a one. It’s a whole new world, this party throwing thing, that’s for sure.

So, that’s about it. We’re almost, almost, almost there. Getting very excited, and um… well, very stressed.

Thank God for wine, that’s all I gotta say.

See ya!

RkL

UNTOLD DAMAGE and Kirkus Reviews, AND News About my Writer’s Digest Appearance!

Hello!

Well, last week was a GREAT week, publicity-wise.

FIRST, let me share with you what Kirkus Reviews had to say about UNTOLD DAMAGE:
“Equally rooted in the struggle for justice and the struggle for sobriety, Lewis’ debut makes it clear that there may be no clear right or wrong.”

That’s huge, and bodes well for the book.

THEN there’s this:
I’m in the March/April hard copy edition of Writer’s Digest! In Chuck Sambuchino’s “Breaking In” column. It should be on newstands in about a week or so. Please check it out!

So, a nice one/two punch on the publicity front.

Thanks!

RkL

Okay, Get Ready! We’re Down to Single Digit Weeks Until Untold Damage is Out!

Well, here we go. We’re down to like eight weeks away from my first novel. On April 8th, I’ll be a published writer. Been a LONG and crazy time since I got the call from my agent that she’d sold a two-book deal to the greatness that is known as Midnight Ink. Since that time, I’ve lost BOTH my parents, almost died, and now have some medical condition that I will probably have the rest of my days.

We’re really defined by the turning points in our lives. These last twelve have certainly defined me. I’ve left the old me behind, never to be that person again.

And then, there is Mark Mallen and his first adventure: Untold Damage. It’s crazy to think I’ll have a book out in bookstores, both here and abroad. That it will eventually be available on both the Kindle and the Nook.

Crazy.

After like ten long years of trying and trying and trying to get to here, I’m finally actually at this point!

Crazy.

I’m looking forward to what happens after the book comes out. I’ve got that blog tour from TLC BLog Tours, that appearance in Writers Digest, a book giveaway and review on Criminal Element. And hopefully a lot of other interesting things. Personally, I’m looking forward to the book giveaways. I’m devising all sorts of interesting contests for you guys.

Anyway, we’ll talk soon, I’m sure.

Best,

RkL