Category Archives: Writing

New Release Alert: BUT NOT FORLORN (Clint Wolf Mysteries – Book #7)

August 6, 2018Mystery, WritingBJ Bourg

Good Monday morning! I hope everyone’s having a great day so far and that all is well.

I want to begin by thanking each and every one of you for helping make BUT NOT FORBIDDEN a #1 New Release in Amazon’s Hard-Boiled category–not once, but THREE times during its first thirty days of life! It’s a first for me and I owe it to all of you. I’ve always said writers are nothing without readers, and I really appreciate the support.

So, without wasting anymore time, here’s the link and the description to the latest Clint Wolf novel, BUT NOT FORLORN:

Description:

The political race to determine the next mayor of Mechant Loup is heating up…literally. When one of the candidates is burned to death in a fiery blaze, Clint Wolf and Susan Wilson go straight from their honeymoon to investigating a brutal homicide. While there are a number of suspects, evidence and witnesses are lacking, and narrowing the list down becomes a challenge.

A late night attack on a Mechant Loup police officer leads to a curious discovery, but exactly how this discovery factors into the case is anybody’s guess. Clint will have to reach out to the local media for help…and it might turn out to be the best decision he’s made throughout the case. However, no one will be rejoicing when this investigation is over, and it’s unlikely anyone from the police department will ever be the same again.

Click here or on the cover to buy or read for free though Kindle Unlimited:

Again, thank y’all so much for reading!!!

bjb

New Release Alert, Upcoming Sale!

May 21, 2018Mystery, Sale, WritingBJ Bourg

Well, I’ve had a busy weekend, but I’ve finally published the next book in the Clint Wolf Mystery Series titled BUT NOT FORBIDDEN.

Here’s the blurb and link:

The only thing Clint Wolf and Susan Wilson want to do is get married, but when a man is murdered in a most embarrassing way–shot to death while sitting on a porta potty–their wedding plans are placed in serious jeopardy. With only eight days to go until they say their vows, Clint and Susan go to work trying to find out who might want to kill the victim. There are a number of likely suspects and they all seem to have good reasons for wanting the man dead, but Clint and Susan must figure out who hated him the most.

As they work their way through the evidence in search of the truth, they are unknowingly headed for a deadly confrontation. Before it’s all over, bullets will start flying and people are going to die…and if they’re not careful, one of them might not make it to the alter.

Additionally, Boxed Set One of the London Carter Mystery Series will be available for FREE on Amazon beginning May 30th and ending June 3rd, 2018. So, if you haven’t read it yet, here’s your chance to pick up the first three books in the series for FREE.

Thanks to all of you for your support!

bjb

NEW RELEASE ALERT!!!

February 25, 2018Novel, WritingBJ Bourg

At long last, BUT NOT FOR NAUGHT (Book 5 in the Clint Wolf Series) is now available at Amazon. I would’ve gotten it out earlier, but we’re in the middle of a DA election at my day job and I’m busy doing everything I can to help my boss get elected. The election is March 24th, so things should get back to normal for me soon afterward, and I’ll be able to start on the next Clint Wolf book, which is titled BUT NOT FORBIDDEN. I’m hoping to publish that one in May/June 2018, right before I head off to the Smoky Mountains for the Fourth of July.

In any event, here’s the description of BUT NOT FOR NAUGHT, along with the cover and link to it:

The only thing worse than being stabbed in the back is being shot in the back; and that’s exactly what happens to local bar owner Mitch Taylor. As Clint Wolf and Susan Wilson investigate, the list of suspects begins to grow and it includes the victim’s estranged wife. Just when it appears Clint is closing in on the killer, things takes a surprising turn and the entire complexion of the case is changed.

As though the twist in the case weren’t enough, Clint finds an old photograph that turns his personal life on its head and sets him on a dual quest for answers. Not only is he interrogating suspects, but he also interrogates his mother, and he begins to wonder what will be more difficult—discovering the secret to his past or solving Mitch Taylor’s murder. One thing is certain…no one will be the same after this is over.

Thank you very much to all who have waited patiently (and even those who have waited impatiently :-)) for this release.

Best to all!

bjb

BLOOD RISE (Book 6: London Carter Mysteries) out now!

October 2, 2017Mystery, Sniper, WritingBJ Bourg

BLOOD RISE, which is the sixth and final book in the London Carter mystery series, is now available. Here’s the description:

In the final book in this series, London Carter has planned the perfect surprise vacation for Dawn Luke. They’re heading to the Smoky Mountains National Park, where he’ll drop down to one knee in front of Abrams Falls and propose to her. However, when a grisly discovery is made in a small community within Magnolia Parish, they’re forced to return home to investigate.

They soon learn that the victim, Kathleen Bertrand, has been killed in the most heinous manner imaginable, and they delve into her past looking for anything that might help explain what happened. They locate some skeletons in her closet and, while one of them might be motive enough for murder, the brutal nature of the crime doesn’t seem to fit.

As Dawn and London drive to the Gulf Coast town of Dark Sands, Mississippi to follow-up on a piece of evidence they discovered in Kathleen’s car, Deputy Abraham Wilson is called to investigate the disappearance of another Plymouth East woman. Fearing the cases are connected and the second victim might suffer the same fate as the first, they work nearly nonstop to bring the killer to justice.

No one knows if they’ll locate the victim in time to save her, but it’s clear London won’t be dropping down to one knee anytime soon–unless it’s to take a shot.

(Click on book cover to buy or read free on Kindle Unlimited.)

What’s next for me? Book Four in the Clint Wolf mystery series. While that series began as a trilogy, due to popular demand I’ve decided to extend it. I’m currently working on BUT NOT FOREVER and I plan to write six to nine more in the series. If it continues selling well, I might continue beyond that number. At some point, I want to start a series that features Abraham Wilson as the main character. It will be a spin-off of the London Carter series and will feature London and Dawn from time to time.

As always, many thanks to all of you for your support!

bjb

Out now: Book 4 in the London Carter Mystery Series

June 8, 2017Mystery, Smoky Mountains National Park, Sniper, Suspense, WritingBJ Bourg

I’m happy to announce the release of my latest novel, BULLET DROP, which is the 4th book in the London Carter Mystery Series. While I usually have a “no write” policy on vacations, my wife allowed me to get a little writing done on our anniversary cruise and it enabled me to finish sooner than expected. So, thanks to her for putting up with a few hours of writing, as well as for reading the first draft and pointing out things that needed to be fleshed out or omitted. She is extremely supportive of my writing and I would not be able to accomplish as much as I do without her. I also want to thank Shelly Ourso for reading (or, rather, devouring) the first draft and offering her feedback. She is always such a big help. And I can’t say enough about Christine Savoie and how much I love the covers she creates for my books. I’m so glad she found me!

Well folks, here’s the description of BULLET DROP, along with the cover art and a link to the eBook on Amazon (it will be on sale for $2.99 right out the gate and will remain there for several weeks):

While Dawn Luke travels to her hometown of Arkansas to tend to her sick mother, London Carter is called upon to investigate the murder of a young teenager whose body is found stuffed under the exit ramp of an overpass. It was apparent to London that the murderer wanted to make sure the kid was dead, but the motive for the killing was far from obvious.

Summoning the assistance of Detective Rachael Bowler, the two are finally able to locate the actual crime scene and that leads them to the identity of their young victim. But instead of providing answers, the identification leads to more questions. Could a secret involving the young man lead them to the killer, or will it only muddy the waters and interfere with their investigation?

Whatever the case, this is one killer no one should take for granted–not even a cop as skilled and gritty as London Carter.

So, what’s next for me? After I finish this blog post, I’ll get “write” to work on the opening chapter of the 5th London Carter Novel, which is titled ELEVATION, with the hopes of finishing it by September/October. I’ll be taking two breaks during the writing of this novel, but will be “writing faster” when not on the breaks, as a few of you have advised me to start doing. 🙂

For those interested, the first break will be from July 5 through July 10, when we’ll be bringing my daughter to the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont for a weekend-long biology class. The second will be from July 28 through August 6, which will be our family vacation in the Smoky Mountains. We’ll be renting a cabin through Mountain Laurel Chalets (as we always do) and will be staying on Ski Mountain Road in Gatlinburg. If any of you will be in that area during the same time frame, give me a holler and I’ll keep an eye out for you. It would be nice to meet and personally thank those of you who read my books and follow my writing career.

Before signing off, I want to extend my heartfelt condolences to all of the people who lost loved ones, or were injured, or had property destroyed during the wildfires in the Smoky Mountains late last year. I go there every year and, while I was saddened to learn that four of the chalets I’ve rented over the years were lost in the fire, it was downright heartbreaking to hear of all the lives lost and the injuries sustained. My best to the people of that area as they rebuild and try to move past the pain and loss.

bjb

October Surprise: BUT NOT FORSAKEN now available!

October 7, 2016Mystery, WritingBJ Bourg

This is not a political “October Surprise”, but a literary one. While it might not be a surprise to some, it’s certainly a surprise to me. As I recall, I’d originally projected releasing the third and final book in my Clint Wolf Trilogy in August/September. However, I began getting my butt kicked at work and in my home life, so my writing suffered and I was forced to push the release date back to September/October. As October approached at breakneck speed, I began to fear I’d have to push the date back to November…but then came my “October Surprise”.

I’d anticipated working every weekend in September and October, but was surprised to have them off. I was also surprised when I got an unexpected day off during this week, and I used nearly every minute of those days to finish writing and editing BUT NOT FORSAKEN. When I announced to Amanda that I had finished, her first words were, “Great, now I can have my husband back!”

So, without further delay, here’s the blurb for BUT NOT FORSAKEN:

No one knows why the district attorney is gunning for Susan Wilson, but Clint Wolf is determined to find out—even if it’ll get him in trouble. While he works to clear Susan’s name, his crusade is sidelined when a bar manager is murdered during an apparent armed robbery. The method of operation is eerily similar to those used by the ruthless gang who murdered his family, and Clint might soon have to face down the demons from his past to solve the mystery.

Will Clint walk that fine line between good and evil, or will he abandon his principles to settle an old score? Whatever choice he makes, one thing is certain…it’ll come at a hefty price.

And here’s the link to it on Amazon: BUT NOT FORSAKEN: A Clint Wolf Novel (Book 3)

I want to thank all of you who have waited patiently (or not so patiently:- ) for this book to come out and, as always, I appreciate every one of you who have supported my writing. Writers are nothing without readers, and I’d surely be nothing without all of you.

bjb

New Cover Reveal: BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

May 14, 2016Mystery, WritingBJ Bourg

I’m excited to announce that I’m rolling out a new cover for Book 1 of my Clint Wolf Mystery Series, which is titled BUT NOT FORGOTTEN. The cover was created by Christine Savoie of Bayou Cover Designs and I can’t say enough how pleased I am with it. She also created the cover for Book 2, BUT NOT FORGIVEN, and I’ll reveal that one later in the summer.

So, without further rambling, here’s the cover:

If there are any authors out there who would like to see some of Christine’s work with an eye toward hiring her, click here. Contact me privately at bjbourg[@]bjbourg.com for her contact information.

Thanks for reading!

2016 EPIC eBook Awards Winner in Mystery!

April 16, 2016Mystery, Sniper, WritingBJ Bourg

I learned yesterday that my debut novel, JAMES 516, was named the 2016 EPIC eBook Awards Winner in the category of Mystery. I can’t express enough how excited and honored I am to receive this award, which has been handed out for nearly two decades, and I’m grateful to all the folks who made it possible.

When I wrote JAMES 516, I wrote what I wanted to read: a mystery novel pitting a police sniper against an evil sniper that involved a deep, dark secret, keen investigative work, and a surprise ending. To date, it was probably the most fun I’ve had writing a book, and it was in large part due to the fact that sniping is one of the activities about which I’m truly passionate–I even have the tattoo to prove it.

Blurb: The Magnolia Parish Sheriff’s Office is on high alert after a deadly sniper begins executing high-ranking cops. Sheriff Burke puts his best sniper, London Carter, and his internal affairs officer, Bethany Riggs, on the case. Pressure mounts and panic sets in as the body count rises and the killer becomes more embolden. London and Bethany find themselves sifting through evidence, lies, and feelings for each other in their quest to stop the deadly attacks. A mysterious note at the crime scenes might offer a clue to the killer’s motive, but will they decipher it before the sheriff’s entire staff is wiped out?

A little history about JAMES 516: I began writing it on August 16, 2010 under the working title, MISTAKE OF FACT, and I wrote 174 words that first day. I completed the first draft, which weighed in at 84,186 words, on November 2, 2010. I worked on the book for a total of sixty days, averaging a little over 1400 words per day. I shopped it to dozens of agents and one publisher until I finally landed a contract with Amber Quill Press, LLC, which was a publisher listed on Mystery Writers of America’s Approved Publisher List. JAMES 516 was originally published on December 7, 2014, but went out of print through AQP on March 30, 2016 when the publisher folded. As soon as the rights reverted to me on March 31, 2016, I re-released JAMES 516 in print and e-book with a new cover and at a much lower price.

An interesting fact about JAMES 516: Several years after I wrote it, a horrible incident occurred in law enforcement that was eerily similar to an event that takes place in JAMES 516. The incident made national news and the freakish similarities between the incident and my book were pretty amazing. I can’t provide any details surrounding the incident, because that would reveal a major plot twist in the book. However, if you read the book and think you’ve figured it out, email me at bjbourg[at]bjbourg[dot]com and share your thoughts. If you’ve read it and didn’t figure it out, email me and I’ll point it out.

Until next time, thanks for reading!

Re-Release of Mystery Novels

March 17, 2016Mystery, WritingBJ Bourg

In just fifteen short days, on March 31, 2016, I’ll be re-releasing my three novels that were previously published by the soon-to-be defunct Amber Quill Press, LLC. That means they will once again be available on Amazon in Kindle format, as well as in print format. The stories are the same, but the covers are new and (hopefully) improved, and the prices will be more reasonable.

Here are the cover images and blurbs:

The Magnolia Parish Sheriff’s Office is on high alert after a deadly sniper begins executing high-ranking cops. Sheriff Burke puts his best sniper, London Carter, and his internal affairs officer, Bethany Riggs, on the case. Pressure mounts and panic sets in as the body count rises and the killer becomes more embolden. London and Bethany find themselves sifting through evidence, lies, and feelings for each other in their quest to stop the deadly attacks. A mysterious note at the crime scenes might offer a clue to the killer’s motive, but will they decipher it before the sheriff’s entire staff is wiped out?

“…compelling and intense from start to finish…one heck of a read.”
–Kevin R. Tipple, Reviewer at Kevin’s Corner

THE SEVENTH TAKING is the chilling tale of a young man’s journey through harsh mountain country in his search for the girl he loves, and the two friends who dare to brave the dangerous elements—both human and natural—to support a friend.

When Joy Vincent disappears in the Blue Summit Mountains of Tennessee while vacationing with her family, park rangers begin an intensive search for the Louisiana high school junior. Seven weeks later, the search is abandoned and authorities conclude that Joy voluntarily ran away because of a fight with her father.

Unwilling to believe it, Abraham Wilson makes the long drive to the mountains and sets off on a journey that will change his life–and the lives of his friends, Brett Lester and Charlie Rickman–forever. Will they discover the secret behind Joy’s disappearance, or will they meet with the same fate?

Two years after Clint Wolf’s life has been disrupted forever, he’s asked to serve as police chief for a quiet little town deep in the swamps of Louisiana. But the tranquility of the town is shattered when a severed arm is found in the jowls of an alligator.

With the aid of Sergeant Susan Wilson, Clint investigates and it isn’t long before they realize someone has been murdered. As the investigation ensues, Clint battles secret demons from his past as he befriends a local reporter named Chloe, who proves to be an asset to the case when she shares information from a source who says the murder was part of a larger plot.

Will Clint and Susan unveil and foil the larger plot before it’s too late, or will the citizens of Louisiana awaken to a horror worse than any in their state’s history?

“Great imagery, bigger than life characters, and true sounding law enforcement scenes made this a romp of a read. It was fast moving and kept me guessing up to the very end.”
–Cheryl Stout, an Amazon Top 1000 Reviewer

“This author has a real talent for keeping me gripped and wanting to know what was going to happen next.”
–Liz H, Through The Booking Glass

Bad, Good, and Better News

February 26, 2016WritingBJ Bourg

First, the bad news:

As they say, all good things must eventually come to an end, and thus it is with Amber Quill Press, the publishing company that published three of my mystery novels (JAMES 516, THE SEVENTH TAKING, and BUT NOT FORGOTTEN). In early January, the company announced they would be closing their doors on March 30, 2016 and pulling all books from their website, as well as from third-party vendors, such as Amazon. Unfortunately, all electronic versions of my three AQP titles (JAMES 516, THE SEVENTH TAKING, and BUT NOT FORGOTTEN) have already been removed from Amazon, so anyone seeking to purchase a copy for their Kindle via Amazon will be out of luck…but only for the moment (more on that in a minute).

Now for the good news:

Those who want an electronic copy (including Kindle version) of either of my titles can still order a copy via the publisher’s website by clicking on the image of the book they’d like to purchase:

Additionally, the print versions are still available on Amazon (click here to order), but I’m not sure for how long.

Finally, the better news:

When something comes to a close, I never view it as an “end” to the old, but, rather, as a “beginning” of something new. While it’s unfortunate AQP had to close, I wasted no time fretting over it. Instead, I immediately set about creating new covers and formatting new print and digital versions of all three of my titles. Come March 31, 2016, I’ll be prepared to roll out new and improved versions of JAMES 516, THE SEVENTH TAKING, and BUT NOT FORGOTTEN on Amazon. With the removal of the “middleman”, I can offer them at a lower price and, in addition to re-releasing them in electronic format and trade paperback, I’ll also be releasing all three books in large print for the visually impaired.

In closing, I’m thankful to the good folks over at Amber Quill Press for accepting and publishing my work, and I’m pleased that JAMES 516 was ranked #1 (paid sales) out of forty titles in their Mystery/Detective category. BUT NOT FORGOTTEN, after being available for less than two months, was ranked #5 in the same category. Furthermore, JAMES 516 was ranked #3 (paid sales) out of 282 titles in their entire lineup, and it is a 2016 EPIC eBook Awards Finalist for the category of Mystery. (The winners will be announced in March.)

Well, that’s all for now. Please check back often, as I’ll reveal the new covers for these three titles soon. As always, many thanks to everyone who has taken the time to read my work. Whether you enjoyed my stories or not, always feel free to contact me with your feedback. I love hearing from readers and I sincerely appreciate that they spent their hard-earned money and precious time on my books.

bjb