May's Sweepstakes Winners, and June Sweeps Open!

Congratulations to Leena H. and Patricia G. winners of this month's sweepstakes for a free advanced copy of my new novel, SHADOW OF BETRAYAL.

But fear not! I am now accepting entries for June's sweepstakes, and if you've already entered for either April or May, you are already entered for June!

Get those entries in.

Deadline: June 26th

Send entries to contest at brettbattles dot com with SOB sweepstakes in the subject line, and your name in the body of the message.

Best of luck to all!

May SWEEPSTAKES

It's time to open up the May sweepstakes to win an advanced copy of my new novel, SHADOW OF BETRAYAL.

Here are the rules:

a) Two winners will be drawn each month.
b) If you don't win, your name will be carried on to the next sweepstakes. So if I already have your entry from April, you're still good for May and June.
c) All those who enter will be added to my mailing list unless you specifically tell me not to. NOTE: I don't give this list to ANYONE else, and I only send out a few newsletters a year, so you won't be bombarded.

Here's how to enter:

1. Send an email to: contest at brettbattles (dot) com.
2. In the subject line put "Shadow Sweepstakes" or SOB Sweepstakes.
3. In the message give me your name.

That's it! If you win, I'll ask you to send me your address.

This months deadline: MAY 22nd, 6:00 p.m. Pacific Time

So join in the fun!


NOTE: If you are a blogger who reviews Thrillers email me your name and address, and include a link to your blog. If I have enough copies, I'll send one out to you. Send info to contest at brettbattles dot com. And please put "Review Copy Request" in the subject line.

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Bill and Dawn...April sweepstakes winners of signed ARCs of my new book SHADOW OF BETRAYAL.

I'll start up the May sweepstakes in a week or so. But note that if you've already entered for April, you're automatically entered for May and June!

Thanks everybody, and congratulations again to Bill and Dawn.

Sweepstakes and Reviews

I just received the ARCs (Advanced Reader Copies) of my new book, SHADOW OF BETRAYAL (release date July 18th). So you know what that means! Sweepstakes time!!!

But before I get to that, if you are a blogger who reviews Thrillers email me your name and address, and include a link to your blog. I won't be able to send to everyone, so if I can't get you a copy, I apologize. Send to contest at brettbattles dot com. And please put "Review Copy Request" in the subject line.

Okay on to the contest. Like last year, there will be one drawing per month. If you don't win, your name will be carried on to the next sweepstakes. The only change this year is that I will be pulling TWO winners each month through June. In July, I will have a sweepstakes for a first edition hardcover. (Please note, if you do enter the contest, I will be adding you to my mailing list. Now, don't worry. I don't give this list to ANYONE else, and I only send out a few newsletters a year, so you won't be bombarded. Still, if you'd rather I didn't include you, just say so in the body of your message.)

Okay, here's all you have to do. Email me at contest at brettbattles dot com, and write in the subject line Shadow Sweepstakes, or, if you prefer SOB Sweepstakes...I won't take offense. In the message, just give me your name. If you win, I'll ask you to send me your address. That's it!

So, let's see...we'll make the end of the April sweepstakes April 28th at 6:00 p.m. Pacific Time (that's Los Angeles time for those not familiar).

Let's get those entries in!

Breaking the Silence

Sorry it's been a while since my last post here (Steve G. thanks for the note yesterday...reminded me I needed to get this going again.) I plan on using this more for any news or events announcement moving forward. But a couple of notes now.

1. If you're interested in reading posts by me, I still post every other Thursday at Murderati. Next post will be tomorrow Feb. 12th.

2. Check back here in March as I should be starting our monthly sweepstakes to give away ARCs to the third Jonathan Quinn novel SHADOW OF BETRAYAL!

3. Speaking of SHADOW...It will be out July 7th here in the States. And if you haven't seen the cover, here it is:



4. For those of you in the UK, it will be out July 2nd, but NOTE though the book is exactly the same, the title will be different. In the UK it'll be called THE UNWANTED. And here's that cover:



That's all for now. Hope you are all doing well.

All I want for Christmas

My good friend (and hell of a writer) Sean Chercover posted what I consider to be an important article over at his group blog The Outfit. I asked him if I could re-post here. Please give it a read if you haven't already.


by Sean Chercover

All I want for Christmas. . .

"But it's too early to blog about Christmas," I hear you say. "We haven't even reached Thanksgiving!"

True, but we are living in desperate times, and they call for desperate measures. Surely you've seen the news, and you know just how desperate. You've heard the cries from Washington and Wall Street and Detroit. It's a Global Economic Meltdown(TM), and just in time for the Holiday Shopping Season(TM).

Run and hide!

Okay, I know that we're all in for some serious belt-tightening, but here's the thing: You will probably buy a few Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa gifts for your loved ones this year. You may not be as lavish as in years past, but you'll probably buy something, right?

Right. So please, make that something a book.

Doesn't have to be my book (although I have no objection to that), just any book will do. Fiction, preferably. But as I said, any book will do. Fiction, non-fiction, hardcover, paperback, frontlist, backlist. Just so long as you give books.

Maybe give a book that had a big impact on the way you see the world, or simply a book that made you smile. A book is a beautiful, thoughtful, personal gift. And a book can be burned for heat when the entire economy collapses and we are all left freezing in the dark.

Really, there's no better gift this year.

Those of you who read the publishing trades know that I'm not kidding around. Share prices of the largest book retailer in America just hit an all-time low. Some other bookstore chains and many independents may not survive the winter. Even the most optimistic economists project no economic growth until next spring. And that will be too late for many bookstores.

It's that serious, kids.

Of course, if you're so broke that you're considering roasting the family pet for Christmas dinner, you get a free pass. But for the rest of us . . . for those who are going to buy something to give our loved ones this Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa. . .

Please, give a book.

----

Brett again...just wanted to add that if you have never read any of Sean's work, you are really missing something. He's writing some of the best PI stuff out there in my opinion. Stuff that is as good as anyone has ever written. His debut BIG CITY, BAD BLOOD was fantastic, and he follow up TRIGGER CITY (which just came out) is even better. Consider either when looking for those all important holiday presents!

Coming July 7th, 2009 (New Book's Cover!)

So now that it's on Amazon, I can officially announce the title of my next Jonathan Quinn novel will be SHADOW OF BETRAYAL and I even have a cover to show you:



It's a bit of a change from the covers on the first two books, but I really like it! Conveys the tension and mystery that permeates the novel, me thinks. Of course you haven't read it yet, but would love to hear your thoughts.