Cast your Vote for Counterblow's Cover Art. Woman holding lightbox with 'Make Your Choice'.

You’ll love the building romance in my new book. Cast your vote for the new Counterblow cover art

May 7, 2025

You’ll love the building romance in my new book. Among the samples shown, cast your vote for the new Counterblow cover art.

I’m so excited for you to experience the beautiful romance blossoming in my new book! Certainly, the elements you love to hate are still present. After all, a good book requires plenty of drama.

I can’t wait to share it with you. Among the suggested cover art options for Counterblow, I’d love for you to cast your vote and help shape its visual journey! Your input means so much to me!

Before I publish Counterblow, I am updating my cover art from its original concept and need your help. I’ve created four sample book covers. Which one would make you stop for a second look while browsing your favorite bookstore?

Vote for the new Counterblow cover art. Woman holding lightbox with 'Make Your Choice'.

They are all similar yet different. I’m trying to capture an air of romance permeating throughout the new book, Counterblow, book 8 in my Consortium Series.

Make your choice. Please help and vote for your favorite. I will give a free book to a random person who votes and fills out the contact form displayed after voting.

Voting

Go to my homepage, richardverry.com, to vote. It’s right there at the top—you can’t miss it.

Counterblow disturbing erotic thriller

Counterblow disturbing erotic thriller

April 22, 2025

‘Counterblow: Revenge is Sweet‘, an erotic thriller about global human trafficking, is the latest from Richard Verry‘s Consortium series. Counterblow is a disturbing but captivating erotic thriller about dark romance and primal desires.

Counterblow disturbing erotic thriller

Despite opposition from two troublesome young women and many global government agencies; Raven and Sir dedicate their efforts to restoring the Consortium to its former glory.

Meanwhile, a dark romance begins between Avril and Sir; Avril helps Sir understand love, something he’s never truly known. But his sister opposes this growing possibility.

Can he restore his Consortium, appease Raven, and control his dark emotions?

Ever wondered if you’re being hunted? Are you looking over your shoulder? Paranoid? This story may prompt you to question whether that’s true.

Counterblow is a disturbing but captivating erotic thriller. Look for it in late Spring 2025. In the meantime, catch up on the series on Amazon.

Counterblow disturbing erotic thriller

Consortium book 8 is almost here

April 18, 2025

Counterblow, Consortium book 8 is almost here. That’s right, everyone. It’s completed several rounds of edits, and my copyeditors are looking for inconsistencies, sudden tense shifts, etc. They should finish in the next couple of weeks, and then it will be ready to schedule for publication.

Counterblow: Revenge is Sweet

In the meantime, here is the book cover. I did something different this time. I prepared a few prototype book covers and asked many people for their opinions on which one they liked best. The question I asked them to consider. If you were walking past a table at Barnes & Noble, which cover would entice you to stop and look closer? By an overwhelming majority, this is the winner.

What do you think? Were they right? Would this cover stop you in your tracks to take a closer look?

As my copy editors do their work, I’m working with a marketing team to promote my stories better. I do alright, but I know I can do better. I know little about marketing—at least I know that I don’t know—so I reached out for help. Naturally, it’s cutting into my budget, but it’s all good if I can offset that with increased sales. I’m also considering getting a professional website designer to upgrade my website. I need it to be more about my business and less about me.

So yes, Counterblow, Consortium book 8 is almost here. I can’t wait to release it. The previous books are available on Amazon if you haven’t read them yet. While you don’t need to read the earlier books in the series, it will help you understand the story behind Counterblow.

Again, what do you think? Could you drop me a note and let me know? I’m always interested in hearing from you, my readers. Thank you.

I finished Book 8 draft of the Consortium series

March 13, 2025

Finished Book 8 draft

Well, well, good news; I finished Book 8 draft of the Consortium series. Yes, the first draft is done. Now it is time to edit. I know it took a long time. Honestly, it took longer than I expected. I struggled with the last 25% of the book. I knew how I wanted to end it, but getting there was more difficult than I expected. But I got there. Whew!

Rewrite edit rewrite. Finished Book 8 draft
Photo by Suzy Hazelwood on Pexels.com

While I finished book 8 draft, there is much more work to do. I even struggled with the book’s title. I considered several options, but I liked none of them. So, I went to the Internet. Nope, I still didn’t find one. Then, I went to my trusty thesaurus. I believe I have found the perfect title, ‘Counterblow.’

Def: Counterblow – a blow given in return or retaliation, as in boxing.

This seems the perfect title, although I plan on a first edit of the book before deciding. After that, I’ll turn it over to others for further editing. From the title, you can guess that the story is one counterblow after another throughout. In the end, I love how it all came together. I’m feeling uplifted and eager to get it to you.

I’d love it if you had any other suggestions.

more “I finished Book 8 draft of the Consortium series” …

The Trafficking Consortium, third edition

February 15, 2025

The Trafficking Consortium, third edition

The Trafficking Consortium, third edition

I’m especially proud of The Trafficking Consortium, third edition. I ran into an issue with writing the last couple of chapters of book 8. I know how I want to end it, yet I didn’t know how to transition from story to it. So, I took a break. What did I do? I wanted to issue an audiobook version of the first book in the Consortium series.

That led to a rewrite of the entire book, a dozen or more edits using several sources, and perhaps five walk throughs of the audiobook. And before any of you ask, I have several people reading and editing it, just in case something got missed. I wanted to get the cadence just right, and it provided me an opportunity to delve deeper into the mindsets of the characters. Overall, it’s the same story. And as you can see, while I was at it, I gave it a new book cover. Frankly, I was bored with the original one.

more “The Trafficking Consortium, third edition” …
Everything is possible, nothing is impossible, it's all in the attitude

Writing Projects for 2025 in the works

January 29, 2025

Here is a list of my writing projects for 2025, in the coming year. Since so many of you have asked me questions about my stories and their status, I compiled this list as I was drifting in and out of sleep in the wee hours of this morning.

  1. Finish, edit, and publish Consortium Book 8, yet unnamed.
  2. Finish edit of Consortium book 1 ‘The Trafficking Consortium’ for audio books.
    • Yes, I’m writing Book 8 and working on this concurrently. I can’t help it. When I started this, I thought it would be quick and dirty. I surprised myself. This is a romantic story mixed with abuse and erotica from Avril’s POV. She’s the main character that permeates the entire series.
    • What surprised me the most, I wrote the story from her point of view. I had forgotten that. I err’d when I thought it was a mix between Sir’s and Avril’s POV. Wrong, although I’m sure I will discover it more of a mix in the later stories.
    • As I work on this version, I decided to publish it as a new edition. I added so much to the story, delving deeper into Avril’s state-of-mind, and her responses to new experiences and conflicts. Don’t worry, the overall story remains the same. I learned a lot about writing over the years since I first started, and this is a perfect opportunity to integrate that new knowledge into my stories.
  3. Work with a video content creator to create book trailers to market my books.
  4. Write Consortium Origin 2.
    • outlined and ready to put manuscript pen to paper, or rather type to document.
  5. Edit Consortium books 2-7 for audio books
  6. Edit Mona Bendarova books 1-4 for audiobooks,
    • (I can’t start book 5 until I read Mona 1-4, might as well edit too.)
  7. Write Mona books 5 & 6 (I may close out the series? It depends.)
  8. Write Consortium Origin 3, outline is already in development.
  9. Start writing Consortium book 9. Yes, there will be another one.

God, I hope I don’t add to this list. Who knows, my mind goes where it wants when it comes to my writing.

more “Writing Projects for 2025 in the works” …

Consortium Book 8 Progress

January 13, 2025

I’ve given a lot of thought to updating you on my Consortium Book 8 Progress. Being honest, I don’t really know what to tell you. I’ve written a lot, continuing the story line and adding more twists and turns.

Two days ago, I realized I had left open a couple of subplots that needing followup. With thirty-seven chapters and 80% of the book written, I felt stymied. Where to insert additionally chapters in the book without disturbing the continuity of the story line so far written. I was at a loss.

more “Consortium Book 8 Progress” …

Merry Christmas 2024

December 26, 2024

I wish you all had a Merry Christmas 2024 and a happy holiday season, including those celebrating Hanukkah and other festivities.

AI Generated Image

As much as I like the holiday season, I’m glad the worst of it is over. For me, it’s a stressful time of year, a stress that starts with the day after Halloween. Even though there is that, it all comes together in the end, with warm tidings spent with family and friends. I celebrate it with the secular aspect, even believing in the spirit of the season and Santa too.

I hope you had/have the same. Merry Christmas 2024 everyone.

Winter Solstice 2024

December 21, 2024

Another Winter Solstice is upon us.

Winter Solstice, hazy sun on snow covered landscape
Winter Solstice, AI generated image

Ever since I was a kid, I always looked forward to the two Solstices and Equinoxes each year. I don’t know why, but somehow, I felt it was important to recognize these important times in the Earth’s lifecycle.

I think it all started when I first learned of the existence of Stonehenge in England. It fascinated me on how and why it was built, and how the positioning of the stones where related to the Earth’s rotation around the Sun. Or, it might have been something else. Who cares? I still track each of them each year.

Today, I know a little more, and admittedly, still not enough. I know that various civilizations across the millennia found them special, celebrating the events every year. What I know is that I am eager to learn more. Again, I don’t know why. I just am.

If you are into celebrating the Winter Solstice, today’s the day. Happy Solstice. Enjoy!

Archway Publishing

November 25, 2024
Archway Publishing

Archway Publishing is a division of Simon & Schuster. They sent me an unsolicited, cold email a couple of weeks ago asking if I was interested in their help in self-publishing my future books. I wrote back explaining that I am well versed in self-publishing but needed marketing expertise. Still, much of my time spent in self-publishing is in the editing, formatting, cover design, and other things, all of which take time.

Their services are expensive, and I’m not surprised. Isn’t everything expensive? There will be a lot of labor on their end, which they need to recoup. I need to do more research and analysis before I decide. Plus, I want to get closer to finishing the book before I involve them, if at all. However, I sent them the first four chapters of Consortium Book 8 to see whether they were truly interested in helping me and gather data on their sincerity.

more “Archway Publishing” …