Sales are the best review but are they really?

Hello friends and fans. Yesterday afternoon I got a pleasant surprise. Someone bought a copy of my book, ‘Broken Steele‘ from Smashwords. Thank you.

Book-2D-loopHowever, that one little revelation got me poking around all of my sales outlets. To my surprise, over the past three months, unbeknownst to me, hundreds of copies of all of my books have been downloaded from various sites. Many are free copies of my book ‘Her Client’ but many of you out there bought your own copies of my other books from various sources. I noted sales on iBooks for the Apple platform, B&N for the Nook platform and even Kobo for who knows what eBook reader.

I’m ecstatic.

Thanks to all who have purchased and downloaded one of my books. I hope you enjoy them. Please, I would be interested in a review or two from you. Of course sales are the best review so I must be doing something right.

Read what others have said about my books. Many are summarized right here. Feel free to read them and decide for yourself. Thank you for giving me a slice of your valuable time. I appreciate it.

[good-reviews]

 

Thank you Her Client purchasers

Her-Client-Trilogy-advert3aOver the past 48 hours, the number of people buying and downloading my ‘Her Client‘ trilogy jumped significantly. Thank you to all that purchased a copy. I appreciate your support. I can only attribute this turn of events to the recent review on Amazon for the books written by Bibs. I’ve noticed significant jumps in interest and I can’t thank you all enough. You’re the best Bibs. Thank you again.

As a result, I am rejuvenated to continue my writing. The day I found the review, I ran home, kissed my girlfriend and went to my office. For several hours, I worked on my writing. In this case, I’m working a significant redesign of my website. I have come to realize that the landing page (home page) has gotten bloated, which forces the site to load more and more slowly. Plus, my analytics are showing a high bounce rate. Having everything on the home page doesn’t encourage a viewer to click links and drill down. It’s a delicate balance and while I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, I’m still a ways off to being happy with it.

In the meantime, between a full-time job, responsibilities after work, and a loving partner and girlfriend; I find that I time slice between them. What I would love to be able to do is write long into the night and be up for a new day at the crack of dawn. I used to do this years ago during my stints in drawing and painting. Unfortunately, my body doesn’t allow me this luxury any more. Crap! I have so many ideas and stories, not to mention images floating around in my head that need to get out. Can I get another life? How about clone myself and send the clone to my day job while I write or paint. Could that even work?

Wish me luck. I plan on doing significant work this weekend on all aspect of my books. Website work, several chapters in ‘Lucky Bitch‘, book three in my Mona Bendarova series, and work on another book that I started last month in the ‘Her Client‘ genre.

You’ll find my Mona Bendarova books, The Taste of Honey and Broken Steele on Amazon. You will also find Her Client, Her Overseer and Her Essentia, the three books that make up for the trilogy. They are also available as a single paperback volume from https://www.createspace.com/6052481. My sixth book The Breakup is available exclusively on my website for just 99 cents.

You’ll find my books on my author’s link on Amazon. www.amazon.com/richard-verry/e/B00YQLXU2E. In fact, you’ll find most of my books on all sorts of eBook platforms, including iBooks, B&N and a host of other sites.

I hope you’ll check these gripping tales out for yourself.

1-Her Client-Front Cover Her Overseer Book 2 coverHer Essentia Book 3 CoverThe Taste of Honey book coverBroken Steele book cover very smallThe Breakup

 

A Big Thank You

Her Client Trilogy book cover 3D
Her Client Trilogy

I wish to express my gratitude for the fantastic reviewsreviewsreviewsreviewsreviews 5 star reviews that Bibs left on Amazon for my trilogy, ‘Her Client’. You brought a big smile to my face. Thank you, I really appreciate the reviews. A paper back version is also available at CreateSpace logo .

Bibs is correct. These books are not for everyone. Yet, I wrote them because I saw a market and people are responding. The-Breakup-advert4aIf you liked ‘Her Client’ you may enjoy reading ‘The Breakup’, currently only available off my website, RichardVerry.com. Just $0.99.

In the review, Bibs wanted to know if I would continue Jolene’s story? I have considered it. If you are, sent me your comments, including ideas on how you think Jolene should carry on. If there is enough interest, I will see what I can come up with.

Do you know what the trouble is? I have outlined over thirty stories in the same genre and I really want to bring them all to life. I’m working on two more right now, in addition to finishing up the third book in my “Mona Bendarova” series entitled ‘Lucky Bitch’.

Her Client Book 1 cover 3D
Her Client, Book 1 in the Her Client Trilogy
Her Overseer Book 2 cover 3D
Her Overseer, Book 2 in the Her Client Trilogy
Her Essentia Book 3 cover 3D
Her Essentia, Book 3 in the Her Client Trilogy

Thank you for the reviews.

I am Richard Verry and I appreciate the support.

Holiday weekend with Charles Bendarova

It’s 97 degrees Fahrenheit or 36 degrees Celsius. It’s hot. Really hot. Stifling hot on a cloudless day, the hot sun beating down on everyone and everything. Going outside is something I don’t relish. Yet, I had the opportunity to invite Charles Bendarova over to share a beer and catch up.

Charles is a good friend of mine. Of course he’s a fictional characters in my Mona Bendarova Adventure series. Yet, he is a dear friend. Tomorrow, he will be going to his communities Summer Start festivities but today, he could give me a couple of hours to kibitz, shoot the breeze and share stories.

Taste-Of-Honey--advert4aTogether, we sat on the porch and shared a beer. Well, several as it turned out. As the afternoon wore on, we talked about a lot of things. Take tomorrow for example. He told me the barbecue tomorrow was going to be a big affair. Several competitions were planned and he intended to win the dance competition. He had once again entered Jewel, his latest personal sub in training, to compete and this time, he had high expectations of her winning. Of course, I wished the two of them luck.

Soon enough, we got on to the talk of sex. I felt bad that I couldn’t offer him an attendant. Especially knowing that if the tables were turned and he had been hosting my visit to his home, we would be sharing beers while any number of gorgeous women attended to our desires. A big part of me wanted to go with him to his barbecue on the morrow but then again, who would then write the stories that come out of it. Yes, Charles knows full well that we are a team. Without me, his stories could not be told and without him, I wouldn’t have stories to tell.

Broken-Steele-advert2aEventually, we got to talking about Mona. Charles is really worried about her. He’s worried because she’s on her own and no longer under his protection. Officially, that is. He confessed that he still looks after her, watches out for her, and does his best to protect her ass. Still, she’s on her own and he’s very worried. I am too. Mona has challenges to overcome just learning how to run her own estate. Yet, Charles and I know different. Many segments of the community don’t like the fact that a woman is now in charge of her own estate. She is the boss. She is the master of the house and mistress to hundreds of people under her. She must figure out how to feed everyone, take care of their needs, and care of the welfare of her housemates.

I feel for Charles, I do. Yet, I don’t know how to help him. He needs to figure it out for himself. I can only report the stories as it unfolds. I agreed with him, Mona has much to learn and she doesn’t need obstructive behaviors of members of her house and community working against her and making it even harder for everyone.

What I didn’t know until recently, Mona has had to deal with acts of terrorism within her own house. I was surprised, to say the least. Mona’s community hasn’t known behaviors like this for centuries. Charles is dumbfounded, to say the least. He reported to me that he suspects that several of Mona’s household have been assaulted and killed. He was shocked and nearly powerless to help.

I felt for him but I didn’t know what to say. Except to say, I tilted my glass of beer towards him, clinked the together and we each drained them. After draining a few more beers, he bade me goodbye. I wished him well.

Tomorrow, while Charles is partying it up at the barbecue, I’ll be writing more of his stories. Stay tuned.

Unofficial start of summer in America

Unofficial Start of Summer

In the United States, we are about to celebrate the start of summer. The unofficial start of summer that is. Memorial Day is an official national holiday created to commemorate our fallen soldiers in past and present military actions. Unofficially, it is our unofficial start of summer.

But I wonder, the same occasion remembers our fallen dead while we celebrate the coming of summer. Interesting, isn’t it?

Mona Bendarova’s Community Holidays

Celebrating the unofficial start of summer
Find out how the human race survives

I can’t help wonder what Mona Bendarova and her community would do to celebrate the coming of summer. I refer to of course to my books, ‘The Taste of Honey’, ‘Broken Steele’, and  the soon to be released ‘Lucky Bitch’.

Mona and her community would celebrate one of the biggest parties of the year. While roasting meats over a number of barbecue pits, they would prepare tables of delicacies, and imbibe on all sorts of hard and soft beverages.

Competitions abound as cheering audiences root for their favorite contestants and betting flows freely celebrating both winners and losers. Capping the holiday off everyone enjoys wild group sex among a number of partners well into the next day.

Reading her stories, you will get a sense of what I am referring to. It’s a time everyone looks forward too. Sounds like a fun time. Eat, drink, fornicate, and be merry.

I’m looking forward to my celebration of the coming summer in a completely different way. There will be many similarities yet, there will be significant differences, especially when it comes to the menu. As I eat my share this weekend, I can promise you that I will think about Mona and her housemates, friends and acquaintances.

FrankenFood, are we playing with fire?

USAToday published an article entitled “Genetic ‘frankenfood’ found not harmful to human health”. The article goes on to state that a committee of 50+ experts compared disease reports from North America where Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are commonly used in food sources with disease reports from UK and Western Europe. According to these experts, there is no significant difference or increases in the incidence of specific health problems.

Good news, right?

Not so fast. I do understand that GMOs are being used with good intentions. They are being introduced to promote greater yield per acre, more drought & insect resistant, and other similar reasons. All good on the face of it.

For me, the problem is more to do with those behind the modifications being made to the genomes of our food supply. They are run and paid for by major corporations. Their motives are not to benefit the human race (or their customers). Rather, they are profit motivated. The stockholders in these corporations want bigger and bigger profits so they can increase their overall wealth.

I’m sorry but that is not a reason to mess with our food supply. I disagree with the practice. I would prefer that it stop but I know it won’t. I can only hope and pray that nothing goes wrong.

While I am not a fanatic on a cause, I can’t believe this report. Why you may ask?

Taste of Honey book cover small
Find out how the human race survives

Something going wrong is the underlying basis of my ‘Mona Bendarova’ series of books which opens with the ‘Taste of Honey’. Granted this is fiction but I based the books on the very concept that something goes wrong with playing with the genomes of our food supply.

To me, there are too many unknowns. My books are set a millennium in the future where we lose control of GMO’s and they wreak havoc on the food supply. We lose control of how the organisms replicate and they destroy our food sources ability to provide the proteins we need to survive. The ‘Purge Plague’ as it became known in the stories, caused the extinction of every consumable protein source on the planet. Every insect, plant, and animal died out within 100 years. Towards the end, humans managed to survive with a last-ditch effort to prevent their own extinction by radically changing their genome. However, to survive and move forward, a major sacrifice was required. A thousand years later, a social system arose to ensure the long-term survival of their species. Read ‘The Taste of Honey’ and it’s sequel, ‘Broken Steele’ to find out more.

In the meantime, I am a staunch believer that playing with our food sources and their genomes is akin to playing with fire. One day, we will get burned. I believe we will suffer a major catastrophe related to this practice. I only hope that we or our children never see the day.

Read “Broken Steele” if you liked “The Taste of Honey”

If you liked “The Taste of Honey”, be sure to read “Broken Steele”. Why?

Broken-Steele“The Taste of Honey” is actually the first in a series of 3 books whose main characters include Mona, Honey, and Renee. “Broken Steele” picks up the action after Mona solves the mystery of Honey’s disappearance and before Honey’s significant contribution to her community. In “Broken Steele”, the saucy details you come to expect play out as you learn more about the community the characters live in. You’ll find out what drives them and how they enjoy life to the fullest. Don’t miss out on the juicy sexy action as Mona, Renee and all the others enjoy their lusty passions while Mona works on solving yet another shocking mystery.

If you start reading “Broken Steele” before “The Taste of Honey”, don’t!. Read them in sequence or you’ll miss out on the saucy details the first book sets the stage for the rest of the stories. Then, be sure to look for the third book in the series, “Lucky Bitch” due out soon. Plus, I’m told that the lusty action won’t stop there. Sign up for my blog and you could win a free copy of ‘The Taste of Honey”. Winners are selected randomly from each weeks new subscribers.

Look over what others have said about the stories posted right on Amazon. I’m confident that if you like saucy, racy, and risque excitement, mystery and suspense with a healthy dose of kink and sadomasochism, you’ll agree with these readers.

TOH reviews

Whirlwind nearly over, part 9

Good morning all my fans and followers. I appreciate you taking the time to read my ramblings and thoughts of the day. With this post, I will be closing this thread on what a whirlwind this last month has been. Whew! I really thought I was going to close it down several days ago but then my lady’s job vaporized.

Speaking about her job et. all, she is doing fine. In many ways, she seems relieved and calm about everything. Her job, while stressful only some of the time, has taken a great weight off her shoulders. She is much more animated and lively. She is sleeping better and living life to the fullest. I like this new lady that I have committed to.

Thanks to all of you out there that sent me well wishes, concerns and offered advice on moving forward. I am taking them all to heart and will definitely use them to help me. In turn, that will allow me to help her as needed.

Taste of Honey book cover 3D

As I reflected upon the past week, I couldn’t help but compare this experience to Mona Bendarova’s world. Just to recap, Mona is the main character in my books in the Mona Bendarova Adventure series. In the first book, ‘The Taste of Honey’, she solves the mysterious disappearance of a woman, only to find out that she was kidnapped and imprisoned against her will by a jealous competitor.

Broken Steele

In the second book, ‘Broken Steele’, she solves the mystery of the brutal and violent murder. In turn, she is rewarded with her own estate and in the third book ‘Lucky Bitch’ currently in development, she moves out of the only home she has known her entire adult life to take the helm of mastery of her own home. She is out of her depth here, struggling to figure out her new environment while caring for and feeding her large estate.

Early in this thread, I wrote that I will incorporate my experiences with Mona’s move to her her estate. I can’t help compare Mona’s struggles with her new home with my new home and the household’s sudden job loss. Throughout the third book, she deals with passive aggression, acts of terrorism, and emotional and physical fatigue of her new situation.

A core group of friends and lovers are there to help but it’s obvious that the community around her are split on whether to support her or aggressively work against her. Mona feels the pressure of many who want to oust her from her new position. She is unprepared to deal with it. Their community prides themselves on collaborative support, in both work and play. This growing conflict is an unknown and she struggles with how to deal with it.

Even members of her own estate, people she would do anything for, even defend them to the death if necessary, seem to be against her. Yet, she may have to defend her house to the death. She is attacked, assaulted, suffered the brutal killing of supportive friends with their bodies put on public display as a warning message to others. The message being of course, “This is what could happen to you should you side with Mona.”

Climbing the Broken LadderThe main issue here is that she is a woman occupying what has become thought of as a man’s entitlement. For almost two hundred years, no woman has become the Master of an estate. She was granted the estate for her guiding work on a job well done, benefiting the entire community around her. Yet, much of the community hates the idea of a ‘woman’ in charge of an estate. What’s next? Will she rise to the ‘Head of State’ of the entire community? It could happen. The current character who holds the title is nearing the end of his tenure and people are looking for a change.

Sound familiar? What will happen if my own country elects a woman president this coming November? What will happen if they don’t and instead, elect her opponent? I have my own opinions which I will not write about. What I do know is that my country, USA, is going through some interesting times. It remains to be seen whether these are good times or bad.

Mona, what would you do? What will you do?

Crossing my fingers.

Whirlwind nearly over, part 6

BeatlesWoke up this morning, fell out of bed, dragged a comb across my head ….

Thank you Beatles for the inspirational song ‘A Day in The Life’ to start my day off right. All of the above was true, except for the last statement. I haven’t needed to drag a comb across my head in decades. I used to have hair like that but it’s been gone since my early twenties. I did shave though, so maybe I should modify the line to “dragged a razor across my face”. Nah!

The point is, in getting up, I realized that there is nothing I have to do this afternoon and evening. I have a free night off. There’s no vendor I need to meet with, no deliveries I have to be home for, and my hot tub is slowly doing its magic on my ravaged body. Even my living room, dining room, and kitchen are starting to shape up. My office is getting there. I’m still getting used to my new writing desk.

Whoo hoo! I have nothing I have to do tonight. The very thought is wonderful in of itself.

So, what is the plan when I go home today after work? I have no fucking idea. Isn’t that great!

I might open a box or two, I’m in the market for a couple of storage cabinets so maybe I’ll shop for them. Online of course from the comfort of my easy chair. I could just sit behind my computer screen and write. ‘Lucky Bitch’ is begging for attention. I really should do that and maybe I will. Maybe I’ll just lean back, close my eyes, do nothing, and vegetate.

What I suppose I’ll do is whatever fancy’s me. That’s what I’ll do. I’ll decide when I get home and strip off my work clothes. I might even take an air bath.

Life is slowly returning to normal.

Whirlwind is almost over, part 5

As I reflect upon the last few weeks, I can’t help think about what I can do to incorporate my experiences into a book. Granted, I’ve barely written 2500 words these past weeks and I haven’t given much thought to the story-lines I’m working on. However, now that I am in the short rows of the move, my mind is beginning to return to the scene of the crimes.

The good news is, I can apply my experience to the new book that I am writing, called ‘Lucky Bitch’. Mona Bendarova’s third book is the perfect opportunity to incorporate my experience. At the end of the second book in the series, ‘Broken Steele’, Mona is given the opportunity to become the Mistress of her own House. ‘Lucky Bitch’ opens with her move to her new home and the struggles she faces in taking over the care and management of her home and their occupants.

Bonfire on beachShe is excited and nervous now that she is responsible for the care and feeding of hundreds of people. Think of the medieval age of feudalism in Europe and you’ll get a sense of what she is up against. While she has access to technological advances we enjoy now, they are just a resource. People don’t live their lives in their devices, preferring to interact with each other directly, face to face.

Her new responsibilities aside, she faces challenges of moving in, organizing the house, and setting up her private personal spaces. Her dedication to her house is so great that she puts off her own personal comforts in favor of meeting the needs of the people living under her roof. Sure, she has help and many of them do their best to help her. However, Mona is uncomfortable with delegating responsibilities. Until now, her only responsibilities were to her own Master, Master Charles. She looked to him for guidance and performed to his expectations. Now, Mona is the one her house is looking to for direction and guidance and Mona feels like a fish out of water, not that she knows what a fish is, being they have all been extinct for over a millennium.

Mona works tirelessly, barely getting 3 hours of sleep each day. Her world is exploding in storm and fire. She is working so hard to take care of her home that she is failing to take care of herself. Her staff and household members see this but their pleas fall upon deaf ears.

Additionally, there are many in her community as well as within her own house that do not accept that a woman now has ownership and Mastery of her own estate. They resent her and try to discredit her. She’s earned her position but like the sexual disparity of today’s workforce, she’s broken through the glass ceiling, only find that she fights prejudice and resentment. Both emotions are something foreign to her. The nice and friendly community she grew up in is quickly becoming a community of distrust. Factions are lining up on either side of the blurred issues. Things will only get worse before they get better.

How does this relate to my recent move, you ask?

My own fatigue and abuse I’ve done to my body gives me a frame of reference that I can apply to Mona. I’ve ravaged my body in coordinating my move. I suspect it will take many months before I recover. In the meantime, I can write into ‘Lucky Bitch’ much of my own experiences. I can feel for Mona and in turn, include those feelings into Mona so that you, the reader, can feel the aches and pains that we each go through.

Time to get back to work and finish the book. My initial draft is still not finished, though it is close. As I rewrite the draft, I plan to insert my aching back into her experiences and hopefully make it more real. Wish me luck.