fiction Archives · Page 2 of 3 · Richard Verry, writer

Sales are the best review but are they really?

June 15, 2016

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

However, 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]

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

May 18, 2016

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

“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.

Essay on self marketing.

April 17, 2016

Instead of writing, I have been studying. My research includes a plethora of books, websites I’ve found, webinars, and social media threads. What am I studying?

By now, you know that I am an author, independently publishing my books on Amazon and all of various eBook outlets and distributors. I also have some of my books available as paperbacks. I created a website to promote my creative works. Yes, I am also an artist. I paint and draw for fun. I don’t actively sell my art.

I focus my attentions on my writings. I write creative fiction. My stories revolve around mystery and suspense stories of an erotic nature. Some tell me that one series of my books are akin to science fiction. Frankly, I was surprised by that comment. I never thought of them that way. They are set thousands of years in our future but does that make them sci-fi?My other series of books tend to focus on criminal acts of assault, torment, and murder. These books are not science fiction.

What I am not, is a marketer. In all of my education, I have never studied marketing. I don’t know how to market myself, my products nor even my career. I have a master’s degree in Information Technology. I never took even a single course on how to market myself. How is that even possible?

Today, I am studying marketing. More specifically, I am studying how to market myself and my books. Frankly, it’s a daunting task. I’ve encountered setbacks, mistakes, and minor successes. I’ve spent thousands of dollars hiring marketing people, test adverts, rebuilding my websites, and learning.

I’ll be the first to admit. I don’t know what I’m doing. I make mistakes, lots of mistakes. I am slowly learning. It’s frustrating. I listen to experts. I work hard to implement the lessons I’ve learned. I am intelligent. I know my mission. I found good people. I found people who don’t get me or my vision.

Taste of Honey book cover 3D — The Taste of Honey

I found people who tried to tell me to sell to a target audience that I instinctively knew was wrong. In one such lesson, I was advised to target the LGBT community because they were simply a smaller target group but big enough to make progress in new sales. Was this wrong?

No, I don’t think so. The problem? Since my stories include women kissing and having sex together, made the stories perfect in targeting the LGBT community.

The trouble was, these characters are heterosexual. In the universe I created, they simply don’t have any stigmas against same-sex intercourse. They don’t share today’s morality related to sex and relationships. This person didn’t get it. Fine. Move on. Lesson learned.

Today, I am studying. I am researching. I am learning. In short, I’m trying. I am determined. I’m opening a new chapter in my training. Come what may, it will work or not. I’ll keep on trying, working, and figuring it out. Wish me luck.

Dark & Disturbing

January 19, 2016

What happened to Jolene could happen to anyone.
It could even happen to you.

How did you come up with the Mona character?

December 8, 2015

How did you come up with the Mona character?

When I finally figured out the title of the story ‘The Taste of Honey’, I knew how I wanted the story to end. Honey was a main character who wanted to live forever in her family and close friends. In her mind, for whatever reason, she firmly believed that her spirit could only continue on through a live roasting on a barbecue spit. Gruesome, I know, but in Honey’s universe, it’s a common practice among the community.

Knowing how the story was to end, I needed to create characters with whom Honey would share her meat. As I thought about how Honey would meet her end, I needed an avenue to get there. So, I hit upon the idea that she goes missing and someone hired to go find her.

Introduce the investigator, Mona. Since my universe incorporated pervasive bdsm play, I decided that this character would be a masochist who enjoyed extreme play. So, her first name became Mona. Mona would be a play on the sound ‘moan’, which she would do a lot during her play.

To come up with her surname, I wanted her name to reflect her sexuality. Eventually, I came to the concept of ‘bend her over’.With a hidden message decided, I contracted it to Bendarova. To date, only one person I know has made this relate and called me on it. She smiled as she told me.

That’s how Mona Bendarova came into existence. She’s a smart, masochistic investigator who loves sex. Who’s your favorite character?

Her Client Trilogy, a new series coming soon

December 5, 2015

Yesterday, a guest blogger referenced her experiences with editing my lasted series of books, ‘Her Client Trilogy’. I haven’t written much about this series but I can tell you this, its raw, dark even disturbing. The series will be released with in the next few days. I hope you will look for it.

When I started writing the first book in the series, I had only a general idea of what I wanted to write. However, as the chapters flew by, it took on a life of its own.

The first book in the series, ‘Her Client’ introduces Jolene, an account executive who over sees the accounts of perhaps way too many clients. On one particular day, she is so overloaded with dealing with the issues of her clients that she is unable to personally return a call from many of her clients.

One in particular seemed to be quite insistent and in the end, the work day expired without being able to return his call. What happens next is what this client does in response.

What happens when you ignore a client?
What happens when they lose a ton of money as a result?
They want compensation.
They want their money back.
They want payback.

Jolene must compensate the client.
Her story is gritty and brutal.
Her experience is cruel and sadistic.
It is terrifying and never, ever ending.

The second book, ‘Her Oversees’ in the series follows her story as she continues to deal with the events of that long hard day.

What happens when you piss off your owner?
What happens when you disrespect your owner?
What happens when you disobey your owner?
They punish you.
They enjoy punishing you.
They enjoy hearing you scream.

Jolene must suffer the punishment of her owner.
Jolene delivers scream after harrowing scream,
Jolene begs to be let go, to let her go home.
Jolene plans her own revenge.
Jolene plans to kill her owner before he kills her.

The third book ‘Her Essentia’ in the series takes an unexpected twist. We follows her story as she finally responds to the torment she suffered.

Her story is gritty and brutal.
Her torment is cruel and it is sadistic.
It is terrifying and it is never, ever ending.

What happened to her could happen to anyone.
It could happen to you.

I hope you read Jolene’s story. Whether you enjoy it or not, I hope it raises awareness of what can happen, to you or anyone. I welcome constructive comments and I will be happy to respond to all reasonable questions.

I wrote it simply to take my mind off a different story line for a short time. I needed a distraction and this story provided it. However, as the story developed, it took on a dark, twisted and sadistic slant.

I hadn’t intended to make it so but that’s how it came out. It’s a better story for it. Just to be clear, I do not subscribe to the scenes presented in this story.

This book is intended for adult mature audiences only.

This book is a dark, gritty, realistic depiction of the darker side of human depravity. It contains criminal scenes of sexual assault, violence, bondage, brutality, sadism and strong language. This book is not suitable to readers under the age of 18 or who are offended by realistic dark topics.
It is part erotica and part suspense thriller. Read it with an open mind or don’t read it at all.

Mona and Honey give thanks

November 27, 2015

Yesterday, BFF’s Mona and Honey spent the day together, sharing memories and creating new ones. Since Honey is carrying, Mona took it upon herself to go visit her friend. A lot has happened since they first met six months ago.

They talk about everything, from the smallest little details of their daily life to the big ones involving their respective Masters. The one thing they do not talk about is how they came to meet. Honey was stalked, attacked, kidnapped and almost killed. Everyone else thought that she had simply run away from home, shirking her duties to her family and community.

Mona found her, rescued her and saved her from almost certain death. She discovered who the perpetrator, who was later punished. As a result of the events, the traumatized Honey and Mona became best friends. Neither would have it any other way.

In sharing time together yesterday, they relished the opportunity to be thankful for finding each other and their respective lives, their housemates and their Masters. Sharing a superb meal together, they talked, laughed and even cried long into the evening.

Not to be left out, they also included many of Honey’s housemates into their circle of fellowship. Till now, most of them would usually leave them alone, knowing that they needed their time together alone. Besides, most of them were in awe with a bit of hero-worship towards Mona. Their honor restored through Mona’s relentless search to discover the truth of Honey’s disappearance, they believed they owed a debt to Mona. Mona didn’t think so. She was just doing what she does what she does.

So, yesterday, the two women invited them into their circle, answered questions, posed some their own and enjoyed each others company well into the night.

As Mona drove home afterwards, she reflected upon the warm feelings, emotions and fellowship offered her that day. She couldn’t help but feel grateful by their attentions. After all, in her mind, what she did for that family was a very small thing indeed. She would have done it for anyone.

But one thing could be said for the day. She was very thankful that Honey was forever, a part of her life.

Who is Honey?

November 15, 2015

Who is Honey? Hmm … Let me tell you about her.

Honey is an intelligent, complicated woman and a bit naïve. She sees the good in everyone. She has no concept of others having self-centered personal agendas. As a result, it gets her into trouble at times, yet it doesn’t stop her from believing in others. She holds no animosity towards those that transgress against her. She is quick to forgive and forget.

In a society that has forgotten the past and had to rewrite all the societal rules in order to survive as a species, Honey embodies the concepts of love, family, honor and service. She is a sharing woman, happy to help when called upon.

Her goal in life is to live forever in the bodies and cells of her family and close friends. By living on in them, she hopes to help, advise and assist whenever they are in need or in trouble.

Honey is approximately 29 years old. She is a tall high-waisted, blonde with green eyes. She has a good figure, exercises regularly and cares for herself as well as her family. She’s a lusty bitch who never gets enough sex from either gender. She prefers giving pleasure rather than receiving it.

On the surface, she may seem superficial yet when you get to know her, it becomes apparent that there is much more to the woman than meets the eye. She is open and approachable. People gravitate to her as they feel warm and happy just by being near her. No one seems to understand why but they simply accept it.

She is a respected senior member of her house and leads by example rather than by direction. The junior members look to her for guidance of their own fates.

She is a spiritual person, believes strongly in life after death, but only in the right circumstances. In a society where spirituality is an extinct concept, others don’t understand her spiritual belief. No matter, Honey has the confidence to believe what she believes and will not force her beliefs upon others. If asked though, she will be open and honest in expressing her values.

She loves her Master. He is the love of her life. Like most people in the community, the concept of a binding love is foreign to him. All she knows is that she loves him and will do whatever she can to make him happy.

She has a vision for the future of the human species, contrary to the rest of the community that she keeps to herself. It’s not until she meets Mona, that she finds a kindred spirit and a key instrument in bringing her vision to reality.

So, why is the book entitled ‘The Taste of Honey’? I invite you to read the book and find out. I look forward to reading your comments.

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Writing is awesome

October 18, 2015

Something happened to me a couple of weeks ago. I was well into writing the third book in the Mona Bendarova Adventures, ‘Lucky Bitch’ when a question arose in my mind. I had a vision of where the books were going to go but then I asked myself a fundamental question.

‘What was the end goal of the antagonist?’

Yes, what was their end goal?
What was their motivation?
What did they hope to accomplish?
What was driving them to do what they were doing?

Since they were only recently discovered, no one seems to know, including me. I thought I did. But did I? Are they striving for power? Glory? Control? Something else?

Are their goals the same as Mona’s with the exception of how they are trying to get there? Does it really matter to the community how they accomplish those goals as long as they get there? Or is it something subtler.

I really wanted something more subtle. Hunger for power and glory? It seems everyone does that. I want something different. Both sides appear to want change. Mona certainly is trying to find a way to change their food source production for something better. Is that what the antagonists are doing?

Without giving too much of the plot away, I got momentarily stuck trying to answer this question.

So I did what I do best. I put the book off for a while to ask questions, gather data and do research. The research is well on it’s way and I think I have answered the key question. I have to rewrite some of the chapters I have already written but so what. It might even be better then it was before.

As the ‘Riddler’ said. “Questions, Questions. I have so many Questions.”

So, while my subconscious continues pondering the question, I turned my attention to a diversion. I decided that I would write a story that was bouncing around in the back of my mind. I really thought that it would be a simple story about a single night.

Then a funny thing happened was as I was writing it. What started as a short story, turned into a novella and then into a regular novel. Then, as I was completing it, I had an inspiration of what would happen to the main character the following day. Voilà, I ended up writing a total of three novels as a trilogy. None are as long as one of my full fledged Mona Bendarova novels. But they turned out to be novels in their own right and I think a good read.

Right now, they are going through editing and I hope to publish them very soon. ‘Her Client’ is first book in the series is be called ‘Clients’. Be sure to look for them. I have a web page on these books right here on this site. Check out the links to my library.

Now, these books are a big departure from all of my other works, published and unpublished. They aren’t for everyone, in fact, they will attract a much smaller audience. However, I couldn’t get the idea out of my head so, ergo, I wrote it down.

But enough of this digression.

What I found amazing was how clearly the direction of the characters appeared in my feeble brain and how easily the words flew from my fingers. It was almost as if I couldn’t write fast enough. In about two weeks, I wrote something on the order of 60,000 words. There was no struggle, no issues with plot lines or dialog. The action is hot and heavy, and rife with disturbing concepts that will sure get people talking.

What was so f***ing amazing was, I had the best time while writing these stories. It was fabulous, exciting and I could think of nothing better to do in my day. Writing these stores gave me a high better then just about any high I’ve ever had. It was wonderful. I’m only sorry that their done.

If only I could write like this every day. Instead, I have to balance it with my real job that pays the bills. Damn.

Well, it’s back to the grindstone. More to write, more to publish and more to market. And then there’s my job. Don’t get me wrong. I love my job and I enjoy my work. But it has been my career for decades and while I love it, I just don’t have the passion as I do for my other ventures. The writing and my painting, well that is my passion and I welcome any opportunity to enjoy either.

Writing is awesome and I couldn’t be happier.

Thank you for reading my books and as always, I appreciate the precious time you spent reading my posts.

Regards, Rich