Hello,

May is only days away, and it is still cold. In the twenties early this morning and may reach 52 late this afternoon. Where is the heat? I'm tired of the cold weather.

Our golf league started this past Monday, and it was cold out there. Next week is calling for even colder temps and rain. Oh, the fun of it all.

The best thing about writing a crime novel is that there are no rules.

You can make up your own crimes and your own characters, and there's no right or wrong way to do it. There are countless ways to write a crime novel, and that's what makes it so much fun.

If you're looking to write a crime novel, the best place to start is by coming up with a good story. What's the crime, who committed it, and why? What are the consequences of the crime? These are all important questions to answer before you write.

Once you have a good story, the next step is to create interesting and believable characters. Your readers need to relate to your characters, even if they're criminals. Give your characters flaws and weaknesses, and make them believable.

The last step is to write the story. This is where your creativity really comes into play. There are no limits to what you can do, so let your imagination run wild. Write the story that you want to write and don't worry about following any specific rules.

Writing a crime novel can be a lot of fun. It's a great way to let your imagination run wild, and there are no rules to follow. So, get started today and see where your story takes you.

Finally, Book two is on Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/46bh932s

The second book in the series is Marked to Kill. The President of the U.S. forces Steve Hawks to enter the war against the Drug Cartel and stop the flow of drugs into the Florida panhandle. Since Espionage-Terrorist Bureau is not part of the Justice Department, but is under the strict control of the president, Hawks has no choice on what they investigate. Steve Hawks finds it is harder than the president thinks it will be to stop this flow. Problems arise and agents are lost in this battle.

Here is the link to Hawks’ Dilemma

https://tinyurl.com/2mtal5xf

I have Bookplates now that I can sign, and you can place it inside the front cover for those of you that wanted a signed copy and do not live near to me. These are a standard item for authors to provide a signature.

If you would like one, just send me an email with your name and address. I will mail one to you. Find my email address on my website at johnpoindexter.com

Until next time,

John

The day has come. My debut novel is now available on Amazon Kindle Unlimited in eBook and Paperback formats. 

It has been a long time to get to this day. I started this book years ago while still teaching and having very little free time to write. Finally, I completed it the way I wanted it to be, and set it aside for a couple of years while I worked on book two in the Steve Hawks series.

I guess, like all authors, you could say I was hesitant to publish it. Debut novelist fears is what I was told it was.

Book one Hawks’ Dilemma introduces us to Hawks and his team as they conduct several investigations. The Espionage Terrorist Bureau does not fall under the Justice Department. It is a special unit under the control of the President of the United States.

I asked a reviewer what he thought of it and he stated, “It is a book that I would not stop reading."

 Hawks’ love interest comes into the story, and the action involves her in many ways.

The dilemma develops for Hawks as his girlfriend (and soon to be wife) who is also a Special Agent, causes him worry over her safety. This dilemma will continue throughout the series.

Book two Deadly Revenge will come out in January 2023, I hope. It deals with the takedown of a drug cartel and their reprisal against government officials along with Hawks, his family, and the ETB organization.

One reviewer stated, “Deadly Revenge has a lot of explosive action in it.”

Here is the link to Hawks’ Dilemma

https://tinyurl.com/2mtal5xf

I hope you enjoy the book. Please leave a review, if you will.

Thank you,

John

If you have a comment, please leave it. We would all like to know what your thoughts are.

No one uses or stores your email address. I have tested this with my unique email addresses and have received no spam emails from leaving comments.

Please visit my website at www. johnpoindexter.com

Here is a list of my eBooks that are only 99 cents each.

She Rises at Dawn, Dreamer's Paradise, Hollywood Dream, and All in the Family Cruise.
You can find them at Amazon http://tinyurl.com/ma8gd83
 They are also on Nook https://www.barnesandnoble.com/b/ebooks-nook/_/N-8qa and Kobo. https://www.kobo.com/us/en

Smashwords carries them in all formats and even in PDF files.
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/JohnPoindexter

You do not need a special reader machine. You can download the Kindle app or Nook app free from their websites to use on your computer, tablet, or laptop and cellphone.

How are you all doing?

Fall has arrived. We thought winter had, as we have already had our first snow and cold temperatures. Now we are having chilly mornings and warm afternoons. I could live with this all winter long.

A lot has happened since the last issue. We finished the renovation of the dining room, except for the new ceiling fan and light. Waiting for son to come and do that, as he is better at it than me.

The outside work on the barn/shed is done and waiting to be used this winter.

We call it a shed, but the company calls it a barn as they shaped it that way.

On Hawks’ Dilemma, the finished cover is below (I hope. If this program allows it). So happy that this one is finally done.

I will start on the cover for book two before long. Still trying to figure out this self-publishing route. There are thousands of documents on the web about publishing, but not one that states step by step on how to do it for a novel by a new author.

Do you go with Amazon Direct, where it remains with just them for at least 90 days, or do you go with a company that will send out to a lot of different sites?

That is the big question. And no matter how many times I ask on Twitter or Facebook about hoping that an author will reply, they do not.

I just need for someone to explain to me what the best way to go is for a new author. There are two books of the series finished and the third and fourth started.

This Blog has almost 740,000 hits, but very few comments. I realize to leave a comment they want to collect some information; I cannot find anywhere it is used.

No one uses or stores your email address. I have tested this with my unique email addresses and have received no spam emails from leaving comments.

So, if you have a comment, please leave it. We would all like to know what your thoughts are.

Until next time,

John

Please visit my website at www. johnpoindexter.com

Here is a list of my eBooks that are only 99 cents each.

She Rises at Dawn, Dreamer's Paradise, Hollywood Dream, and All in the Family Cruise.
You can find them at Amazon http://tinyurl.com/ma8gd83
 

They are also on Nook https://www.barnesandnoble.com/b/ebooks-nook/_/N-8qa

and

Kobo. https://www.kobo.com/us/en

Smashwords carries them in all formats and even in PDF files.
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/JohnPoindexter

You do not need a special reader machine. You can download the Kindle app or Nook app free from their websites to use on your computer, tablet, or laptop and cellphone.

April brought us a lot of rain and cold weather. Now May is about halfway through and it is finally getting warm to hot. Love those 80-degree days. Better to play golf in warm weather rather than cold. Like the first night of league play. My hands were frozen, not to mention the rest of me.

This past week it was in the 70s and beside the strong wind, it was nice to play in the warmer weather.

With the warm weather, we have been working in the yard. No time to write. But I do plan on getting back to it on days when it rains and I can’t be outside.

I remember back in the early nineties when I first wrote a book; I wanted to have it professionally edited like everybody teaching said new writers needed to have done with their work. I found a company named Edit Ink. It turned out to be a scam company

I couldn't afford legal battles against them. So, I lost a lot of money with a very poor job of editing.

Since then, we have Google and can search all the information on a company to prevent being scammed again.

I am now searching for an Agent that represents crime novels. Really hoping to get one and try to publish the traditional way before having to self-publish.

What are your thoughts on going traditional or self-publishing? Tell us what you think down in the comment section.

Speaking of the comment section, the company for my account designed the comment section. It will ask for an email address. No one uses or stores your email address. I have tested this with different emails and have received no spam emails from leaving comments.

So, comment on all you want.

Since the last blog entry in March, there have been 18,844 hits. No one has left a comment to inform all of us what is on their mind. 

Please leave a comment to tell everyone that reads this blog what you are doing or thinking. We would all love to know what is going on in your life.

Until next time,

John

Please visit my website at www. johnpoindexter.com

Here is a list of my eBooks that are only 99 cents each.

She Rises at Dawn, Dreamer's Paradise, Hollywood Dream, and All in the Family Cruise.
You can find them at Amazon http://tinyurl.com/ma8gd83
 

They are also on Nook  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/b/ebooks-nook/_/N-8qa

and

Kobo. https://www.kobo.com/us/en

Smashwords carries them in all formats and even in PDF files.
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/JohnPoindexter

You don't need a special reader machine.  You can download the Kindle app or Nook app free from their websites to use on your computer, tablet, or laptop and cellphone.

Please leave a message down below in the Comment section. Just click on the word Comments and be assured the info you put in will not be sold or used.

No personal information requested during the commenting is recorded anywhere, and it generates no spam from leaving a message.

In my last post, I asked if this year was going to be better. So far, I have had two heart procedures and now undergoing lung tests. Guess I could say it has been better. At least we can get outside, without that damn mask on, and go places.

I will be so glad to have warmer or even hot weather. This cold is getting harder to put up with as you get old. Of course, when it gets here, that means we will argue over whether the air conditioner should be on or off.

Haven’t had time to write very much. Did some editing and rewrote the beginning of a story. Maybe next week I will get back to that.

How about you? Are you ready for summer?

Leave a comment down below to let us all know what your thoughts are.

This is a working copy of the synopsis for Hawks’ Deadly Revenge.

The President said that Hawks' agency will diversify now that the cold war is over and they will enter the drug war.

Hawks takes a few personnel to Florida and sets up an operation to infiltrate the Colombian ring all the way to the leader in Colombia. The operation is full of intense moments. Hawks, portraying a Mafia boss from New York, enters into deals with the Colombians. They kill an agent in one raid when their boat blows up. They lost Sadie at sea when the helicopter she was riding in goes down during a gun battle with the drug smugglers.

Hawks finally buys his way to Colombia. During dinner with the drug lords, Hawks' men and Navy Seals attack the plantation. They shut down the operation, and all buildings destroyed.

The press, being locked out of the courtroom, have questions about the agencies involved in the raid. They do not reveal the identity of Hawks and his personnel to the press. It seems the American people may never find out about the President's secret weapon.

Until next time,

John

Please visit my website at www.johnpoindexter.com  where you can see the links to all my eBooks.

Dreamer's Paradise is about a young girl named Josie that meets a boy named Jimmy, who she thought was the best thing for her. Too stubborn to face reality, it took her two years to realize that it was either stay and suffer, or go and be alive. The trouble starts when she decides to walk away. The question now is how all of this will affect their daughter in the end.