The Killing Game (New Release)

Well, as promised, the latest Alex Taylor novel: The Killing Game has just been submitted to Amazon and should be available as an e-Book in the Kindle store shortly. As soon as it is, I will add a link to the page for you to find.

Now begins the process of formatting and cover design for the print version which should be available within a few weeks.

Thank you once again for your patience during this process and for your continued support.

Alex Taylor: The Killing Game (Cover Reveal)

Well, I know you guys have been more than patient with me and I promise that the end truly is near this time. The Killing Game, the fourth book in the Alex Taylor series, is about to be released.

The hardest part in this journey has been the fact that there was such a long pause from the start of the book, back in January 2021, to its completion. Not to make excuses, but a large part of 2021 involved extensive repairs on a home we were selling. The constant start / stop in the writing process gave the book a choppy feeling that I was ultimately unhappy with. So I set out to re-write it and I have finally achieved a book that I am pleased to release.

The Killing Game finds Alex being called in to assist the Concord Police Department in their investigation of a series of murders: Six women, all from different walks of life, found dead over a ten-month period, with no other clues except the manner in which they were killed. As she pursues the killer, Alex must juggle personal issues at home and overcome the political pressure that threatens to derail the investigation before it gets started. Can she convince the locals to follow the evidence, and avoid a seventh victim, or will they succumb to the bureaucratic roadblocks in order to save their careers?

The Killing Game by Andrew G. Nelson

Mourning the death of NYPD Police Officer Wilbert Mora

On January 21st, 2022, NYPD Police Officer Wilbert Mora was shot in the line of duty. His partner, Jason Rivera, was also shot and died of his wounds that night. Officer Mora was taken to the hospital, but I am saddened to report that he succumbed to his wounds on January 25th.

The loss of any officer’s life is tragic, but the death of two officers is a brutal reminder of just how difficult being a cop is. I didn’t know them personally, but they were my brother’s none-the-less. We forged our bond when they took their oath of office and joined the greatest police department in the world. They became part of a select fraternity of men and women who have become NY’s Finest.

Officer Rivera and Mora’s NYPD careers were cut short, but their names will live on forever. They embody the Department Motto: Fidelis Ad Mortem - Faithful Unto Death. This will come as little solace for their families, but within the NYPD there is no greater honor and we do not forget our fallen.

Reflecting on their deaths, I cannot help but think about the unfortunate history the NYPD has. As the Nation’s largest municipal police department, line of duty deaths are a grim reality. And while the loss of one officer is heartbreaking, the NYPD has lost a number of partners over the years, including:

Officers Victor Cooper and Clarence Clark (1938)

Officers Peter Knudson and Francis O’Hara (1946)

Detectives Luke Fallon and John Finnegan (1962)

Detectives James Donegan and Salvatore Potenza (1964)

Officers George Bishop and Plato Arvanitis (1969)

Officers Patrick Harrington and Joseph Mariconda (1970)

Officers Joseph Piagentini and Waverly Jones (1971)

Officers Gregory Foster and Rocco Laurie (1972)

Sergeant Frederick Reddy and Officer Andrew Glover (1975)

Officers Christie Masone and Norman Cerullo (1978)

Officers James Rowley and Charles Trojahn (1983)

Auxiliary Sergeants Larry Cohen and Noel Faide (1989)

Detectives Keith Williams and Richard J. Guerzon (1989)

Detectives Rodney Andrews and James Nemorin (2003)

Detectives Patrick Rafferty and Robert Parker (2004)

Auxiliary Officers Eugene Marshalik and Nicholas Pekearo (2007)

Officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu (2014)

To the family of Officer Mora, there are no words that I can give you that will take away the pain. Just know that you do not grieve alone. The tens of thousands of active and retired members of the greatest police department in the world mourn with you and Jason’s family and their sacrifice will never be forgotten.

Fidelis Ad Mortem

The Life of an Indie Author - Tales from the Writing Trenches

Back in 2013, when I completed my first novel: PERFECT PAWN, I remember sitting there smiling or a moment and then the realization hit me: Now What? It seems funny to me now, as I look back on those dark times, but for me that was the moment when the creative rubber truly hit the literary road.

As I sit here formatting the print version for my soon to be released COLD CASE anthology, I realize a lot of you might be in the same ballpark I was in 2013. Despair not, you've got this. 

When your book is complete (it really isn't) you're left with two choices: Pursue a traditional publishing course or opt for the indie road. If you choose indie, you have a helluva road in front of you, because you will have to embrace the roles normally filled by the staff at publishing houses. So what does this mean? Well, here is what you can expect to do: 

1. Write Book

2. Edit Book (Then edit it again, and edit it again after you get reader feedback)

3. Format Interior Book (At least 2 versions: Print & eBook)

4. Design Cover Graphic (Both full-size and thumbnail)

5. Secure ISBN numbers

6. Submit to Publishing Platforms

7. Design Social Media Engagement

8. Advertising

Still want to be an author? Good. 

These might seem like monumental hurdles to overcome, but I assure you they are not. Having just released my fifteenth book I can tell you that you can learn these skills. Are they easy? No. You might master one area and feel like you are slogging through quicksand for the others. But each book will become easier if you commit yourself to listening and learning. I think every indie author owes it to their craft to help others. I’m a firm believer in the old adage: A rising tide raises all boats.

Of the eight things I listed above (you might have more), the most important are 1-4 and 8. To me the first four are crucial, because if you do not have a solid book, nothing else matters. Obviously your writing is paramount, but without an attractive cover most books will get passed over. Too many authors take a pass on this, opting to use templates and are left wondering why their books get no traction. You only get one chance to pull a reader in and the cover does it. If your book uses a stock template cover, readers may be less inclined to take a risk.

Once you’ve overcome that hurdle, and you have piqued the curiosity of the potential reader, you have another one to consider. When a reader looks inside the book, they expect yours to look EXACTLY like every other book they read, meaning it should be formatted like existing books. Open a book from a well-published author and copy that interior. You might think that edgy font looks cool, but have you ever considered that some readers have reading issues. Clear fonts should be the standard. It’s a book and should not be as difficult to read as ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs.  

The other important thing is advertising, and I cannot stress this enough. It sounds counterintuitive, but if you want to make money, you have to spend money. I know that is hard for someone on a limited budget, but it is the truth. Don’t believe me? Here is a graph for my debut novel. I think you can figure out exactly when I started aggressively advertising. This is also the part where I humbly admit my wife was right when she advised me to advertise sooner.

Now, should you do this right away? I don’t know. Personally, I would save this one until you have 2 or even 3 books under your belt, because advertising will correlate to sales over your entire span of works. Readers are much more eager to try a new author if they have several books they can read after the first one hooks them. 

I hope this helps you to understand where to go next. These are the areas that I have identified, but you might have others. The important thing is to keep writing and embrace your craft.

I hope you enjoyed this post.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year 2021

I just wanted to take a moment to extend my sincere best wishes to my faithful readers for a very Merry Christmas and a safe, healthy and happy New Year 2021.

This year has been incredibly challenging for most and the best we can do is hope that 2021 will bring calm to the chaos that has plagued us (no pun intended) over the last year.

I think this is an appropriate time to read the words of this very poignant Christmas song and remember the true reason why we celebrate Christmas.

“O Holy Night" is originally a French poem titled "Minuit Chrétiens" and was written in 1843 by Placide Cappeau in Roquemaure, France to celebrate the renovation of a local church.

O Holy night! The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Savior's birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
'Til He appears and the soul felt its worth
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn
Fall on your knees; O hear the Angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born
O night, O Holy night, O night divine!

Led by the light of Faith serenely beaming
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming
Here come the Wise Men from Orient land
The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger
In all our trials born to be our friend
He knows our need, to our weakness is no stranger
Behold your King; before Him lowly bend
Behold your King; before Him lowly bend

Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His Gospel is Peace
Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother
And in His name, all oppression shall cease
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we
Let all within us Praise His Holy name
Christ is the Lord; O praise His name forever!
His power and glory evermore proclaim
His power and glory evermore proclaim

The world truly is weary, but we can rejoice and find hope in He that has come to save us all. Do not despair, but put your trust in Him that has conquered the world.

Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.” (Luke 2: 28-32)