tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-206226112024-03-07T22:33:01.454-05:00Jude HardinAuthor, Drummer, Turtle WhispererJude Hardinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09994813046526310594noreply@blogger.comBlogger130125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20622611.post-2503353643213481382015-01-22T14:22:00.000-05:002015-09-21T20:41:02.194-05:00The Glove<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In 1970, when I was in the fifth grade, I decided I
wanted to be a baseball player, and I decided the position I wanted to play was
catcher.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Why catcher?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Because, in my eyes, the coolest guy in all of
sports was a catcher.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">His name was Johnny Bench, and he played for the
Cincinnati Reds.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My grandfather and I watched the Reds on television
every chance we got, and we also listened to a lot of the games on radio. Every
time Bench stepped into the batter’s box, I just knew he was going to hit a
home run. And many times he did just that! He was a great hitter, but it was his
defensive play behind the plate that really impressed me back then. The
quickness on snagging foul tips, the arm strength and accuracy in picking off
runners, the masterful pitching calls. He was the best, and I wanted to be just
like him.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I can remember checking a book out of the library on
the rudiments of playing the position, and I can remember hours on the front
lawn with an older cousin who knew how to pitch. Someone in the neighborhood
sold me some beat-up gear for a couple of bucks, a mask and a chest protector
and a set of shin guards, and I thought I was on my way.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Then I got the glove.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I can’t remember for sure, but I think it was for my
tenth birthday. There was a sporting goods store within walking distance of
where I lived, but they didn’t have any catcher’s mitts. I think we looked in
the Yellow Pages and called around and finally found a place that wasn’t too
far away, and my mother drove me over there and bought the only one they had in
stock, which happened to be just right for me.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I started practicing more with my cousin in the
yard, and I can remember him telling me that I was a really good catcher. All I
needed was a chance, I thought. A chance to play on a real team.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And the summer after fifth grade I finally got that
chance.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I tried out for one of the local little league
organizations and was assigned to a team called The Orioles. Unfortunately, the
position of catcher had already been filled. Maybe next year, I thought. I
played outfield and first base, gaining some valuable experience, even though
we ended up in last place. I think we only won one game the whole season, but I
was one of the best players on the team, and I got to start every game. The
losses were frustrating, and my prized catcher’s mitt wasn’t getting any use,
but I was still having fun.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Fast forward to the summer after sixth grade.
Different league, different team, still no chance of being the catcher. The
position had been taken. Disappointing, but okay. I would play outfield, or
wherever the team needed me.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I was still only eleven at the time, but some of the
boys had turned thirteen already. These guys were good. They were stronger than
me, and more experienced, and the team manager didn’t seem to care about
anything but winning.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So I ended up sitting the bench for the first two or
three games.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Then, after practice one day, the manager told me
that he would be starting me in the next game. I was going to start! I told
everyone the great news, and several of my family members made a special effort
to make it out to the ballpark to see me play.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There I was in the outfield, making spectacular
shoestring catches to save base hits, making unbelievable leaps against the
fence to save home runs. I could see my family in the stands cheering me on.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It was a close game, but I got on base every time I
went to bat. I was doing my part to help the team. Then, bottom of the ninth,
two outs, bases loaded, and I hit a grand slam to win the game!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Only none of that happened.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When I showed up at the field that day, my name
wasn’t on the list of starting players. I asked the manager about this, and he
said he would get me in after the first couple of innings. But he didn’t. I sat
the bench the whole time.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So embarrassing. It just wasn’t right. I can
remember the shame I felt, thinking about having to face my family members
after the game. I was supposed to have started, and I didn’t even get to play.
Not one inning. Not one minute.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">To my eleven-year-old self, it was just about the
worst thing that could have happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was a pivotal event. At the end of the game, without saying a word, without
waiting for the post-game team meeting, I walked away from the dugout and never
looked back.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My
catcher’s mitt went on a shelf in the closet and stayed there for a long, long
time.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Baseball was over for me, but during my fifth and
sixth grade school years, I’d developed another interest: playing drums.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My band director for sixth grade must have seen
something he liked, some spark of talent, because he would often spend extra
time with me, sometimes to the point of being late for his next class. He was a
very special teacher, one that I’ll never forget. The next year, when I started
going to the junior high where he taught, I was the only seventh-grader in
advanced band, and by mid-year I was the #1 player in the drum section. I’d
finally found something I was really good at.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And I met another very special teacher that year.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Mr. Rhodes taught social studies, and my best friend
Bob and I had him at different times of the day. Bob and I had been working on
our own, putting together a humor magazine called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Mag</i>. Typing paper, rubber stamps, hand drawings, just goofing
around at home and making each other laugh.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But that was about to change.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We both liked Mr. Rhodes, and we always talked about
how cool he was, and on some days we would stop by his classroom after school
and try out some of our jokes on him. I don’t think we even knew it at the
time, but he happened to be the teaching adviser for the school newspaper, and
eventually he offered to publish some of our stuff. Suddenly our crazy jokes
and drawings were being seen by hundreds of other students!</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Near the end of the school year, Mr. Rhodes invited
us to pizza and a movie with the rest of the newspaper staff, and on another
occasion he took Bob and me out for a milkshake. He was the coolest teacher
we’d ever had, but at some point he made the announcement that he would not be
returning to our school the following year, that he would be moving out of
state. Bob and I kept in touch with him by mail for a while, but eventually Bob
moved to a different part of town and we didn't see each other as often and, well, so it goes.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Fast forward forty-some years.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I’d been able to reconnect with a lot of old friends
on Facebook, and one night I decided to search for Mr. Rhodes. I found a guy I
thought might be him, and I sent a message, and eventually he wrote me back.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It was him!</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We started chatting via email, and I soon discovered
that Mr. Rhodes—my former junior high social studies teacher—had been the
Executive Director of the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum, and that he
was the current Team Historian.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My mind started racing.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Cincinnati Reds.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Johnny Bench.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And I still had the catcher’s mitt my mother bought
for me when I was ten.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And here it is now.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ftOBi61qPIOodey_I7Op7qbqNBh1RkbYZjO0KWsFinupWfVpfQ7qRd1Rs27813Jt5zpJ7Ws9QS8UtGrlQhTp5x799IrlOa8CxVFMolM8FMl56KSr_GlMWV9qek0whaz5_EYCYw/s1600/DSC01413+(Small).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ftOBi61qPIOodey_I7Op7qbqNBh1RkbYZjO0KWsFinupWfVpfQ7qRd1Rs27813Jt5zpJ7Ws9QS8UtGrlQhTp5x799IrlOa8CxVFMolM8FMl56KSr_GlMWV9qek0whaz5_EYCYw/s1600/DSC01413+(Small).JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Thank you for arranging to have my childhood glove
signed by all-time favorite baseball player, Mr. Rhodes. You’re still the
coolest teacher I’ve ever had.</span></div>
Jude Hardinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09994813046526310594noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20622611.post-51345222192503831542014-07-10T11:32:00.000-05:002014-07-10T12:06:36.709-05:00The Cricket<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> On my way to make a pot of coffee one morning, I
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But before I turned to walk away, a lizard darted
from under the barbecue grill, gobbled the cricket up and swallowed it whole.</span></div>
Jude Hardinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09994813046526310594noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20622611.post-64582942701427309992014-03-22T11:00:00.000-05:002014-03-22T11:00:31.831-05:00LADY 52<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What do Lt. Jacqueline “Jack” Daniels and private
investigator Nicholas Colt have in common?</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A homeless woman’s remains are found near Chicago
twenty-six years after she disappeared. Her daughter—now retired in Florida—suspects
foul play, and she hires Colt to fly up there and check it out.</span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A prominent Chicago physician is slain outside a
convenience store, horribly mutilated. A senseless street killing? A robbery
gone wrong? Or something much worse?</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As the homicide cases and those involved converge,
it quickly becomes apparent that Jack Daniels and Nicholas Colt are in for the
most challenging—and deadly—time of their lives.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Joe and I had a lot of fun writing this book, and I hope you have a lot of fun reading it. It's available on <a href="http://tinyurl.com/o8a36x9" target="_blank">Amazon</a>, <a href="http://tinyurl.com/ppnmu5q" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble</a>, <a href="http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/lady-52" target="_blank">Kobo</a>, and wherever fine ebooks are sold.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We did a Q&A over on <a href="http://jakonrath.blogspot.com/2014/03/new-jack-daniels-novel-q-with-jude.html" target="_blank">Joe's blog</a>, and I would be happy to answer any further questions regarding the collaboration or the book itself here in the comments.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Happy reading!</span></div>
Jude Hardinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09994813046526310594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20622611.post-8963957603458416592013-12-31T08:50:00.002-05:002013-12-31T08:51:43.768-05:00WRITING GOALS FOR 2014<br />
1. Write at least 1000 words of fiction a day. <br />
<br />
<br />
2. Publish at least four novels in a brand new series.<br />
<br />
<br />
3. Promote my backlist to the best of my ability, using Amazon’s promotional tools, my mailing list, and paid advertising services like BookBub.<br />
<br />
<br />
4. Check my sales no more than once a day.<br />
<br />
<br />
5. Stay positive. Focus on the writing, and try not to allow things beyond my control (see #4) to dictate my moods.<br />
<br />
<br />
6. Maintain a healthy diet, get plenty of sleep, and exercise at least 30 minutes every day.<br />
<br />
<br />
7. Read books that inspire me.<br />
<br />
<br />
8. Be supportive of my fellow authors. Celebrate their successes.<br />
<br />
<br />
9. Share whatever wisdom I’ve gained to new and aspiring authors who ask for advice.<br />
<br />
<br />
10. Entertain. This is job #1, and there’s value in it, even though what I’m doing is probably not very important in the grand scheme of things.<br />
<br />
What are some of your goals for the new year? Jude Hardinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09994813046526310594noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20622611.post-90043999762211600142013-11-26T11:42:00.001-05:002013-11-26T11:45:25.961-05:00A First?Today, November 26, 2013, I am releasing two brand new novels simultaneously.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Tattoo-Nicholas-Colt-Thriller-ebook/dp/B00CLCDGZ6/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1385478004&sr=1-3&keywords=jude+hardin" target="_blank">BLOOD TATTOO</a> (A Nicholas Colt Thriller), and its follow-up <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sycamore-Bluff-Nicholas-Diana-Dawkins-ebook/dp/B00GWYG1SI/ref=sr_1_13?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1385478004&sr=1-13&keywords=jude+hardin" target="_blank">SYCAMORE BLUFF</a> (A Nicholas Colt/Diana Dawkins Thriller). The e-book version of each is priced at $4.99, so you can get both for less than ONE new release from a traditional publisher.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZFL8JvXyC6sFGgcMmqC_TedNFNCDO0vjpsCAn3KHhxk6833rHYTud6wbtrdW7-desnnPlZ4s-DDy2TaQfq8F4gasonbOK4lE0yZvMRDF1spwSH4Go4YAwVJBqz78QviJxODVkzw/s1600/BLOOD+TATTOO+Final+Cover+(Small).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZFL8JvXyC6sFGgcMmqC_TedNFNCDO0vjpsCAn3KHhxk6833rHYTud6wbtrdW7-desnnPlZ4s-DDy2TaQfq8F4gasonbOK4lE0yZvMRDF1spwSH4Go4YAwVJBqz78QviJxODVkzw/s320/BLOOD+TATTOO+Final+Cover+(Small).jpg" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkeI4FwTk7g6buRW1_SLlHPFvQBBCjq-dmA8lnEVCxZEpUlrlaa5o1AkPtoOUUxAa-XWYfHH2QXA8q0hVua34ysppbwgXwvhYHPEExyCGVEjdVu27-Wk2jVnW1z_pR_St1nHD6mw/s1600/032+Sycamore+Bluff+360x540+Website+(Small).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkeI4FwTk7g6buRW1_SLlHPFvQBBCjq-dmA8lnEVCxZEpUlrlaa5o1AkPtoOUUxAa-XWYfHH2QXA8q0hVua34ysppbwgXwvhYHPEExyCGVEjdVu27-Wk2jVnW1z_pR_St1nHD6mw/s320/032+Sycamore+Bluff+360x540+Website+(Small).jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Has anyone ever released two new novels at the same time? If so, I'm not aware of it.<br />
<br />
In the old days, before the e-book revolution, such a thing would have been nearly impossible. Most publishers didn't want their authors releasing more than one book a YEAR, fearful that the market wouldn't tolerate multiple annual titles from a single author. But those days are long gone, and now it's theoretically possible for an author to publish ten (or a hundred!) books concurrently if he or she wants to.<br />
<br />
With e-books, there is unlimited shelf space, so these novels will be just as available for instant purchase ten years from now as they are today. And e-books are priced lower than paper books, so customers can enjoy more titles for less money.<br />
<br />
I should note that BLOOD TATTOO is also available in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Tattoo-Nicholas-Colt-Thriller/dp/1477809708/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1385478004&sr=1-3" target="_blank">trade paperback</a>, and that SYCAMORE BLUFF will soon be available in that format as well. Some people prefer paper and are willing to pay the extra price for it, and there's nothing wrong with that. You can even skip reading altogether and listen to the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Tattoo-Nicholas-Colt-Thriller/dp/1480557285/ref=tmm_abk_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=1-3&qid=1385478004" target="_blank">audiobook version</a> of BLOOD TATTOO if that's your preference.<br />
<br />
More choices = a better literary experience for everyone.<br />
<br />
It's a great time to be a writer, and a book lover.Jude Hardinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09994813046526310594noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20622611.post-4787005733279357442013-11-16T21:43:00.003-05:002013-11-16T21:43:59.458-05:00Coming November 26, 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJYWrBGlqWtHC2ASs7y9WVAk0BV3MQ7C12kiEA0b-aUTbr7fmsBK73_ZcykFUumkjKWudgRy4n9iuphs2Nkc9eYeU_bTyLvg2hXTPhNQcRCPPpMsAfddrBiQ732xP3XYxUBju65A/s1600/BLOOD+TATTOO+Final+Cover+(Small).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJYWrBGlqWtHC2ASs7y9WVAk0BV3MQ7C12kiEA0b-aUTbr7fmsBK73_ZcykFUumkjKWudgRy4n9iuphs2Nkc9eYeU_bTyLvg2hXTPhNQcRCPPpMsAfddrBiQ732xP3XYxUBju65A/s320/BLOOD+TATTOO+Final+Cover+(Small).jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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After last year’s harrowing experience with a gruesome serial killer in Key
West, rock-star-turned-PI Nicholas Colt has decided to hang up his investigator
hat and settle into a nice quiet life of teaching guitar and spending time with
his family. Or so he thinks…<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, everything changes when an undercover Department of Defense
investigator named Diana Dawkins comes crashing into his life. Diana tells Colt
he has been recruited into The Circle, a super-secret organization—a mystery
even to the CIA and the Secret Service—charged with protecting the country from
terrorists at any cost. The only evidence of his involvement is a tiny spot—a
“blood tattoo” on his left foot, invisible to the naked eye—that marks all
members of The Circle. Diana needs Colt’s help, and she’s willing to pay him
well for it.<br />
<br />
Suddenly, Colt finds himself a key player in an elaborate effort to defend
the President of the United States against an assassination attempt. His
hush-hush missions for Diana and The Circle are becoming increasingly
surreal—and deadly. Colt realizes he could lose everything, even the wife he
loves. Will he be able to stop the terrorists in time? And at what cost?<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Tattoo-Nicholas-Colt-Thriller-ebook/dp/B00CLCDGZ6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1384654668&sr=8-1&keywords=blood+tattoo" target="_blank">Amazon</a><br />
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/blood-tattoo-jude-hardin/1115863568?ean=9781477809709" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble</a><br />
<a href="http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Blood-Tattoo/Jude-Hardin/9781477809709?id=5846547897012" target="_blank">Books-A-Million </a><br />
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<![endif]--><br />Jude Hardinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09994813046526310594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20622611.post-66696221729376059602013-07-31T12:29:00.002-05:002013-07-31T12:29:33.732-05:00New Title, New Cover<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRbYf76mOcfhOV1zc5vrYkkPAUbHqAOQ581idmdsXAWWEDmVO03VELBHKFb9OJjzT7bKrwr3tLE7A0IWJl9zDj0QrYvWJFIAZ7DJc6o0sg70EHC7V1SLEaRiaRgFrc-sUlVyN76Q/s1600/Ghost6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRbYf76mOcfhOV1zc5vrYkkPAUbHqAOQ581idmdsXAWWEDmVO03VELBHKFb9OJjzT7bKrwr3tLE7A0IWJl9zDj0QrYvWJFIAZ7DJc6o0sg70EHC7V1SLEaRiaRgFrc-sUlVyN76Q/s320/Ghost6.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
Thoughts?<br />
<br />
Buy it <a href="http://tinyurl.com/n6m6ros" target="_blank">HERE</a>. <br />
<br />Jude Hardinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09994813046526310594noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20622611.post-42847202276039301852013-07-01T18:33:00.001-05:002013-07-01T18:33:23.397-05:00New Cover<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5_EwnXf931_A76_lomj-I52KbM8yTkKEHglBNyWvgeANixm4ab1tPChKuSp_XJ5kUXf0f6Oh-EWwHJTML6kOWR54cThrhVXU5U2i8yUA8RBEBw5qLCTVTvVw31tf-XTQvtOXYPQ/s540/Bad+Nurse+360x540+Website.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5_EwnXf931_A76_lomj-I52KbM8yTkKEHglBNyWvgeANixm4ab1tPChKuSp_XJ5kUXf0f6Oh-EWwHJTML6kOWR54cThrhVXU5U2i8yUA8RBEBw5qLCTVTvVw31tf-XTQvtOXYPQ/s320/Bad+Nurse+360x540+Website.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
One of the great things about being an indie author is that you can change things whenever you feel like it. I decided I wanted a different cover for the BAD NURSE series, so today I bought one.<br />
<br />
Thoughts?<br />
<br />Jude Hardinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09994813046526310594noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20622611.post-87968810219070464722013-06-27T12:48:00.001-05:002013-06-27T12:48:38.524-05:00Coming Soon to a Kindle Near You<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizSX3WT9hQWql-SdMxqtbSXvFqJ02nvT0jnYWU28nZ0K-lPvwUE3p9Okokx3ShRV6I3WM4Mwt28wCzOLqAJWh6bROmEk4q6xyeQiE08KFeh_AQiNxwA_LbRn0tx5GheFzeDx7b9Q/s1600/Bad+Nurse17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizSX3WT9hQWql-SdMxqtbSXvFqJ02nvT0jnYWU28nZ0K-lPvwUE3p9Okokx3ShRV6I3WM4Mwt28wCzOLqAJWh6bROmEk4q6xyeQiE08KFeh_AQiNxwA_LbRn0tx5GheFzeDx7b9Q/s320/Bad+Nurse17.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Kind of like some of his patients have lately.</span></div>
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<![endif]--><br />Jude Hardinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09994813046526310594noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20622611.post-44362269881697999922013-06-10T15:31:00.003-05:002013-06-10T15:31:25.183-05:00My Journey as an Independent Author (3)Today I have a guest post over on <a href="http://www.leegoldberg.com/colts-wild-ride-to-print/#comment-28561" target="_blank">Lee Goldberg's blog</a>. Stop on by and say hello!Jude Hardinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09994813046526310594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20622611.post-75913781715406679102013-06-05T17:51:00.001-05:002013-06-05T17:52:50.097-05:00MY JOURNEY AS AN INDEPENDENT AUTHOR (2)Today I have a guest post over on <a href="http://jakonrath.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Joe Konrath's blog.</a> Please stop by and say hello! Jude Hardinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09994813046526310594noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20622611.post-49499649446395793372013-06-03T21:21:00.000-05:002013-06-03T21:30:14.070-05:00MY JOURNEY AS AN INDEPENDENT AUTHOR<br />
<b>PART ONE</b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">On May 30, I celebrated the publication of my fourth
novel, a book called <a href="http://www.amazon.com/COLT-Nicholas-Colt-1-ebook/dp/B00D4CF5X8/ref=sr_1_8?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1370312631&sr=1-8&keywords=jude+hardin" target="_blank">COLT</a> that I started writing on March 11.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Yes, you read that right.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">March
11, 2013.</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It’s not a typo. In less than three months,
nothingness on a blank white page somehow morphed into a published novel.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I’ll give you a few seconds to put your jaw back into
place, and a few more to take a deep breath and a sip of your favorite
beverage.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Ready? </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Now that you’ve gotten over the initial shock, you
probably have a few questions rattling around in your head: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">How is that even possible?</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Is Jude lying, or has he simply lost his
mind? Should I chose the salad with low-fat dressing, or should I go ahead and
have the double bacon cheeseburger and start back on my diet tomorrow?</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Wait…that last question was rattling around in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">my</i> head. Anyway, if you know anything
about the traditional publishing world, then you know that what I’m talking about is
absolutely <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> possible there. A
finished book generally takes at least a year to see print, and sometimes a lot
longer than that.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And by <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">finished
book</i> I mean a manuscript that has gone through several drafts, has been
submitted to numerous literary agents, and has made the rounds to a dozen or so
acquisitions editors in hopes that one or more of them will recognize its
potential. In the world of traditional publishing, it can literally take YEARS
from the time you start writing a book to the time it’s available for readers
to purchase.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be that way anymore.
With Kindle Direct Publishing, and other platforms for the publication of
ebooks, anyone can be a published author in less time than it takes to read
this essay.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So the actual <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">publishing</i>
part of self-publishing is fairly easy. The rest? Well…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">First of all, you have to write a book, and writing
a book is <i>not </i>easy. It’s hard work. Just ask any author, and they’ll tell you.
It takes a lot of time and effort, and there’s some talent and craft involved.
It took me about two months to write COLT, and that was writing every day,
seven days a week. It takes commitment, persistence, and dogged determination
to finally get to THE END.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And, as a self-published author, you’re responsible
for more than just the writing. There’s editing, formatting, choosing a cover
artist, marketing…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But more on all that later. I’m planning to
chronicle my self-publishing journey as I go, and part of that is going to be
revealing my sales data, be it good or bad.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">At the top of the page, under my name, you’ll find
the number of self-published books I’ve sold since May 30, 2013.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Right now, the number is not very good. I’m hoping
it will get better. Much better.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Will it? Stop by every day and see for yourself.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In the meantime, I think I'll have that double bacon cheeseburger. I'm beginning my journey as an independent author, and that calls for a celebration.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And a salad just ain't gonna do it.</span></div>
Jude Hardinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09994813046526310594noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20622611.post-88407218771216456702012-12-22T23:12:00.002-05:002012-12-22T23:12:51.370-05:00On Happiness<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg6m9fgr-cp0l2ky9nRmPBJST0f19mocbla49tS4_QMNTpcpZy1HzOwJUrcmAF_blPpwKhdBu-6h-mvPdk0FuAWj4iddFnNQUldmlpmL_3NKo96TV8G3jNrPp3RasLstwpqQ9J2A/s1600/Happiness.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg6m9fgr-cp0l2ky9nRmPBJST0f19mocbla49tS4_QMNTpcpZy1HzOwJUrcmAF_blPpwKhdBu-6h-mvPdk0FuAWj4iddFnNQUldmlpmL_3NKo96TV8G3jNrPp3RasLstwpqQ9J2A/s320/Happiness.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Well, some people think life is this simple, and they keep
chasing this elusive concept of "happiness" like a dog chases a
rabbit. Some things can't be changed, and some things shouldn't. If something,
or someone, is making you miserable, then yes, make a move. But the grass ain't
always greener on the other side. Sometimes it's best to stay the course and
work through the problems at hand, even though they might be difficult and
seemingly impossible to surmount. Hightailing it the other way, again and again
and again, thinking that "happiness" is just around the corner, is
delusional. Happiness is transient, and it has to come from within. You only
THINK this shiny new car or this shiny new job with a bigger paycheck or this
shiny new relationship is going to make you happy. But those things never will.
Those things are like a drug. They'll give you a rush for a little while; but,
before you know it, you crash, and you're even further from achieving inner
peace than before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So life isn’t simple.
It’s difficult. Accept that and get over it. Happily ever after only exists in
fairy tales. But, if you work real hard at self-awareness, and if you disallow
external factors to rule your overall state of well being, then snippets of pure
joy can be had.</div>
Jude Hardinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09994813046526310594noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20622611.post-505854053424288552012-10-12T12:07:00.000-05:002012-10-12T12:07:13.137-05:00Booklist Review<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">A slightly uneasy blend of elements from <i>The Hunger Games</i>, the movie <i>Crank 2</i>,
and the classic Richard Connell short story “The Most Dangerous Game”
(to which the author refers early on), the latest Nicholas<span style="color: #1f497d;"> </span>Colt
novel finds the rock star turned private investigator captured by a
wealthy nut-case and forced to compete in a real-world version of a
murderous online game, Snuff Tag 9, the object of which is to kill all<span style="color: #1f497d;"> </span>your
opponents or be killed. The book really shouldn’t work as well as it
does. The premise is not exactly fresh, and there are some really
implausible elements—combatants are fitted with special defibrillators
that<span style="color: #1f497d;"> </span>will kill them if they don’t play by the rules, which <i>Crank 2 </i>fans
will recognize as a light twist on that movie’s killer ingredient—and
the villain is so over the top that you can’t help picturing him
wringing his<span style="color: #1f497d;"> </span>hands and drooling a
little. But, thanks mostly to the book’s narrator, the disgruntled,
wisecracking Colt, and to the author’s enthusiastic writing style,
readers should have a good time with this one. It’s not meant<span style="color: #1f497d;"> </span>to be taken too seriously anyway, so put aside the nitpickery and enjoy the show.</span>Jude Hardinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09994813046526310594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20622611.post-24951877684504546952012-08-17T14:06:00.000-05:002012-10-08T16:23:46.525-05:00Now Available for Pre-Order<br />
<div class="yiv1663551376msonospacing">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Every
year, in the United States
alone, over 45,000 people disappear without a trace.</span></div>
<div class="yiv1663551376msonospacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="yiv1663551376msonospacing">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Nine
of them are forced to play a game…</span></div>
<div class="yiv1663551376msonospacing">
<br /></div>
<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh3UggliFhQqy2RLGI2t2QS8b1-j3w7iUdz7uc3JX7_ZtjwBMkefIEwAXMUsM-ND9t_f3VhFdHgHaoFmELN1rZ_80pZlcrYcyq1ZNAbXw4tJ7fRetPJCzCctxch5op_GgaBI8uZg/s1600/snuffT9_FrontCover.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh3UggliFhQqy2RLGI2t2QS8b1-j3w7iUdz7uc3JX7_ZtjwBMkefIEwAXMUsM-ND9t_f3VhFdHgHaoFmELN1rZ_80pZlcrYcyq1ZNAbXw4tJ7fRetPJCzCctxch5op_GgaBI8uZg/s320/snuffT9_FrontCover.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="yiv1663551376msonospacing">
<br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">There’s a word for the player who wins: Alive.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="yiv1663551376msonospacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="yiv1663551376msonospacing">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Snuff-Nicholas-Colt-Thriller-ebook/dp/B007O2MQTA/ref=sr_1_5?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1345229892&sr=1-5&keywords=jude+hardin" target="_blank"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Amazon</span></a><i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></i></span></div>
<div class="yiv1663551376msonospacing">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div class="yiv1663551376msonospacing">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/snuff-tag-9-jude-hardin/1111849455?ean=9781612184470" target="_blank">Barnes&Noble</a></span></span></div>
<div class="yiv1663551376msonospacing">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="yiv1663551376msonospacing">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Snuff-Tag/Jude-Hardin/9781612184470?id=5452301172868" target="_blank">Books-A-Million</a></span></span></div>
Jude Hardinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09994813046526310594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20622611.post-53051584960430067402012-05-19T20:37:00.000-05:002012-05-19T20:37:34.538-05:00Review from BooklistAn old girlfriend's request to find her missing brother lands PI
Nicholas Colt in a plot hatched by neo-Nazi cult Chain of Life, which
engineered the plane crash that killed his wife and daughter and the
rest of his award-winning band years earlier. As the investigation leads
to the Harvest Angels, the enforcement arm of the cult, Colt puts his
new family in deadly peril before he’s kidnapped by an old nemesis who
brainwashes him and hooks him on heroin as part of a plan intended to
kill millions. The high standard set for this series by Colt’s
introduction in <em>Pocket-47</em> (2011) is generally maintained here,
along with plenty of backstory, although the plot loses some suspense
when Colt manages to break free with surprising ease well before all
loose ends are tied. Still, Colt is a physical, no-holds-barred
protagonist in the Jack Reacher mold, and this time he’s left with work
to do to mend body, mind, and marriage. Another good bet for fans of
hard-boiled fiction. — Michele Leber<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFMSlPaC6gV3UPcQSihAlUDEqXOx9l06N2qqVAHb3AO1XTHB1OkKQT1c1_XsOhreNoy-w8ajG97RdMG1JlAU1Cwf5nvL5zAGHRVnDYvrCsaLb1H8RWxK_xB8u0CFy7xYCwkSSy-A/s320/Crosscut2.JPG" width="193" /></div>
Release date June 5. Available for pre-order now.<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Crosscut-Nicholas-Colt-Thriller-ebook/dp/B0078XG3TE/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1337477335&sr=8-7">Amazon </a>(Kindle version, paperback, audiobook)<br />
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/jude-hardin-crosscut?keyword=jude+hardin+crosscut&store=book">Barnes and Noble</a> (paperback)<br />
<a href="http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Crosscut/Jude-Hardin/9781612183114?id=5363268824294">Books-A-Million</a> (paperback, audiobook)<br />
<br />
<br />
<em></em>Jude Hardinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09994813046526310594noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20622611.post-1521728802609123112012-04-06T08:27:00.003-05:002012-04-06T08:30:40.909-05:00Coming Soon to a Kindle Near You<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit63mMjXThSW7E8ajyoeNZlDKBFTRS1wyhK3eyM6_1tOkPB6eGEcxp5TMNJuvLSkk5SCAA6C8ZlYaRydFFEZuuxuPqK4fG1ku0RhaYo11GnzqBAwDNnxeVG-dk-4HMVGXHJodzWw/s1600/Unborn2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit63mMjXThSW7E8ajyoeNZlDKBFTRS1wyhK3eyM6_1tOkPB6eGEcxp5TMNJuvLSkk5SCAA6C8ZlYaRydFFEZuuxuPqK4fG1ku0RhaYo11GnzqBAwDNnxeVG-dk-4HMVGXHJodzWw/s320/Unborn2.jpg" width="198" /></a></div>
<br />Jude Hardinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09994813046526310594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20622611.post-64176305703226845672012-02-28T20:18:00.001-05:002012-02-28T20:18:08.930-05:00Book #2 in the Nicholas Colt Series<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLXhooiI37b3Mz0MlXf9p_9X5yWvenDuFiN55zbxymKkAGKFI3Uh3TiqOkCTXdHGwcgsszk_e9ih5C2hrnbaK4_NAybt97XPseGkSdHlVljBHyaNUNHmXVzUGKewRGR8oIZkIn3w/s1600/Crosscut1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLXhooiI37b3Mz0MlXf9p_9X5yWvenDuFiN55zbxymKkAGKFI3Uh3TiqOkCTXdHGwcgsszk_e9ih5C2hrnbaK4_NAybt97XPseGkSdHlVljBHyaNUNHmXVzUGKewRGR8oIZkIn3w/s1600/Crosscut1.JPG" /></a></div>
Now available for<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Crosscut-ebook/dp/B0078XG3TE/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1330477670&sr=1-2"> pre-order!</a><br /><br />Jude Hardinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09994813046526310594noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20622611.post-88612393038785938282012-02-01T10:10:00.001-05:002012-02-01T10:10:27.123-05:00For the month of February...Follow me on the <a href="http://nobeerdiet.blogspot.com/">29 Day No Beer Diet.</a>Jude Hardinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09994813046526310594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20622611.post-55484703467974702302012-01-16T23:39:00.000-05:002012-01-16T23:39:03.285-05:00LAUNCH DAY!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTcUZgVU1hm_8HYbEZxhc53ifIBjxU4ZeclzJLCTNh7zIWGOafgnSX3i934RL0BHf6zmg5G3nZr6z5FSoYC7EFerpkbvWBKsgosB6hR52EzAfWWQILoUpMOA3QTBengzPtAhnkPQ/s1600/Fire+and+Ice+Cover1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTcUZgVU1hm_8HYbEZxhc53ifIBjxU4ZeclzJLCTNh7zIWGOafgnSX3i934RL0BHf6zmg5G3nZr6z5FSoYC7EFerpkbvWBKsgosB6hR52EzAfWWQILoUpMOA3QTBengzPtAhnkPQ/s320/Fire+and+Ice+Cover1.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fire-Ice-Dead-Man-ebook/dp/B0069INUN6/ref=sr_1_5?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1322787805&sr=1-5">Available now, exclusively on Amazon.com</a></div>Jude Hardinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09994813046526310594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20622611.post-10875161036530298262012-01-14T09:22:00.004-05:002012-01-14T11:55:53.454-05:00Latest Review for UNBORN<br />
<br />
<b>Here's the latest Amazon customer review for my horror novella <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Unborn-ebook/dp/B004XDBU6I/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1326559798&sr=8-3">UNBORN</a>, published under the pseudonym Carson Wilder. Thanks to Upstate "C" for the kind words!</b><br />
<br />
<br />
I'm an avid horror fan, and it's hard to congeal my reader's blood, but
this little gem did it. The author's voice is sparse, almost flippant,
and that kind of writing is immensely effective as he leads the reader
through a day in the life of John Rock, reluctant medium and hero. The
crimes committed, by innocent people taken over by pure evil, are
ingeniously detailed and presented as if we're reading nothing scarier
than a walk in the park on a sunny day. It's that simplicity and economy
of phrase that elevates murder to almost an art form. Less is more, and
Mr. Wilder proves it. He doesn't skimp on shock value but he also
avoids the ten-page set-up, thankfully. His scenes grab you right away
and suck you in. Before you know it, you're looking out through a
murderer's eyes and waiting for your heart to stop pounding.<br />
<br />
I
read this book in one fevered sitting, and did so late at night, my
preferred time for horror. I had a tough time falling asleep. That tells
me if what I've just read is good horror.<br />
<br />
This is good horror.
Don't miss out. It's not for the faint of heart and it's going to squick
you out in places, but don't let that stop you. And, really, if you
needed something not for the faint of heart, you wouldn't be reading
horror in the first place, right?
<br />
<br />
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<br />Jude Hardinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09994813046526310594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20622611.post-80684836422559578862011-11-30T21:32:00.000-05:002011-11-30T21:32:43.199-05:00Another Major Announcement!I am pleased to announce that I recently signed a multi-book deal with Thomas and Mercer, Amazon Publishing's imprint for mysteries and thrillers. The second book in the Nicholas Colt series will be released Summer 2012, and will be available on Amazon.com and in bookstores everywhere.<br />
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I have only been dealing with Amazon for a short time, but I am thoroughly convinced they are the future of major worldwide publishing. I'm really stoked to be part of their team!<br />
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Stay tuned for more exciting news, and for chances to win free copies of CROSSCUT, book #2 in the Nicholas Colt series!Jude Hardinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09994813046526310594noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20622611.post-15435835488977040112011-11-30T00:43:00.001-05:002011-11-30T00:44:47.318-05:00Fire and Ice<i>Some say the world will end in fire,<br />
Some say in ice.<br />
From what I've tasted of desire<br />
I hold with those who favor fire.<br />
But if it had to perish twice,<br />
I think I know enough of hate<br />
To say that for destruction ice<br />
Is also great<br />
And would suffice.</i><br />
--Robert Frost<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fire-Ice-Dead-Man-ebook/dp/B0069INUN6/ref=sr_1_1?s=books">Now available for pre-order</a>.Jude Hardinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09994813046526310594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20622611.post-90954814055078365552011-09-20T14:55:00.001-05:002011-09-21T00:42:46.221-05:00Major Announcement!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhowk6bwNwcaISGRp_x6a_7YBDv_JqeRAAAmvvk-kKEkPwe7qFAknKuSFd9v6MAjno7j7DIQnnnmvSbB7WSXLuH09161hXVn2ogWSbizpk-ywsUvt3fBXwiskuKmsGYcs8fcV8v8g/s1600/LEEGOLDBERGWILLIAMRABKIN_TheDeadMan_FINAL4_%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhowk6bwNwcaISGRp_x6a_7YBDv_JqeRAAAmvvk-kKEkPwe7qFAknKuSFd9v6MAjno7j7DIQnnnmvSbB7WSXLuH09161hXVn2ogWSbizpk-ywsUvt3fBXwiskuKmsGYcs8fcV8v8g/s400/LEEGOLDBERGWILLIAMRABKIN_TheDeadMan_FINAL4_%25281%2529.jpg" /></a></div><br />
From Lee Goldberg's blog:<br />
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<i>Amazon's Thomas & Mercer imprint has picked up THE DEAD MAN series in a unique and exclusive 12-book digital & print deal ... with an option for more. But that's not all. Brilliance Audio will be also be rolling out their own editions of the books.<br />
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The five books that we've already published -- FACE OF EVIL, RING OF KNIVES, HELL IN HEAVEN, THE DEAD WOMAN, and THE BLOOD MESA -- will be re-released in the days leading up to Halloween ... so keep your eyes peeled for great offers.<br />
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The sixth book in the series will be released in November and will be followed each month by another new adventure in the continuing saga of Matt Cahill, a man resurrected from the dead to battle evil among us that only he can see.</p><br />
Amazon will also be releasing three-book compilations of THE DEAD MAN series in trade paperback (as well as in specially priced digital editions). The release dates of the first compilation, and the Brilliance Audio editions, have not been determined yet ... but we’re hoping they'll be ready for Christmas.<br />
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Bill Rabkin and I will continue to run the series, which we're writing with a terrific group of action, horror, mystery, SF and western authors, like James Daniels, David McAfee, James Reasoner, Harry Shannon, Joel Goldman, Mel Odom, <b>Jude Hardin,</b> Lisa Klink, Mark Ellis, Matthew Mayo, Joe Nassise, Bill Crider, Marcus Pelegrimas, Matt Witten, Burl Barer, and Phoef Sutton.<br />
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And we couldn't have hoped for a better partner than Amazon’s Thomas & Mercer. I just returned from meeting with the Thomas & Mercer team (including editors Terry Goodman and Andy Bartlett) in Seattle and was blown away by their creativity, enthusiasm, and eagerness to see THE DEAD MAN reach its full potential. They get exactly what Bill and I are trying to do with this series.<br />
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And what is that, you ask?<br />
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We want to capture the spirit of the “men’s action adventure” paperbacks of the 70s and 80s – short, tightly-written books full of hard-boiled heroes, outrageously sexy women, wild adventure, and gleefully over-the-top plots – and reboot the genre for a new generation that maximizes the potential of the Kindle.<br />
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And with Thomas & Mercer behind us, I don't see how we can fail.</i><br />
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I'm proud to be part of this exciting news. Congrats to all involved!Jude Hardinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09994813046526310594noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20622611.post-12261996366617053882011-07-08T17:20:00.002-05:002011-07-08T17:30:38.303-05:00What's Your Number?Over on the Kindle Boards I just saw the announcement by self-published author Mark Edwards that he and his co-author Louise Voss have signed a four-book deal with a major publisher. Here's the press release:<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">HarperFiction have moved quickly to snap up internet sensations, Louise Voss and Mark Edwards, whose two self-published novels have stormed both the Amazon Kindle and the Amazon Books chart. Catch Your Death, their second novel, has remained at the top of the Kindle chart for weeks and sold 42,000 copies in the month of June, while Killing Cupid, their debut, remains in the Top 10. The authors have sparked huge interest, appearing on BBC Breakfast, Sky News, Radio 2 and Radio 5, along with numerous newspapers and sites including BBC News, The Guardian and The Telegraph.<br /><br />Kate Bradley secured World Rights for four books with a six-figure pre-empt from the agent Sam Copeland at Rogers, Coleridge and White.<br /><br />Bradley said ‘When Killing Cupid and Catch Your Death were submitted, I ripped through them in just a few hours and it was clear that we had found something very, very special. Louise and Mark have done a fantastic job of publishing their own books in the digital space and I’m thrilled that we are going to take them to the next level, both in terms of their ebook profile and in the physical market. They are writing clever, fast-paced, psychological thrillers that are highly addictive and we can’t wait to get these out into the wider world.’ <br /><br />The first book Catch Your Death will be published as a physical edition in early Spring 2012, while the ebook editions will continue to sell online.</span><br /><br />"Six figures" doesn't really tell us much, but for the sake of argument let's just say they're getting $999,999. World rights for four books, two of which are already top sellers as ebooks on Amazon. Is it worth it? What dollar number would a publisher have to come up with for you to sell the rights to four books?Jude Hardinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09994813046526310594noreply@blogger.com11