HBO has released a new trailer for the third season of its comic crime drama Bored to Death; we've embedded it below, though to be honest, it really doesn't tell you anything about either the show or the new season so we're kind of wondering, what's the point of releasing it? (Right about now you're probably asking, then why post it? And you'd be making a good point!)
Jason Schwartzman stars as (fictional) Jonathan Ames — there is a real Jonathan Ames, who created the series — a young Brooklyn writer who's feeling lost. He's just gone through a painful break-up and has writer's block. Rather than face reality, he turns instead to his fantasies — moonlightling as a private detective — because he wants to be a hero and a man of action.
The series also stars Zach Galifianakis as comic book illustrator Ray Hueston and Jason's best friend; and Ted Danson as Jason's high-profile magazine editor and boss George Christopher.
Bored to Death Season 3 premieres on October 10th on HBO.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
New Trailer for Third Season of Bored to Death
The Price of Liberty by Keir Graff is Today's Second Featured Free MystereBook
MystereBooks is pleased to feature The Price of Liberty by Keir Graff as today's second free mystery ebook. We don't know how long it will be offered at this special price (typically only until a certain number of downloads have been completed), so we urge you to download it while it is still available for free.
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The Price of Liberty by Keir Graff
Non-Series
Smashwords
This is Keir Graff's fourth novel of suspense, originally published by Severn House in hardcover in 2010 and earlier this year as a trade paperback.
About The Price of Liberty (from the publisher): Jack McEnroe is a construction worker with an unusual job: building a prison for terrorists. Like his neighbors in Red Rock, Wyoming, Jack isn't particularly concerned about politics. In a depressed rural economy, he's just grateful to have a job.
Jack's boss, Dave Fetters, is grateful, too: he has a no-bid, cost-plus contract issued by the previous administration. It's his last chance to get rich, and he's making the most of it.
But Dave is cooking the books, passing inflated costs along to defense contractor Halcyon Corporation — and Jack's ex-wife, Kyla, plans to blow the whistle. Suddenly, everyone Jack cares about, including his two young children, is in danger.
As the first winter snows fall in the rugged mountains, Jack must navigate a razor-wire labyrinth to rescue those he loves. And the true price of liberty, he discovers, is paid not in dollars, but human life.
Important Note: Prices can and do change without prior notice, so please confirm the price of the book before completing your purchase.
Download Link(s):
Legwork by Katy Munger is Today's Featured Free MystereBook
MystereBooks is pleased to feature Legwork by Katy Munger as today's free mystery ebook. We don't know how long it will be offered at this special price (typically only until a certain number of downloads have been completed), so we urge you to download it while it is still available for free.
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Legwork by Katy Munger
A Casey Jones Mystery (1st in series)
Smashwords
Yesterday we featured one of Katy Munger's other mysteries, the first in her "Partners in Crime" series originally published under the pen name Gallagher Gray. (Note: As of the date and time of this post, Partners in Crime is still available as a free download.) Today's mystery, Legwork, is written under her own name, was originally published in paperback by Avon in 1997, and introduces Casey Jones, an unlicensed private investigator in North Carolina.
About Legwork (from the publisher): She's smart, talented and durable, but Casey Jones has had more than her share of bad luck in her life — including a short stretch in a Florida pen that haunts her still. In Raleigh, N.C., where Casey now lives, a prison record means no private investigator's license. So she's doing legwork for legit P.I. Bobby D — a blimp-sized eating machine with a bad toupee, who exercises few muscles below the jawline.
Casey's latest assignment is to guard Senatorial hopeful Mary Lee Masters — a tough-as-nails politico with a reputation for perfection and a long list of adversaries, including one who just dumped a shotgunned corpse into the candidate's Jeep. With her campaign on the horizon, Mary Lee turns to Casey for help — the kind that soon has the unlicensed sleuth swimming in an unsavory southern stew of treachery and dirty politics … with a large pinch of murder thrown in for flavor.
Important Note: Prices can and do change without prior notice, so please confirm the price of the book before completing your purchase.
Download Link(s):
Harlequin Intrigue Titles for September 2011
eHarlequin.com has released the list of September 2011 titles in their Intrigue, breathtaking romantic suspense series. Get these edge-of-your-seat reads today with characters who conquer everything from kidnappings to murder mysteries, only to find themselves irresistibly drawn to one another!
For more information about the book from eHarlequin.com, click on the book cover; other purchase options (Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble, and The Book Depository) are also provided.
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Scene of the Crime: Widow Creek by Carla Cassidy
Lexie Forbes had come to Kansas looking for answers, but all she uncovered was a killer on her trail. Still, the FBI agent wasn't about to give up on her desperate search for the truth behind the suspicious death that sent her reeling … even if no one in the small, eerie town was talking. No one except sexy rancher Nick Walker.
Nick had experienced his own share of tragedy and all he wanted was to be left alone. But refusing the gorgeous and persistent Lexie was tougher than roping cattle—especially once he realized they shared a very dangerous connection. Before long, Nick went from trying his best to ignore the sizzling tension between them to doing whatever he could to ensure Lexie didn't become the town's latest victim.
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Phantom of the French Quarter by Colleen Thompson
Marcus Le Carpentier was a phantom in the night, a man who let no one in and always kept a low profile. So when he accidentally witnessed a beautiful local woman stumble upon a dead body, the last thing Marcus planned on was getting involved. He'd done that before … and had been living with the dangerous consequences ever since. But since leaving a very frightened Caitlyn Villaré alone didn't sit well with Marcus, he promised to help and then return to the shadowy corners of New Orleans, alone. Unfortunately, Caitlyn's discovery brought a killer out of hiding and Marcus was thrust back into the limelight, protecting Caitlyn, hunting down a madman—and failing to find all the usual reasons why it would be best if he walked away …
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Westin's Wyoming by Alice Sharpe
It had been fifteen years since Pierce Westin stepped foot on the Open Sky Ranch. But after a mysterious phone call disrupted a life lived on the edge, the security expert agreed it was time to come home. And although his presence in Wyoming was only temporary, Pierce fell back into the easygoing lifestyle he'd once been desperate to escape. Unfortunately, that peace was shattered when gorgeous Princess Analise showed up, claiming she'd angered all the wrong people and needed his protection. As cases went, it certainly wasn't his most dangerous. But after a day spent looking into her crystal-blue eyes, and stealing breathtaking kisses, Pierce knew the outcome of this mission would change his life. Forever.
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The Big Guns by HelenKay Dimon
When he saw his mark being kidnapped, Recovery Project agent Zach Bachman had no option but to rescue her. Even if it endangered his assignment. After weeks of watching Sela Andrews from afar, he was now trapped with the blonde beauty as her bodyguard.
Her brave protector relished the heat of gun battle but retreated from his own emotions. Sela learned that when, in the dead of night in a darkened safe house, the loner became her lover. Still, as her would-be killers closed in on them again, she had no choice but to put her life—and her heart—in the hands of her reluctant guardian.
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The Black Sheep Sheik by Dana Marton
Waking up from a coma in a remote Wyoming cabin, Sheik Amir Khalid thought he was dreaming when he laid eyes on the woman he'd spent one steamy weekend with. Dr. Isabelle Andrews was every bit as gorgeous as he remembered—and nine months pregnant. But when shots rang out and it was clear their hideaway had been discovered, Amir's questions had to wait. Desperate to keep Isabelle and his unborn baby safe, Amir vowed to personally guard them 24/7. And as the independent beauty fought him at every turn, he knew it wasn't just royal protocol that made him want to keep her by his side. He'd give up everything that was expected of him if it meant protecting the family he'd only just met. Including his life.
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Detective Daddy by Mallory Kane
He learned he was going to be a daddy the same day his parents' murderer was set free. But Detective Ash Kendall was determined to keep it together. After all, one woman was at the center of everything, and Rachel Stevens had a lot of explaining to do.
The lovely DNA profiler had no idea her evidence would reopen Ash's old wounds. Despite all they'd been through, she hadn't stopped loving the man who just found out he was going to be a daddy. And with someone desperate to keep the secrets of the Christmas Eve Murders hidden, Ash was the only man who could protect Rachel and her baby.
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Second Son by Lee Child, a Jack Reacher Origins Short Story
Jack Reacher fans will want to check out a new short story published yesterday titled Second Son by Lee Child. This origins story is released exclusively in ebook format.
Okinawa, 1974. Even at thirteen, Jack Reacher knows how to outwit and overpower anyone who stands in his way. And as the new kid in town, that's pretty much everyone. His family has come to the Pacific with his father, who's preparing for a top-secret Marine Corps operation. After receiving a rude welcome from the local military brats, Reacher and his older brother, Joe, intend to teach them a lesson they won't forget. But it's soon clear that there's more at stake than pride. When his family's future appears to come crumbling down, it's the youngest Reacher who rises to the occasion with all the decisive cunning and bravura that will one day be his deadly trademark.
Second Son is available to download in Kindle format, as a Nook Book, an Apple iBook (via iTunes), and from other ebook retailers.
OMN Welcomes Ron Gavalik, Author of the Serial Emotobook Grit City
Omnimystery News is thrilled to welcome Ron Gavalik, author of the monthly serial Grit City (Zinescape Publishing). Two issues have already been published; the third is coming out next month.
Today Ron writes about Grit City and emotobooks, a new method of — and a new form for — fictional storytelling.
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Photo provided courtesy of
Ron Gavalik
As a writer it’s always been a goal of mine to bridge the gap between the cerebral gratifications of well-plotted writing and the visual stimulation of illustrative art or film. Like a mad scientist with crazy hair and a battered lab coat, I experimented with various styles, structures, and word painting exercises. Nothing seemed to achieve my goal.
Then it came to me. I had a mini-epiphany. Insert abstract, emotionally representative illustrations during peak moments of tension. By delivering a visual of what the character feels and experiences, the reader becomes more intensely immersed in the story.
The term emotobook is simply a portmanteau word I conjured, as a fun and memorable label for this new medium of fiction.
Unlike comic books that use direct illustrations as the primary storytelling device, Grit City emotobooks are written mystery noirs, with an urban fantasy twist. The four of five illustrations in each thirty-page installment merely lend a visual experience to the internal emotional processes of the characters.
It’s lots of fun.
Grit City is continuing story, published each month to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other eBook retailers. In each installment the reader is exposed to a dark and calamitous world, where the nefarious rule.
Our main character is Dillon Galway, an idealistic freelance journalist in his mid-twenties, who barely scrapes out a living reporting on corruption for the metro newspaper and his own blog.
Dillon embodies a double meaning of the term grit. He is a gritty individual, who drinks and lives meagerly. But he also possesses grit. Courage and strength of character are his dominant personality traits.
I’ve constructed a world where Dillon shares a symbiotic relationship with the city. Its failures have lowered him, yet he remains hopeful for the restoration of peace and opportunity. Occasionally, he relies on the sexy and sultry Alyssa Stephano (gun for hire) to help when situations require her nickel-plated Colt .45 revolvers.
Grit City was an ideal place to live at one time. We all know of towns that have fallen over the years. The murder of Dillon’s Father and the rise of the Syndicate started Dillon’s downward spiral. All meaningful power in business, politics, and law enforcement were funneled into the hands of this wealthy organization.
But in the shadows of the back alleys, whispers stir in the underground of an unnamed force. Something or someone that’s determined to upset the status quo. When Dillon is tipped about horrifying activities he’s propelled into a perilous investigation that may lead to dire consequences.
As the series progresses he’s faced with unfathomed challenges, but also gains abilities most consider impossible.
The creation of Grit City is a collaborative process. Leah Keilman is our illustrator and master of visual expressionism in fiction. It’s her talent and passion that breathes life into the emotobook illustrations.. Nikki Hopeman is our proofing editor. Her eye for detail ensures the story installments I write are held to the highest possible level of storytelling. Kunta is our web and electronic media guru, who likes to eat … a lot. We just feed him pizza and let him work his magic. Without this team my vision of emotobooks never would have existed.
With that said, we’ve all dedicated our lives to this pursuit. We’re thankful such a broad audience is heralding the story. It seems our tagline on the website is true.
Read one installment and you’ll be hooked until the gritty end.
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Ron Gavalik has dedicated his life to the written word. He’s practiced a long and successful career in fiction writing, journalism, and technical documentation. His short fiction has appeared in several magazines and online venues. His news articles have informed thousands of readers throughout the United States.
He conceived the new medium of emotobooks in 2010 while earning his M.A. in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. Grit City is the maiden serialized story, and is receiving accolades among a large and diverse base of readers throughout the US, UK, and Germany.
Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Ron spends much of his free time in the outdoors of Southwestern Pennsylvania. He enjoys fishing, hiking, and riding his trail bike.
Ron can be reached through his website at RonGavalik.com.
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About Grit City: Dillon Galway is an idealistic freelance journalist in his mid-twenties, who barely scrapes out a living reporting on corruption for the Grit City Times and his own blog.
Dillon remembers the city as an ideal place to live, before the murder of his Father and the rise of the Lebedev Syndicate. All meaningful power in business, politics and law enforcement are now funneled into the hands of this wealthy organization.
He works tirelessly to reestablish opportunity and peace, and relies on the sexy and sultry Alyssa Stephano (gun for hire) to help when situations require her nickel plated Colt .45 revolvers.
But in the shadows of the back alleys, whispers stir in the underground of an unnamed force. Something or someone that’s determined to upset the status quo. When Dillon is tipped about horrifying activities he’s propelled into a perilous investigation that may lead to dire consequences.
As the series progresses Dillon will face unfathomed challenges, but also gain abilities most consider impossible.
Visit Grit City online at GritCitySerial.com.
Two issues have been published to date and are available to download from Amazon.com (Issue 1, Issue 2), Barnes & Noble (Issue 1, Issue 2), Apple (via iTunes: Issue 1, Issue 2), Smashwords (Issue 1, Issue 2), and other ebook retailers.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Brad Pitt to Star in Film Adaptation of The Gray Man by Mark Greaney
Earlier today it was Brad Pitt may star in a film adaptation of Mark Greaney's debut thriller from 2009 The Gray Man. Now that apparently has changed to will star.
We first heard about this adaptation way back in May 2010 when New Regency Pictures optioned the film and attached Adam Cozad to write the screenplay and, earlier this year, with news that James Gray would direct.
In the book, Court "The Gray Man" Gentry (to be played by Pitt) is a legend in the covert realm, moving silently from job to job, accomplishing the impossible and then fading away. And he always hits his target. But there are forces more lethal than Gentry in the world. And in their eyes, Gentry has just outlived his usefulness. Now, he is going to prove that for him, there's no gray area between killing for a living — and killing to stay alive.
Production is expected to begin early in 2012.
(Source: Deadline|New York.)
New Promotional Poster for NBC's Prime Suspect
NBC has released a new poster for its Fall 2011 crime drama Prime Suspect (right; click for larger version), a remake of the superb British series that aired over a span of 15 years and starred Helen Mirren as the driven Detective Inspector, later Detective Superintendent, Jane Tennison.
This update stars Maria Bello as New York homicide detective Jane Timoney. And while we were never really thrilled with the idea of a remake, every way in which NBC is promoting it is making us less enthusiastic by the week.
Take the tagline from the poster: "Cop. An attitude." Or worse (from the network's website): "Not just a pretty face." This suggests to us that there isn't much substance to the series, that they're relying entirely on the character here to draw viewers in, instead of solid storylines, which is what they will need keep them coming back.
Still, this new poster is marginally better than the simply dreadful original promo image released earlier this year (bottom). And what's with the hat?
Here's the show's summary (from the network): If being a homicide detective in New York isn't tough enough, having to contend with a male-dominated police department to get respect makes it that much tougher. And that's exactly what Jane Timoney has to do. She's an outsider who was just transferred to a new precinct where a fraternity of cops isn't willing to give her the benefit of the doubt - especially given the way they think she got the job after an illicit affair with her boss.
Jane is by no means perfect, and with her own vices and questionable past she can be forceful, willful, rude, and downright reckless. She's also a brilliant cop with an uncanny ability to see what others miss, and get inside a criminal's head like no one else. While she wouldn't admit it, she wants the respect of the men in her life — including her commanding officer, her fellow detectives, and her complicated boyfriend and his young son — but above all, she keeps her eye on one thing: the prime suspect.
Prime Suspect will premiere on September 22nd on NBC.
