July 6, 2009

Hello all! I am very excited to announce the forthcoming publication of my third novel, The Dying of Mortimer Post.

Unlike my previous two novels (Sniper Shot, 2005, and its yet-to-be-released sequel Return Fire, both from iBooks), The Dying of Mortimer Post crosses genre lines, incorporating my traditional thriller style with a more mainstream storyline. In the tradition of Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner, The Dying of Mortimer Post is a first-person narrative chronicling the life of a young protagonist through the turbulence of a changing world after he undergoes a life-shattering event.

Mortimer Post is the quintessential product of late-'60's middle America. He is a college-bound physics major from a good family, engaged to his high-school sweetheart, and is at the forefront of his version of the American dream. Then, in twelve short minutes, he faces a loss so devastating it marks the end of his living and the beginning of his dying. But as the opening sentence suggests, some deaths are slower than others. Mortimer's takes a lifetime to complete; a lifetime best described not as a series of unfortunate events, but a series of unbearable tragedies.

Spanning four of America's most significant decades, The Dying of Mortimer Post takes the reader from the protagonist's coming of age in the Pocono Mountains to the massacre of Vietnamese civilians at My Lai. After the searing end of his military career, the reader accompanies Mortimer on a nationwide quest for understanding and healing. On this journey of discovery, he finds both happiness and sorrow in the backwoods of rural Mississippi, then a much darker side of himself on the unforgiving streets of south central Los Angeles. Only when he has lost everything and is finally ready for the release of death, does Mortimer discover that he already has the one thing he's spent a lifetime seeking, and with it, the chance to finally live again.

At once exciting, poignant, and disturbing, The Dying of Mortimer Post reveals the innermost of this almost Gump-like character as he struggles to make sense of a senseless world. A true epic, it is part love story, part war chronicle, part police saga, and all tragedy, but more than anything, is a tale of redemption in a world where the very concept has ceased to exist.

The Dying of Mortimer Post is under contract with L&L Dreamspell Publishing, a small publisher in Houston, Texas. It is set for release in the spring of 2010. The exact date is yet to be determined.

Barry W. Ozeroff would like to announce the release of his first published short story BUM DEAL.

The story was released this month in Coach's Midnight Diner, an anthology which describes itself as a "dynamic extravaganza of horror, crime, and paranormal fiction with a Christian slant."

Barry isn't too sure about the "Christian slant" thing, particularly with respect to his writing, but he is nonetheless thrilled to have BUM DEAL make its debut in the Midnight Diner.

BUM DEAL is a story examining the intricate and ultimately flawed inner workings of the mind of a Portland, OR police officer who has dealt with the homeless and mentally ill residents of his city maybe just a little too much and a little too intimately.

Check out BUM DEAL in Coach's Midnight Diner, and order a copy (or download the ebook) of this very interesting anthology at http://www.themidnightdiner.com. The rest of the stories in the Midnight Diner are almost as good as Barry's, too.

And for fans of SNIPER SHOT, keep your fingers crossed and standby for an exciting announcement.

There is a strong possibility that Barry will sign a new contract with a new publisher for a new book within the month. A break from SNIPER SHOT and RETURN FIRE, Barry's next novel is still a classic Ozeroff page-turning police thriller, and much, much more. He can't say anything about the book yet, but fans of SNIPER SHOT will certainly not be disappointed.

And for the loyal fans waiting for the release of RETURN FIRE, the sequel to SNIPER SHOT, don't worry. Barry is expecting to hear more about that from iBooks very shortly, and the moment he gets the release date, he will announce it here.

Check back frequently for more exciting news about both of these pending books.

February 2nd, 2009

RETURN FIRE Update

To All My Loyal Fans,

As you both have probably already realized, the release of RETURN FIRE has been delayed. January 25th has come and gone, and after all the hype, there is no book. Not yet, anyway. I can't tell you how disappointing it is for an author struggling to make it in the literary world to have something like this happen just before the second book comes out, but do not despair, not all my news is bad. RETURN FIRE will come out. And keep reading until you get to my good news, which is the publication of my first short story (see below).

But first, I ask you to do what I've been asked to do by my publisher, and that's to be patient. So stick with me for a little while longer. When you do get to read RETURN FIRE, you'll like it better than SNIPER SHOT. I know I did.

You probably want to know why it's been delayed and when it will come out. Well, so do I, so I asked my publisher just that. According to iBooks, which is an imprint of Bricktower Press (www.bricktowerpress.com), the book is temporarily on hold due to the economic slump; specifically because of the pending demise of Borders. The way John Colby, founder of Brick Tower Press, explained it to me is that all of the books they distributed to Borders in the last quarter of 2008 were returned, never having made it to the bookstore shelves. There are industry rumors that Borders is closing, and both Bricktower and iBooks do a lot of business with Borders. If RETURN FIRE was distributed in the normal way and all of the copies sent to Borders were returned, it apparently wouldn't turn much of a profit for the company.

You might ask why they don't just distribute to other bookstores, like Barnes and Noble, Books-a-Million, and all the indies. I don't know. Apparently, everyone else who ships to Borders is thinking the same thing, and those stores probably can't handle all the extra volumes. That's my guess, anyway.

So this kinda leaves me in limbo. What I've got going for me is the fact that SNIPER SHOT did so well, and I truly thank you guys for that. I also understand there have been some advance sales of RETURN FIRE as well, so once again, thank you. I have every confidence that decent writing can still make it, even with today's economy, and RETURN FIRE will just be more proof of that. So what can we do in the meantime?

I've got two suggestions. Perhaps if all of my loyal fans band together and tell the publisher how much they want to read RETURN FIRE, he might be more willing to do what he has to in order to get it out there sooner. So both of you listen up; his name is John Colby, and his email address is bricktower@aol.com. Drop him a line telling him how anxious you are to find out who Watchinyou is, and exactly what a demented psycho stalker can do with fifteen million dollars. Tell him how curious you are to find out how the little triangle of Ben Geller, his loyal wife Sharon, and his part-time girlfriend Andrea shakes out, and what lies in store next for the Stratton Police Department and its ubiquitous SERT team. If he gets both your emails, he'll simply have to get the press rolling!

The other thing is take a leap of faith, and order RETURN FIRE now. It will be like Christmas early when the book does come out; by then you'll forget about having paid for it and suddenly you'll be the first to find out how just how good Ben actually had it in SNIPER SHOT. You can pre-order here, or at www.bricktowerpress.com, or of course, at your favorite bookseller or online retailer.

I know, I know, you probably view me as the next Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist writing from my cabin in the woods, or maybe with my pipe and smoking jacket in one of my apartments overlooking Central Park churning out a New York Times bestseller every six weeks, and I can understand that. But the truth is, I'm just a cop in Oregon struggling to get a couple good books published, mostly because it's fun for me. And maybe a little therapeutic, too. It sure ain't because it's making me rich! But I won't stop at RETURN FIRE. My next novel, POLICE LINE (DO NOT CROSS), is just about ready to go, and it's a doozie, too. In it, I take a break from Ben Geller and Stratton PD, and delve into the mind of a bad cop, but that's all I'll say for now. There are more books in the works, too, and I have no plans to stop writing. But it sure is hard, especially in these times. You guys can help me. RETURN FIRE will be coming out, and hopefully, it won't be long. Just hang in there with me.

Feel free to check back here often for updates; you know how on top of it I am at keeping the site up to date. Now on to some really good news...

Short Story News

On another publishing front, I am extremely pleased to announce the imminent release of my very first published short story, BUM DEAL, in the forthcoming issue of Coach's Midnight Diner (www.themidnightdiner.com). Coach's Midnight Diner is a short-story magazine that describes itself as "a hardboiled genre anthology with a Christian slant,  featuring horror, detective, and paranormal fiction."

Now I don't know about the Christian slant, because you probably won't find much Christianity in BUM DEAL, but I can guarantee you it is a thought-provoking look at a side of police work you will otherwise never see or hear about. Go to their website and toss 'em $10.00 for a copy. I know you won't be disappointed in BUM DEAL, and from what I've heard, the other stories there are pretty damn good, too.

I love writing short stories, but I don't write them until I really feel compelled to do so. When I get that drive, which is usually based on an idea that comes to me, I churn out a hell of a short story. I am not a prolific short story writer; in fact, I only have a handful (seven, to be specific). There are so few because I only write really good short stories.

So why aren't they all published and so popular that they make my name a household word? Probably because I don't understand the generally accepted definition or style of the genre, so my stories don't really line up with the kind that win awards. To me, those stories don't say anything, and are merely comprised of a word salad of phrases and thoughts strung together in a manner as to make one wonder what the hell the author is trying to say. Yuppies and greenies seem to love that crap (hey, nothing wrong with yup or green though). Me, I'm a cop. And a story teller. Therefore, my short stories are real and gritty, and sometimes leave you with the urge to take a bath. But in a good way.

They are just like little novels, with character development and a real plot that includes a beginning, middle, and an end. Oh, and like my books, they generally have an unexpected twist or two that make the reader talk to himself in amazement, often uttering something as profound as "Whoa... dude!"

Whoa... dude... Now that's a critique I can live with.

Remember, it's called BUM DEAL, and it's in a rag called Coach's Midnight Diner. Go to www.themidnightdiner.com, order a copy, and utter those profound words for (and to) yourself.

Check back soon, and I hope to have better news regarding the publication of RETURN FIRE very shortly. And as always, a sincere thanks for stopping by.

---Barry

Mark Ozeroff holds a near-religious fervor for aeronautical history. A lifelong pilot, he lives on an eclectic airport with aircraft ranging from Sopwith to Learjet; it wasn't unusual during the creation of DAYS OF SMOKE for engine song from a Rolls-Royce Merlin to nourish a burgeoning dogfight scene. Though he holds an MBA, it wasn't until age forty-two that Mark finally realized what he wanted to be when he grew up and started writing. When not working on his next novel, Mark can often be found in the bicycle saddle.

Feel free to contact Mark Ozeroff at Markauthor@aol.com

I recently got word from iBooks that RETURN FIRE will be released in hardcover-yes, that was hardcover-in January 2009. Hardcover is big news to a second-time author whose debut was in paperback, because in its heart, every paperback wants to be a hardcover when it grows up. Things are starting to roll in pre-production of the book, and it goes without saying that I'm excited as hell. My publisher, ibooks, inc., is even talking of a re-release of my first book, SNIPER SHOT, to coincide with the release of RETURN FIRE.

I'm also very pleased to announce that RETURN FIRE will be available as a downloadable ebook as well. Personally, I like reading ebooks on my PDA, simply because I have no room to store the number of books that I read. The exact ebook format (Adobe, Microsoft Reader, Palm, Amazon's Kindle, etc.) has yet to be decided, but check back for details.

RETURN FIRE isn't the only big book news in the Ozeroff family. I am thrilled to announce that my brother, Mark Ozeroff, also a writer, just landed his first publishing contract. Mark's debut, a WW-II aviation warfare novel entitled DAYS OF SMOKE, will be released by Asylett Press the same month as RETURN FIRE!

Mark and I are already planning a multi-state book signing tour. Planned stops include Oregon, where I live, Florida, where Mark lives, Ohio, where we were born and raised, and California because, well... because it's California. Oh, and because I used to be a cop in La Mesa, CA.

I mentioned that I used to be a cop in La Mesa, CA. I worked there between November 1986 and November, 1992, when I began working for the Gresham, OR police department. I will give away a free, signed copy of my first book, SNIPER SHOT, to the first five people who can prove or convince me that they were a recipient of a Barry W. Ozeroff traffic citation during the time I worked there. A scanned file attachment of your citation will win you a free signed copy of RETURN FIRE as well!

Not to mention the tiny detail that my daughters and grand-daughters live in SoCal, and I take any excuse I can think of to visit them. Can you say "road trip," boys and girls?

We'll be doing numerous book signings along the way, so, as the time draws closer, check back for our specific itinerary. If your reading group or book club wants to meet the dynamic duo of bestselling brothers in the flesh; if having a library full of signed Ozeroff originals is an absolute must (as it should be), then email me here and tell me what city you live in and how many you are, and we'll do our best to make sure the Ozeroff nationwide book tour makes a stop in your hometown.

Check back very shortly for details about Mark Ozeroff and DAYS OF SMOKE!