I’m hanging out with celebrities again.

You know Lawrence Block? Maybe you’ve heard of Matthew Scudder, portrayed by Liam Neeson last year in a Walk Among The Tombstones. Now you can buy our books together, along with New York Times bestsellers Rebecca Cantrell and Julie Hyzy, Edgar nominee Kris Nelscott, plus five other cutting edge crime writers, through the Dark Justice StoryBundle. The main bundle is a mere $5. Buy at https://storybundle.com/crime only until November 19th.

Like, comment, or share this blog for a chance to win all ten books absolutely free! One winner will be chosen from each of the following lists on Wednesday, Nov. 4th:

1. One commenter right here, on this blog post.
2. One subscriber to my newsletter. Just sign up on the top or bottom of my website. Since I only have a few subscribers, this is a good path. I promise not to abuse your e-mail.
3. One participant on my Dark Justice Facebook post.
4. One commenter on my Sleuthsayer blog.
5. Audience member at Vanier College. Claimed!

For those of you who want to know more:

Q. What the heck is a StoryBundle?

A. Jason Chen, founder: I started StoryBundle because back in 2012, video game bundles and app bundles were extremely popular, and no one had yet applied the same idea to ebooks. When I looked around (because I’m a reader myself) to try and find a way to discover lots of new-to-me authors in genres I already like, it was pretty difficult without spending hours reading reviews and trudging through sales lists. Plus, since these are authors I haven’t tried before, I may be left with hit-or-miss quality. Having curated bundles where quality is guaranteed AND readers can set the price solves both these issues.

Q. Okay. Why should I buy this StoryBundle?

A. Kristine Kathryn Rusch, editor:
The Dark Justice bundle comes as close to crime fiction perfection as possible.
It boasts one Grand Master, several award-winners, bestsellers who’ve hit lists like the New York Times and USA Today with multiple books, household names, and writers who’ve just entered the mystery field—sometimes with a bang.

We also have a lot of diversity here. Our investigators include an African American detective, a Canadian doctor of Asian extraction, a disabled stockbroker and a group of retired cold case detectives. Throw in a few amateur detectives, a disgraced ex-cop, a female bounty hunter, and the famous Matthew Scudder, who has appeared in film (most recently A Walk Among The Tombstones), and you’ll encounter the full range of characters the mystery genre has to offer.
I’ve read and loved the work of each and every one of these writers. Some of them I’ve read since I started reading mystery and some I’ve read since before they ever had a book published. In one of my other incarnations, I’m an award-winning editor, so believe me when I tell you that if there were some kind of Kristine Kathryn Rusch Gold Seal of Approval, the books in this bundle would receive it.

Q. All right, but how does StoryBundle work?
A. Kris: For those of you who have never purchased a bundle from StoryBundle before, welcome! StoryBundle makes ordering and downloading these books spectacularly easy.
The initial titles in the Dark Justice Bundle (minimum $5 to purchase) are:
Cold Call by Dean Wesley Smith
And Then She Was Gone by J. Daniel Sawyer
An Eye For Murder by Libby Fischer Hellmann
Code Blues by Melissa Yi
A Fatal Twist of Lemon by Patrice Greenwood
If you pay more than the bonus price of just $15, you get all five of the regular titles, plus these outstanding books:
Fatal Destiny by David DeLee
Playing With Matches by Julie Hyzy
A Dangerous Road by Kris Nelscott
The Night and the Music by Lawrence Block
The World Beneath by Rebecca Cantrell

Q. How did authors get in that StoryBundle?

A. Kris Rusch: I’ve curated a number of bundles, and I’ve found that I am better off partnering with writers whose work I love. I can sincerely tell readers to buy the bundle because the works contained herein are great. I’ve been in bundles (not curated them) with writers whose work I’m unfamiliar with, and I can’t issue that blanket “I love this” statement. When I curate a bundle, I make sure I’m a fan first and an editor second.

Q. Yeah, but Melissa, did Kris really like you? Or were you just kind of an add-on?

A. Hey now. She liked me enough to write this:

Code Blues by Melissa Yi

When I first met Melissa Yi, she was a resident emergency room physician with dreams of becoming a professional writer. Her writing, including her award-winning short fiction, has always had power, but she has truly found her niche with the Hope Sze mystery series. Drawing on her personal experiences in the ER in Canada, Melissa has created medical thrillers that shine with authenticity and are impossible to put down.

Another first book in a series (like others in this bundle), Code Blues provides the perfect introduction to a world we often experience, but rarely understand.

Q. What about the other authors? Do they have any words for other readers and their fellow writers?

Rebecca Cantrell: For writers: read all you can, write all you can, and enjoy the journey! I think that writing should be fun—a giant extravaganza of imagination and joy. Sure, it’s not like that all time, but I always reach for that. For readers: Thank you. I’m so grateful to you.

David DeLee: Don’t stop. Don’t stop learning, don’t stop practicing, don’t stop trying new and different ways to write, if you’re an outliner, write a seat-of-your-pants story and see what happens, or vis-a-versa. Don’t stop writing, and most importantly, don’t stop believing in yourself.

Julie Hyzy: Writers: If anyone can dissuade you from writing, let them. This is a tough business and not for the faint-hearted. If, however, you know that nothing can keep you away from the keyboard, then turn your back to the naysayers and pay no attention. Never stop writing. Find a way to celebrate every win, whether it be a glass of wine because you made your daily word count, or a dinner out when you type “The End.”
Readers: I hope you’ll take a chance on this non-cozy novel. I think Riley is a lot of fun and I’d love to continue her stories. Let me know what you think!

Kris Nelscott: Actually, I have a word. Enjoy. I hope you enjoy what I do.

Patrice Greenwood: For writers: Don’t worry too much about perfection. Just write. Write a lot. Experience will serve you better than obsessive polishing. For readers: Thank you for giving my work a try! It gives me great pleasure to know that I can make a reader laugh, or keep them up too late reading.

Melissa Yi: Readers: Whenever I start to despair over the world, like environmental destruction, I cling to the idea of smart, creative people who can turn the tide. Readers tend to think outside the box with a sense of humour. I heart readers!
Writers: Never surrender. Someday, someone will love your stories. One of my stories was just published twelve years after I wrote it. My own brother told me, “You’re a doctor, Mel. Why not just be a doctor?” Now he says, “That’s a good book cover.” Hey, baby steps. You can do it!

Q. How do I buy this bundle again?

A. https://storybundle.com/crime until November 19th.

Like, comment, or share this blog for a chance to win all ten books absolutely free! One winner will be chosen tomorrow.

Subscribe to my newsletter and comment on my Facebook or Sleuthsayers. Quadruple your chances by doing all four! ‘Cause I love you and reading makes you a better person.