tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4266514850502295672024-03-13T20:24:22.341-07:00Simon Duke - Crime Fiction WriterAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910043142198188271noreply@blogger.comBlogger66125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-426651485050229567.post-11059346183677003032017-06-19T01:50:00.000-07:002017-06-19T01:50:01.606-07:00New Book Release: Suspect N°1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><u>Suspect N°1 Out Now - Disponible dès Maintenant</u></b></div>
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"Un polar au suspense haletant", publié par Talents Hauts Éditions, illustré par Marie Avril Art - <a href="http://www.talentshauts.com/thpdfs/argu_suspect.pdf"><b><span style="color: red;">http://www.talentshauts.com/thpdfs/argu_suspect.pdf</span></b></a></div>
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Andrew Jones, citoyen américain, est arrêté en France pour conduite en état d’ivresse. Dans la boîte à gants du véhicule, la gendarmerie trouve un pistolet semi-automatique Smith & Wesson, la même arme que celle dont les balles ont tué une dizaine personnes aux États-Unis ces derniers mois. Le lieutenant David Lopez est chargé de l’enquête et les interrogatoires sont menés par un certain Sheldon Black, un profiler tout juste arrivé des États Unis. Au fil de l’enquête, le comportement de ce dernier va s’avérer de plus en plus étrange...</div>
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<br /><b><u>New Interview: Mes Premières Lectures</u></b><br /><br />Rencontre avec Simon Duke - auteur bilingue - pour parler de son roman "Suspect N°1", tout juste sorti aux éditions Talents Hauts !<br />
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<a href="http://mespremiereslectures.com/Rencontre-avec-Simon-Duke.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;"><b>http://mespremiereslectures.com/Rencontre-avec-Simon-Duke.html</b></span></a><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910043142198188271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-426651485050229567.post-74416124649263017502017-04-21T03:54:00.002-07:002017-04-21T03:54:58.807-07:00"Suspect N°1" - My new book in French-English/mon nouveau roman en français-anglais<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XZZcXyUi4gQ/WPnkFJLeJqI/AAAAAAAAAfQ/1EnRaE73a5gL1nZ4xz5w8BkJGHyoYscAACLcB/s1600/SUSPECT_CV_Plat1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XZZcXyUi4gQ/WPnkFJLeJqI/AAAAAAAAAfQ/1EnRaE73a5gL1nZ4xz5w8BkJGHyoYscAACLcB/s400/SUSPECT_CV_Plat1.jpg" width="250" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Hello all/Bonjour à tous! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Après mes romans en anglais « Out of Bounds » (2014) et « The Perfectionist » (2016), mon nouveau roman <b>« Suspect N°1 »</b>, cette fois-ci en version bilingue français-anglais et pour un public adolescent, paraîtra aux éditions Talents Hauts à partir du 15 juin 2017. Il est illustré par Marie Avril.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Talents Hauts est une maison d'édition indépendante, créée en 2005. Elle publie des livres pour la jeunesse, des livres percutants, forts, drôles, qui bousculent les idées reçues. <b>« Suspect N°1 »</b> fera partie de la nouvelle collection bilingue DUAL. Le premier chapitre du roman est en français, le deuxième en anglais et ainsi de suite. C’est un concept unique (testé par des parents, des enseignants et des linguistes) qui fait ses preuves depuis près de dix ans et qui non seulement aide un public adolescent à améliorer son niveau de compréhension de l’anglais, mais en même temps lui procure une bonne dose de divertissement. C’est aussi l’occasion pour moi de partager une littérature policière et le monde du thriller avec les jeunes lecteurs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Donc si vous voulez le lire ou le faire lire à vos ados et me soutenir, je vous invite à vous le procurer mais aussi à faire circuler l'information autour de vous. En attendant, et en plus de la couverture ci-dessus que je trouve vraiment très réussie et qui illustre bien l’ambiance du roman, voici un petit résumé de <b>« Suspect N°1 »</b> – de quoi vous donner l'eau à la bouche :</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">« Andrew Jones, citoyen américain, est arrêté en France pour conduite en état d’ivresse. Dans la boîte à gants du véhicule, la gendarmerie trouve un pistolet semi-automatique Smith & Wesson. La même arme a tué une dizaine personnes aux États-Unis ces derniers mois… Le lieutenant David Lopez est chargé de l’enquête et les interrogatoires sont menés par un certain Sheldon Black, un profiler tout juste arrivé des États-Unis ».</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Plus d'infos le mois prochain sur <a href="http://www.talentshauts.fr/" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;"><b>http://www.talentshauts.fr </b></span></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Merci à tous et bonne lecture.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">« Suspect N°1 ». Edition bilingue français-anglais Simon Duke (Auteur) Marie Avril (Illustration) Roman adolescent dès 13 ans en anglais / français (broché). Existe aussi en version audio.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Déjà disponible en pré-commande : <a href="http://livre.fnac.com/a10540095/Simon-Duke-Suspect-numero-1#st=suspect%20N%C2%B01%20simon%20duke&ct=&t=p" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;"><b>http://livre.fnac.com/a10540095/Simon-Duke-Suspect-numero-1#st=suspect%20N%C2%B01%20simon%20duke&ct=&t=p </b></span></a></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910043142198188271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-426651485050229567.post-91971829168861326952017-03-31T04:58:00.002-07:002017-03-31T04:58:32.624-07:002 Books You Must Read this Summer: The Redemption of Charm and The Last Laugh<br />
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<b>Book Review: 'The Redemption of Charm' by Frank Westworth</b><br />
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'The Redemption of Charm' is a very good read with dark humor, good characters, nice suspense, a little shocking violence, and some smart payback... In other words another amazing installment in the Killing Sisters series!<br />
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I really liked seeing the cast from Westworth's previous books once again. In this final part of the trilogy, ex-black ops assassin and former soldier JJ Stoner is laying low in remote and wild USA, hiding from his enemies back home in Britain and generally keeping to himself. Isolated and out of action, we discover a more vulnerable side of Stoner, a man struggling to deal with the emotional tidal wave provoked by the brutalization of his woman and a series of betrayals. However, the nomadic hero eventually returns to his former, stone cold self and must confront Charm, the final Killing Sister, and find out who is friend and who is foe in order to survive.<br />
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Accustomed to the violence, humor and explicit sex scenes of the previous books in the series, 'The Redemption of Charm' was a change of scenery and a much welcomed new direction in plot. Though at first it took me a little while to find my bearings I was taken by pleasant surprise with the more slow-burning approach. It prepared me for the fast-paced action to come. The action and the unfolding of the plot seemed organic and melded well with the often savant element of Stoner's personality.<br />
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The series of JJ's encounters stateside and then back in England punctuated a captivating story, which I truly recommend to fans of Frank Westworth and to newcomers with an interest in the witty and gritty. It can be read as a standalone novel, but to really appreciate the denouement and the grand finale, make sure to also read parts one and two.<br />
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Westworth's writing grows on you and improves with each new book. Somewhat surprised when I originally came across his work, I learned to appreciate his style and how his sharp, timely-delivered dialogue is oftentimes more impactful than the action itself. It's subtle and intelligent. But at the same time - and this is me being perhaps too critical - Westworth may overdo it at times.<br />
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Stoner and the rest of the cast can be too smart for their own good. I'm amazed at how long the characters can keep up the witty retorts and never get tired. Long chunks of dialogue can be double-edged swords as there is always a danger that the reader can lose focus, no matter how punchy the lines are. And if I were to be even more finicky, I'd ask for a little less emphasis on blues and motorcycles (though we don't all share these passions, these are close to the writer's heart) and for an explanation on this strange obsession with coffee drinking and making breakfast throughout the novel.<br />
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'The Redemption of Charm' is vivid, hard-hitting, satisfactory story-telling. Keep it up, Frank!<br />
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Available at: <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Redemption-Charm-Killing-Sisters-Book/dp/1911320556"><b><span style="color: red;">https://www.amazon.co.uk/Redemption-Charm-Killing-Sisters-Book/dp/1911320556</span></b></a><br />
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<b>Book Review: 'The Last Laugh' by Paul Duke</b><br />
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Refugee camps. Fundamentalist terrorist organizations. Ruthless dictators. Violence. Bloodshed. Horrors of war. Oppressed populations. Clowns... Spot the odd one out. Not only does Paul Duke's debut novel manage to combine all these plot elements but it does so weaving in adventure, razor-sharp wit and some genuine funny moments. As a result 'The Last Laugh' is a gripping read.<br />
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Duke's dystopia offers a wonderful satire of radicalization and a fair portrayal of the NGO world and how the international community reacts to foreign threats. I enjoyed The Last Laugh's realism and its colourful cast of characters. I cared about main protagonist Franck Rousseau's commitment to the cause. I felt like I was part of his crew, travelling the dusty desert roads, entering hostile territories, generally fearing for my life... and appreciated their camaraderie, in-jokes and solidarity when the narrative was less tough. I was emotionally-connected, and at the end of the day, that is what matters when I read books.<br />
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The novel is dotted with the real-life experiences of the writer when he carried out humanitarian missions in places such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Mali, or Pakistan. This not only propels the story forward but does so with ambition. Mixing humour with sensitive subjects like terrorism, war, or politics isn't an easy endeavor but Duke has pulled it off with panache.<br />
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'The Last Laugh' is a great achievement and puts Paul Duke on the literary map. This is a writer to look out for.<br />
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Available at: <b><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Last-Laugh-Paul-Duke/dp/1532737378/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1490961031&sr=1-1&keywords=the+last+laugh+paul+duke"><span style="color: red;">https://www.amazon.co.uk/Last-Laugh-Paul-Duke/dp/1532737378/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1490961031&sr=1-1&keywords=the+last+laugh+paul+duke</span></a></b><br />
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<b><br /></b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910043142198188271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-426651485050229567.post-63742648199931786612016-10-05T06:21:00.000-07:002016-10-05T06:21:35.528-07:00Remembering My First Book Signing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I lost my
book signing virginity in a crowded Toulouse bookstore on a warm Saturday
afternoon. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Placed at a
table next to the cash register in my new “business casual" suit I had a
view on the comings and goings of the store’s customers and would-be buyers of ‘The
Perfectionist’ strolling past me during what was a busy day for the bookstore. I
sat behind little piles of my book, pen clenched in my sweaty hand, smiling
brightly at those who made eye contact with me. Some even dared small-talk,
take one of the flyers I’d created, or pick up a copy of the book, flick
through the pages, read the back cover blurb. Others would look down and get a
good mental snapshot of me, the well-dressed author who writes about psychopaths
and disgusting serial killers when he should be locked up somewhere and hidden
from the general public. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Okay, I
admit, that’s a bit harsh. That’s not exactly how it went down. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The initial
idea of hosting a book signing was terrifying, like throwing a party and being
certain no one will come, and then eventually sitting there alone, looking lost,
scared and stupid. Any script I thought I’d prepared in my mind simply went out
the window. In fact it turned out that I didn’t see the four-and-a-half hours
of the book signing go by. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">True, I was
playing on home turf and I’d engaged in some pretty frequent pre-event
promotion: My girlfriend was never very far, friends made appearances and kept
the conversations flowing, and the store workers sometimes popped by to check
on how I was doing. But I had no idea what kind of public turnout to expect. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Rather
extraordinarily, total strangers did actually engage in conversation with me,
and that I have to say was a pleasing experience. The event was relaxed,
spontaneous and I loved the questions. It’s a great thing to sit in a bookstore
for 4.5 hours among people who love to read and it’s a wonderful surprise to be
the centerpiece of attention, a magnet of focus somehow attracting people of
all ages and inexplicably making them walk over to the table. I got a huge kick
out of obtaining reactions/connections with these people I’d never met before –
I suppose it beats looking like a depressed vulture waiting for something to
die at my feet. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">After a
short while I wasn’t afraid to smile cheerfully and greet customers. I engaged
some of them in conversation: "This is my new book. It's about... Do you
read crime fiction? … Oh and by the way it’s in English…" The answers are generally
negative, but it can still be a good time to hand them the promotional flyer.
You never know, they may pass it on to others who are interested. I tried to make
them feel comfortable no matter how interested they were. My book may not have
been their cup of tea but I might be remembered regardless. No act of kindness
is ever wasted. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Then the
unbelievable happened and one of those strangers bought a copy of the book.
That act alone gave me the confidence to look around and talk to people more. And
rather mysteriously, that prompted the sale of even more books. There was even
an old lady who’d purchased the book in the store a few days prior to the
signing and came back because she knew I’d be there. Safe to say, at that
moment in time my self-esteem level was pretty much at its apex, I was fully
embracing my fifteen minutes of fame, and I laughed at that myth about book
signings not making money. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Each time I
signed a book, I had fun, it felt good, it was meaningful and I had the
opportunity to begin sharing my story with new people. I hope I was able to let
my passion shine through.<br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I realized that what is most important at a book signing isn't to sell your books, it's to sell yourself. My face and my name were in front of the reading public, and that's the best promotion you can get. </span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910043142198188271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-426651485050229567.post-35362600072705152842016-09-02T03:53:00.006-07:002016-09-02T03:53:59.155-07:00Excerpt from 'The Perfectionist' - Chapter 10: Bach's Suite for Orchestra, No. 3, in D Major and some gruesome picturesOnly 2 weeks left until my first book signing event in Toulouse. <br />
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Here's a new excerpt from 'The Perfectionist', a chunk from Chapter 10. Enjoy!<br />
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Night had fallen on Chicago. The regular Saturday evening hustle and bustle which engulfed Lincoln Park and its neighborhood had started to fade. Young families left the park. Yuppies were preparing for the night out. Happy children could be heard on their way back from the zoo. On Lincoln Avenue, occasional sounds of police car sirens and taxis honking accompanied the noisy talking and laughter of the foot traffic. In tandem, they filled the surprisingly warm late-April air, echoing all the way to the rooftops. <br /><br />Such noises, however, didn’t make their way past the double-glazed and fortified windows of Gerry Stokes’s apartment, towering from the fourth floor on the street below. <br /><br />The lights were on. They’d been on all day. <br /><br />The apartment was half-buried in paper, stacks of newspapers and printed out documents. Paperwork, old and new, was piled up in corners of rooms, or scattered haphazardly on tops of furniture. Magazines and cardboard boxes occupied large spaces in the living room and in the kitchen. The kitchen sink was full of a week's worth of dirty dishes and scummy coffee mugs. <br /><br />Among all the chaos, a tired Stokes had emptied his couch, turned it into a makeshift office. His laptop, placed on his knees, was overheating. He was oblivious to the switched-on TV facing him. It showed footage of the suspect apprehended in the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombings. The sound had been muted. At times he glanced at the screen passively, immune to the horror on display. <br /><br />Another sound. Johann Sebastian Bach. The chords gradually filled the room after Stokes switched on his IPod with a remote control. He closed his laptop and placed it next to him. He spread his arms on the cushioned rail of the couch, and tilted his head upwards, stared at the ceiling. He wanted to absorb the early harmonious build-up of Bach's Suite for Orchestra, No. 3, in D Major. <br /><br />Chords continued in an emotional crescendo in the overture. Stokes lowered his gaze and tilted his head to the wall separating his bedroom from the rest of the apartment. He’d redecorated it with a map of America which nearly filled the entire wall. Pinned on the map were small plastic red and gray flags with strings linking most of them together. On the borders of this giant map were a large number of newspaper pictures and Missing Persons database print outs. Pictures of the disappeared and deceased. A whole wall of death. Jane and John Does. Murder victims. Ghosts haunting his life. <br /><br />He closed his eyes in a bid to forget the gruesomeness of it all. A desperate and naïve attempt to reach temporary salvation. He concentrated hard on Bach's Suite, soaked it all in, head bobbing slowly. He’d learned to appreciate and love the music. It bordered on perfection. He found refuge in the pleasant vibes. They didn't take him all the way to the Zimmermann Coffee House in Leipzig's Cather-Strasse, but it was enough to calm his thoughts for a while. <br /><br />Bach's overture came to an end. Stokes switched off the IPod and stared at the TV screen as if it were a tool to suck him back into reality. The news channel had moved onto another matter. An FBI representative was being interviewed by a reporter. The man, in his late-forties, seemed to carry all the weight of the world. He spoke frantically in turn at the reporter and at the camera; his serious gaze suggesting urgency, seeking immediate attention from the audience. <br /><br />Stokes flicked the sound back on in time to catch the end of the interview. <br /><br />A banner at the bottom of the screen indicated the FBI agent's name, Elliot Keppler. He addressed the camera again, serious as a heart attack, requesting members of the public to come forward with any witness accounts as soon as possible. The FBI, he said, was counting on the citizens to help bring the perpetrator to justice. <br /><br />The leads were scarce, but the motivation seemed high, thought Stokes. <br /><br />The camera turned to the female reporter. She informed her TV audience that law enforcement was firing on all cylinders to catch who they suspected to be a repeat killer or killers. She signed off by stating her name, Heather Mills, and saying she was reporting live from Sun Valley, California, for CBS2/KCAL9, the Los Angeles branch of CBS. The broadcast ended.<br /><br />Stokes was intrigued. The name Keppler rang a bell. He’d seen it before. Something he’d read recently. <br /><br />He grabbed his laptop and entered the FBI agent’s name into the search engine. <br /><br />Stokes had become a keen observer and reader of the daily news with a few specializations: homicide, violent deaths, abductions, mysterious disappearances. Every evening he searched the net and read as many credible sources as possible to find out about new cases all over the nation. He never ceased to be amazed by the magnitude of the new horrors he encountered. Sun Valley, California, was only one of multiple locations to have witnessed human tragedy in recent times. It sickened him.<br /><br />He checked his internet history and retrieved the articles he’d read in the past few weeks. He had archived a whole list of local and national press reports, spanning over the past ten days. Many cited Keppler. <br /><br />Then it all came back to Stokes. Keppler had worked on a previous case, one in which the body of a man in his early twenties was found in the basement of an empty house in San Bernardino, California, on the morning of April 10, 2013, by a group of junkie squatters. The tweakers had alerted the authorities, who arrived shortly afterwards. The police sealed off the house and tried to set up a roadblock, but were too late. Reporters had tuned into police radio dispatch frequencies and were quick to send film crews. <br /><br />Although the police managed to prevent the cameras from penetrating the crime scene, a rookie blue was caught on camera vomiting in the house’s front yard. A journalist managed to get a statement from the young cop, who, feeling overwhelmed by the crime scene, hadn’t realized he was dealing with a member of the press. <br /><br />‘I can’t fucking believe it. There was fucking blood everywhere. They slit his throat and jerked his tongue out from the wound!’ were his words. <br /><br />By midday, the news of the killing had hit the wires, and a second wave of TV crews flocked to the house. They moved like flies on dog shit. <br /><br />It was out there. Somebody had been executed the Colombian necktie way. <br /><br />Obviously without pictures or footage of the victim, reporters had to be creative. For the very same evening CBS had managed to gather a panel of experts. Psychologists, ex-LAPD anti-gang squad members, even a writer who’d done research on Colombian drug lords. Although the experts had diverging opinions with regard to the origins of the Colombian necktie, they all seemed to agree that the perpetrator would likely be a drug-pushing gangbanger, using this method of assassination as a means to scare and intimidate whoever was associated with the victim. <br /><br />The police departments of Los Angeles and San Bernardino gave a press conference the following day. Little information leaked out, and the victim’s identity was still unknown. This fact alone had caught Stokes’s attention. Reporters, however, discovered that the FBI was monitoring the situation closely due to the particularly gruesome nature of the crime. <br /><br />I.D. was eventually confirmed on April 14. The victim, Jesus Reyes, was aged twenty-two, worked as a mechanic, and was a resident of Enterprise, Nevada. He’d been reported missing on April 2. <br />Stokes paused for a few seconds, got up from the couch, and walked to the map. He’d placed gray flags on Enterprise and on San Bernardino and linked them with some string. <br /><br />The stories on the Reyes murder faded away for the next couple of days, only to be picked up again and given extra dimension on April 17, when a second Colombian necktie murder victim was found in Sun Valley. The corpse was discovered in a junk yard. <br /><br />I.D. for the second victim was quickly confirmed during the course of the day. The victim’s name was Maximiliano Gutierrez. Gutierrez was twenty-four years old and worked as a clerk at a gas station in Henderson, Nevada, before disappearing on April 4. <br /><br />Although LAPD had local gangs as the focal points of their investigation, it was decided that the FBI work on the case more actively, seriously consider non-gang motivations, and look at the case as a matter of either spree killing, or even serial killing. After all there was more than one murder victim and there had been, further to coroner examination, enough downtime between both murders.<br /><br />The LAPD and the SBPD jointly organized a second press conference with the FBI, early on April 18. Elliot Keppler had been mentioned from that point onward as the agent representing the FBI and the man in charge of the investigation. <br /><br />Stokes considered the map again. Gray flags were also placed on Henderson and Sun Valley. He crouched to the floor and picked up his bundle of string, snapped a bit off, and hooked the string between both flags. <br /><br />He knew he’d be spending all night cross-checking the facts in both murders. It was necessary. He had to be sure they were connected before changing the gray flags with red ones. He had a strong hunch they were. <br /><br />Either the killer had spent a few days in the Las Vegas area and dumped both bodies north of Los Angeles – that would mean a car trunk would not have been sufficient - or he had been travelling back and forth. In either case, he’d pulled it off again. This time though, Stokes wondered about the victims and how fast it’d been to identify them. Why was this? Why run such a risk? Stokes was puzzled. <br /><br />The killer had proved himself to be cocky in the past. He’d gotten accustomed to freely roaming around the country and never being caught for his crimes. Maybe he was getting older and couldn’t cope with all the hassle of covering up his tracks anymore? In that light, why maintain the complications? Maybe he was getting sloppy? Or was he just plain confident that the police would never be able to trace it all back to him?<br /><br />Stokes fetched a Rolling Rock from the refrigerator, pressed the cool bottle against his forehead. The cold bite was comforting. He then returned to his laptop and opened up a document in which he planned to write down all the new thoughts and ideas he had with regard to the killing spree. He quickly typed his latest angles of thought and wrote a few notes on the more recent facts concerning Maximiliano Gutierrez, while taking swigs of his beer.<br /><br />Over the past few years Stokes had accumulated an impressive amount of information, both factual and hypothetical. He had a full library of documented cold cases, reconstituted police files, and additional data to the publicly-available Missing Persons files. He’d spent time digging, and digging deep. He’d established a chronology of a likely killing spree, which spanned over years, prior and posterior the Cecilia Åkerblom and Ted Callaway cases. The map on the wall was a testimony to that. Interestingly, he’d also organized his information in a manner that provided him with a substantial backbone to a narrative. He’d written text here and there. He was already at 200,000 words and there were still gaps to fill. There were several loopholes in the chain of events, uncertainties he still needed to iron out, and his conclusion was still unclear. He’d also compiled a synopsis and a tentative title. It was his novel, the fruit of nearly three years of hard labor. <br /><br />The two recent Colombian necktie cases, if his research linked them to the rest, were perhaps the breakthrough he was looking for. For Stokes the killer had stopped his deadly spree in 2005. Now with these two new cases, the killer was surely stalking his next victim and would be seeking to improve his surgical performances with a better necktie. If not, then he’d have achieved perfection with Gutierrez, and would be looking to carry out another method of execution. It would be consistent with his killer’s pattern.<br /><br />Stokes never ceased to be both shocked and amazed by the killer as the man had been so imaginative and innovative over the years. In some strange way Stokes kind of admired the guy. He was out there somewhere, at large. His track record and resulting body count was impressive, even more so with the nation unaware of what he was up to for the past twenty-plus years. But one person would eventually disclose this killer to the world. And that person would be Stokes. <br /><br />He put the bottle to his lips, sipped some more beer, felt triumphant. <br /><br />He had the documentary evidence. He’d made the connections between the disappearances and the murders. He’d established the guy’s patterns. Now he needed a name. He’d find a publisher for his novel who would want to go to press quickly and cash in on the scoop. After all, who wouldn’t be interested in a book called Tracking America’s Greatest Serial Killer? <br /><br />Sure, Gary Ridgway, the Green River Killer, confessed to the murders of seventy-one people; Ted Bundy killed thirty-five or thirty-six; and John Wayne Gacy wasn’t far behind; but Stokes’s killer had just claimed his eighteenth and nineteenth victims. That placed him above crazies like Jeffrey Dahmer, Robert Hansen, and Richard Ramirez. <br /><br />Interestingly, Stokes’s killer had been stalking in different killing zones over the years and wasn’t confined to a single sector. He operated interstate. For the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit and the National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime, most serial killers have very defined geographic areas of operation. They conduct their killings within comfort zones that are often defined by an anchor point, such as their place of residence, their employment, or residence of a relative. Serial murderers will, at times, spiral their activities outside of their comfort zone, when their confidence has grown through experience or to avoid detection. However, still according to the FBI, very few serial murderers travel interstate to kill. <br /><br />Stokes had spent considerable time studying the FBI’s criminal profiling theories and didn’t necessarily agree with their categorization of serial killers. Nonetheless, he knew his killer conformed to the FBI idea that a serial murderer operating outside his comfort zone was either an itinerant individual who moves from place to place, or a homeless, transient person. Stokes was of the opinion that his killer’s employment lent itself to interstate travel. But there were many jobs in that category. There were truck drivers, salesmen, military service, even clowns working for fucking travelling circuses, for Christ’s sake… The list was long. <br /><br />One thing was certain. His interstate killer definitely had a travelling lifestyle, which provided him with many comfort zones in which to operate. He also had a vehicle, most likely a discreet utility vehicle, enabling him to abduct victims and exit locations rapidly and comfortably. <br /><br />His killer simply defied the odds.<br /><br />Stokes raised his arms behind his head and yawned. He accidentally knocked over his beer bottle, dumping it all over a file on the floor. ‘Goddammit!’ he shouted. <br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910043142198188271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-426651485050229567.post-84626443446328613732016-08-08T03:11:00.001-07:002016-08-08T03:13:04.777-07:00Excerpt from 'The Perfectionist' - Chapter 1: Meet Gerry StokesOnly 5 weeks left until my first book signing event in Toulouse. <br />
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In the run-up to the event, a few excerpts from 'The Perfectionist' will be published on my website - <a href="http://simongduke.blogspot.com/">http://simongduke.blogspot.com</a>. Today, you get the chance to read Chapter 1.<br />
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<strong>Chapter 1</strong></div>
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Clarion, Iowa - February 2, 1988.</div>
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The fog came rolling in from the fields, closing in, and shutting out the world. Impenetrable and hostile like the eerie silence engulfing the town. An opaque layer of frost covered front lawns and rooftops, gutters bent under the weight of crystal daggers. Trees shimmered pale gray, and parked cars had turned into sculptures. <br />
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Cautiously breaking through the dense white mass of dawn fog, a noisy GMC Sierra pick-up drove slowly down Madison Avenue. The fog swirled in the light of the headlamps in a thick flow of white dust, and the truck’s windshield wipers painfully scratched away at the thin but stubbornly resistant sheet of ice. A minute later, the Sierra’s driver hit the brakes and pulled up to the curb beside the Wright County Sheriff’s Office, the only source of light in the deserted street.<br />
<br />
Gerry Stokes cut the engine and stepped out of his vehicle. He looked around. Fog and silence. The merciless cold of the icy blasts hit him hard. Surprised by how cool it was, he shivered and zipped up his coat. Rubbing his hands, he walked energetically towards the sheriff’s office. Stokes knocked and entered without waiting for an answer. Despite the early hour he knew he was expected. <br />
<br />
Two men he knew well were sitting in an office near the entrance. Both turned to look at him. They were clutching coffee mugs, inhaling the hot brew’s fumes as if their lives depended on it. They seemed nervous, preoccupied, stricken by some intangible menace. <br />
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The elder of the two, Sheriff Dwayne Clanton – a gray-haired and weary man, who was counting the days until his retirement - waved slowly at Stokes and pointed to a spare chair in the corner of the room. As Stokes grabbed the chair and placed it nearer the Sheriff’s desk, he couldn’t help noticing how tired the man looked. His eyes were bloodshot, with dark circles, surely nicotine-induced. He was badly-shaven and his uniform was creased and scruffy. Stokes was unaccustomed to seeing Clanton in such a neglected state.<br />
<br />
‘Sheriff… Earl. Morning to you both… Can you tell me what’s going on?’ Stokes asked.<br />
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‘Take a seat!’ Earl DeVries, Stokes’s Editor-in-Chief, ordered.<br />
<br />
‘Seriously, guys. You’re making me nervous.’<br />
<br />
‘We got a situation here, Gerry. Dwayne’s going to give you the lowdown,’ DeVries said.<br />
<br />
Dwayne Clanton glared at Stokes before gulping some more coffee.<br />
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‘It’s a fresh pot. You want some, Gerry?’ he asked, wiping his mouth with his shirt cuff.<br />
<br />
‘I’m fine, thanks.’<br />
<br />
‘I need your help.’ He turned to DeVries. ‘Both of you. I got a dead man. Found him a couple of days ago in one of Jim Hardy’s corn fields bordering Hancock Avenue, right near Eagle Grove. Coroner tells me he’s been dead for at least a week. There was no way to I.D. him at the scene and I still haven’t been able to put a name on the stiff. We reckon he could be in his sixties. Deputy Hobbs and I looked through all the Missing Persons reports. We cross-checked with the sheriff’s offices of Humboldt, Webster, Hamilton, Hardin, and Franklin counties. We got nobody matching the description.’<br />
<br />
‘Well if he’s not a local, he could be from just about anywhere,’ Stokes said. ‘Have you considered casting the net to all counties or state-wide?’ <br />
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‘Dwayne wants to keep this contained. He doesn’t want to spark a panic wave in Clarion,’ DeVries interjected, brushing off Stokes’s remark.<br />
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‘It’s the first stiff I’ve had for a long time,’ Clanton added. ‘I don’t want townsfolk going haywire, thinking we got a killer on the loose. I can’t imagine the shit-load of pressure I’d be under if this goes public.’<br />
<br />
‘Then why request our help?’ Stokes asked.<br />
<br />
‘Well, Earl and I go way back. Don’t we Earl?’ <br />
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DeVries nodded. ‘I’ve been tipping the Wright County Monitor for years and I’ve never shunned away from making comments.’<br />
<br />
‘Dwayne, you don’t need to justify yourself to Gerry,’ DeVries said. ‘He’s still junior and learning the tricks of the trade.’<br />
<br />
DeVries stared at Stokes for a while; his dark eyes questioning his employee’s amateurism, suggesting he keep his mouth shut. Stokes remained unfazed.<br />
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Looking back at Clanton, he said, ‘Dwayne, if you need a favor, you know you can count on us.’<br />
Clanton seemed relieved. ‘Thanks Earl. Appreciated.’<br />
<br />
He pressed the coffee mug to his lips again and sipped some more.<br />
<br />
‘I was telling Earl that I kept you guys out of the loop because I didn’t want any media coverage until I was sure about what I’d be dealing with. Now I’ve got to the point where I need some assistance from the public.’<br />
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Stokes nodded out of politeness, hiding his frustration that they were already a few days behind on a murder story.<br />
<br />
‘Gerry, I need you to go see Blake Anderson,’ Clanton resumed. ‘He’s got the stiff in cold storage. He’s only going to keep our John Doe there until tomorrow. Afterwards we’re going to have to get the funeral home involved. He’s not going to need a full-sized casket, though.’<br />
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Stokes waited for the explanation. As it wasn’t coming he steered his gaze to DeVries, who wasn’t acting surprised. The Sheriff waited for his cue to continue.<br />
<br />
‘What do you mean?’ Stokes asked.<br />
<br />
‘Well Gerry, we ain’t got a body. All we got is a hacked-off head.’<br />
<br />
Taken aback Stokes felt shivers down his spine. He finally realized why Clanton was so worked up and why DeVries was showing support for the old man. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing.<br />
<br />
‘Just a head, you say. That’s fucking sick!’ Stokes said.<br />
<br />
‘In my entire career in law enforcement, I’ve never seen anything so crazy. Clarion has had its fair share of homicides under my tenure. Mainly husbands beating up their wives too much or the occasional harvest accidents, but this is something else. This is cold-blooded fucked-up shit, young man!’ Clanton said, rubbing his chin anxiously. ‘Jim Hardy found the head when out checking the frost damage on his crop. First he thought it was some kind of sick prank. Then he realized it wasn’t and lost his balance, tripped over, crashed to the ground. That’s what he told me. Anyhows, Jim hurried home and called me. So I got off my ass and drove there like a bat out of hell. Jim was waiting for me, shaking and clutching his rifle. He led me to the head, right in the middle of the field. It was there on the ground. Eyes shut. Bruised and smashed up. The teeth had been jerked out. There was dirt all over. It seemed like the guy had been buried and only the head was above ground. I took Hardy’s rifle, pressed it against the earth right next to the head. Ground was solid. I then gently touched the head with the rifle’s butt. And it fucking rolled over.’<br />
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Clanton took a deep breath. He’d been through this only minutes before with DeVries, yet his tale seemed to frighten him as if he were physically reliving the experience.<br />
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‘I told Jim to go home, stay put and mention this to nobody. I surveyed the scene for a few more minutes. Then I returned to the car and radioed Deputy Hobbs for assistance. Franklin arrived with all the gear I’d asked him to bring. We sealed off the crime scene, looked around for the body or any trace of evidence, but found nothing. Later Hobbs returned to town, picked up Dr. Anderson, and brought him back for an expert opinion. After a preliminary inspection he told us it was likely that the head had been there for a few days and the cold weather had already inflicted a lot of damage. The only bright spot was that the cold had helped slow down the head’s deterioration. We decided to place the head in a bag and take it back to town. It’s been at Blake Anderson’s clinic since.’<br />
<br />
‘Dwayne wants us to run a short article in tomorrow’s edition in which we’ll include a picture of the head,’ DeVries said.<br />
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‘What about the panic factor? I thought this needed to be contained,’ Stokes replied.<br />
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‘Well this is where we do a favor for Dwayne. Blake Anderson has cleaned the head. He’s camouflaged the bruises, used some make-up and whatnot. He’s also stitched the head temporarily to another corpse retrieved from the county morgue, and worked his magic again to hide the neck level stitches as much as possible,’ DeVries continued.<br />
<br />
‘I’ve seen the end result. It’s real Dr. Frankenstein crazy shit!’ Clanton said.<br />
<br />
‘Anyhow I need you to go see Blake Anderson, take the best headshots you can. No pun intended, Gerry. And we’ll make sure our dead guy looks as much alive as possible. Hopefully with the picture being black and white, the readers won’t notice what we did,’ DeVries said.<br />
<br />
‘Don’t think I’ll manage anything better than a headshot,’ Stokes interjected. <br />
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DeVries seemed oblivious to the joke. ‘Just take care of the article. We’re just going to say that the Sheriff’s Office is looking for this man. The guy may be able to help in an ongoing investigation. We’ll add a phone number. Who knows? Maybe some good Samaritan might have some information to share.’<br />
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Sheriff Clanton nodded approvingly. ‘Yeah, maybe it’ll help us catch the sonofabitch who did this?’ he said, smiling for the first time.<br />
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Stokes struck back angrily, ‘Sheriff. With all due respect, I think the sonofabitch who did this is long gone by now. He’s got a week’s head-start and you’ve been wasting time by not involving the state police or the media. And all that for the sake of not frightening the people of Clarion… I don’t buy it Sheriff. It seems like this case if way above your head and you are too old and proud to admit it!’<br />
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‘Shut the fuck up, Gerry!’ DeVries hollered. ‘You’ve got no idea what’s at stake here. Covering a murder story, sure, it’ll sell a few papers. It’ll get us some attention from TV crews in Des Moines. We’ll be local heroes. We’ll get the spotlight for a day, maybe two. But when the dust settles, we’ll return to our normal state of anonymity. The people of Clarion will be insecure. They’ll hate us for not reporting the facts earlier. And Dwayne, well he might just end up becoming the laughing stock of Iowa. There’s no way in hell we’re going to let that happen.’<br />
<br />
‘But Earl…’<br />
<br />
‘No buts, you arrogant little prick! Just do what you’re told. I knew I’d made a mistake in hiring you. You simply don’t get it, do you? We run a tight ship here in Clarion, and we’ve got no room for recklessness. You’ve got ambition to report big murder stories? That’s fine, but you’re keeping your mouth shut on this one. Do I make myself clear?’<br />
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Stokes hesitated, before replying a feeble ‘Yes, Earl.’<br />
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‘Guys. Keep this bitchin’ for later. You got jobs to do,’ Clanton said. ‘Oh, and Earl, I want to see that article before you run it.’<br />
<br />
‘Sure. Will do, Dwayne,’ DeVries answered, bobbing his head like an obedient dog.<br />
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**</div>
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<strong>Where to buy 'The Perfectionist'</strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>Smashwords ebook</strong> (Price $2.99): </span><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/585299"><span style="color: red; font-family: inherit;"><strong>https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/585299</strong></span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>Barnes & Noble ebook</strong> (Price $2.99): </span><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-perfectionist-simon-duke/1122801579"><span style="color: red; font-family: inherit;"><strong>http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-perfectionist-simon-duke/1122801579</strong></span></a><span style="color: red; font-family: inherit;"><strong> </strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">- <strong>FNAC.com ebook</strong> (prix €2.68): <a href="http://www4.fnac.com/livre-numerique/a9184739/Simon-Duke-The-Perfectionist#FORMAT=ePub"><span style="color: red;"><strong>http://www4.fnac.com/livre-numerique/a9184739/Simon-Duke-The-Perfectionist#FORMAT=ePub</strong></span></a> </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910043142198188271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-426651485050229567.post-3498955034641647522016-05-09T03:55:00.000-07:002016-05-09T03:55:15.202-07:00Author Event: Book signing - Librairie Privat (Toulouse, 17 September 2016)Simon Duke, the author of 'The Perfectionist', will be in Toulouse on September 17, 2016 for a book signing event at Librairie Privat. <br />
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Time: 3pm onwards.<br />
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Venue: Librairie Privat, 14 rue des Arts 31000 Toulouse<br />
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<a href="http://www.librairieprivat.com/agenda.php?agenda=4579&date=20160917#356076" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;"><strong>http://www.librairieprivat.com/agenda.php?agenda=4579&date=20160917#356076</strong></span></a><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910043142198188271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-426651485050229567.post-8607861380829887472016-03-17T05:00:00.003-07:002016-03-17T05:00:52.910-07:00Our BattleBelow is my entry for the <strong>Writers' & Artists' Yearbook Short Story Competition 2016</strong> (theme: ageing): ‘Our Battle'. I wrote this short story in November 2015.<br />
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<br /><strong><u>Our Battle</u></strong><br /><br />By Simon Duke</div>
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<br />I don't know why but my wife thinks she lives across the street.<br />
She walks up to me, determination and purpose evident in her pace, and points at the house the other side of the street. 'I've got to go there,' she says.<br /><br />'No you don't. That's Keith Robertson's house,' I reply as I hit the mute button on the TV remote control, putting a sudden halt to John Motson's commentary. Man U and Liverpool are level at 1-1.<br /><br />Clearly having none of it, my wife continues, 'No, I live there.'<br /><br />For drama's sake, she looks me down with fiery and unforgiving eyes. She's suspicious and somewhat austere. The football match goes on in silence.<br /><br />'No, you don't live there,' I say, turning my gaze away from the screen for the first time.<br /><br />'I want to go home!' she hollers.<br /> <br />'But you are home, Judy, darling.'<br /><br />She turns on her heel and storms across the living-room, yanks nervously at the front door handle.<br />I don't have enough time to rise from the armchair and intervene; the door is wide open and she's already halfway across the dimly-lit street. <br /><br />I stand up and gaze at her from the window as she continues her furious march toward our neighbour's house. I then watch her ring the bell. She waits for the door to open, somewhat awkward in her posture. <br /><br />A minute or so later she walks back and I come to meet her on the porch. Her disappointment is almost tangible. She says to me, 'There's nobody home.' <br /><br />I do my best to speak clearly and naturally in a warm and calm voice. 'Where did you go?'<br /><br />'I went home,' she says earnestly, in her usual animated tone. <br /><br />'But this is your home', I insist, hoping I don't hurt her feelings.<br /><br />She walks inside briskly, brushes past me, nearly bumping into me in the process.<br /><br />'I'll make supper,' I say while shutting the front door and turning the key in the lock. <br /><br />She turns around and looks at me with inquisitive yet softer eyes. 'Don't leave me alone,' she pleads.<br /><br />It's better not to argue with her and change the subject. I've come to the realisation that it's OK to let delusions and misstatements go.<br /><br />'Perhaps you could lay the table, darling?'<br /><br />A cue. A purpose. A new challenge.<br /><br />Judy says nothing. She heads for the kitchen, full sail ahead.<br /><br />I search for the remote control to turn the TV off but am momentarily distracted by the game. Man U are a goal ahead. 2-1. Rooney must've scored while I was watching Judy from the window. Liverpool have a corner kick and about another half-hour to draw. <br /><br />I eventually switch off and join Judy in the kitchen. To my surprise, she is pacing around aimlessly, looking disoriented. She is opening cupboards and shutting them for no apparent reason.<br /><br />'What are you doing, darling?' I say, warm and calm again.<br /><br />'Nothing. I…' The rest of what she says is incomprehensible. Utter gibberish. None of the words make sense or are real words at all. She's talking to herself, feeling confused and panicked.<br /><br />'Can you grab us two plates, darling?' <br /><br />A cue. A purpose. A new challenge.<br /><br />She reaches for not two but all six plates in the cupboard above the sink. She accidentally knocks over a glass into the sink with her elbow. I hear it shatter. Judy remains unfazed but holds all six plates in both hands. I tell myself that it's only a glass. No need to cause a fuss, or worse, spread panic to my wife.<br /><br />Her grasp on the plates isn't firm. She turns around and looks at me. All of a sudden she can't remember why she is here, in the kitchen. I focus on the plates as she shakes them. Her hands are arthritic, clumsy, and hard to bend. She doesn't know where to go next, can't decide what to do. <br />Yet she staggers away, eventually finds the living-room and sets the plates on the coffee table. <br /><br />She says, 'OK'. She pauses, obviously regrouping, trying to organize her mind, acknowledging each little step made.<br /><br />She studies the plates on the table, maybe trying to figure out what's missing. But then she tells me that she's got nothing to do. So she gives up. <br /><br />I sometimes think that's her biggest problem.<br /><br />'It's getting a bit chilly,’ I say. ‘Why don't you put on your lovely white sweater, you know the one I got you for Christmas?'<br /><br />A cue. A purpose. A new challenge.<br /><br />She heads for the stairs, climbs them, finds our bedroom. I hear clanging and banging of drawers and cupboard doors opening and closing, the hustle and bustle, and endless racket of mayhem and despair as the search for the sweater begins. <br /><br />Judy suddenly talks to herself again, surely responding to the constant jabbering going on in her head. <br /><br />'I'm hearing all this stuff and I can't turn it off,' she used to tell me back when we didn't know she was living with dementia - dementia that was here to stay, cruel and unforgiving in its hold over Judy. <br /><br />I listen to the ongoing noise of drawers slamming and the hurried footsteps on the floor above. <br /><br />I sigh and take a deep breath before climbing upstairs myself. Witnessing my wife working herself into a frenzy is a painful and disheartening sight, perhaps the one facet of her manic behavior I have the most difficulty getting used to. <br /><br />I press my back against the doorframe and look at the mess she has created. <br /><br />'This is most annoying,' she says standing amidst clothes spread all over the carpet. Looking for a sweater and not finding it can do that to you if you are unfortunate to have her condition. <br /><br />She opens another drawer and pulls out half its contents, dumps it all on the bed in a new heap. 'This is not a sweater,' she protests frantically, holding a skirt. 'This certainly isn't my white sweater!' <br /><br />She flings the skirt on top of the pile of clothes and proceeds to open the last drawer, the right one. She seizes all her sweaters in a bundle. <br /><br />'OK, sweaters found,' she mutters. One small step made.<br /><br />'OK, I think I've found the white sweater.' Another step. The elimination process continues but she unloads the bundle on the bed. The desired clothing item is lost in the heap. Eventually she bends over, feeling confused, no longer knowing what she’s supposed to do. <br /><br />She starts folding all the clothes on the bed, forgets that she was looking for a white sweater. The white sweater is in her grasp but she folds it along with everything else. <br /><br />Moments later Judy sits on the bed out of sheer frustration, visibly unhappy and lost. I push a few clothes aside and sit next to her, wrap a reassuring arm around her shoulders. 'You're doing OK', I lie. And we sit there in fidgety silence.<br /><br />'I'll make your supper now,' I say to put an end to the lull. 'Don't worry about the white sweater. Just put something on that'll keep you warm and join me downstairs.'<br /><br />A cue. A purpose. A new challenge.<br /><br />Five minutes later I realise my wife has once again lost the notion of time. Her bowl of soup and her hot melted cheddar sandwich are ready and starting to cool down. <br /><br />I call her name again. Judy soon staggers into the kitchen wearing her old fur coat, looking a bit eccentric. I'd like to voice an opinion and ask her to remove the coat she herself is supposed to find old-fashioned. But as I said, it's simply better not to argue with her. Now I can't help but smile as she sits down like a stubborn queen waiting to be served. <br /><br />In spite of her condition and regal posture, Judy loves to eat. I make her supper every night. After the chaos of the day it's a comforting ritual for us both, a few shared moments when things rarely go wrong.<br /><br />I set the bowl of soup and the plate with her sandwich in front of her on the table. She looks down at her food with delight and says, 'You made that?' Joy fuels her gaze but her manner is still suspicious. <br /><br />I shrug, big smile smacked on my face, 'I'm a good cook.' <br /><br />I don't tell her that some of stuff on her plate comes from the nutritionist's, some I got from the supermarket. It's only a hot cheese sandwich but she thinks it's great. <br /><br />I watch her munch on the sarnie and slurp the soup with pride. <br /><br />My cue. My purpose. A challenge I gladly take up.<br /><br />I return moments later with pudding. I give her coffee and then I give her a slice of carrot cake. <br />She's happy. She never says I'm not hungry. <br /><br />I kneel down and hold her hand. I gently massage her palm, softly reviving the intimate bond I crave for. My wife is peaceful. <br /><br />I look up at her. We maintain eye contact and smile simultaneously. I see the beautiful woman I fell in love with all those years ago; the woman I married and with whom I had two wonderful children; with whom I will finish the final chapter of my life. <br />
<br />I say to myself that I'm lucky at this point. But what it's going to be like down the road, I don't know.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910043142198188271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-426651485050229567.post-62611743330822921732016-02-15T03:44:00.000-08:002016-02-15T03:44:21.039-08:00Where to Buy 'The Perfectionist'Here are some of the main links:<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>Amazon.com</strong> (<strong>Paperback</strong> price $9.99 / Kindle price $3.25): </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Perfectionist-Simon-Duke/dp/1517648491"><span style="color: red; font-family: inherit;"><strong>http://www.amazon.com/The-Perfectionist-Simon-Duke/dp/1517648491</strong></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>Amazon.co.uk</strong> (<strong>Paperback</strong> price £7.99 / Kindle price
$1.99): </span><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Perfectionist-SIMON-DUKE-ebook/dp/B016WCU56I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1453128637&sr=8-1&keywords=simon+duke+the+perfectionist"><span style="color: red; font-family: inherit;"><strong>http://www.amazon.co.uk/Perfectionist-SIMON-DUKE-ebook/dp/B016WCU56I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1453128637&sr=8-1&keywords=simon+duke+the+perfectionist</strong></span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>Amazon.fr</strong> (<strong>Paperback</strong> price €9.48 / Kindle price €2.99): </span><a href="http://www.amazon.fr/gp/product/B016WCU56I?keywords=simon%20duke%20the%20perfectionist&qid=1453128906&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1"><span style="color: red; font-family: inherit;"><strong>http://www.amazon.fr/gp/product/B016WCU56I?keywords=simon%20duke%20the%20perfectionist&qid=1453128906&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1</strong></span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>Amazon.de</strong>: </span><a href="http://www.amazon.de/Perfectionist-Simon-Duke/dp/1517648491/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1453129004&sr=8-1"><span style="color: red; font-family: inherit;"><strong>http://www.amazon.de/Perfectionist-Simon-Duke/dp/1517648491/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1453129004&sr=8-1</strong></span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>Amazon.es</strong>: </span><a href="http://www.amazon.es/Perfectionist-Simon-Duke/dp/1517648491/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1453129052&sr=8-1"><span style="color: red; font-family: inherit;"><strong>http://www.amazon.es/Perfectionist-Simon-Duke/dp/1517648491/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1453129052&sr=8-1</strong></span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>Amazon.it</strong>: </span><a href="http://www.amazon.it/Perfectionist-Simon-Duke/dp/1517648491/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1453129101&sr=8-1"><span style="color: red; font-family: inherit;"><strong>http://www.amazon.it/Perfectionist-Simon-Duke/dp/1517648491/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1453129101&sr=8-1</strong></span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>Smashwords ebook</strong> (Price $2.99): </span><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/585299"><span style="color: red; font-family: inherit;"><strong>https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/585299</strong></span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>Barnes & Noble ebook</strong> (Price $2.99): </span><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-perfectionist-simon-duke/1122801579"><span style="color: red; font-family: inherit;"><strong>http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-perfectionist-simon-duke/1122801579</strong></span></a><span style="color: red; font-family: inherit;"><strong>
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<strong>FNAC.com ebook</strong> (prix €2.68): <a href="http://www4.fnac.com/livre-numerique/a9184739/Simon-Duke-The-Perfectionist#FORMAT=ePub"><span style="color: red;"><strong>http://www4.fnac.com/livre-numerique/a9184739/Simon-Duke-The-Perfectionist#FORMAT=ePub</strong></span></a>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910043142198188271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-426651485050229567.post-44155126029880449332016-02-03T02:22:00.000-08:002016-02-03T02:23:27.354-08:00More Praise for 'The Perfectionist' by Mystery/Thriller ReviewersA big thank you to Lance Wright at Omnimystery News and Jeff Kivela at Buttonholed Book Reviews for their recent support for 'The Perfectionist'. Jeff has written a new review and Lance has published our recent Q&A interview.<br />
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Make sure to check both articles in full at: <br />
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<a href="http://buttonholed.blogspot.com/2016/02/the-perfectionist-by-simon-duke-2016.html"><span style="color: red;"><strong>http://buttonholed.blogspot.com/2016/02/the-perfectionist-by-simon-duke-2016.html</strong></span></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.omnimysterynews.com/2016/01/a-conversation-with-crime-novelist-simon-duke-5f7125f0.html"><span style="color: red;"><strong>http://www.omnimysterynews.com/2016/01/a-conversation-with-crime-novelist-simon-duke-5f7125f0.html</strong></span></a> <br />
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Here are some excerpts:<br />
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<strong>Buttonholed Book Reviews</strong> <br />
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"The Perfectionist took me as a tale of exceptional writing crafted by a seasoned pen. Simon Duke wrote a superb tale of crime and mystery not to be missed folks."<br />
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"Enthralling read folks. Really really good read. There are plenty of twists and turns as you travel with Gerry across the United States and when you come upon the part with Avery - just watch how Simon Duke's characters meld into other character development."<br />
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"There were, it seemed to me, places Simon Duke wrote The Perfectionist almost like a procedural manual on how to go about uncovering a murderer. He had to have done his homework to make plausible scenes go according to plot. I'm not an expert, I can say though, I've read Patricia Cornwell's Portrait Of A Killer: Jack The Ripper Case Closed - that's how you do your homework for plausible scenes."<br />
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"As I read, the scenes and settings were coherent with my senses, so, being in the midst of all the action is a must for a reader and Simon Duke does a beautiful job in handling that bit of necessity."<br />
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<strong>Omnimystery News</strong><br />
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"Omnimystery News: Introduce us to the lead characters of your crime novels. What is it about them that appeals to you as a writer?<br />
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Simon Duke: I have a soft spot for loners. Kyle Hunt, the lead protagonist in my first novel, 'Out of Bounds' (published in 2014), is an anxious man, someone who fights for his family's safeguard, someone who tries his best in risky situations. He's someone with inner demons and past angst. And he can only find his way out using his brain capacity and by persevering. I like the idea that my lead protagonists, be it Kyle or Gerry Stokes in 'The Perfectionist', have realistic behaviors. When threatened, these guys don't just pull out guns and shoot to kill. Instead we read their minds and connect with their emotions. Gerry Stokes is a seasoned business journalist working for the Chicago Tribune — a real hotshot with talent and flair, yet he's also human: he's a self-centered, obnoxious and arrogant guy with a soft spot for sex with prostitutes. But like Kyle, Gerry Stokes is a complex character. The morbidity and seriousness of the investigation will change him, and so will his relationship with the woman who puts him on the track in the first place, Sarah Howard. Gerry's shift in attitude enables him to open his eyes to what he needs to preserve from the evil surrounding him during his investigation to track down the killer. Gerry's evolution in the book is gradual and we grow to like his character. I also have a journalistic background and I've always dreamed of stumbling on a killer myself and pursuing him before submitting the proof of his guilt to the police. So in some ways, Gerry Stokes lives that dream for me."<br />
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"OMN: How do you go about researching the plot points of your stories?<br />
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SD: I enjoy researching prior and during my writing. Most often it is carried out using the Internet or by reading books and watching videos. For locations, I tend to favor the places I've already been to and that I'm more or less familiar with. However, there again, the Internet is a handy tool when it comes to researching details (street names, addresses, overall vibe of the area …) when lacking your own photographic support. The challenge whilst writing The Perfectionist was exploring the minds of serial killers and reading about some pretty gruesome and deterring details of what these people did, and still do. However, it was a very intense and exciting experience. I've always wanted to write about serial killers. They fascinate me. In fiction, serial killers are highly stylized and even real-life serial killers have become celebrity monsters through media coverage. Serial killer behavior seems inexplicable to us, so we feel a duty to try and understand what their motives are. The killer in The Perfectionist could be considered the ultimate serial killer. He seemingly chooses his victims at random across America; he has been at large for more than two decades; he has flown under the radar of the cops and the FBI by navigating through the loopholes of the federal law enforcement system; he respects a unique and horrific modus operandi and fine-tunes methods of execution to seek artistic perfection. In the world of law enforcement, there exists a scale on which to rate killers. My killer does not feature on the scale."<br />
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"OMN: You mentioned that you work in a local movie theater. What kinds of films do you enjoy watching?<br />
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SD: I'm a movie geek who's loved cinema since childhood. I even studied films in the UK when at university. I grew up watching many American film classics and loved the 80s films and music (some of it). I grew fond of the modern gangster and of the transition from film noir and epic to the more gritty and realistic portrayal of crime in more recent times. Some direct influences for The Perfectionist include Manhunter (Michael Mann, 1986), Thief (Michael Mann, 1981), Se7en (David Fincher, 1995), Zodiac (David Fincher, 2007), Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (John McNaughton, 1986), Natural Born Killers (Oliver Stone, 1994) … I have been told that my writing is rather visual. That's true because I like to picture scenes in my head as if I were maintaining a mental storyboard. Nursing an image in my mind is a means to more easily translate thoughts into words. On November 16th, I posted a video trailer for The Perfectionist, which I produced myself. I integrated some very eerie footage, still shots of the book cover, and I incorporated (courtesy of the Marmoset music agency) a track by Josh Garrels. I'm very proud of the result, and putting aside the promotional nature of the video it's real proof of my love for writing and the cinema, all merged into one."<br />
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"OMN: Complete this sentence for us: "I am a crime novelist and thus I am also …".<br />
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SD: … what George Orwell would call a "thought-criminal". My mind is geared a little differently than your average man in the street; slightly quirky and sometimes brooding, but my heart's in the right place!"<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910043142198188271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-426651485050229567.post-10885118171564438042016-01-20T02:54:00.003-08:002016-01-20T02:54:38.819-08:00More Reviews for 'The Perfectionist'A big thank you to Rowena Hoseason at Murder Mayhem & More, to Léa at Léa Touch Book, and to author Carla Kovach. This is what they say:<br />
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"This intriguing mix of investigative procedural and road trip, wrapped around a tale of personal redemption, is given a chilling menace by a calculating, appallingly accomplished serial killer ... Author Simon Duke incorporates some clever plot conniptions and a selection of plausible supporting characters – each presented as a potential suspect for our consideration. In this respect, The Perfectionist echoes an old-fashioned whodunnit, where the reader gleefully participates in the investigation (although I totally missed the final twist) ... The Perfectionist is something of an American epic, spanning three decades and sprawling from one side of the continent to the other. Yet, like the very best crime fiction, it tells a relatively simple story – of an isolated man, who is reunited with the better aspects of humanity through an encounter with the very worst that man can accomplish." - Murder Mayhem & More. Full review available at: <a href="https://murdermayhemandmore.wordpress.com/"><strong>https://murdermayhemandmore.wordpress.com </strong></a><br />
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"This is a very good crime fiction: a terrifying serial killer, mastered writing and a surprising end! ... This is a real page turner with a wonderful and very surprising ending. The writing mixes fitting dialogue, fascinating descriptions and impactful action scenes." - Léa Touch Book. Full review available at: <a href="http://leatouchbook.blogspot.com/"><strong>http://leatouchbook.blogspot.com</strong></a><br />
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"The Perfectionist is an epic feeling, crime investigation novel. It spans many years and follows the gathering of evidence intricately. The characters are real and gritty, and the story is dark and compelling. If you are a crime novel fan, this book is a must. It also has a ‘killer’ ending with more than a couple of well laced surprises." - Carla Kovach. Full review available at: <a href="https://griffbuck.wordpress.com/"><strong>https://griffbuck.wordpress.com </strong></a><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910043142198188271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-426651485050229567.post-13052168521819709512016-01-19T01:46:00.000-08:002016-01-19T01:46:45.730-08:00The Perfectionist: Happy Launch Day<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kmBycvub7f4/Vp4E5n3-v9I/AAAAAAAAAZg/h2niSWtC_44/s1600/cabeperfectionist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="101" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kmBycvub7f4/Vp4E5n3-v9I/AAAAAAAAAZg/h2niSWtC_44/s320/cabeperfectionist.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">Well, today’s the day! My second book, 'The
Perfectionist', is out. It's been a long but very enjoyable road - and not
always a straight one. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This particular trail started about two years ago. I
began writing the first words and drafting the storyline in January 2014; put
the project aside while promoting the launch of 'Out of Bounds' in the
March-April period, before putting pen back to paper all through spring, summer
and the start of autumn 2014. Re-reading and proof-reading took a few months
and then I began sending submissions to agents and publishers as 2015 started.
January-September 2015 was marked by promising leads, some agent interest in
getting the full manuscript, a deal with an indie publisher I decided to turn
down, and the writing of my third novel. And since September 2015, I have been
preparing for this launch and promoting the book well in advance while crafting
my own video trailer and working on some pre-launch promotional pictures, while
not losing track of the third novel. My efforts to find pre-launch publicity
for 'The Perfectionist' paid off as early as November and December with some
nice reviews, and January is following that same pattern. And now here we are.
Everything is ready and I sit back and watch the world go online to buy 'The
Perfectionist' and make my new book viral. Well, at least I hope so. Fingers
crossed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The release of 'The Perfectionist' today not only
marks the end of the lengthy pre-release publicity period but also the
beginning of a new phase for me. I could go as far as saying that the lion's share of
the pressure is gone. And now I can be happy to say "the book is
here" instead of "the book will be here soon."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Book launch days are weird days. Mostly I walk around
trying to figure out what is happening, how to measure reader reactions, or how
to ignore my impatience. My eyes are glued to the screen, scrutinizing any
online activity associated with the book. My mind is occupied with puzzling
thoughts and uncertainties, only to be temporarily put at rest with the
occasional rewarding phone call or words of encouragement that arrive in one
form or another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I hope you’ll help me spread the word and boost the
post-launch promotion. Short reviews on Amazon and Goodreads are ideal. Sharing
them or anything else about 'The Perfectionist' on Facebook, Twitter and other
platforms is great too. But above all, do read the book and enjoy. Dear
readers, thanks so much for tuning in and sharing the excitement of my book
launch with me!</span></div>
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</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kmBycvub7f4/Vp4E5n3-v9I/AAAAAAAAAZk/K1bNrpRYnAc/s1600/cabeperfectionist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="101" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kmBycvub7f4/Vp4E5n3-v9I/AAAAAAAAAZk/K1bNrpRYnAc/s320/cabeperfectionist.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">The paperback and the Kindle versions of 'The
Perfectionist' are available on Amazon. The ebook can also be found at
Smashwords, and very soon at most online retailers such as Barnes & Noble,
FNAC or Kobo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>Amazon.com</strong> (<strong>Paperback</strong> price $9.99 / Kindle price $3.25): </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Perfectionist-Simon-Duke/dp/1517648491"><span style="color: red; font-family: inherit;"><strong>http://www.amazon.com/The-Perfectionist-Simon-Duke/dp/1517648491</strong></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>Amazon.co.uk</strong> (<strong>Paperback</strong> price £7.99 / Kindle price
$1.99): </span><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Perfectionist-SIMON-DUKE-ebook/dp/B016WCU56I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1453128637&sr=8-1&keywords=simon+duke+the+perfectionist"><span style="color: red; font-family: inherit;"><strong>http://www.amazon.co.uk/Perfectionist-SIMON-DUKE-ebook/dp/B016WCU56I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1453128637&sr=8-1&keywords=simon+duke+the+perfectionist</strong></span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>Amazon.fr</strong> (<strong>Paperback</strong> price €9.48 / Kindle price €2.99): </span><a href="http://www.amazon.fr/gp/product/B016WCU56I?keywords=simon%20duke%20the%20perfectionist&qid=1453128906&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1"><span style="color: red; font-family: inherit;"><strong>http://www.amazon.fr/gp/product/B016WCU56I?keywords=simon%20duke%20the%20perfectionist&qid=1453128906&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1</strong></span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>Amazon.de</strong>: </span><a href="http://www.amazon.de/Perfectionist-Simon-Duke/dp/1517648491/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1453129004&sr=8-1"><span style="color: red; font-family: inherit;"><strong>http://www.amazon.de/Perfectionist-Simon-Duke/dp/1517648491/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1453129004&sr=8-1</strong></span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>Amazon.es</strong>: </span><a href="http://www.amazon.es/Perfectionist-Simon-Duke/dp/1517648491/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1453129052&sr=8-1"><span style="color: red; font-family: inherit;"><strong>http://www.amazon.es/Perfectionist-Simon-Duke/dp/1517648491/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1453129052&sr=8-1</strong></span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>Amazon.it</strong>: </span><a href="http://www.amazon.it/Perfectionist-Simon-Duke/dp/1517648491/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1453129101&sr=8-1"><span style="color: red; font-family: inherit;"><strong>http://www.amazon.it/Perfectionist-Simon-Duke/dp/1517648491/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1453129101&sr=8-1</strong></span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>Smashwords ebook</strong> (Price $2.99): </span><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/585299"><span style="color: red; font-family: inherit;"><strong>https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/585299</strong></span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>Barnes & Noble ebook</strong> (Price $2.99): </span><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-perfectionist-simon-duke/1122801579"><span style="color: red; font-family: inherit;"><strong>http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-perfectionist-simon-duke/1122801579</strong></span></a><span style="color: red; font-family: inherit;"><strong>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910043142198188271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-426651485050229567.post-43892576444050665642016-01-18T07:51:00.003-08:002016-01-18T07:55:18.250-08:00'The Perfectionist' - Out Tomorrow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n2hL9DhwhwY/Vp0J2KFrQbI/AAAAAAAAAZQ/WO8pEWV_qOE/s1600/countdowntomorrow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n2hL9DhwhwY/Vp0J2KFrQbI/AAAAAAAAAZQ/WO8pEWV_qOE/s640/countdowntomorrow.jpg" width="452" /></a></div>
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<strong>The Video</strong></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910043142198188271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-426651485050229567.post-14243464731648678662016-01-07T03:40:00.001-08:002016-01-07T03:40:19.447-08:002 New Reviews as Book Launch Day is NighOnly 11 days left till the book launch and 2 more reviews for 'The Perfectionist' to report!<br />
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First of all, here are the kind words written by Paul Norman at "Books Monthly":<br />
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"If it wasn't set in the USA I'd say that Neil Cross of Luther had crossed the pond..., Simon Duke has gone to the trouble of self-publishing this intriguing, stunning story, and I have to say I'm surprised he couldn't get a mainstream publisher interested, because the end result is amazingly good. There are elements of Koontz and Connolly in this superb story, but Simon's own voice shines through and the result is fantastic. Give it a look, you won't be disappointed!"<br />
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Check out Paul's other reviews in the January 2016 edition (Crime Books of the Month): <a href="http://www.booksmonthly.co.uk/crimeb.html"><strong>http://www.booksmonthly.co.uk/crimeb.html</strong></a><br />
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And here is the rewarding opinion of David Prestidge who works for "Crime Fiction Lover":<br />
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"This is a thoroughly readable and workmanlike addition to the serial killer genre. There are a couple of problems with the central character. Given that Stokes is in full time employment in 1988, he would have to be at least in his 40s when the 2010 action kicks in. Yet he continues to behave more like a 20-something who is too much in touch with his own sex-drive. Second, he is really not a very lovable person. Anti-heroes are all well and good in certain literary genres, but in the realm of serial killers it doesn’t help if readers struggle to root for the good guy.<br />
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Despite these reservations, there is much to like about The Perfectionist. Stokes’s relationship with his brother is sensitively described and, despite the action sometimes darting to different times and locations, the final 100 pages or so are nicely concentrated, and the narrative is, consequently, much more coherent. I can also confess that I didn’t see the plot twist coming, so Simon Duke deserves credit for that."<br />
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Read the full review and others on Crime Fiction Lover: <a href="http://www.crimefictionlover.com/2016/01/the-perfectionist/"><strong>http://www.crimefictionlover.com/2016/01/the-perfectionist/</strong></a><br />
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Here's a sample of the graphic countdown till launch promo I'm carrying out on social media. There are a few more to go before the launch date of January 19, 2016.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Z4faw0_kAGY/Vo5N44SR8PI/AAAAAAAAAY0/E-i1PFeEGDA/s1600/countdown2weeks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Z4faw0_kAGY/Vo5N44SR8PI/AAAAAAAAAY0/E-i1PFeEGDA/s640/countdown2weeks.jpg" width="451" /></a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910043142198188271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-426651485050229567.post-33136172184366345802015-12-15T06:59:00.002-08:002015-12-15T06:59:55.579-08:00Tis the Season for Sharing and Breaking Through the ClutterGearing up for the January 19, 2016 release of my second book — a gripping page-turner called 'The Perfectionist' and with a busy few weeks ahead of me, I'd like to use this opportunity to remind you it is a time to unite. <br />
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It is a time to celebrate. <br />It is a time you must spend in good spirit with others. <br />I believe that sharing is the heart of the Christmas holiday season. <br />And as you enjoy the festive period, think about lending a helping hand to others and sharing too. <br />Simple gestures. Simple thoughts of kindness. Little things that can help. <br />Believe me, it goes a long way. <br />
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Speaking of help, I'd like to add that anyone can support my book release by doing different things to help it get noticed. So, if you're interested, here's what you can do to support your writer friend after the launch: <br />
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1. Buy the book. An obvious point, sure, but important nonetheless. Also, consider pre-ordering the book. Apparently publishers pay attention to pre-orders to help get a sense of what titles are getting buzz.<br />
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2. Buy the book for others as a gift. Think of which friends and relatives would enjoy the book.<br />
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3. When you actually read the book, read it where people can see it. Read it in public. Read it on the bus or in the subway. Make sure your friends and colleagues see you reading it.<br />
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4. Leave a review on Amazon or Goodreads or Facebook - wherever you can. Reviews are very important. The more reviews and ratings on Amazon for 'The Perfectionist', the better. Those first 10-20 reviews really matter and can set a book on the right path. If you don't like to write reviews, just give a rating.<br />
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5. "Like" the book on Amazon, "Share" it on Facebook... The more “Likes” a book has on its Amazon page, the more frequently it turns up in Amazon’s comparable titles elsewhere. This is an easy favour to ask, and it requires no money.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f6XMBxZFNlo/VnAqVLovupI/AAAAAAAAAXw/stR_B_Y3CAw/s1600/Capture.GIF" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f6XMBxZFNlo/VnAqVLovupI/AAAAAAAAAXw/stR_B_Y3CAw/s320/Capture.GIF" width="320" /></a>6. Spread news of the book through your friend networks. When 'The Perfectionist' is mentioned on Facebook, share the news with your social circles and, if you can, include a small note about the book. Spreading the word by saying "Simon's book has been published!" or "This new book by my friend is a wonderful read. Highly recommended!" This help requires no money.<br />
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7. If you know people of influence, why not arrange a connection? This is one of the best things you can do and probably the biggest way you can influence the life of the book. If your next door neighbour is the friend of a friend who knows a local celebrity - that's exactly the kind of connection that serves as a great introduction between me and even larger social circles. If you happen to know a book reviewer at a newspaper, say so. If a former workmate now runs a reading club in a sleepy village, try and help me by suggesting the book be a future choice in that club. Again, this help requires no money.<br />
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I know we live in a world now where we are bombarded with advertisements. But if my book can break through the clutter and get an edge, then it will be in large part through friends and families, and friends and families of those friends and families, etc. All those Likes, Comments and Shares on Facebook Pages are valuable recommendations. It's minimal effort and it helps me a lot. I read somewhere that that 70% of consumers trust social media recommendations, and only 10% trust social media advertisements; so getting people to engage with my book on the social media is another feather in my cap.<br />
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I wish you all a happy holiday.<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910043142198188271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-426651485050229567.post-90529602376410871492015-12-02T02:45:00.000-08:002015-12-02T02:45:03.088-08:00More Early Praise for 'The Perfectionist'It's been a busy few weeks for the book promotion. <br />
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After uploading the video trailer on YouTube (<a href="https://youtu.be/6rXPMFLeKTg"><strong>https://youtu.be/6rXPMFLeKTg</strong></a>) on November 16th, I followed up with a promotion on Dailymotion (<a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3edhfz_the-perfectionist-trailer_fun"><strong>http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3edhfz_the-perfectionist-trailer_fun</strong></a>) on November 23rd. <br />
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On December 1st, I was also pleased to be included on Paul Norman's Books Monthly. Paul's review of 'The Perfectionist' will appear in the January 2016 edition. Thanks for the support, Paul. Much appreciated!<br />
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Check out Books Monthly at this link: <a href="http://www.booksmonthly.co.uk/crimeb.html"><strong>http://www.booksmonthly.co.uk/crimeb.html</strong></a><br />
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On Friday 27th, Kate Moloney, who runs Bibliophile Book Club, reviewed 'The Perfectionist' and gave it 5 stars on Goodreads. She followed that up with the publication of our interview today.<br />
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Kate, thank you so much for the opportunity! The full book review and interview can be accessed at Kate's website at <a href="https://bibliophilebookclub.wordpress.com/"><strong>https://bibliophilebookclub.wordpress.com</strong></a><br />
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I invite you to like her page on Facebook and show your support for the great work she is doing: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BibliophileBookClub/"><strong>https://www.facebook.com/BibliophileBookClub/</strong></a><br />
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Here are a few excerpts:<br />
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<strong>REVIEW</strong><br />
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"I was really looking forward to reading The Perfectionist as I loved the premise of the book, and I wasn’t disappointed ... Simon Duke has written a very well crafted novel, with a truly evil villain. If I had to pick a favourite character, honestly, I’d pick The Perfectionist. Intelligent, patient, calculating and just wicked. I liked Stokes as well, but The Perfectionist won out ... I would highly recommend The Perfectionist. Fans of crime thrillers and serial killer novels would devour this book. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and I gave it 5 stars on Goodreads! Thanks again to Simon for giving me the opportunity to read The Perfectionist!"<br />
<br /><strong>Q&A</strong><br />
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– First off, can you tell everyone a little about yourself?<br />
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I was born in Stoke-on-Trent (UK) in 1979. I lived a while in rural England and had a very happy childhood. My family moved to France when I was eleven and I was parachuted into a French school without really speaking French. It took me a while to get up-to-speed with the other kids and I was (and I guess I always will be) an outsider and an observer. I grew up in the 80s and 90s, reading books and watching many American movies of that period. Meantime I grew fond of the modern gangster and of the transition from film noir and epic to the more gritty and realistic portrayal of crime in more recent times. Today, I’m a journalist and I’m often on the lookout for good stories. I’d also like to reassure you that, contrary to the dark subject matter of my books, I’m considered a rather well-rounded person with my heart in the right place, more often upbeat than a preacher of gloom and doom. I have yet to murder someone, but I do keep a list of potential victims in the drawer of my bedside table!<br />
<br />– Can you tell us how you got the inspiration for The Perfectionist?<br />
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I’ve always wanted to write about serial killers. I’ve read many serial killer books (fiction and non-fiction) and watched my fair share of movies on the persona. Some direct movie influences for The Perfectionist include Manhunter (Michael Mann, 1986), Se7en (David Fincher, 1995), Zodiac (David Fincher, 2007), Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (John McNaughton, 1986), The Silence of the Lambs (Jonathan Demme, 1991), Natural Born Killers (Oliver Stone, 1994)…<br />
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Serial killers fascinate me. In fiction, they are highly stylized, and even real-life serial killers have become celebrity monsters through media coverage. I read somewhere that serial killers are for adults what monster movies are for children: that is the guilty pleasure of scary fun. Serial killers are so extreme in their brutality and in their behaviour that we can be drawn to them out of basic and intense human curiosity. Their behaviour is seemingly inexplicable, so we feel a duty to try and understand what their motives are. And they appeal to our most primal feelings: fear, lust or anger. So I reckoned I’d give it a shot myself, but with a novel angle.<br />
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The killer in The Perfectionist could be considered the ultimate serial killer. He seemingly chooses his victims at random across America; he has been at large for more than two decades; he has flown under the radar of the cops and the FBI by navigating through the loopholes of the federal law enforcement system; he respects a unique and horrific modus operandi and fine-tunes methods of execution to seek artistic perfection. In the world of law enforcement, there exists a scale on which to rate killers. My killer does not feature on the scale. <br />
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Finally given my journalistic background, I’ve always dreamed of stumbling on a killer myself and pursuing him before submitting the proof of his guilt to the police. Gerry Stokes in the book lives that dream for me.<br /><br />
– Some of the killing methods are very violent, I bet your browser history is fun! Are they true to life and as gruesome as they are described in the book? How did you decide on the various modus operandi?<br />
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Indeed, I hope the FBI hasn’t hacked my computer. I’d have trouble justifying my highly suspicious Internet history! I must’ve researched dozens of the methods of execution and selected just some of the disturbing MOs that are out there. It’s a frightening realization that some of the methods of execution in The Perfectionist are shockingly quite commonplace. The Colombian necktie, for instance, is a frequent statement that is made in the world of drug cartels. Other methods I refer to in the book where used on a regular basis in the Middle Ages, Feudal Japan, or in Roman times. The killer in The Perfectionist respects a unique and horrific modus operandi and fine-tunes various methods of execution to seek artistic perfection. He has surgical precision. He’s highly intelligent and methodical. The human body is his canvass and he’s not afraid to experiment.<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910043142198188271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-426651485050229567.post-31418978628732665772015-11-16T02:42:00.000-08:002015-11-16T02:42:27.940-08:00'The Perfectionist' - Video Trailer <div style="text-align: center;">
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910043142198188271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-426651485050229567.post-90104500565789497992015-11-07T08:38:00.000-08:002015-11-07T08:38:15.793-08:00The Perfectionist: 1st Interview and 1st Book ReviewMy first review was published by<strong> Linda Strong</strong> on Friday, November 6, 2015. Linda lives in Arizona, USA<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1434287157?ref=ru_lihp_cm_rv_10_mclk-up2679078791"><span style="color: red;"><strong>https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1434287157?ref=ru_lihp_cm_rv_10_mclk-up2679078791</strong></span></a><br />
The next day, my first interview was published by <strong>Jeff Kivela</strong> of <strong>Buttonholed Book Reviews</strong>. Jeff lives in Ohio, USA.<br />
<a href="http://buttonholed.blogspot.com/p/an-interview-with-simon-duke.html"><span style="color: red;"><strong>http://buttonholed.blogspot.com/p/an-interview-with-simon-duke.html</strong></span></a><br />
<br /><br />
Thank you, Linda and Jeff for your support and interest in <em>The Perfectionist</em>.<br />
<br /><br />
<u><strong>An Interview by Buttonholed Book Reviews with Simon Duke</strong></u><br />
<em>The Perfectionist</em>, launches January 19th, 2016<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>Simon, w</strong><strong>ho are your influences?</strong> <br />
<br />
My influences are multiple and varied. Movies and music can be inspirational; everyday conversations and interacting with great people can be beneficial too. The more obvious literature influences are also quite numerous. However, if I had to come up with a shortlist of inspirational authors and books which helped me write <em>The Perfectionist</em>, I’d have to mention the works of Michael Connelly (e.g. <em>The Poet</em>), RJ Ellory (e.g. <em>The Anniversary Man</em>), Henning Mankell (The Kurt Wallander series), James Ellroy (e.g. <em>Killer on the Road</em>), Shane Stevens (<em>By Reason of Insanity</em>), as well as Dennis Lehane, John Grisham, and even Paul Auster and Ernest Hemingway.<br />
<br />
Looking at the root of all things, I was born in Stoke-on-Trent (UK). I lived in rural England and had a very happy childhood. My family moved to France when I was eleven and I was parachuted into a French school without really speaking French. It took me a while to get up-to-speed with the other kids and I was (and I guess I always will be) the 'Angliche'. Hence my tendency to favor underdogs or characters with inner demons. I grew up watching many American film classics and loved the 80s films and music (some of it) and read many American novels. I grew fond of the modern gangster and of the transition from film noir and epic to the more gritty and realistic portrayal of crime in more recent times. Let's say that my writing sort of reflects bits of all that.<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>When did you begin writing?</strong><br />
<br />
I started work on my first novel, <em>Out of Bounds</em>, in 2012 (N.B. <em>Out of Bounds</em> was published in 2014). Until then I’d only managed to write short stories, and my writing was infrequent, despite my mind over-spilling with ideas and scenari. One day, I had car trouble on my way to work. The mechanic quoted me a hefty amount of money to carry out the necessary repair work – an amount I wasn’t willing to invest. I began commuting by train and rediscovered the joys of reading. By doing so I discovered crime fiction authors whom I’d never heard of before. Back then I was subject to binge reading. I’d read a novel or two per week, good ones and not so good ones. All this influenced me immensely. And at some point I asked myself, and why not me? This led me to writing the opening scene of <em>Out of Bounds</em>. Nine months later, I’d penned down my first novel.<br />
<br /><br />
<strong>In <em>The Perfectionist</em>, how did you come up with your story, characters, character names, POV, etc.?</strong> <br />
<br />
I’ve always wanted to write about serial killers. They tend to fascinate me. In fiction, serial killers are highly stylized and even real-life serial killers have become celebrity monsters through media coverage. I read somewhere that serial killers are for adults what monster movies are for children: that is the guilty pleasure of scary fun. Serial killers are so extreme in their brutality (modus operandi) and in their behavior that we can be drawn to them out of basic and intense human curiosity. Their behavior is seemingly inexplicable, so we feel a duty to try and understand what their motives are. And they appeal to our most primal feelings: fear, lust or anger. So I reckoned I'd give the persona a shot myself, but with a novel angle. <br />
<br />
<br />
The killer in <em>The Perfectionist</em> could be considered the ultimate serial killer. He seemingly chooses his victims at random across America; he has been at large for more than two decades; he has flown under the radar of the cops and the FBI by navigating through the loopholes of the federal law enforcement system; he respects a unique and horrific modus operandi and fine-tunes methods of execution to seek artistic perfection. In the world of law enforcement, there exists a scale on which to rate killers. My killer does not feature on the scale. <br />
<br />
<br />
I also have a journalistic background and I’ve always dreamed of stumbling on a killer myself and pursuing him before submitting the proof of his guilt to the police. Gerry Stokes in the book lives that dream for me. His quest is epic. The other characters may be secondary but they play vital roles too. As for names, they tend to evolve during the writing project, but when I find one that sounds authentic, I keep it. <br />
<br /><br />
<strong>If you could actually meet one of your characters, who would it be? Why?</strong><br />
<br /><br />
I’d say: Gerry Stokes. He’s a complex character. He’s a rookie reporter stuck in small-town Iowa in the late 80s, working for a local paper, but with great ambitions. We meet him again more than twenty years later. He’s become a seasoned business journalist working for the Chicago Tribune. He’s a self-centered, obnoxious and arrogant guy with a soft spot for sex with prostitutes. Despicable. But he’s got talent and flair. The morbidity and seriousness of the investigation will change him, and so will his relationship with the woman who puts him on the track in the first place, Sarah Howard. Gerry’s evolution in the book is gradual and we grow to like his character. I’m sure he’d be a bit of fun to be with around a few beers.<br />
<br /><br />
<strong>Do you work from an outline? Can you tell us a little about your writing philosophy?</strong> <br />
<br />
Indeed, I start off with a story idea and write it down in a summary. Either the rest of the story comes to me straight away, or I begin writing a few scenes and things gradually fall into place. As soon as I have a solid enough backbone to a story, I flesh it out and divide the result into chapters. From there on, I write bit after bit. I set myself realistic goals (such as a certain amount of words to write per week/month) and above all do not hate myself if for some reason or another I do not meet my targets. There are times when the inspiration does come and I have to cash in to churn out more words than usual. Other times I realize the storyline is weak and needs beefing up, or I have a change in mind with regard to how events unfold. I then go back to the backbone and fit these new ideas in.<br />
Having said that, whatever philosophy that may apply to me may not be necessarily relevant for others. I’d argue that you mustn’t be afraid to write, even if you think that what you’re writing isn’t quality. It’s the writing exercise that’s important. Put as much as you can on paper. It’s only afterwards that you do the sorting out. You have to believe in yourself and your capacity as a writer because if you don’t, no-one else will. If you don’t get published via the traditional route, then publish by your own means. It’s not a defeatist attitude; on the contrary it’s a sign of courage showcasing your will and desire to succeed in spite of the obstacles in your way. If you don’t secure a publisher’s representation the first time round, then you’ve always got a second chance, a third, or a forth. Never give up.<br />
<br /><br />
<strong>Tell me about your favorite scene in <em>The Perfectionist</em>.</strong> <br />
<br /><br />
Though there are many to choose from, one that comes to mind right now is a scene about a third of the way in. Gerry Stokes is visiting his brother Joe who stayed in Iowa and took care of the hog farm, helping out their parents while Gerry went away to live the journalist hotshot life in Chicago. Without revealing too much with regard to the purpose of this visit, Gerry is basically forced to come back to the farm for the first time in many years, and Joe confronts him around coffee at the kitchen table for reasons linked to his brother’s absence. It’s an emotional scene between the two brothers who couldn’t have more different personalities. However, it’s also a crucial moment when I sow the seeds of Gerry’s shift in attitude and open his eyes to what he needs to preserve from the evil surrounding him during his investigation. It may not be an action-packed scene, but I remember being totally in phase with the writing and overall mood; the words just flowed out of me.<br />
<br />
<strong>Have you ever tried writing in any other genres?</strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong><br />
So far I've only written crime fiction. It's my favorite genre. Besides, it offers a lot of scope for writers. Within crime fiction I can weave in all sorts of other genres: the thriller, a bit of romance, history, psychology, and even social commentary. Crime fiction is a great place to put your ordinary Joe in extraordinary circumstances, in situations that people would never experience in ordinary life. This then gives me possibility of putting my characters through a lot of human emotions, and that makes the process even more interesting.<br />
<br />
<strong>Do you have any interesting writing-related anecdotes to share?</strong><br />
<br /><br />
This is related to my third book, which I’m still working on. But there’s a scene in which my main protagonist, who is a hitman, goes to Spain and carries out a contract. His target is a rich and retired Englishman living in a mansion in Benidorm. A few days after I wrote that scene, I read in the papers that a retired Englishman living in Benidorm was found shot dead in his home and that the police were still without suspects. Needless to say, that kind of freaked me out. Now I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the Spanish police doesn’t comes across my Internet history!<br />
<br />
<strong>Do you listen to music as you write?</strong><br />
<br />
As I get more comfortable with my writing I tend to put on a melody from time to time. It mustn't be too distracting though and make me want to dance on my chair instead of writing. So I opt most often for music without lyrics and make sure there is a constant flow coming through. Sometimes I like it soft and classical or jazzy, but when I need some more pace I listen to electro music too. I enjoy some movie soundtracks too. But before I reach that stage, I need silence. Silence is a prerequisite. I need it for my deepest thinking and concentration spans.<br />
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Thank you Simon for taking the time for Buttonholed Book Reviews</div>
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<strong><u>The Perfectionist - A Review by Linda Strong</u></strong> <br />
from Mesa, Arizona<br />
<br />
<br />
"My thanks to the author who so graciously furnished an advance digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. <em>The Perfectionist</em> is out on January, 19th 2016."<br />
<br />
Who knew that finding a severed head in a cornfield 20 years ago would lead to a 3-year odyssey into finding a serial killer? Gerry Stokes, a journalist, helped cover up the discovery and now he's sorry.<br /><br />
Sara Howard approaches Gerry about her missing grandfather, who hasn't been seen in the past 20 years. She more or less blackmails Gerry into finding out exactly what happened to him.<br />
<br />
What Gerry finds is unbelievable.... a trail of dead bodies across several states. He starts seeing the connections, something no one else has seen. A serial killer who has gone entirely unnoticed for all these years. <br />
<br />
The murderer seems to kill two or three random people in one way, until he perfects his technique, always taking his victims from one state and leaving their bodies or body parts in another state. Then he goes on another spree, killing in a different way, repeating the pattern to perfection.<br />
<br />
Gerry goes from state to state following very thin threads and tying them all together. His idea is to document all his findings in a book. He wants to write the book before notifying authorities, a first. He sees lot of fame and lots of dollars in his near future.<br />
<br />
This book almost reads like a textbook on how to investigate and locate suspects. It's fascinating watching how he goes about it, some of it being gut-feelings.<br />
<br />
There are several twists and turns along the way, a major one popping up at the end...which took me entirely by surprise.<br />
<br />
An intriguing book, there is only one small criticism I have ... the cases of all the victims are repeated multiple times and I found myself skipping through a lot of those descriptions after reading the very first ones.<br />
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3.75 Stars <br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910043142198188271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-426651485050229567.post-5260926662149864962015-11-02T02:23:00.001-08:002015-11-02T02:23:19.115-08:00Press Release: 'The Perfectionist' to Be Published in Mid-January 2016November 2, 2015 -- Simon Duke, the author of <em>Out of Bounds</em>, is delighted to announce the launch of his new novel in mid-January 2016. <em>The Perfectionist</em> - a modern day crime thriller set in the U.S. – explores new angles in the serial killer theme while providing a fair share of frightening twists and turns. It’s a novel he's wanted to write for many years.<br />
<br /><em>The Perfectionist</em> is a haunting, psychological thriller with compelling and vivid storytelling as well as major character development, which begins with a severed head found rotting in an Iowa corn field, in 1988. Confronted with this gruesome discovery, Gerry Stokes – an arrogant and obnoxious newspaper reporter – agrees to cover up the affair. But the truth can't be concealed forever. <br />
<br />More than twenty years later, Stokes must finally atone for his errors as the past returns with a vengeance. Forced into an investigation to discover what happened all those years ago, he stumbles upon a sordid truth: the victim is one of many; people seemingly chosen at random across America by a serial killer at large for more than two decades; a killer with a unique and horrific modus operandi who’s flown under the radar. Still at large the killer seeks to achieve artistic perfection in his methods of execution. He is "The Perfectionist".<br />
<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rJElcKUBFwg/Vi4E3sz2xnI/AAAAAAAAAWU/ma4gRk5Q4W0/s1600/coverperfectionistOK2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rJElcKUBFwg/Vi4E3sz2xnI/AAAAAAAAAWU/ma4gRk5Q4W0/s320/coverperfectionistOK2.jpg" width="230" /></a><br />While tracking the killer under the cloak of FBI suspicion, Stokes sets himself an ambitious target and potential path to fame: write a book that leads the police to the killer, a first in the history of publishing. <br />
<br />The stakes are high and the pressure is on. Stokes is in the race of his life to discover The Perfectionist's identity and publish his bestseller, while forced to bend the notion of what is ethically right.<br />
<br />Prior to the mid-January 2016 launch, Duke plans a marketing and publicity campaign which will include a video trailer integrating music by renowned American singer and composer, Josh Garrels. <br />
<br />Simon Duke was born in Stoke-on-Trent (UK) in 1979. He obtained a B.A. in French with Film Studies in 2001 and has been working in journalism ever since. He currently lives in Toulouse, France. <br />
<br />His other fiction work includes his debut novel, Out of Bounds - published in 2014, and available at Amazon; CreateSpace; Smashwords; Barnes & Noble; Apple; Sony; Kobo; etc – as well various short stories and poems available on his website <a href="http://simongduke.blogspot.com/"><strong>http://simongduke.blogspot.com</strong></a><br />
<br />For more information or interviews please contact: <br />
<br />Simon Duke<br />Email: <strong><span style="background-color: white; color: purple;"><a href="mailto:simonduke31450@gmail.com">simonduke31450@gmail.com</a></span></strong><br />Website: <a href="http://simongduke.blogspot.com/"><strong>http://simongduke.blogspot.com</strong></a><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910043142198188271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-426651485050229567.post-26227031878163506672015-10-29T07:52:00.001-07:002015-10-29T08:17:44.483-07:00'Mockingbird Songs': The Past Cannot Be Buried Forever - ReviewThe first Roger Ellory novel I read was 'The Anniversary Man'. That was several years ago. After such a stunning discovery I did not lose much time and read his previously published works. And ever since the release of 'Bad Signs' in 2011, I have been looking forward (and not without a high degree of impatience) to getting hold of each new book, and immersing myself into them, devouring the fine prose and marveling at the slow burning and always uniquely-told stories. 'Mockingbird Songs' (2015) is no exception, it's simply addictive.<br />
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'Mockingbird Songs' tells the stories of two men: Evan Riggs, a former country music star in the 1940s who ends up serving life without parole for the murder of a stranger; and Henry Quinn, a young guitarist whom he meets thirty years later and protects in prison. Upon his release Quinn promises Riggs to deliver a letter to a girl called Sarah, the daughter that Evan has never seen. Quinn's mission takes him to Calvary, East Texas, where Evan's estranged brother, Carson, serves as sheriff and is determined to complicate Henry's task and make sure that the Pandora's Box remains closed.<br />
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I enjoyed 'Mockingbird Songs' for various reasons. Stylistically, I was once again hooked from the very beginning. Ellory somehow captures the eeriness and desolation of small-town Texas in the 1940s-70s and introduces us to astutely fleshed-out and complex characters who keep us emotionally-involved. There is juxtaposition in style between sharp, yet beautiful prose and slang Americanisations, which only Ellory seems capable of pulling off. You get the feeling that he has lived in Calvary, Texas his whole life and knows the townsfolk like his next door neighbors. He makes them real and believable.<br />
<br />
Like Ellory's other novels, 'Mockingbird Songs' is very much character driven. Henry Quinn, the main protagonist, takes us along with him on the ride and into to the heart of the matter: small town politics, power struggles, but also conflicting jealousies, human bitterness, tangled with a highly emotional love story - and all accompanied by a country music vibe which highlights Ellory's passion for literature as well as music. The characters evolve as the plot jumps between the past (1940s) in which we are given the necessary background and the present (1972) in which Henry is determined to deliver the letter he has been trusted with while gradually discovering the skeletons in the closet of the past. <br />
<br />
The dual story unfolds at a wonderful pace and you reach an eventful conclusion that has considerable impact - a sort of inevitable catharsis where the worlds of the past and present clash once and for all, leaving little room for survivors. What goes around certainly comes around. And I turned the last page of the book with a feeling of joy and satisfaction for having witnessed something raw and thought-provoking - a story whose characters will linger in my mind and continue to haunt me for the near future. And that's always a wonderful sensation to have after reading a book!<br />
<br />
Although I was mesmerized by 'Mockingbird Songs', I did however find that it lacked somewhat the punch of Ellory's previous novels. Henry Quinn or Evan Riggs seemed to possess less inner demons than the main protagonists of his other books. Detective Ray Irving in 'The Anniversary Man', Frank Parrish in 'Saints of New York' or Vincent Madigan in 'A Dark and Broken Heart' were truly consumed by theirs. But then again the story here is perhaps a little more subdued than in his other novels as the primary focus is family matters in a small town in rural America, and not a relentless pursuit of a sadistic killer nor a man's survival in the world of organized crime.<br />
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Overall this was another great achievement by Roger Ellory, and now I await the 2016 book with even more eagerness.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910043142198188271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-426651485050229567.post-15990140959584877882015-10-26T03:54:00.003-07:002015-10-26T03:54:46.660-07:00'The Perfectionist': The Book CoverThe launch period for 'The Perfectionist' has been chosen. Drums rolling... It's going to be mid-January 2016. The book will be available in paperback and in ebook at the major retailers.<br />
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All is more or less ready; the promotional plan will soon be in full swing, and last week I was proud to receive a copy of the proof paperback. Impressed with the result, I am now in a position to publically-disclose the book's layout and cover artwork. <br />
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So without further ado, here is an exclusive sneak peek at the book cover. Thank you to my trustworthy and insightful collaborators, Oscar Sanchez and Bertrand Raes. You don't change a winning team!<br />
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Here's the <strong>back cover blurb</strong>:<br />
<br />
<em>"Iowa, 1988. An unidentified severed head is found rotting in a corn field. Confronted with this gruesome discovery, Gerry Stokes – an arrogant and obnoxious newspaper reporter – agrees to cover up the affair. But the truth can't be concealed forever. </em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em>More than twenty years later, Stokes must finally atone for his errors as the past returns with a vengeance. Forced into an investigation to discover what happened all those years ago, he stumbles upon a sordid truth: the victim is one of many; people seemingly chosen at random across America by a serial killer at large for more than two decades; a killer with a unique and horrific modus operandi who’s flown under the radar. Still at large the killer seeks to achieve artistic perfection in his methods of execution. He is "The Perfectionist". </em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em>While tracking the killer under the cloak of FBI suspicion, Stokes sets himself an ambitious target and potential path to fame: write a book that leads the police to the killer, a first in the history of publishing. </em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em>The stakes are high and the pressure is on. Stokes is in the race of his life to discover The Perfectionist's identity and publish his bestseller, while forced to bend the notion of what is ethically right."</em><br />
<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910043142198188271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-426651485050229567.post-7963374366720092732015-10-13T08:35:00.001-07:002015-10-13T08:45:37.978-07:00Exploring EvilI recently attended a roundtable held during the 7th edition of the Toulouse Polars du Sud crime fiction festival (9 October 2015), during which participants RJ Ellory* and Donato Carrisi** asked the questions, "Is evil external to the human condition?" and "Can you be born evil?"<br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CDfFnRLQ_CE/Vh0kOvT_89I/AAAAAAAAARM/szejH-07clY/s1600/Capture.GIF" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CDfFnRLQ_CE/Vh0kOvT_89I/AAAAAAAAARM/szejH-07clY/s200/Capture.GIF" width="176" /></a>While there is no consensus on our inherent nature, one may be concerned about man's genetic predisposition towards evil behaviors like selfishness, violence, and cruelty. Is evil inherent, or is it an unfortunate side effect of our society? It is understood that personality comes early and is influenced by outside circumstances and upbringing. We enter this world as innocent children. However, we all have the potential to descend into evil over the years. As Ellory puts it, "evil is an additive." <br />
<br />
Carrisi looked no further than at a man who has been coined as one of the most evil men in history: Adolf Hitler. When you look at the popular photo of Hitler taken when he was a toddler, it is hard to fathom that he started off so innocent-looking. <br />
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Fortunately for the human race, only a tiny percentage of people turned out to be figures of evil or what one may call evil geniuses. Yet these people are subjects of our fascination. We are drawn to them, yet we can't really justify such attractions. Why is this?<br />
<br />
Through his novels, Ellory touches upon the incomprehensible nature of evil, a concept that can be described and discussed, but never completely understood. Although we condemn rapists, thieves, or people who kill out of rage or jealousy, we can fathom the coherent and human thought processes behind such acts, for we too are human. "But why don't we understand pure evil?" Ellory asks. "It's because we don't really understand ourselves," he says in answer.<br />
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The behavior of the evil geniuses or less genius serial killers is seemingly inexplicable and without a coherent motive which we can relate to. Serial killers are driven by inner demons that even they may not comprehend. We are drawn to these killers, not really by disgusting morbidity, but more because we cannot understand their violence. We thus feel compelled to understand, and by doing so we side with evil. It's basic human curiosity.<br />
<br />
Besides the killer himself, many of my characters in 'The Perfectionist' are linked to this fascination we can have in serial killers. I carried out some research into profiling and criminology. I even looked at some forensics science. But above all I looked at factual data about these evil men. Be reassured, real serial killers generally do not possess unique or exceptional intellectual skills (think of David Berkowitz - aka Son of Sam - who in the 1970’s, terrorized the people of New York City, murdering six people and prompting a police operation known as Operation Omega, comprised of 200 detectives trying to stop him before he could kill again. What caused his downfall and subsequent capture? ... A parking ticket!) The image of the evil genius serial killer is mostly a Hollywood invention - think of Kevin Spacey's character in 'Se7en' or Anthony Hopkins's Hannibal Lecter in 'Silence of the Lambs.' This makes the intelligence of serial killers a popular culture stereotype, but it sure does make great entertainment. Wouldn't you agree? <br />
<br />
It is understood that it isn't intelligence, cunning or genius that makes real serial killers successful. No, instead, it is obsession, meticulous planning and a decent amount of cold-blood to operate, outsmart law enforcement authorities and to remain at large. 'The Perfectionist' takes all that and all we know about the serial killer persona and goes an extra step. <br />
<br />
The killer whom my main character (Gerry Stokes, a veteran journalist working at the Chicago Tribune) tracks has flown under the radar for more than 20 years. His unique modus operandi and his inner demons or ambitions make him hard to fit into any category of killer seen before. In 'Level 26: Dark Origins', authors Anthony E. Zuiker and Duane Swierczynski explore this fictitious notion of killer classification. In the book, law enforcement quantifies evil and murderousness on a scale of 1 to 25, with naive opportunists at Level 1 and organized, premeditated torture-murderers at Level 25. However, the killer in the book is so awesome, that a level 26 has to be considered. The killer in 'The Perfectionist', meanwhile isn't subject to such classification because he simply doesn't exist in the eyes of the law. It takes an unfortunate set of circumstances and a lot of reporter's flair to put Gerry Stokes on his trail. My killer simply got unlucky. <br />
<br />
Can the Perfectionist be considered the ultimate serial killer? You'll soon find out. Significant progress has been made and most of the pre-publication work is over. Finally, cover artwork is close to being finalized. All is on track for an early-2016 launch. I expect to share more news soon on this blog in the coming weeks. Additionally you can follow me on Twitter at <u>@SimonGDuke</u> and/or on Facebook at <a href="http://www.facebook.com/simonduke">www.facebook.com/simonduke</a> <br />
<br />
'The Perfectionist' touches upon the evolution of the serial killer. And similar to the killers who are its messengers, evil has evolved too. It has become more cunning and comes under many shapes and disguises. But evil remains evil, true to form. <br />
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Dare enter the mind of the ultimate killer? 'The Perfectionist' is out soon. <br />
<br />
* RJ Ellory's 'The Anniversary Man' has been released in France. French title: 'Les Assassins.'<br />
** Donato Carrisi's 'Il Cacciatore del Buio' has been released in France. French title: 'Maléfico.'<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910043142198188271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-426651485050229567.post-68435243727087423622015-09-25T03:16:00.000-07:002015-09-25T03:16:08.965-07:00It Ain't a Dog's Life No MoreNew day. New inspiration....<br />
<br />
<strong><u>It Ain’t A Dog’s Life No More</u></strong><br />
<br />
A long time ago I used to own a stray mutt. <br />
Found the mongrel wandering near a sinister fairground. <br />
He wasn't exactly what you’d call the most charming hound in the pound.<br />
And sometimes he was a real pain in the butt.<br />
<br />
I cared for him just the same.<br />
You see, he was loyal; he would give his life for me.<br />
But I saw it coming in his eyes... that darned curiosity. <br />
Flickering like a flame.<br />
<br />
It was getting the best of him.<br />
He wanted to know what was on the other side of the forest. <br />
So one winter morning I walked him outside; wanted to put his mind at rest. <br />
Removed his chains. Set him free. And off went my pilgrim.<br />
<br />
But it wasn't long before he came back. <br />
Running to me, straight out of the fog. <br />
There was something different about my dog. <br />
He had a scar from his belly to his nut-sack.<br />
<br />
And I knew right then: he was changed. <br />
He never ran away again or tried to hide.<br />
He never left my side. <br />
But like I said, he was different. Somewhat estranged.<br />
<br />
Because that day his growl turned into a deafening screech. <br />
He learned that the world that lies beneath.<br />
Remains unforgiving, relentless, and gnarls with sharper teeth. <br />
And he learned the most valuable lesson that I could ever teach...<br />
<br />
Life's a fight. Stand tall or snap under its strain.<br />
It's a bitter pill to swallow. But show some dignity. Show some virtue.<br />
Dog, you gotta get them before they get you.<br />
And don't cry like a bitch when you feel the pain.<br />
<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910043142198188271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-426651485050229567.post-27173782643266260082015-09-17T02:44:00.001-07:002015-09-17T02:44:35.018-07:00Nasty Noir: Stakes Raised in 'The Corruption of Chastity'I am once again thrilled to have been one of the recipients of an advance copy of the new crime-thriller ‘The Corruption of Chastity’ by Frank Westworth. ‘Chastity' is the second book of the Killing Sisters Trilogy and a great read. I was also honoured to have had an extract of my review for 'A Last Act of Charity' (the first book of the trilogy, released last year) included in the ‘Praise for the Author’ section. Thank you, Frank, Rowena at Murdermayhemandmore.net, and The Book Guild.<br />
<br />
Here is my review of ‘Chastity’:<br />
<br />
<strong>Nasty Noir: Stakes Raised in 'The Corruption of Chastity'</strong><br />
<br />
Unlike most sequels, 'The Corruption of Chastity' doesn't disappoint. I'd go as far as saying that the energy and zaniness which made 'A Last Act of Charity' a thrill to read enter a new dimension with 'Chastity'. <br />
<br />
Story-wise, the characters I very much enjoyed in the first book continue to surprise you as author Frank Westworth gives them additional psychological substance and emotional development. The rollercoaster experience I felt with the first book's momentum intensifies with 'Chastity', all the way to a captivating finale, yet remains well-punctuated with welcome breathers. And stylistically, the book’s certainly got something cool going on...<br />
<br />
"She pulled the body, still warm and willing, to the floor of the nave, carefully slid the long blade between two of the exposed neck vertebrae and sliced. The bones parted. One more slice and the head fell free. Black skin and wide white eyes staring at the religious painting on the ceiling. <br />Chastity glanced up. 'Can you still see? That's some bad old white man's God on his big white cloud, welcoming the sinners to their hereafter. But there is no hereafter, is there buddy? None. Just one big fat silent nothing. Hope you enjoy it.' <br />She stood. Stretched. Placed the handgun beside her clothes and walked, naked apart from the long knife, to the church door. Opened it. stepped outside, crossed the small car park, the small road, and ran lightly down the clean beach to the calm waters of the big lake. Waded in. squatted down and relieved herself luxuriously..." <br />
<br />
As this segment shows, Westworth's writing comes in outbursts of tough, streamlined elegance. Oftentimes it is paired with sharp and punchy dialogue, which is astutely delivered and ultimately pushes the plot forward, maybe more so than the action scenes. <br />
<br />
Plot-wise it is also interesting to see how the cool and determined master blues guitarist/contract killer JJ Stoner is no longer the main driver of the story, as is the case in the previous opus. What may be perceived as a lurid and gritty man's world is increasingly overtaken by the female characters, all of whom have important roles in Stoner’s life. Be it, Chastity, Charity, Bili the bassist, or Jenny, a cruise ship love interest… they are fleshed out and constantly surround Stoner. And dangling like a Sword of Damocles, the mood of uncertainty which prevails in the book is upheld by these strange femme fatales with hidden agendas; and it's fun trying to decipher their intentions while being under the influence of their sexual power and enchantment. <br />
<br />
In 'Chastity', Westworth pushes the boundaries of classic noir further by making once familiar characters more elusive and mysterious. He also successfully weaves in elements of the spy novel: the alpine forests, the boat cruises, and the stints in exotic, luxurious hotels - all are rather reminiscent of Bond movies. And the book's solitary sniper/assassin sequences have nothing to envy from the genre. Yet despite the influences, Westworth preserves his own, unique voice. Add in the weird sex and the not-so-distant vibe of blues music in the background, and you have a sincere attempt at creating something new: something which I've never really come across before, something Westworth has mastered; something I dare name 'nasty noir'.<br />
<br />
However, at times I found 'Chastity' hard to digest. Occasionally the conversations go on a wee bit too long and thus feel contrived. And I couldn't help myself from smiling at all the wisecracks which are arguably too numerous for a regular human being to spurt out if his/her intention is to make him/herself understood. There is a delicate balancing act to maintain in order to keep the reader both focused and entertained, and at times it felt like Westworth went a bit too far. I had to re-read segments to make sure which character was speaking; and by doing so I interrupted the flow of my reading, which possibly made me miss out on some of the finer subtleties. But maybe that's me being finicky? Having said that, the long chunks of dialogue are just a minor blip in what is a second great chapter of the Killing Sisters saga. Looking forward to the third and final book.<br />
<br />
'The Corruption of Chastity', the second installment of the Killing Sisters Trilogy, is out on September 24th 2015. <br />
Check it out here: <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Corruption-Chastity-Killing-Sisters/dp/1910508683">http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Corruption-Chastity-Killing-Sisters/dp/1910508683</a> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910043142198188271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-426651485050229567.post-26448812266739034592015-09-07T08:22:00.001-07:002015-09-07T08:27:36.287-07:00Finding the Limelight Again?<span style="font-family: inherit;">September is the start of the academic year in many countries in which children go back to school after the summer break. With September comes the sapphire, representing clarity of thought, intuition, and peacefulness. In September we celebrate "Be Kind to Editors and Writers Month". And September 2015 marks the beginning of my own little DIY project. After having submitted queries and manuscripts to indie publishers and agents all year, I have decided to once again pursue the route of self-publishing. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OIRD_fIDaIc/Ve2rEgpHHAI/AAAAAAAAAQQ/11s6dHCM75w/s1600/Capture.GIF" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OIRD_fIDaIc/Ve2rEgpHHAI/AAAAAAAAAQQ/11s6dHCM75w/s320/Capture.GIF" width="224" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">This time I am not entering new territory, neither am I very anxious. No, this time I am equipped with extra self-confidence, knowhow, and what may be the most crucial of all when it comes to editing your own book: patience. Self-publishing a second time was a carefully-planned and long decision. In June, it seemed like I'd found my publisher after receiving a publishing contract in the mail. But after much debate, I turned it down. I had to avoid falling into the trap of what seemed to me like vanity publishing. As I've said before, I must think bigger and more long-term. My book was deemed worthy of publishing, but by accepting such an offer, I would've been setting the ambition bar too low. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Now with 'The Perfectionist', I have to fine-tune a marketing strategy and make sure to blow my own trumpet in the months prior to the launch, during, and in the weeks following the launch. I shall seek additional readership, but being better prepared than I was for 'Out of Bounds'. And who knows? Maybe I'll get spotted by someone who can take my work to the next level or I could stir up some kind of buzz? Whatever the outcome, I'll try to do my best. Larger commercial success can come later. I'm not in a hurry. Maybe novel number three, or number four which I'd like to work on in the coming months, or one of those I will write in the future will be my ticket to stardom? Dream big, I say, for no-one will do it for you. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I've set up a calendar listing the main tasks at hand and what I need to do between now and the time of the book launch, which I have penciled in for early-2016. This gives an overview and makes sure I don't lose focus. I have learnt valuable lessons with 'Out of Bounds', which I hope to put into practice in the coming months. I must ramp up promotional activity. I need to be more active on the reviewer front and more interactive as far as social media is concerned. And I have to generate more following and cater to my existing followers - or dare I say fans? - by writing here too, on this blog. And that's just the tip of the iceberg! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">My team is in place to help me with the book cover and formatting before I undertake the self-publishers' grinding process. In fact it's the same one. I loved the 'Out of Bounds' book cover and, as they say, you don't change a winning team. It's so good to brainstorm and bounce ideas off each other. We've got a great understanding and I'm impressed by what the guys can come up with. I'm also currently working on the book's inside, making sure that it all looks good. 'The Perfectionist' is approximately 115,000 words long. That comes down to a bit less than 400 pages (paperback). Add on the front and back covers, as well as the spine, and we'll have a hell of a book. </span><br />
<br />
Feel free to contact me if you wish to be kept informed of the editorial process and the book launch. All you need to do is send an email to <a href="mailto:simonduke31450@gmail.com">simonduke31450@gmail.com</a> <br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here's the synopsis (in case you haven't yet seen it):</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Synopsis – The Perfectionist – by Simon Duke</span></strong></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1988. A severed and decomposed head belonging to an unidentified old man is found rotting in an Iowa corn field. Confronted with this gruesome discovery, rookie reporter Gerry Stokes is urged by the local sheriff and his newspaper editor to cover up the affair. But the truth can't be concealed forever.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2010. Stokes, now an arrogant and unpleasant sex-driven, yet seasoned veteran journalist at the Chicago Tribune, must at last atone for his wrong-doings as the shunned-upon past returns with a vengeance. Payback ultimately comes in the attractive form of Sarah Howard, a nostalgic but committed young woman, who believes she has identified the old man as being her own long-lost grandfather, Ted Callaway. Unwilling to be exposed by the young woman, Stokes is forced into an investigation to discover the truth of what happened twenty-two years ago.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Looking for Callaway's killer leads Stokes to an even more sordid truth: Callaway is one of many victims; people seemingly chosen at random across the nation by a serial killer who has been at large for more than two decades: a killer so cunning that he has flown under the radar of the cops and the FBI by navigating through the loopholes of the federal law enforcement system while respecting a unique and horrific modus operandi. By fine-tuning methods of execution, the killer seeks artistic perfection. He is "the Perfectionist".</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">As the case is in full swing, Stokes's parents die in a tragic car crash. Reluctantly he must temporarily halt his pursuit and travel back to Iowa for the first time in years to take care of the funeral with his brother, Joe. Stokes faces Joe's anger regarding his decision to leave the family hog farm behind and never come back. Little does Stokes know but this tragedy and its aftermath impact him more than expected.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">As the hunt for the killer progresses, Stokes becomes obsessed with the case and questions his own selfish nature. The evil lurking behind the investigation causes a gradual attitude shift inside him as he looks back on his former Iowa life, this time with feelings closer to regret. He not only tries to resurrect a difficult relationship with Joe, but he also begins to feel a mixed array of emotions for Sarah who becomes a crucial part of his life, in some ways his anchor.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2013. Three years later, the investigation is given a new lifeline after Stokes is alerted to a series of gruesome Colombian neckties in California. Stokes realizes that the Perfectionist, who had been dormant for a long time, is still at large and has resumed his hunt for new victims. The current nature of the murders and the media buzz around them put the FBI in the hot seat, and Stokes must confront their determined lead investigator, Special Agent Elliot Keppler, to obtain confirmation that his killer is still active.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">At the same time Stokes is quick to identify a promising path to journalistic success. He sets himself an ambitious and innovative target; a risky objective preventing him from keeping law enforcement in the loop, one which may very well merit a Pulitzer prize and pave the way to fame: he wishes to publish a truly special book; a book, which for the very first time in publishing history will give the police the means to capture a serial killer. And not just any serial killer... America's greatest and smartest: the Perfectionist. Using the potential shared success generated by such a book as bait, Stokes finds unlikely help along the way from Frank Craven, his editor at the Tribune; Dr. Ken McFarland, a forensic autopsy technician and old friend; Prof. Dennis Morton, a criminology professor; and James Henry Johnson, a death row convict - all of whom acknowledge the need to proceed in discretion. But to keep his book project alive, he has to keep on hiding the full truth from the FBI. And by doing so he becomes a Person of Interest, arousing Keppler's suspicion.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">With such high stakes, the pressure is on. Stokes is in the race of his life to discover the killer's identity and publish his bestseller, while bending the notions of what can be considered ethically right.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04910043142198188271noreply@blogger.com0