I am sudden death.

The Tourist Killer ends and A Year Without Killing opens
in Manhattan near Penn Station.
Here's a shot I got from Hoboken. 

The Eight Sentences:

“I am sudden death.

Unexpected. 

Unwelcome. 

Final.”  -- For over thirty years, it was the credo of one of the most successful and least known professional assassins in history. In A Year Without Killing, Claudia Barry takes a year off from work. 

She doesn’t leave her weapons at home.

The Back Story:

       Today's excerpt is the promo line for my third novel.

        If that was all you knew about the book, would you click your mouse to find out more?

        As usual, all feedback welcomed.

Open call for writers:

Join us here at Weekend Writing Warriors. The  same link will take you to the work of dozens of talented writers. For a treat, please check out their work, too.  

Here's the Facebook link for the Sunday Snippett group.

Manhattan Skyline

The Eight Sentences:

The Manhattan skyline glowed like bullion thanks to the sun’s rays just before dusk. Claudia Barry appreciated the spectacle from her table in the Vu Lounge of the Hyatt Regency in Jersey City. She held her martini glass up so she could observe the Freedom Tower through her drink. She liked the distorted view. It gave her ideas for a watercolor painting she planned to complete while in the northeast.

She turned to a fresh sheet of paper in her leather portfolio and wrote with her antique fountain pen.

She moved the pen with a deliberate pace. The painter’s hand moved the premium writing instrument with an assassin’s precision.

Claudia's view of the Freedom Tower from Jersey City.
Image credit: Etier Photography/Royal Flamingo Works, LLC

The Back Story:

     Readers first met Claudia Barry in The Tourist Killer. As that book ended, she had decided to take a year off from work. The sequel, A Year Without Killing, tells what she did during that twelve month sabbatical. She did not leave her weapons at home.

What now?

 Looking for more viewers, readers, and contacts?

Join us here at Weekend Writing Warriors. The same 

link will take you to the work of dozens of talented writers.

 Check out their work, too.  Here's the Facebook link for the

 Sunday Snippett group.

I did a good deed today.

The Eight Sentences

His smile brought her a sense of calm and a reassurance of safety as it always had.

She leaned forward to push her chair back and stand to greet him.

He waved it off, “Keep your seat. You look so comfortable, Claudia, the epitome of self confidence and bliss. Your smile is radiant.”

“Am I smiling? It must be because I did a good deed today.”

Debert nodded understanding, and returned the smile.

The Back Story

When in Manhattan, visit this great pub. It's right across the
street from Penn Station. 

Mr. Debert (DAY'-bear) is Claudia's muse and confidant. They often meet at her favorite Irish pub when she's in NYC, the tir na nOg. This conversation occurs about a half hour after her altercation with the mugger (from last week's excerpt.)

What now?

     Looking for more viewers, readers, and contacts?

Join us here at Weekend Writing Warriors. The same 

link will take you to the work of dozens of talented writers.

 Check out their work, too.  Here's the Facebook link for the

 Sunday Snippett group.

A Year Without Killing

The Eight Sentences 

An African-American woman who appeared to be in her late sixties stepped onto the sidewalk and walked towards Claudia. That woman’s about my age, Claudia thought.

Then it happened.

Penn Station - across the street from where this scene
 occurs. Image Source: hereandnow.wbur.org

A tall skinny male Goth stepped into the black woman’s path. He grabbed the strap on her purse and jerked it from her grasp. His next decision was one of the worst of his life. He ran right into the path of a semi-retired assassin with a sense of justice.

As he passed, Claudia Barry stepped into his path and delivered a forearm to make Anthony Munoz proud.

The Back Story 

       A Year Without Killing is a work in progress and will be the third in my series of novels known as the "Barry-Hixon Conspiracy."  This is the sequel to my first book, The Tourist Killer, which ends with professional assassin Claudia Barry beginning a twelve month leave. She had planned to retire, but was convinced by her assigner to take some time off before making the final decision.

       Today's excerpt shows how difficult it will be to take off from work. It's from Chapter One.

What now? 

 Looking for more viewers, readers, and contacts?

Join us here at Weekend Writing Warriors. The same 

link will take you to the work of dozens of talented writers.

 Check out their work, too.  Here's the Facebook link for the

 Sunday Snippett group.

Altered lives

The Eight Sentences:

The shooter relaxed and watched the rain collect on the windshield as the wiper blades paused for a few seconds between cycles. 

First, came images, then text. It was like e-mails appearing on the screen of her computer but now they were on the windshield right before her eyes. No time to read them as the wipers cleared them away with each wave. Always changing, more messages and no time to read nor savor them.

“Did my targets realize their own frailty, their vulnerability, their mortality? Were they able to adjust the length of time the blades of fate hesitate between each event?”

The light changed; the pace of the rain quickened and without a thought, her hand came up, her finger touched 
the lever, and the wipers went from intermittent to regular speed — with no pauses.

The Setup

    This weekend's eight sentences come from my first novel, The Tourist Killer. We have a targeted marketing program coming out in September. A blast of direct e-mails to subscribers who want info on books in this genre.

Claudia Barry is an elite professional assassin nearing retirement. 

She's a boomer. 

She's sixty-two years old. 

In this scene, while driving in Manhattan, she contemplates how her actions, as simple as the movement of one finger, can alter the lives of others.

What next?

Looking for more viewers, readers, and contacts?

Join us here at Weekend Writing Warriors. The same 

link will take you to the work of dozens of talented writers.

 Check out their work, too. 

     Here's the Facebook link for the  Sunday Snippett group.

The Evolution of a Book Cover

“It's getting very near the end.” -- Lennon/McCartney

Writing my first novel, The Tourist Killer, took longer that expected. When the end of the actual writing task became clearly visible on the horizon, the thoughts of a book cover design moved up the priority rankings in my mind.

I went to Amazon.com and began to study book covers in the appropriate genre -- political thrillers.

In short order, it became clear that repetition exists.  Several authors chose the same stock images. My publisher confirmed that situation is common in the business.  It was anathema to me.  I’ve been a photographer for years and the transition to author brings the baggage of a preference for originality, creativity and a desire to be unique.

What to do?

The solution came from an unexpected source.  The principal character in my book is Claudia Barry.  She said, “Use one of my paintings!”

As the book opens, we meet Claudia as she completes an assignment. This professional woman is in her early sixties and contemplating retirement.  Her favorite hobby is oil painting.  However, there is a scene in the book where she decides to experiment with another medium. [The reasons for this change would be a plot spoiler.] The result is a watercolor painting of the Manhattan Skyline as seen from Frank Sinatra Park in Hoboken, New Jersey.

David Ammons of Sylva, North Carolina has been painting in both oil and watercolor mediums for about ten years. Recently his work has sold quite well at his page on Art-3000. David agreed to produce a painting and sign it as “Claudia Barry.” He worked from one of my photographs. Readers of The Tourist Killer will find a special note of thanks on the “Acknowledgements” page.

My publishers, Venture Galleries, art critics and other publishing contacts of mine, all were enthusiastic about David, er, Claudia’s work.  Not to leave a stone unturned, we consulted professional book cover designer, Jeff Bennington, for his thoughts. Jeff liked the watercolor piece as well and using it as a starting point, created a dynamite cover.  

If readers enjoy the content of The Tourist Killer as much as those of us involved like the cover, we should have a best seller.

Special thanks again to both David Ammons and Jeff Bennington.