My Interview With Authors On The Air

 The wonderfully energetic Ann White and Pam Stack interview yours truly on their on-air podcast, Authors On The Air on  Blog Talk Radio.  Check it out.

My Five Star Kindle Thriller Gallows Pole FREE For Memorial Day!

Some Reviews:

"At first blush, "Gallows Pole" is an intriguing blend of Thomas Harris with Tom Clancy, a serial-killer drama with a military background and lots of nifty gadgetry. But J.D. Rhoades works deeper than that. Having introduced a murderer with the most appalling M.O. since the Red Dragon, Rhoades takes the protagonists -- and the reader -- into a moral quagmire where past sins are alive and kicking, and the bad choices of years past are still capable of drawing blood. This one will stay with you."

"This book had it all: futuristic weaponry, military men, a bit of romance and lots of intrigue. The story was chilling and very creepy at times but a tremendous book."

"Gallows Pole is a book that will both entertain and challenge you."

"J.D. Rhoades's Gallows Pole gets the adrenalin pumping from the very first page. Rhoades not only gives us a tight, suspenseful plot, his prose style is economic and full of quiet confidence, and you know you're in good hands the moment you start reading. "

Get Gallows Pole FREE today only: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0067CH9SQ

Okay, Here's the Deal

 My sci-fi vampire revenge epic, titled MONSTER: NIGHTRIDER'S VENGEANCE, releases May 1st. I'll send a free Kindle or EPub copy to the first 20 people, not related to me by blood or marriage, who e-mail me at dustyr@nc.rr.com and put MONSTER in the subject line. In exchange, you agree to post an honest review when (or within a reasonable time after) it's released. Reviews can be on Amazon, B & N, blog, wherever, but they must be honest. Specify mobi (Kindle) or Epub format, and if you want me to send it direct to your device give me the address (e.g. mykindle@kindle.com), and remember to set dustyr@nc.rr.com as an address you can get files from. 

NIGHTRIDER'S VENGEANCE Cover

This is the cover for my upcoming e-book (the long-awaited sci-fi vampire revenge epic), by the multi-talented David Terrenoire. I like it a lot, hope you do too.

BREAKING COVER FREE FOR KINDLE!

Laura Lippman says: "Breaking Cover won't surprise J.D. Rhoades' fans, who already know just how good he is, but it should win him many more. A breath-taking pace, paired with a sure sense of character and place, makes this book another winner. Rhoades' star on the mystery scene is rising almost as fast as his own stories rocket across the page."


Tess Gerritsen says: "Breaking Cover is one of those rare thrillers that combine smart, tense prose with a momentum that never quits. J.D. Rhoades revs this baby into action from the get-go and never eases up on the throttle."


BOOKLIST says:" Rhoades takes a break from his Keller series, featuring the Gulf War–haunted bounty hunter (Safe and Sound, 2007), with a stand-alone thriller starring rogue FBI agent Tony Wolf. Forced to break cover after rescuing two abducted children, Wolf—officially dead but living under the radar in rural North Carolina—suddenly finds himself on the run from both his former colleagues in the bureau (including his wife) and, more seriously, from the gang of drug-dealing bikers he infiltrated in his last FBI assignment. Tired of running from trouble, Wolf decides to go on the offense: take down the bikers, and expose the mole in the FBI power structure who is feeding the bikers information. If thriller fans are thinking Lee Child here, they’re right on target. Like Child, Rhoades dishes out one airtight action scene after another, mixing in just enough character-building moments and holding our interest in a full cast of nicely developed supporting players. All that, and a Sam Peckinpah–like bloody, bravura finale that will leave even icy-veined thriller fans panting for breath."


BREAKING COVER: Free for Kindle for a limited time! 

–Laura Lippman,

My Open Letter to President Obama

Dear Mr. President:  

I saw a news story today about a little argument you apparently had with Governor Jan Brewer of Arizona. Apparently, you were unhappy with the way she described a meeting she'd had with you a while back. At the time, she'd said the meeting was "cordial," but in the book she said you were "patronizing" and "condescending." She apparently got a little heated up about it, and ended up shaking her finger in your face after which one of you stalked away, it wasn't clear which.  

Now, Mr. President, I've always been a big supporter of yours. I haven't always agreed with you on some things, like Libya,  the public option, and the detention provisions of the NDAA,  but I agree with you on a lot more than I disagree. And even if we were discussing things I disagree with you about, I would never dream of being disrespectful or shaking my finger in your face. At least not normally.  

But here's the thing. I also read that, after the finger-shaking incident, Governor Brewer's book " “Scorpions for Breakfast: My Fight Against Special Interests, Liberal Media, and Cynical Politicos to Secure the Border,’’ went from 285,568 on the Amazon sales list to 20.

20! That's the biggest one day jump in Amazon's history. Which leaves me with a bit of a conundrum.  

As you may or may not know, I'm a published author in addition to being a lawyer and newspaper columnist. (If you weren't aware of this, just call up the guys downstairs and have them bring you my Homeland Security file. After all the stuff I said about the guy who was President before you, I'm 99% sure I have one).

The books have done okay. I've gotten some great reviews and letters from fans, and the respect of some of my fellow writers. That means the world to me. But, sadly, none of them have cracked the top 20,  at least so far.

I think you can see where I'm going with this.  

See, I've always been one of those people who thinks outside the box. When something controversial occurs, and other people are saying "this is terrible, how could such a thing happen?" I'm thinking "how can I get me some of this?"

Like I said, I have nothing but respect for you. But could you do me a solid? I know you're probably going to be in North Carolina a lot in the coming months, what with it being a battleground state and all. One of those times, could I maybe come by and be a jerk to you? It wouldn't take too long, maybe a couple of minutes.

I'm not talking about any kind of threat or anything, because I don't want to get my butt kicked by the Secret Service or get indefinitely detained. But maybe I could make fun of your tie or tell you I don't like Al Green or something. A little sneer, a little finger shake, I'd flounce off, and we'd be done.

If I could do that, and if we could make sure that there are cameras there, I'll bet my sales would go through the roof. I might get invited on Jon Stewart or Conan or even--dare I say it out loud?-- Craig Ferguson. Like I say, I wouldn't normally even dream of asking something like this, but it's always been a dream of mine to leave the day job behind and write full time, and this may just be my ticket.

The books, by the way, are The Devil's Right Hand; Good Day In Hell; Safe and Sound; Breaking Cover; Storm Surge; Lawyers Guns & Money; and the new one, Gallows Pole. All are available in Kindle and Nook formats. I think we can both agree that those are much snappier titles than “Scorpions for Breakfast: My Fight Blah Blah Blah." They also make great reading on airplanes. Just saying.

Thanks, Mr. President. You're the best.

Your fan,

J.D. "Dusty" Rhoades

"A Book That Will Both Entertain and Challenge You"

Elizabeth A. White, All Purpose Monkey gives GALLOWS POLE a great review. Check it out!

DEAD OF WINTER: Homicide For The Holidays

Recently I've joined a cadre of several of my favorite authors under the name of the Thalia Press Author's Co-Op. We're helping each other get our backlists up as e-books, and promoting new, independently published material as well. We've got a group project coming up called DEAD OF WINTER, featuring new, winter themed short stories by Chaz McGee (aka Katy Munger), Gary Phillips, Sarah Shaber, and others.

My own contribution, "I'll Be Home For Christmas," features Gibson County Chief Deputy Tim Buckthorn, who was one of my favorite characters in my critically acclaimed novel BREAKING COVER. My friend David Terrenoire observed once that the book was as much Buckthorn's story as it was Tony Wolf's, and he was right. I've been wanting to use Tim in a story for a while, and this was my chance.

The book's tentatively set for release on November 15th...I'll keep you posted.

Graveyard Tales

 
New for Kindle and Nook: "The Caretaker." Two short stories from the graveyard, just in time for Hallowe'en!

In "The Caretaker," William Cain doesn't know why only he can see the new arrivals in his cemetery, or why they tell him their stories--but he knows how to take care of their unfinished business. "Spadework" is a previously published tale of a father's revenge.

Cover by David Terrenoire.

Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005ZT6PPU

Nook:  http://search.barnesandnoble.com/books/e/2940013246478

Internationally Known Blowhard, Redux: LAWYERS, GUNS & MONEY Down Under

I've got an interview over at the Australian blog Indie eBooks, and there's a short excerpt from Lawyers Guns and Money. Thanks to Nadine for being a gracious host!

Me On the BBC, Again

After my Monday appearance on BBC Radio, the fine folks at the Beeb had apparently not had enough of your Humble Blogger, so they asked me to appear on the TV version of World Have Your Say. Here it is.

I start in at about 29:30, appearing via Skype.

That's INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN Blowhard To You, Pal.

I got an e-mail this morning from a very nice young lady from the BBC World Service who'd seen the column about Libya below and wanted to know if I'd be willing to appear on their "World Have Your Say" program (or as they say "programme'). Actually, what she said was that they were "keen to speak to you about your possible participation on our radio show,"

Sure, said I, and next thing I know, I'm on the radio (or as they say, "wireless"). You can catch the podcast of the show here. I come in about 27:50, so you can skip all the boring stuff. There's a second hour, but it doesn't appear to be up yet.

Didn't get a huge block of airtime; they kept cutting back to people who were actually in Libya and theoretically had some idea of what was going on. I say theoretically, because after listening, I'm now more uncertain than ever about what's going on, which makes me even more determined that we should have stayed the hell out of this.

How Hard Can It Be? Or, How I Got Myself Into This Mess

Over at BookPage.com, I and several other authors answer the question: when did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

Thanks to Tom Robinson for inviting me!