This is the Farewell Tour for my Kindle World novels and novellas, and for the many other talented and skillful writers who have contributed to them.
In another three days, Amazon says, they will disappear from the virtual shelves in the U.S. (They were never available on the Amazon sites outside the U.S.A.)
In other words, this is your last chance to get these books onto your Kindle.
I have published books in three different Kindle Worlds: Lei Crime, Sydney Rye and JET.
The Lei Crime Kindle World
I am honoured to say that Toby herself invited me to be one of the initial contributors to the Lei Crime Kindle World, based on her Lei Crime series. My four books all feature FBI Special Agent Vanessa Storm, as well as some characters created by Toby Neal.
Some of the other Lei Crime Kindle World authors included Shawn McGuire, Janet Oakley, Ron Logan, Mary Doyle, Corinne O’Flynn, Donna McNicol, Mary Doyle, Meg Amor, Julie Gilbert, Kim Hornsby, Eden Baylee, Lynda Filler, Kayla Dawn Thomas and Lucas Kana, to name a few. Many of them ended up as characters in my books.
Jet Kindle World
Russell Blake’s Jet series was the next Kindle World I was invited to contribute to. I joined authors like Kim Cano, Steve Konkoly, Linda Filler—and Toby Neal and Emily Kimelman.
Notice something there? Toby Neal, with a number of successful series of her own and her own Kindle World, wrote a Jet book, Nightbird. Emily Kimelman, who wrote Warrior Dog for the Lei Crime Kindle World, also wrote It Takes Two for the Jet Kindle World. In fact, a number of authors wrote in several Kindle Worlds, including Lynda Filler and Malcolm Aylward.
I wrote just one book for it, but that was the debut of my characters Van Freeman and Earl LeBrun, who would go on to the third Kindle World to invite me to join:
Sydney Rye Kindle World
Emily Kimelman invited me to join the launch of the World based on her compelling characters, Sydney Rye and her giant dog, Blue.
Emily Kimelman invited me to join the launch of the World based on her compelling characters, Sydney Rye and her giant dog, Blue. My first book was The Wife Line, where Van and LeBrun help Sydney and Blue in their detective mode—or more accurately, poke their noses into a sensitive case.
Last year, I added a second novella to the Sydney Rye Kindle World, The Three-Way.
Julie Gilbert, who has written at least six novellas featuring Marcella Scott, one of the characters from the Lei Crime series, also wrote Fatal Interest featuring Sydney Rye and Blue.
And in the spirit of closing the circle, Toby Neal brought Lei herself to meet Sydney in Rough Road.
New horizons beckon
I had a lot of fun writing these books. I learned a lot about writing in different genres, and I met some wonderful writers and readers.
Now, the Kindle Worlds are coming to an end. But not necessarily the stories that so many readers loved. I’m not the only author of Kindle Worlds titles who’s going to make some changes to the stories and publish them as independent books. I am working on revised and expanded versions of the stories in my Kindle World books (in between writing stints on The Triumph of the Sky), and some new covers, as well.
First, FBI Special Agent Vanessa Storm will return in the Hawai`ian Storm series. Then you can see Van and LeBrun in their own series.
It’ll take a while, but I’m excited that, finally, these characters and stories will be available beyond the U.S., and in paperback as well as e-book formats.
I hope to be able to announce publication dates for my books in the next few months, along with announcements of other authors, as well. Stay tuned!