Tag: Adam Bender

Utopia PR declared best humor book in 2021 IndieReader Discovery Awards

Published by Adam on June 3, 2021

No need to spin this news… My dystopian satire novel Utopia PR just won best humor book in the 2021 IndieReader Discovery Awards!

Watch my extremely humorous acceptance video:

Thank you very much to IndieReader for declaring Utopia PR this year’s best humor book, and for thinking that I’m funny — something that I will be sure to bandy about to all my friends and family. I’m so happy to bring a little laughter into our dark times.

Please check out my IndieReader Q&A about the win and this recent interview on podcast Car Con Carne for more about the writing of the award-winning novel. Utopia PR recently joined Biblioboard’s Indie Pennsylvania library eBook collection. And it just received these glowing words from Foreword Reviews: “Sharp and witty, the novel Utopia PR is a free range political send-up set in a chaotic, perplexing, and familiar future world.”

Read the award-winning Utopia PR today!

Check Local Bookshops

About IndieReader

IndieReader launched the IRDAs in 2011 to help notable indie authors receive the attention of top publishing professionals, with the goal of reaching more readers. Noted Amy Edelman, author and founder of IR, “The books that won the IRDAs this year are not simply great indie books; they are great books, period. We hope that our efforts via the IRDAs ensure that they receive attention from the people who matter most. Potential readers.”

Past and present sponsors for the IRDAs include Amazon, Reedsy, Smith Publicity and NY-based literary agents Dystel, Goderich & Bourret. Judges have included publishers (from Penguin Group USA and Simon & Schuster), agents (from ICM, Dystel), publicists (from Smith Publicity), and bloggers (from GoodeReader).

Best Humor Book

Utopia PR, which received a glowing verdict by IndieReader’s reviewers, is a sci-fi satire about a public relations rep seeking work-life balance while managing crisis after crisis for a dystopian president.

Public-relations extraordinaire Blake Hamner (the n is silent) put off his honeymoon for his big break: joining a major political campaign for president. Now, the “Hammer” struggles to make time for his marriage as Crisis Communications Manager for Our Leader, who since taking power has become increasingly mad and totalitarian.

The Hammer starts to reconsider his career choices when one of Our Leader’s savage steel hounds attacks the Comms team at a press conference. He’d love to talk about his erratic job with his wife, Triple-N news anchor Maria Worthington, but they have a rule: the broadcast journalist doesn’t ask Blake for inside information about his work, and the spin doctor doesn’t use their relationship as leverage on what Maria reports. They say you shouldn’t keep things from each other in a marriage, but it’s OK—the only secrets between Blake and Maria are professional.

When a revolutionary levels grave allegations against Our Leader—and accuses Blake of distributing disinformation and propaganda to cover it up—the PR rep who thought he could talk his way out of any crisis finds himself utterly trapped in a dystopian job.

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The Wanderer and the New West is on sale for Audiobook Month

Published by Adam on June 2, 2021

June is Audiobook Month! I’m thrilled to announce that you can lasso the sound version of my Dystopian Western novel The Wanderer and the New West on sale for just $4.99!

That’s a 60% savings from the following audiobook stores:

Nook Audiobooks

Apple Books

Google Play

Actor James Sasser provides the stellar narration for the audiobook edition. See below and here for a synopsis and more information about my third novel.

Audiobook cover for The Wanderer and the New West by Adam Bender

A rogue vigilante known only as the Wanderer seeks redemption in a lawless, near-future America that fully protects the rights of armed citizens to stand their groundagainst mass shooters and motorcycle gangs.

When the Wanderer opens war against injustice in the state of Arizona, his violent yet principled actions attract the attention of journalist Rosa Veras, writer of a subversive blog about America’s return to the Wild West. Rosa’s investigation into gun corporation Breck Ammunition awakens the ire of CEO Gerard Breck … and brings the Wanderer to her door.

Meanwhile in Liberty, ex-Sheriff Ben Martin attempts to return lawless to Rosa’s hometown by forming a ragtag militia of ex-cops. Things start to unravel as Martin loses track of the difference between criminals and anyone who gets in his way.

Named to Kirkus Reviews‘ Best Books of 2018, The Wanderer and the New West won gold for Dystopia in the 2018 Readers’ Favorite Awards and best Western Fiction in the 2018 National Indie Excellence Awards.

Utopia PR laughs its way into the Indie Pennsylvania library collection

Published by Adam on April 14, 2021

I’ve lived in Pennsylvania for a large portion of my life. I grew up in Bucks County, going to school at the Council Rock district. I left for college in Washington, DC, where I later got a journalism job. Then, my wife and I moved to Australia for a few years. Pennsylvania pulled me back to Philadelphia. It’s a great commonwealth.

This is a long way to explain how delighted I was to learn that my new dystopian satire novel Utopia PR is now part of the Indie Pennsylvania library collection curated by Biblioboard through its Indie Author Project! My other novels are also part of the collection previously known as SELF-e. Here’s a brief description of IAP:

The Indie Author Project (IAP) is a publishing community that includes public libraries, authors, curators, and readers working together to connect library patrons with great indie-published books. IAP has helped hundreds of libraries engage their local creative community and assisted in getting more than 12,000 indie authors into their local libraries. Most importantly, the project has worked with top curation partners and librarians to identify hundreds of these as the best indie eBooks available to readers—so they can be sustainably circulated to library patrons with confidence.
indieauthorproject.com

Utopia PR in paperback — Find my book at Barnes & Noble in Philadelphia!

In other exciting news, I found out just yesterday that Barnes & Noble will soon be stocking the Utopia PR paperback at its Rittenhouse Square location in Philadelphia, plus a couple other stores in the region! This is thanks to a new B&N policy allowing its stores to locally curate what’s in the store.

As a self-published author who spent many hours in B&N stores growing up, this is a big deal for me! You can also of course order my humorous sci-fi novel on the Barnes and Noble website from anywhere in the country. You should also be able to ask your local store to order a copy for you if you’d prefer to pick it up.

More of an independent bookstore person? I recently opened a storefront for all of my books on Bookshop.org, which shares part of its revenue with local indie stores. My bookshop also includes lists of novels that influenced me and other books that I recommend. Be sure to check it out!

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Satire for Dystopian Times: My novel Utopia PR is out now!

Published by Adam on February 22, 2021

It’s here! My dystopian satire Utopia PR is now available for your reading pleasure.

After writing three fairly dark novels, I decided to have a little bit of fun for my fourth book. Utopia PR is a sci-fi satire about a public relations rep seeking work-life balance while managing crisis after crisis for a dystopian American president.

The Hammer starts to reconsider his career choices when one of Our Leader’s savage steel hounds attacks the Comms team at a press conference. When a revolutionary levels grave allegations against Our Leader—and implicates Blake for the cover-up—the PR rep who thought he could talk his way out of any crisis finds himself utterly trapped in a dystopian job.

Given the times we’re living in, I think we could all use a laugh. So, rather than dwell in the terrible, I wrote a lighthearted farce! Like my other books, it’s still very much about our present politics, but my goal with this one is to leave readers smiling. Some of my influences include Douglas Adams, Kurt Vonnegut, Joseph Heller, Terry Pratchett and Christopher Buckley.

I’ve already received some glowing early reviews. The Hammer himself blogged about some of his favorites on the official Utopia PR website. Just yesterday, I received a very nice review from IndieMuse. Here’s an excerpt:

“Utopia PR is extremely well-written with humor, wit and imagination, and it’s a lighthearted, uplifting vision into the dark times we’re facing. What I took from this book was one important thing I felt Bender implied throughout: no matter how messed up things get in the world, never take it too seriously. There is always time to take a step back from it all, have a little fun and enjoy your time…and, most importantly: focus on what’s most important.”
Shane Staley, IndieMuse

Couldn’t have said it better myself.

You can get Utopia PR in paperback and eBook editions from the following stores and more:

If you like the book, please help me spread the word by leaving a customer review at your place of purchase, Goodreads, LibraryThing or your blog. I’m an indie author who does all his own marketing, and your assistance can make a huge impact.

Please also consider joining my newsletter The Underground for updates on my writing. Right now, you can get a free eBook of my first book, We, The Watched when you join.

Hope you enjoy! Thanks very much for all your support.

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Utopia PR is coming 2/22/21! Preorder the dystopian satire now

Published by Adam on December 27, 2020

Blake Hamner, the crisis comms hero of my upcoming novel Utopia PR, somehow beat me to the punch in revealing the book’s cover. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, given all his recent tweeting.

Here it is again, in case you missed it.

I’m positively ecstatic to inform you that Utopia PR will be available as a paperback and eBook on 2/22 in the new year.

The early buzz on my dystopian satire is good!

“A dystopian novel laced with intrigue, science fiction, romance and humor,” wrote Gail Kaufman in a review for Reedsy Discovery. “I recommend this book to fans of dystopia who would appreciate a comedic writing style and the underlying themes of marital challenges, finding your purpose, diversity and manipulation through social media.”

Who doesn’t like those underlying themes? Am I right? More reviews should be coming soon, which I am anxious (so very anxious) to read and share. In fact, if you’re a critic, blogger, or even a Goodreads user, please help yourself to a digital advance review copy (ARC) on NetGalley! I just ask that you please write a review, as I am an indie author who does all his own marketing!

If you’re not a reviewer but still want to get your hands on an early copy, I’m planning to make the eBook available to buy one week early on Smashwords to anyone who is subscribed to my newsletter The Underground by Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14). Please join!

You can also preorder the eBook today at the below online bookstores:

You’ll be able to order a paperback on release day. Or possibly sooner, if I can figure that out. Let me get back to you!

And don’t forget to add it to your shelf on Goodreads!

Thanks very much for all your support!