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Tag: comedy

My protagonist is tweeting and I think I’m afraid

I don’t mean to alarm anyone, but I think the protagonist of my next novel is tweeting. According to his Twitter profile, Blake “The Hammer” Hamner also has a business website.

I thought I was writing a novel — a dystopian satire called Utopia PR — but Blake seems to think I’m the co-writer of a very serious non-fiction memoir on his days managing crisis communications for the president.

So yeah, that’s kind of worrying. But hey, 2020 has been pretty weird.

Anyway, he seems to be sharing some savvy public relations tips under his handle, @Utopia_PR, as you can see below. I followed him. Maybe you should follow him, too.

Oy, I think I need a drink.

Utopia PR is coming soon. For updates on my new novel, or Blake’s memoir, or whatever the heck it is, please join the Hammer’s email list. Or mine. Whichever you prefer.

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My short stories en español

¡Buenas noticias para los lectores en español! David, de Artifacs Libros, me escribió recientemente y me preguntó si podía traducir seis de mis relatos al español. Por supuesto, dije que sí. Estoy muy emocionado de poder llegar a una nueva audiencia de lectores con mi ficción.

El eBook incluye los relatos:

  • Intercambio de Vida (Life Trade)
  • Rincón de Fumadores (Smokers Corner)
  • Día de la Invasión (Invasion Day)
  • Ojos de Fuego (Fire Eyes),
  • Una Boda de IntercambioDeVida (A Lifetrade Wedding)
  • Puerta Equivocada (Wrong Gate).

Great news for Spanish-language readers! David from Artifacs Libros reached out recently asking if he could translate six of my short stories into Spanish. Of course, I said yes. I’m so excited to be able to reach a new audience of readers with my fiction.

You can also read all my short stories for free in English.

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Next novel update: Utopia PR

Exciting news about my upcoming fourth novel, Utopia PR. Last weekend, I completed my third draft! Nothing like a global pandemic to focus the creative mind, though I can’t say I recommend it.

The next step is to hand the story off to an editor. As I did for The Wanderer and the New West, I will be searching for a freelance professional via Reedsy. I believe that involving an editor was crucial to my last novel winning multiple awards and great reviews, so I’m psyched to commence this collaboration.

Utopia PR is a different kind of book for me. Dystopian remains my bread and butter, but this novel might more accurately be described as satire. Maybe the genres aren’t so different. Just as the prognosticating of dystopian authors like George Orwell seems ever more prescient, the line between comedy and current events is diminishing.

So, Utopia PR is satire about a public-relations specialist who struggles to find work-life balance while managing crisis after crisis for a dystopian American president in the near future. Some might describe it as a sci-fi spin on Thank You for Smoking by Christopher Buckley, or TV comedies like Veep and The Thick of It. I’m also influenced by the works of Kurt Vonnegut and Douglas Adams.

I’ll have more details for you soon on the publishing process. In the meantime, please check out my first three novels and free short stories. Please subscribe to my newsletter for updates and, for a limited time, get my second novel Divided We Fall free! As an indie author, I’m grateful for all your support.

Signing off from the public health emergency in Philly…

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Meet me at Smokers Corner

I’ve got a Valentine’s Day surprise for all you lovers out there—a new short story!

Smokers Corner

It’s called “Smokers Corners” and it’s a romantic comedy. Here’s a one-sentence synopsis:

Tim loses his addiction for the ho-hum after falling for Samantha during a smoking break. 

Guess what? You can read it for free online!

Smashwords – Barnes & Noble – Apple – Kobo – Goodreads – ‘txtr

It’s also on the Kindle store for 99 cents (Amazon doesn’t allow free, believe it or not).

If you like it, please leave a review where you downloaded it.

Oh, and don’t forget to check out Life Trade, my other recent short story!

[scribd id=234045763 key=key-G8zvNzjnToJ20EAd1rOT mode=scroll]

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Life Trade, a short story

What if a stranger took over the part of your best friend?

That’s the premise of my new short story, “Life Trade.”  It’s an idea I came up with a long time ago, but it was only recently that I figured out how to make it work as a story. Last week while off for the holidays, I finally got around to writing it. And now you can read it right here for free!

If you use a Kindle, iPad, Nook or other eReader, you can get the .mobi or .epub version for free at Smashwords.

It’s also available free from Barnes & Noble, Kobo, AppleGoodreads and ‘txtr.

You can also buy “Life Trade” directly from the Amazon Kindle store for 99 cents, if you so wish. The only reason I’m charging there is that Amazon does not allow self-published to give away their work for free. Don’t feel pressured to pay — I’d be happier if you enjoyed the story and left a review or shared it with your friends.

[scribd id=234046431 key=key-Wl7gTsSp9TZgMsJtZkXo mode=scroll]

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