HOW I MOVED 700 KINDLE E-BOOKS ON AMAZON IN 3 DAYS

After languishing in KDP purgatory, I decided to run my first free promo on Kindle. The result? I'm happy to report that I was able to get as high as No. 9 on the free chart in the below subset of the Kindle Store. Kindle Store -> Kindle eBooks -> Mystery, Thriller -> Suspense -> Mystery -> Hard-Boiled -> No. 9 SIGN UP TO MY LIST!SUBSCRIBE: Did you dig this post? Why not sign up to receive my newsletter for: • Free chapters,...

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'BOURBON & BLONDES' FREE FOR CYBER MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

Through Wednesday, Dec. 3, snag a FREE copy of 'Bourbon & Blondes,' the first volume of the Ladies of Liquor series. Minimalist in approach but long on mood and atmosphere, the first entry in The Ladies of Liquor series is a boozy mix of old-school pulp, shadowy noir and hard-boiled double-crosses. Included in the collection are nearly 50 flash fictions and short stories that splatter onto the page at 90 proof. From the deserted bus stations...

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NOIR COMES TO THE SHORE (ASBURY, THAT IS)

Mark your calendars... This newbie will be doing his very first reading at the New Jersey Noir At The Bar on Dec. 2. And the coolest part? The event is pegged to a bit of Jerrseyana, specifically Bruce Springsteen. The event will feature some of lit's top noir scribes reading work from the cool new tome 'Trouble in the Heartland.' Featuring stories by Dennis Lehane, James Grady, Hilary Davidson, tales in the book are inspired by the songs of Bruce...

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'BOARDWALK EMPIRE' RECAPS: THE COMPLETE ARCHIVE

Clockwise for top left, Michael Pitt, Stephen Graham, Bobby Cannavale and Steve Buscemi in the historical drama 'Boardwalk Empire.' THE COMPLETE 'BOARDWALK EMPIRE' RECAP ARCHIVEI recapped 'Boardwalk Empire' for my newspaper The Star-Ledger (and its web site NJ.com) since the show debuted in 2010. What follows below are links to very single episode. Series logline: Atlantic County Treasurer Nucky Thompson (Steve Buscemi) navigates politicos...

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FINALIZING E-BOOK COVER FOR 'BOURBON & BLONDES'

After crowdsourcing on social media which cover people preferred for my upcoming collection, it will be tough to come down to a final decision... There were TONS of responses. I love aspects of both. If anyone has any thoughts, please feel free to leave them in the comments below. Subscribe to my newsletter for upcoming book news, pop culture goodies, noir delights and all things gin-soaked. Never spam - just utter coolness from time to time....

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COOLEST WRITER APP EVER? HANX WRITER

Writers, rejoice! Here's a cool lil' app, that's currently enjoying the top spot in Apple's iTunes Store. Self-confessed vintage typewriter collector Ton Hanks (Yes, THAT one) has created the ultimate iPad app that helps you channel your inner-Hemingway or Bukowski by creating the illusion of punching those keys on a vintage typewriter. Launched Aug. 14, the app,which works even better with a Bluetooth keyboard, features three different models...

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CHARLES BUKOWSKI!

The namesake of this blog was brash, crass, drank too much, womanized and fought like a scrapper. But when he hit the keys, the writing had a delicate grace and, most times, the result was indeed poetic. We lost him on March 9, 1994 but the writing, legacy and spirit lives on. Happy birthday, Buk! Pouring some on the floor for you today. For everyone else, enjoy this definitive documentary, 'BORN INTO THIS' a must for any Hank fan. Subscribe...

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'FRONT PAGE PALOOKA' NOW AVAILABLE EVERYWHERE

I'm excited to announce that my pulp/noir novella 'Front Page Palooka' is finally available in just about every format via most e-book points-of-purchase. In addition to the 500-pound gorilla Amazon, my gritty tale of one writer's journey through the 1954 American boxing landscape can be found at: Kobo Nook Scribd iBooks Google Play Google Books Inktera (Page Foundry)  If the dead tree edition is more your thing, snag one at Amazon or at...

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'FRONT PAGE PALOOKA' NOW 99 CENTS FOR A LIMITED TIME

'Venutolo embraces the noir. No, really embraces it. With gusto. If you're gonna do it, do it right. That could be protagonist Nick Moretti's motto as well...' My New Pulp Award-nominated noir novel 'Front Page Palooka' is now available for 99 cents - that's 99 pennies, people... Feel free to snag a copy at this price for a limited time and, as always, feel free to leave a review. Subscribe to my newsletter for upcoming book news, pop culture...

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INDIE/SELF-PUBLISHING PODCASTS: WHY YOU SHOULD BE LISTENING TO THESE 9 SHOWS

WRITERS EMPOWERED: Indie publishing podcasts deliver the blueprints for success. It's official. It's a great time to be a writer. The Kindle and e-reader boom has ushered in a golden age of publishing where - for the first time in recent history - writers realllly hold the cards. No longer are they slaves to the legacy publishing machine because millions of scribes are in complete control of their royalties, marketing and overall quality control...

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'BOURBON & BLONDES' BOOK TEASER

I'm proud to present this snappy teaser for my forthcoming flash fiction collection, 'Bourbon & Blondes.' It's currently in the tweaking/editing stage and I hope to have it out by summer. I'll keep everyone posted. Subscribe to my newsletter for upcoming book news, pop culture goodies, noir delights and all things gin-soaked. Never spam - just utter coolness from time to time. Tw...

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'TRUE DETECTIVE' SEASON 2 CAST: WHO WILL BE ON THE HBO DRAMA NEXT?

Rustin and Hart won't be back next season. Who would you like to see? It's over. HBO's massive watercooler drama "True Detective" was a multi-layered wonder not seen since their other must-watch series "The Wire." And on Monday morning, I had the distinct pleasure of playing armchair casting agent at my job (GREAT GIG, HUH?) and whip up a list as to who might be perfect next season on the critically-acclaimed drama. Check out my dream casts...

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NEW PULP AWARDS 2014: 'FRONT PAGE PALOOKA' (VOTE NOW)

EXTRA! EXTRA! Tomorrow (at 3 p.m.) is the last day to vote for my debut novella 'Front Page Palooka' for the 2014 installment of the NEW PULP AWARDS. The noir and hard-boiled tome is nominated in three categories including: ♠ BEST NOVELLA ♠ ♣ BEST NEW WRITER ♣ ♥ BEST NEW PULP CHARACTER (NICK MORETTI) ♥ Good luck to my fellow FIGHT CARD nominees Terrence McCauley, Carol Anne Olsen Malone, Andrew Salmon and Derrick Ferguson. To vote on the official...

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