For your consideration, my book, "No Good Deed"

[MaryMcDonald]

In No Good Deed Mark Taylor discovers first hand that no good deed goes unpunished when he finds an old camera in a Afghanistan bazaar that gives him more than great photos. It triggers dreams of future events. When one shows a devastating terrorist attack, he tries to warn of the danger, but no one listens. Instead, he's arrested as an enemy combatant.

He dreams of another deadly terrorist attack only hours away but can Mark risk his hard won freedom to prevent the attacks when doing so forces him to trust the one man he hates most in the world?

---

An excerpt:

Mark didn’t cower, but he couldn't look Jim in the eye. He took a deep breath and forced an answer. Remaining silent would only make it worse. “I'm not thirsty, sir.” It was a lie, but the truth, that shoving a container of water in his face sent his pulse racing, was too embarrassing to admit.

“Bull****.” Jim glared at him and then said, "And I suppose you aren't hungry either.”

“No, sir.” That was true. He couldn't recall the last time he had eaten, but he was beyond hunger.

 “Well, you're going to buy yourself a feeding tube. We aren't in the practice of starving inmates to death.”

“No, sir. Drowning is quicker.” Mark flinched at the dark look on Jim's face. What made him say that out loud? Fear pounded through his veins, only one beat ahead of the hate and shame.

[pam-livingimage]

Good luck with your novel Mary.  Best wishes.  Pam

[Ryan_L]

Good luck with your book, nice cover work too.

[MaryMcDonald]

Thanks, Ryan.

I'm a little worried. I tried to make a change on my book here because it doesn't work with Blackberry apps, so I uploaded an html version of it, thinking maybe I needed to do that. Well, since I already downloaded a sample, it wouldn't let me do it again, but it had looked ok in the preview. However, I then noticed that the file size was about a third smaller than it should have been. I quickly uploaded the original version, but in the four hour window before the corrected version went live, someone bought my book! 

If the person who bought it reads this, please contact me. I want to make sure you got the whole file. 

Like I said, it is now corrected, so no worries about future sales, it was just that four hour window. 

Also, I found out that it's the epub that is the culprit, not my file. I guess Blackberry can't do epub, which is what Nook converts it to.

[lisat96]

If someone notices the partial book, customer service will tell them to archive and then unarchive the book, which will download the corrected version.  Don't worry about it!

[MaryMcDonald]

Thank you so much! Whew! I feel better now. I hated to think of someone left hanging. lol

[MaryMcDonald]

I was trying to think of a smooth way to work in a review I received, but I don't think there is a way to do that, is there? I'm going to go ahead because I just want to get my book seen by potential readers. I have no reviews yet on B&N, but I have 21 on Amazon. 20 are five stars, and the four star review would have been five if I hadn't had a formatting issue--which has been corrected since then, and might have only shown up on a Kindle anyway.

Here is one of the reviews I received, and no, I didn't know this person before they read and reviewed my book. I have since encountered him in a forum, but not prior  

An excellent book. The first half gives a chilling example of what happens when fear controls our actions and the government uses that fear to deprive someone of their rights. The second half at least gives some hope and shows that every person can make a difference if they try. A good book is one that I enjoy reading. An excellent book is one that I can't wait to pick up and continue reading. No Good Deed fills the excellent bill quite nicely. Mary really brings Mark to life and made me feel the anguish and hopelessness he was going through. But later I also felt his joy at being believed, respected and needed.

[pam-livingimage]

Mary,

Your book looks wonderful.  I intend to get it.  Will definitely post a review for you after I read it.

Pam

The Living Image  

[MaryMcDonald]

Thanks, Pam. In anticipation of releasing the sequel later this month, I've reduced my price to $0.99. 

[lisat96]

I just finished your book and I have to say, I couldn't stop reading it.  For anyone interested in trying it, there's a HUGE sample at Smashwords, but you can't beat the price here.  I really enjoyed it and look forward to the sequel.

[Jenniisme]

Thanks to Lisa's obvious enjoyment I just purchased your book as well.

[MaryMcDonald]

Thank you, Lisa. I'm glad you enjoyed the book.  Your post made my day!

[MaryMcDonald]

Thank you!

[sygram]

I had just finished the book I was reading and saw your post about dropping the price to 0.99 and figured I'd give it a shot.

Well, I cannot wait until the sequel is available.  I was up till 3am because I didn't want to put this one down.

Great book and please keep writting!

[MaryMcDonald]

Thanks so much, sygram! The sequel should be out towards the end of the month.

[Globaltech]

best of luck! 

I think it's great to have the pubit here to let authors shine (or smirch) as the case may be, but at least it lets people decide what they want to read rather than being limited by the bureaucratic publishing houses who have for centuries told us what we could and could not read.

[MaryMcDonald]

Thanks, GlobalTech. Hey, I just read your siggy and it would be cool...or you could own a book for a dollar.

Seriously, there was some used book club online where you could get books sent to you like Netflix, and then you'd return them. I tried it, but the cost was a bit much and I had a great used bookstore around the corner from me where I could buy them for 50 cents apiece. I moved recently, but when I went back to that town for something else and just had to stop in and pick up some cheap DTB. lol. Got 9 for under five bucks. My new house has built in bookcases around the fireplace, so now I have room for books, but I got rid of a lot before the move. Kind of ironic.

[Globaltech]

So, I see your price is 99 cents.  I think I might be able to splurge  

I don't think of getting rid of books as giving them up, but moreso a reason for a bonfire (j/k).  I usually donate my books to the library if they are still in fair condition.  Plus some businesses have a Take1/Leave1 book table (like take a penny, leave a penny.... ohh poor penny, always being used like that). for their employees.

I'd like a good used bookstore around here myself.  So much is 'out of print' but I've found some gems in a dusty corner of a used book store.

[blkeyesuzi]

Mary,

This isn't my usual genre and I have to tell you that I am absolutely LOVING your book.  I read the preview on Smashwords and I'm hooked.  I can't believe this is your first offering (if I am indeed correct in this assumption).  I'm terribly surprised that you haven't been scooped up by now, particularly since you have another book on the horizon.  If it is as good as this one, I'd say you have a book deal headed your way, sister!  Excellent plot, well thought out and your writing is quite good.  I love your ability to create little moments (i.e., the cockroach remains between his feet).  Very well done.  It's too bad the book from B&N doesn't work on Mac, however maybe Smashwords will.  We'll see.  I just had to come here and tell you how much I'm enjoying the preview and will definitely get it if I can manage to find it for Mac.  I'm anxious to finish it.

Great job!!  I'll be looking anxiously for your future endeavors!

[MaryMcDonald]

Thanks so much, Globaltech. :-) 

About a year and a half ago, I read the Destroyermen Series, by Taylor Anderson (excellent alternate universe/fantasy/military sci-fi). I bought the first as a paperback, but had to have the next two as hardcovers because I loved it so much. They came out in 2009. I lent them to my dad to read. They were in perfect condition, dust jackets on, no rips or tears, etc. Well, I'm in the used bookstore and I'm looking for a book about Anne Frank for my daughter. I see these nice bright hardcovers mixed in with the war books. I notice the author and just out of curiosity, to see what they were charging, I opened the the book.

There, on the inside cover, were my dad's initials! He initials everything he reads. He DONATED my almost new hardcovers! Gah! The used bookstore wanted $7 apiece for them! I didn't have $14 in cash on me, so that was that. Next time I went in, they were gone. I did casually ask my mom for the books back a few weeks later. hehe. She owned up to donating them by accident when they were going through stuff.