Taking a Break!

I won't be posting any thing new until after the first of the year, so I would like to wish everyone a joyous holiday season.

Happy Holidays! Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! Happy Kwanzaa!


I will be giving away Storm Rising - A Kelli Storm Novel and Storm Warning - A Kelli Storm Novel on Christmas Eve.* Be sure to mark your calendars to get your Free Kindle copies.

*Due to a glitch on Amazon, the 15th was not available. Since I had to change it, I thought it better to offer both Kelli Storm books free.

Serial Killer of the Week - Ted Bundy - Conclusion

In February of 1978, Bundy kidnapped 12 year old Kimberly Leach, who he brutally mutilated. A week after her disappearance, Police arrested Bundy in Pensacola, Florida while driving a stolen vehicle. They had witnesses at both the dorm and Kimberly's school identify Bundy. Additionally, they had evidence that linked Bundy to the three murders, including a mold of the bite marks found on one of the sorority victims.
 
Believing he could beat the guilty verdict, Bundy turned down a plea bargain, where he would plead guilty in the deaths of the two sorority women and Kimberly Leach, in exchange for three 25 year sentences.

On June 25th, 1979, Bundy was put on trial in the deaths of the sorority women. As the trial was televised, Bundy played up to the media, often acting as his own attorney. It did him little good, and he was found guilty on both murder charges and sentenced to death by electrocution.

Bundy went on trial for the death of Kimberly Leach on January 7th, 1980, this time allowing his attorney's to represent him. His attorney's mounted an insanity defense, the only defense possible with the evidence the State had stacked against him. Bundys' behavior was much different this time. During the trial, he was given to fits of anger, he slouched in his chair, and at times would glare at the jury. He was once again found guilty and received his third death sentence.

At his sentencing, Bundy called Carol Boone as a character witness and married her while she was on the witness stand. She was, at the time, convinced of his innocence. After the birth of their daughter, and sometime later, she divorced him, realizing that he was in fact guilty of the crimes he was accused of.

Bundy exhausted his appeals for a stay of execution in January 1989. Before he was put to death, he gave investigators detailed information on more than fifty women that he had murdered. He also confessed that at times he had kept several heads of his victims.

At approximately 7:13 a.m. on January 24, 1989, Theodore "Ted" Bundy was put to death while crowds gathered outside the prison walls cheering.

Serial Killer of the Week Part Two - Ted Bundy

  In January of 1975, while on vacation in Colorado with her fiance, Caryn Campbell disappeared. A month later, her naked body was discovered a short distance from a road. The autopsy revealed that she had received several blows to her skull. Over the next few months, five other women disappeared from the same area their skulls crushed, the possible weapon being a crowbar.

  Later that year, in August, Bundy aroused Police suspicion when he attempted to evade them during a routine traffic stop. When he was finally stopped, they discovered handcuffs, an ice pick, a crowbar, a pair of panty hose with eye holes cut out, and several other suspicious items. He was arrested on suspicion of burglary.

  After his arrest, Police compared the items found in his car to those that DeRonch had described seeing in her attackers car, the handcuffs being the same brand. Once she picked him out of a lineup, he was arrested for kidnapping. They were now certain that they had the person responsible for the Tri-State murder spree.

  In February of 1976, Bundy went on trial for the attempted kidnapping, and after waiving his rights to a jury trial, was convicted and sentenced to fifteen years. Meanwhile, Police continued to investigate the murders in Colorado, and in October, Bundy was charged with the murder of Caryn Campbell.

  After being extradited from Utah to Colorado for trial, Bundy decided to serve as his own attorney, which allowed him to appear in court with no restraints. It also allowed him the freedom to move between the court room and the law library unimpeded. This was what he had intended and in June of 1977, during a pre-trial hearing, Bundy escaped by jumping out of a window in the law library. He was captured a week later.

  In December of 1977, Bundy escaped again, this time making it to Tallahassee, Florida.There he rented an apartment under an assumed name near the Florida State University. He supported himself by using stolen credit cards.

  In January 1978, Bundy broke into the Chi Omega sorority house and bludgeoned and strangled two coeds. He raped one of them, brutally biting her on one buttock and nipple. He also beat two others over the head with a log. Investigators believe that the only reason these two survived was that another roommate returned unexpectedly. Nita Neary came home at approximately 3 a.m. and noticed that the front door to the house was slightly open. Hiding in a doorway, she saw a man wearing a blue cap come down the stairs holding a log and leave the house. She found her roommates upstairs, two dead and two brutally beaten. That same night, another woman was attacked and Police recovered a mask identical to one they would later recover from Bundy's car.


TO BE CONTINUED.......  The trial and execution of Ted Bundy

Serial Killer of the Week Part One - Ted Bundy

 Theodore Robert "Ted" Bundy

Ted Bundy, born Theodore Robert Cowell to Louise Cowell in November 1946, grew up believing that his grandparents were his parents, and that his mother was his sister. In 1951, he and his mother moved from his grandparents home in Burlington, Vermont to Tacoma, Washington where Louise married Johnnie Bundy, a military cook. 

It wasn't until his college years and a bad breakup that he discovered the truth about his grandparents and mother. Whether it was the this revelation or the breakup that caused his sudden change, only Bundy knows, but he changed after that, exhibiting a false bravado. He went back to Stamford, excelled in his major and earned a bachelor's degree in psychology.

Soon after college, Bundy became involved with Elizabeth Kendall*, a divorcee with a young daughter. She fell in love with Bundy, and despite the fact that she suspected he was seeing other women, she stayed with him. Bundy was not open to marriage, though he allowed the relationship to continue even after reuniting with his first love.

Bundy began his killing spree in 1974. Young women began disappearing from college campuses around Washington and Oregon. His first victim, 21 year old Lynda Ann Healy was a college radio announcer. In July 1974, Bundy approached two coeds and asked if they would help with his sailboat, however they refused. Later that day, two young women were seen leaving with him and were never seen alive again.

In the fall of the same year, Bundy moved to Utah and enrolled in the law school at the University of Utah. In November, Bundy, dressed as a police officer attacked Carol DaRonch at a Salt Lake City mall. She managed to escape and provided police with a description of her attacker, as well as the car he was driving. She was also able to provide them with a blood sample that had gotten on her jacket during the struggle. Within a few hours of the attack on DeRonch, 17 year old Debbie Kent disappeared.

While Bundy was on his killing spree in Utah, in the mountains of Washington State, hikers stumbled across a grisly burial ground of bones. These would later be identified as the bones from women missing from both Washington and Oregon. Working in conjunction, detectives from both States put together a profile, as well as a composite sketch of the man named "Ted", a man who would at times approach women appearing helpless by using crutches or wearing a fake cast. In addition to this, they also had a blood sample and the description of his vehicle.

After authorities in Washington and Oregon were informed about the murders in Utah, they put together a profile of Bundy's victims. They were all white, thin, single and wore their hair long, parted in the middle. They were also all abducted during the evening hours. The bodies found in Utah all exhibited blunt force trauma to the back of the head, and all had been raped and sodomized. It was at this point that authorities knew that they were dealing with a serial killer.

TO BE CONTINUED....

*The pseudonym she used when she wrote "The Phantom Prince: My Life With Ted Bundy"

Serial Killer of the Week - Continued - Angel Maturino Resendiz

Angel Maturino Resendiz, aka The Railroad Killer went on a two year killing spree before being captured. Here is the rest of the story.

December 17, 1998 - Victim number three, Dr. Claudia Benton, 39, of Baylor College was brutally raped, stabbed and beaten repeatedly when Resendiz broke into her home in Houston, Texas. Her home was near the rail lines that run through suburban West University Place. Police later discovered her missing Jeep Cherokee in San Antonio with Resendiz' fingerprints on the steering wheel. Three weeks later, a county judge signed a warrant for Resendiz' arrest on burglary charges, citing there was not enough evidence to prove murder.  

May 2, 1999 - Victims four and five, Reverend Norman J. "Skip" Sirnic, 46, and his wife Karen, 47 of Weimer, Texas were struck to death with a sledgehammer in the parsonage of the United Church of Christ. The church sat adjacent to the town's railroad. Their red Mazda was found in San Antonio three weeks later with forensic evidence that matched the killing of Dr. Benton in Houston.

June 4, 1999 - Victim number six, school teach Noemi Dominguez, 26, was bludgeoned to death in her apartment near the railroad tracks. Seven days later, Troopers found her 1993 Honda Civic abandoned near the international bridge at Del Rio, Texas.

June 4, 1999 - Victim number seven, Josephine Konvicka, 73, of Fayette County, Texas, was killed by a blow to the head with a sharp garden tool. She lived in a frame farmhouse not far from Weimer, where victims five and six were found, and near a rail yard. Her car had been tampered with, but the killer was unable to located the keys.

June 15, 1999 - Victims eight and nine, George Morber, Sr, 80, and his daughter, Carolyn Fredrick, 57, were found in their home in Gorham, Illinois. Morber had been shot in the head with a shotgun and Carolyn had been clubbed to death. Their house sat one hundred yards from a rail road track. The following day, a passerby spotted Fredericks' pickup truck in Cairo, Illinois, being driven by a man matching Resendiz' description.

Resendiz confessed to seven additional murders, which he stated were committed in Mexico. He was arrested by Texas Ranger, Drew Carter, when he agreed to meet Carter and his sister at the bridge connecting El Paso, Texas with Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. He was subsequently charged and convicted for the murder of Claudia Benton and sentenced to death.

Resendiz was executed in the Huntsville Unit in Huntsville, Texas on June 27, 2006, by lethal injection.

In his final statement, Resendiz said "I want to ask if it is in your heart to forgive me. You don't have to. I know I allowed the Devil to rule my life. I just ask you to forgive me and ask the Lord to forgive me for allowing the devil to deceive me. I thank God for having patience in me. I don't deserve to cause you pain. You do not deserve this. I deserve what I am getting." Resendiz was pronounced dead at 8:05 p.m. CDT.

Serial Killer of the Week - Angel Maturino Resendiz

Angel Maturino Resendiz - The Railroad Killer

For almost two years, a killer literally rode the rails across the U.S., killing as he went and vanishing into the countryside afterward. His M.O. was consistent, always striking near rail lines that he illegally rode. Always staying one step ahead of the law.

Angel Resendiz, a 39 year old illegal immigrant, was finally apprehended in July of 1999 after eluding law enforcement for two years, and slipping through a two-month FBI net. After committing nine alleged murders, it was a determined Texas Ranger who finally captured him.

Known as "The Railroad Killer", Angel Resendiz was defined by the police, media and psychiatrist as hostile, angry, confused, and a man with a grudge. While most of his crimes were committed in central Texas, it is believed that he killed as far north as Kentucky and Illinois.

Resendiz did not fit the usual serial killer profile, such as the Boston Strangler or David Berkowitz, as he mainly killed for what he needed, such as drugs or money. He also raped, but this seemed to be secondary to the murder. 

August 29, 1997 - His first victim, Christopher Maier, was only 21 years old and a student at the University of Kentucky in Lexington. Maier and his girlfriend were walking along the tracks near the college when they were attacked. Maier was bludgeoned to death and the girlfriend was raped and beaten near death. Somehow she managed to survive.

October 4, 1998 - Victim number two, 87 year old Leafie Mason was hammered to death by a tire iron in her home in Hughes Spring, Texas.Her front door was only fifty yards from the Kansas City - Southern Rail Lines tracks.

TO BE CONTINUED

What makes a Serial Killer a Serial Killer?

Getting Into the Mind of a Serial Killer

In my newest project, the Cal Jessup series, my protagonist, Cal Jessup is called back to the San Antonio Police Department to aid in finding a serial killer he was tracking when he retired five years before. In researching this plot line, I found out some interesting things about serial killers.

Serial Killer – A person who kills three or more times over a period of time, with a cooling off period in between murders. Prototypical serial killer: Caucasian male, 25 to 45 years of age. Above average intelligence. Strong personal and social skills. Usually employed in a menial position, often below their abilities.

What is a Signature?

For one thing, not all serial killers leave a signature, as Hollywood would have us believe. So what is a signature? In the case of a serial killer, it is something that makes their crime unique, adds a personal touch. But as I mentioned, it is very rare for a serial killer to do this. So, how do the Police or FBI know that a serial killer is at work? On rare occasions, a fetish may be mistaken for a signature. Say the killer has a foot fetish for example. He, and the majority of serial killers are male*, may take the time to put polish on his victims toenails.

In the movies, or on television, the signature is always clear. The killer will usually pose his victims, or leave a distinctive mark. If only it were that clear in real crimes. No, unfortunately, leaving a signature is not so much a norm as it is a rarity, created to help us make some sense out of the senseless killing.

Modus Operandi (Mode of Operation)

As a rule, serial killers stalk their victims in three ways. These ways are: Nomadic, Territorial, and Stationary. On rare occasions, a killer will change his or her technique to avoid capture. However, these deviations never last long.

Nomadic – The Traveler. These types of killers never stay in the same place for very long, preferring to move from one city to the next, and killing as they go.

Territorial – The Stalker. These are the most common type of serial killer. They prefer to stake out an area and stay close to their victims. A good example would be David Berkowitz, the Son of Sam, who preferred to stalk a particular neighborhood. Another example, though this killer ranged out further, would be Gary Ridgway, the Green River Killer. Ridgway took his victims along the roads and highways between Seattle and Tacoma.

Stationary – The Homebody. These are the rarest of all serial killers, claiming most of their victims in one area. They are divided between those that kill at home and those who kill at work. One famous, or infamous Black Widow, was Judy Buenoano. Buenoano killed her first husband by poisoning him with arsenic, and paralyzed her 19 year old son with the same poison and pushed him out of a canoe. All of this was in order to collect $240,000.00 in insurance money.

John Wayne Gacy, who would dress up as a clown, brought strangers back to his home and killed them, burying them in the crawl space under his house. Gacy murdered at least 33 teenage boys, and was sentenced to death for twelve of the murders.

Stationary killers may be forced to move from time to time for reasons unrelated to their crimes, but will normally maintain their hunting pattern.

*Females make up less than 20% of all serial killers. However, their killing sprees tend to go longer than male serial killers. Between eight and eleven years compared to two for male serial killers.

Pictures from my trip to San Antonio

I just got back from San Antonio. I went down yesterday morning to meet a new friend and technical adviser, Donna Willborn.  Donna is a retired San Antonio Police Detective Investigator. We spent most of the day driving around San Antonio to places most tourist never visit. The main reason for the trip was to get an insight on the city, but mainly to gain insight on how a San Antonio Police Detective thinks and hear some of her stories. The pictures below are of some of the places we went, and my main intent was to find areas where the antagonist in my next series could go to find his victims and a place to dump them. The protagonist, Cal Jessup, is a retired SAPD Detective turned small town Sheriff. He get's called back after five years when a serial killer he had been tracking starts killing again.

This is an underpass area next to the San Antonio River, the north end, and according to Donna, is a known hangout for prostitutes and homeless people. I thought it would make a good place to dump a body, if the killer were in a hurry that is and had no other options.

This is directly across from the above area and I could just imagine the killer hiding here late at night, waiting for his next victim.

This is an area along the South Reach of the San Antonio River. Note there are jogging trails, which would make it easy access for the killer. The grass is extremely high here and could easily hide a body. I thought about the river, however, at this point it is only a couple of feet deep. Also, the city has piled up rocks in several places to slow the flow of the river. You could dump a body here, but it would most likely get hung up on the rocks, even if you weighted it and dumped it up river.

Now this area, which is further south from the above area, would be perfect for the killer to dump the body. The river is at least fifteen feet deep here.

Okay, granted this is a little macabre, but that's how we crime writers think. Comments welcome. Cheers!

Thriller Thursday - Excerpt from Storm Warning - A Kelli Storm Novel

Tuesday October 27^th 10:16 A.M. East Elmhurst

Rikers Island - Men’s Detention Facility

  Kelli opened the file, took out the crime scene photos and spread them out on the table. “I know you had something to do with this,” she said and pointed at a close up of Roberto Guevara’s throat.

  Angelo sat with his arms crossed, a look of contempt on his face. He glanced down at the photo and smirked. “You got nothin’ on me, bitch.”

  “I’ve got someone who will testify that you gave the order to kill Raul Flores. That’s enough to get you the needle.”

  Angelo leaned back and sneered at her. “Ain’t no death penalty in New York, bitch. They cut that shit out a long time ago.”

  It was Kelli’s turn to smile. She stood and walked around the table, keeping her eyes on Angelo. She walked up next to him, leaned against the table and looked into his eyes. “That’s where you’re wrong, shit head. You ever heard of aggravating factors, Angelo?”

  Angelo leaned back, tilted his head and looked up at Kelli. “What the fuck is that?”

  Kelli straightened up, crossed her arms and smiled. “That means I’ll be sitting on the other side of the glass when they stick that needle in your arm.” She backed away from the table, walked around to the other side and sat down.

  Angelo watched her, a defiant look on his face. “You’re talkin’ shit. You ain’t got no fuckin’ witness, and you got no proof,” he said as he leaned back and crossed his arms.

  Kelli stood, collected the photos and placed them back in the folder. “This was your one chance to make a deal. I thought you were smarter than that, Angelo. I guess I was wrong.” She picked the file up, turned and walked to the door.

  “You’re full of shit, you fuckin’ puta,” Angelo screamed as he jumped up.

  Kelli turned around and grinned. “We’ll see who’s full of shit, Angelo,” she said as the guard opened the door. “You might want to call that high priced lawyer and let him explain it to you.”

  “I don’t need no fuckin’ lawyer ‘cause you ain’t got nothin’,” he yelled after her.

  Kelli kept walking and smiled to herself. Yeah, just keep telling yourself that, asshole.

Interview on Book Promo Central

Come on over and check out my latest interview. Today I and my books are featured on Book Promo Central.

Book Promo Central

Thriller Thursday - Excerpt from Storm Warning - A Kelli Storm Novel

  In all her years on the job, Kelli had seen some gruesome crime scenes, but this had to be the worst. Now she felt like a rookie, leaning against the front of the house, bent over and puking. She stood, wiped her mouth and walked back to the road. She needed to put some distance between herself and the carnage inside.

  Police cars now filled the street in front of the house, crime scene tape hung loosely from one post to another, creating a makeshift boundary. Kelli felt a tap on her shoulder and jumped a little. She turned to see Larsen, a sick look on his face.

  “It looks like they were killed early this morning, although we’ll have to wait for a full autopsy to know for sure. Christ, I’ve seen some sick shit, but what they did to those people,” he said, placing a hand on her shoulder. “You going to be okay?”

  “Yeah, just a little embarrassed,” she said, feeling her cheeks flush.

  “Hell, when I saw the wife’s body, it was all I could do to keep it in. I thought Becerra was a sick son of a bitch, but whoever did this shit is a fucking lunatic.”

  Kelli winced, the scene inside the house etched in her mind. “So much blood. Have you ever seen anything this bad?”

  “No, and I hope I never see anything like this again,” he said, shaking his head.

  “Then we have to get to Garcia. As long as he’s out there, shit like this is going to keep happening.”

  Larsen nodded and let out a deep sigh. “Yeah, I know.”

Free Download of Storm Rising - This weekend only!

If you haven't read my first novel, Storm Rising - A Kelli Storm Novel, now is your chance to download it to your Kindle for $0.00! This weekend, 9/29 and 9/30, you can get it free.

Storm Rising - A Kelli Storm Novel


The Kindle version includes the first chapter from the newly released Storm Warning, the second book in the Kelli Storm series!

Featured on Author's Promoter

I was interviewed by C.J. Deguara on Author's Promoter this morning. Of course it was evening for C.J., as he is working in Malta at this time. It was a very pleasant interview and C.J. asked some great questions. The actual interview will not be live until next week, and I will update you when it goes live. In the meantime, check out the interim page.

Author's Promoter with Kenneth Hoss


UPDATE: The interview is now live.

From my friend Patti Roberts - New Ad for Kelli Storm series

My good friend,  Patti Roberts, author of the Paradox - The Angels are Here series just posted this on Facebook. It was so awesome that I just had to download it and post it here. Wish I had thought of it.

This is going to be my new ad campaign. (That is if I can get the rights from Patti.)

And the blog tour keeps on going......

It has been a whirlwind of activity for me these past few days. Between getting the book launch organized, and all of the small details that need attending, I've had the pleasure of being interviewed by so many wonderful and talented authors. Now it doesn't hurt that these authors are also people that I consider to be friends as well.

Today I'm honored to be interviewed by the talented author and friend M.A. Comley, or Mel. Thank you, Mel.


M.A.Comley, Author

...and onward with the blog tour!

I'm a little behind on this, been a little under the weather. I was honored to be interviewed by Lucie Smoker on her blog, Reverse Perspective the other day. Stop by and check it out:

Reverse Perspective


In addition to this interview, the beautiful and talented Jane Isaac was kind enough to interview me for her blog, Caffeine's not a Crime".

Caffeine's not a Crime


Today is also the day you can purchase your copy of ~Storm Warning - A Kelli Storm Novel~. It is currently available on Amazon in both Kindle and paperback format. It will be exclusive to Amazon, so Prime Members can download it free. Additionally, I made the first book, ~Storm Rising - A Kelli Storm Novel~ is also exclusive to Amazon as of yesterday.

Cover Contest Winners

I want to thank those who chimed in on the cover contest. Of course my wonderful graphic artist did an amazing job. Even though he didn't use any of my choices, he nonetheless nailed it. The book will be available on Amazon for the Kindle tomorrow, which means it is time for me to pay up.

The following people voted and as such, they will each receive a Kindle version of Storm Warning.

kcherbel                                  Patti Ann Colt

R.B. Davidson                         Ann Glynn

seraphichetica

beajumarang

Matthew G. Young

Todd Moody

If you would please contact me at: kennhoss@gmail.com and I will e-mail you a .mobi file of the book.

The Blog Tour continues...

Skyler West was kind enough to invite me to his site and ask me about myself and my new book, Storm Warning, book two in the Kelli Storm series.  Drop by and check it out.


Skyler West

Where were you? - Eleven Years After

Do  you remember where you were on 9/11/01? I think everyone remembers exactly where they were and what they were doing that day.

Me? I was working for Verizon Wireless in Westlake, Texas, near Grapevine and the D/FW International Airport. I recall someone coming to get me to go out to our break room and watch the news. It was just after the first plane had hit and everyone thought it was a terrible accident. I also remember the shock as we stood there and watched the second plane crash in to the other tower.

Please feel free to share your stories from that terrible day, but only if you wish to do so.

Interview on Murder, Suspense & Musings

Stop by and find out about Kelli, me and the next book in the Kelli Storm series. Thanks to Louise James for having me as a guest.

Murder, Suspense & Musings

Guest post on Sharkbait Writes via Rob "Sharky" Pruneda - Blog Tour

I'm honored to be a guest on Rob "Sharky" Pruneda's blog today. As you know by now, the second book in the Kelli Storm series is due for release in less than a week. Sharky was kind enough to offer me a starting point in what I hope becomes a super blog tour. Visit Sharky's site and check it out.

Sharkbait Writes

New review of Storm Rising on Storyteller's Grove via Karen Smith

An outstanding review of Storm Rising - A Kelli Storm Novel


Storyteller's Grove

Storm Warning - A Kelli Storm Novel Official Cover

The official eBook and paperback cover are in! Here is the eBook version. Due to publication conventions, I can't show you the paperback version. Not that I don't want to, but only because it's in .pdf format and not a .jpeg file. But take my word for it, it is AWESOME! Thanks to George Arnold at WGA Designs. (See link to the right in the sidebar.)

Trailer for Storm Warning - A Kelli Storm Novel

 Found the video on here was bad.

Youtube Link

Cover Proof for Storm Warning - A Kelli Storm Novel

I just received this from George Arnold, a fantastic graphic artist and husband of my good friend, Author Carolyn Arnold. As usual, George has blown me away.

Getting Ready for ~Storm Warning - A Kelli Storm Novel~

Well, the launch date is fast approaching. Storm Warning is complete, with the exception of the cover art and my author pic, which should be ready by the end of the week. It seems as though I have been working on this book for years, while in reality, it's been just over a year. I could possibly had it completed sooner, but unfortunately, life happened. Ces't la vie.

So, the Official Launch Date for Storm Rising - A Kelli Storm Novel is 9/15/12.

Here is the final draft of the synopsis. What do you think? Comments welcome.

Synopsis for Storm Warning – A Kelli Storm Novel

When her new partner is shot during a botched robbery, Detective Kelli Storm never expected that the trail of the shooter would lead her to Colombian drug lord Miguel Garcia; the man who’s cousin she had killed months earlier, and had made numerous attempts on her life. A man she had believed to be dead.

Detectives Kelli Storm and Eric Ryder follow the bloody trail of a notorious drug kingpin from the streets of Washington Heights, New York and south to Medellin, Colombia.

 

When the suspect in her partner’s shooting is killed while in custody, the man makes a startling deathbed confession. With this revelation, Kelli finds herself unwillingly thrown back into the world of the drug cartels. With the aid of DEA Special Agent Gregory Larsen and Narcotics Detective Javier Vasquez, Kelli works to stop the Cartel’s operations in the city, and bring down the notorious drug lord.

Fan Friday - Surprise Sneak Peek from ~Storm Warning - A Kelli Storm Novel~

Tuesday October 27^th 2:48 P.M. Manhattan

West 125^th Street - New York County District Attorney’s Office

Kelli pushed the file across to ADA John Beckman and sat back. “You have got to keep Jesus Reyes in isolation. He got lucky today and survived, but if he gets put back into Gen Pop, these people are not going to miss again.”

The ADA picked the folder up and leaned back. “I can’t guarantee anything. You’ve got to bring me more on this before I can even think about pursuing a case against Diaz,” he said as he tossed the file onto the desk.

“What more do you want? Reyes almost lost his life today, isn’t that enough? You and I both know that Diaz had a hand in that.”

“I don’t know any such thing. I’m sure that Reyes has made enemies in jail, and anyone of them could have attacked him. Without any evidence against Diaz, there’s no case, Detective. You want this guy protected, bring me something I can work with, or he goes back into Gen Pop as soon as the doctor releases him.”

Kelli stood up and grabbed the file. “That’s just it, Reyes is our evidence. He goes back inside and you might as well be the one sticking the knife in his back.”

The ADA stood, walked around the desk and looked down at Kelli. “You’re wrong, Detective. You’re the one sticking the knife in his back, not me. Bring me something I can use and I’ll make sure Reyes is protected.”

Kelli turned and started for the door. “Fucking asshole,” she said under her breath.

“What was that, Detective?”

She stopped and turned to face him. “Nothing. I’ll get you something, but I need some time.”

“You’ve got forty-eight hours. That’s when Reyes goes back to Gen Pop. Find me something, Detective, because I don’t like this anymore than you do.”

Kelli turned and walked out. I’ll bet you don’t. Asshole.

Thriller Thursday ~Sneak Peek from Storm Warning - A Kelli Storm Novel~

  Okay, this isn't a chase scene, and no one is getting shot at, but I hope you enjoy it just the same.

  Kelli rolled on to her side and looked at Kevin. “I’ve been thinking.”

  “You know you can hurt yourself doing that,” he said with a grin.

  “Okay, smart ass. I’m serious,” she said and gave him a light slap on the arm.

  “Sorry, you were saying.”

  “Well, you are spending a lot more time here, and I think things are going really well. I was thinking that instead of you keeping your place, maybe you could just move in.”

  Kevin shifted, lifted himself up on his elbow and looked at her. “Really? I mean, yeah, things are going great between us, but do you think we’re really ready for that?”

  Kelli closed her eyes, took a deep breath and lay back down. “Shit, Kevin, I’m not sure about anything. I just think that maybe we could try again,” she said and looked at him. “I just know that when you’re not here I miss you.”

  Kevin leaned over and kissed her forehead. “I miss you too, but don’t you think we should take it slow this time?”

  She turned her eyes toward the ceiling and fought back the tears. “I just miss us. I’m not saying that I wasn’t a real bitch during our marriage, I was, but I’ve changed. I’m not drinking any more, and I won’t put my career ahead of us.”

  Kevin moved closer and put his hand to her cheek. “If you really want this,” he said, as he leaned in and kissed her, “then we’ll try.”

  “I don’t want to make you do anything you don’t want to do, Kevin. Are you sure you want this?”

  “Baby, I just want you to be happy.”

  She put her arms around his neck, pulled him close and kissed him. She had never loved him more than at this moment, and she knew then that this was the right choice.

Formatting your book for Kindle

Last night I decided it was time to get my current work formatted for the Kindle format. Having done this just over a year ago with my first novel, I thought I had it nailed. Boy was I wrong. I just couldn't get it to work, no matter what I did. I went to the KDP site and read the instructions, which didn't really tell me a lot. So, I hunted and hunted on the Internet and finally found some good information. I thought I'd pass it on, so those who haven't had this pleasure yet don't have to go through what I did. Enjoy!

This is an example of how to format your manuscript into Kindle eBook format.

If you need to insert a line break between chapter headings or scene breaks, use the Format Paragraph tool.

I always use 18 pt as it seems to work the best. (But play around with it to see what works best for you.)

For breaks between chapters, use the Page Break feature at the end of a chapter.

To view your manuscript in Kindle format once you have it formatted, go to:

http://www.mobipocket.com/en/downloadsoft/productdetailscreator.asp

Download the program and install it on your computer, if you haven’t done so already.

Before using MobiPocket Creator, save your Word file as a Filtered Web Page. For some reason, this format converts better in MobiPocket Creator.

Once you have saved the file, open MobiPocket Creator and select, Import HTML file.

Follow the steps as outlined on the Kindle Direct Publishing page.

** Note: You will have to sign up for a KDP account, if you do not already have one.

On another note, I found that if you "build" your eBook using encryption, for some reason you are not able to view it using Kindle for PC. To get around this, save it the first time with "No Encryption" so you can view it. Once you are satisfied, you can always go back and "build" it again using the DRM Encryption.

I hope that this article has been of some help.

Please note that these screen shots for Word were taken from Office 2003, and it will be somewhat different in Office 2007 or 2010.

Triple 7 Challenge

I have to thank friend and fellow author, Gae-lyn Woods for including me in the Triple 7 Challenge. As she has stated, the rules are simple. Share 7 lines from page 7 of your current novel, or 77 words from your work in progress.

I have decided to share 7 lines from page 7 of my current WIP, Storm Warning - A Kelli Storm Novel, which is the second book in the Kelli Storm Series, and I am happy to say, is nearing completion. Enjoy!

For those of you who read the first book, Storm Rising, then you'll know how Kelli is in a potentially dangerous situation.

She started up the stairs and as she neared the second floor, gunshots rang out from one of the higher floors, followed by several screams and shouts.  She drew her Glock, moved to the outside of the stairwell for better cover, and slowly edged up the stairs. By the time she reached the second floor landing, the screaming and shouting had stopped.

Kelli moved quicker now, taking the steps two at a time. When she reached the third floor, she heard a familiar voice shout “Clear” from somewhere above. That was Williams. At least I know he’s okay, but what about Dickerson? “Derrick, this is Kelli. You guys okay up there?”

And now the tough part. I have to pick seven authors to take up the challenge. This is tough, not only because I have so many talented friends in the writing community, but also because I can only pick seven. Here goes:

Carolyn Arnold

Everett Powers

Jennifer Chase

Patti Roberts

Doug Dorow

Griffin Hayes

Gail Baugniet

Look forward to reading these!

Storm Rising - A Kelli Storm Novel featured on Celebrating Authors

I am pleased to announce that Storm Rising is being featured on Celebrating Authors. I would like to thank Carolyn Arnold for featuring my book and helping promote my charity, Freedom is Not Free. You can visit the post here:

Celebrating Authors: Proceeds to Charity


Thank you.

Autographed copies of Storm Rising - A Kelli Storm Novel available!

I have a number of left over copies of my book from the signing on Saturday. The books were selling for $12.00 at the signing, but I will sell them to you for $7.00 US + shipping. There are a very limited number, so if you want one, you can e-mail me direct at - kennhoss@gmail.com Put "Autographed copy" in the subject line.

Note: These are available for shipping in the U.S. and Canada only. Shipping to U.S. customers is $3.95 sent via USPS. Shipping to Canada - Dependent on location.* (I will confirm with you prior to purchase. Average is $8.98 U.S.) Payments will be made thru PayPal only.


So if you want an autographed copy of the first book in the Kelli Storm Series , now is your chance. As stated, I do have a limited number on hand and this will be first come, first served basis.


*Canadian customers please allow 3 -5 weeks from shipping date for delivery due to Customs check.

Just a reminder - Freedom is not Free

I wanted to remind my followers and those reading this blog that I am donating 100% of my book sales to Freedom is not Free, a non-profit Veterans organization, through the end of September. Please see the Announcements page for further details and where to purchase a copy of my book. Your purchase will help this wonderful organization aid our wounded Veterans and their families.




Amazon:
eBook
Paperback

Barnes & Nobel

iTunes

Smashwords - All eBook formats

Ninety-nine Cents for Storm Rising! Sale ends today!

Storm Rising - A Kelli Storm Novel is just .99 cents on Smashwords! - bit.ly/kCg52y Use coupon code ZX85M - Ends today! A $2.00 discount! Get your copy today! In all eBook formats!

Sneak Peek Sunday - Excerpt from Storm Warning - A Kelli Storm Novel

Friday December 27^th, 9:32 A.M. Manhattan

Secure Office - Little West 12^th Street

Kelli was staring at the video display wall when Larsen walked in. He walked over, sat down at the workstation next to her and nodded. “So, how was your trip to Saratoga Springs?”

“Good, I guess. It’s still a little strange for me, spending holidays with Kevin’s parents and not my Mom. I suppose I’ll get used to it though. How was your Christmas?”

He took a deep breath, turned toward the video wall, and typed something on his keyboard and a new photo popped up on the center display. “Busy. While you were gone, I continued to monitor that tracking device you placed on Cordero’s car. I noticed that the car hadn’t moved Monday,” he said as he stood and walked to the display.

“That doesn’t mean anything. He could have switched cars,” she said and followed him.

“That’s what I thought too, at first, so I went to the warehouse around three in the morning, on Christmas. The car still hadn’t moved. I parked a block away, walked to the corner, and watched the place for about half an hour. When I didn’t see anyone walking around the place, I went in.”

“Without any backup? Are you suicidal or something?”

“There was nothing to worry about, the place was deserted. Anyway,” he continued, turning back to the screen, “I found his car, and most importantly, I found Cordero,” he said and pointed at the screen.

Kelli looked to where he was pointing and stepped back, almost falling over the workstation behind her. “Is—is he dead?”

He turned to look at her, a frown on his face. “His throat was slit, and yes, it was a necktie.”

“It doesn’t make any sense. Why would Garcia have this guy killed? He was one of his top guys, his hitter. Shit, he’s the one who shot and almost killed me.”

Larsen nodded and walked back around the workstation. “I have a theory on that, but I don’t think you’re going to like it,” he said and sat. “I think maybe someone saw you, after the hit, and told Garcia.”

Kelli felt her knees start to buckle and caught the edge of the console. “If that’s true, then he’ll come after me again. Or worse, he’ll go after Kevin,” she said and reached for the desk phone.

“What are you doing?”

“Calling Kevin to warn him. He used Dan to get to me this last time, and now he’s dead. I can’t let that happen to Kevin,” she said and punched in Kevin’s cell number.

Larsen reached across the desk and ended the call. “There’s no reason to warn him, at least not until we have something more substantial. We don’t even know if that’s why Cordero was killed, hell, for all we know, he could have just pissed Garcia off.”

“And what if you’re wrong. What if he’s already sent someone after Kevin? What if they already have him?” She moved the phone to the other side of the desk, punched in Kevin’s cell number again, and waited. To her relief, he answered on the second ring.

Upcoming Book Signing at The Spirit Grille in Las Colinas (Irving) Texas

I am planning a book signing at The Spirit Grille located at  4030 North MacArthur Boulevard #112,  Irving, TX 75038 (972) 717-7575 on Saturday August 4th from 2 to 4 p.m. (Behind Sonny Bryan's Smokehouse in the Tom Thumb shopping center.) Map


If you are coming from 183, take the MacArthur exit and go north. Once you cross over Northgate, the next light will be Bryon Nelson Way. Turn right and take the first right into the parking lot.

If you are coming from 635 or 114, take the MacArthur exit and go south.You will pass North Lake College. Take a left onto Byron Nelson Way and the first right into the parking lot.


If you live in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, I would like to see you come out for this event. Be sure to click on the link above for more information about The Spirit Grille.

Cover for Storm Warning - Help me pick

Help me choose a cover for my upcoming novel, Storm Warning - A Kelli Storm Novel. I have a basic idea of what I want, I just can't decide on the background. Below are some pictures that I believe would be fitting as a basis for the cover. Some really good photos, which is why I had such a difficult time choosing.

1.

2.

3.

4.

Vote for your favorite, or suggest a design. The first 20 voters will receive a free eBook copy, choice of format, of the book once it is in publication. (August or September 2012) I would also like to keep the same theme as the first book cover, meaning there will be an NYPD Detective badge incorporated into the design.

The contest ends at 7 P.M. CST, Sunday, July 22nd.

NOTE: Due to some confusion on the numbers, I have renumbered the pictures.