Saturday 25 May 2013

A new crime thriller...DEATH by GLASGOW


Jon Breakfield's crime thriller set in Glasgow, Scotland

If you like to read light, whimsical prose then hit your 'Back button' now. If you have a penchant for gritty, raw crime with a heavy dose of thriller and a splash of blood, then read on. My new crime novel has just been published.

Quite a departure from the style of my previous two books, this latest one is set in Scotland. My wife and I divide our time between Key West and Glasgow, so it was about time that I write something about Glasgow. It's a great city, from its history to its parks, to its architecture and of course the people, so when I decided to write a crime thriller I knew it had to be based in Glasgow. It's a cliche to say that the city has so many faces, but it is patently true of Glasgow and I love them all. Even the ones with scars on them. The city serves as a vibrant, pulsing backdrop for my characters and I hope that I bring it alive in this first in a series of crime novels featuring Detective Inspector Sharkey.

If you've never been to Glasgow then you have to put this city on your next tour list. If you know the city, I hope you'll enjoy walking the streets with me. But, keep looking over your shoulder.

Here's a quick blurb:

Detective Inspector Sharkey has a new partner to fight crime, problem is the new partner wears Gucci suits and Dolce and Gabbana 3-inch heals. Now his daughter's dead and he has to hit the mean streets of Glasgow with a fashionista side-kick to find the killer.  
And what he doesn't know, just might kill him: his new partner is involved in his daughter's death.

The book is published by Gallowgate Press and is now available  as an eBook via  Amazon, Kobo or Nook. It is also available in paperback via your favourite bookstore virtual or otherwise..

For readers in the U.S.:
For readers in the U.K.: 




 

Sunday 31 March 2013

Key West...what a trip!

My wife and I just returned from a trip to Key West. This trip was partly a chance to meet up with Popcorn Joe and some old friends and partly to do some last-minute real-time research. No, I'm not referring to 'sitting in the Bull & Whistle slowly enjoying a cool beer' kind of research -- for the sequel to KEY WEST.


Jon Breakfield at the Bull & Whistle
Jon Breakfield is at the Bull & Whistle
For a back-water island, Key West is in a state of continual change; a new restaurant popping up here and a road dug up there (actually that was our problem at the start of the trip -- we could barely access the island as the main road looked like downtown Baghdad just after Saddam jumped ship. N. Roosevelt Boulevard, aka Highway #1, aka the only evacuation route during hurricane season, was having the dental equivalent of a root canal (route canal). Seemed like a bit of bad programming during peak tourist season, but who am I to moan?

We were actually thrilled we had made it down the long drive from Miami. No matter how many times you do that drive, as beautiful as it is (despite the new Adult Superstore), I always seem to forget just how long the trip can be. The day was also hampered by the inevitable and gi-normous annual flea market on Matecumbe Key (coupled with the extra, enervating traffic which comes with a long weekend).


The first item on our agenda was a quick jaunt around the Old Town. We marveled at the changes, and you got 100 points if you spotted anyone we knew from our old days.
'It was great to see the colorful houseboats, and the Conch House Inn looking as great as ever. "Wonder if they still have black carpets?" says my wife, remembering the day we did a guest appearance and cleaned all the rooms on a sweltering day in September with no air conditioning. The hardest job we've ever had!

Renee's Gallery on Caroline St.


Over on Caroline St, "My goodness is that Rene still selling his paintings at the Red Doors?"





"I think the Pineapple Apartments need a lick of paint. Popcorn Joe would never have let it look that shabby."

Jon Breakfield Pineapple Apartments
The former Pinapple Apartments
All around us we spied small changes - good and bad.  We parked the car, amazed that we had found a lonely spot that was not being guarded by a parking meter, and continued our reminiscing on foot. B.O.'s fish wagon was doing a trade. Where was the Greg O' Berry building? What a great new coffee shop. Thank goodness Key West Island Books is still going strong.

We met up with Popcorn Joe doing this thing on the "pier" at Sunset Celebration - 27 years on the job. We were a bit envious that Joe hadn't aged at all since we last saw him - must be the Key West ions (or the bottle of Russian Vodka that he had tucked away under his popcorn cart).

The charm was all still there.




Jon Breakfield at Geiger Key Marina
Geiger Key Marina
Later that night we met up with friends on Geiger Key and dined at the Geiger Key Marina. The grouper sandwich was divine and live music to boot - it couldn't get any better.

And it was great to be back.


Saturday 23 February 2013

Hats off to you, the reader


      There exists a group of people in the literary world who are unsung heroes and, as an author, I would like to sing their praises: I want to extend a digital-hug, to you the reader. Thank you for talking about a book on Facebook, thank you for passing on a book to a friend, thank you for accidentally leaving it on the train, and a big thank you to those of you who take the time to knock out a review on Amazon or Goodreads.

       I live to write – but once a book is finished it marks the end of what has been a long, loving, and sometimes enervating relationship. I then hand the words over to you. It’s like sending your child out into the world, but you never get an email or a tweet or text from your first born. Then suddenly – a sign.  It starts with a comment on Goodreads:  “I’m currently reading KEY WEST”. This then blossoms and 5 stars appear on Amazon.  My heart soars.  And then comes the icing (whipped cream) on the Key Lime Pie -- a review.

       It’s so gratifying to receive the feedback directly from the reader’s keyboard (or those of you who got a tax refund – touchscreen). To know that she or he has read your work is exhilarating – to know that he or she enjoyed it – is humbling.

      When reviewers take that extra step to pass on why they enjoyed the book, it means a lot to me. Most recently, the comments make reference to my many zany characters – it’s this unconditional feedback that opens my eyes to what the readers enjoy and thus helps me to shape my characters and storyline for my next book. I’m currently writing the sequel to KEY WEST and you, dear reader, are helping to enrich the DNA of my next offspring.

      If I wore a baseball cap I would now take it off in salute to you, the reader. Thank you.