So, this is something I’ve been working on for the better part of a year and change.
When I originally set out to write the Forsaken Patriots novels, I envisioned them as being a homage to the Mack Bolan pulp action-adventure novels that I grew up reading. They’d hit their peak in the 1980s and 1990s, but they still had an impact in how I craft an action scene.
(That my writing mentor, Doug Wojtowicz, was one of the contributors to the series from the early 2000s until the series came to an end a few years ago also has something to do with that).
My favorite covers were the Executioner (shorter adventures, in comparison to the longer SuperBolan entries) covers from Michael Herring in the 1990s and late 2000s:
So, when I reached out to Kev Granzow at Venator Media Solutions, I told him I wanted a homage to that style of cover. He delivered in spades, especially on the original cover for Vermilion Boiling:
However, many friends warned me this would be a very niche approach and it would not resonate with most people unless they also grew up enjoying that sort of novel. In the end, I finally accepted they were right.
I find the message of Forsaken Patriots to be important. Yes, I do aim to entertain and to tell a character-driven story, but it also serves as commentary on current events (even though the stories are now set five to seven years in the past). I want this series to spread far and wide.
Thus, I commissioned a rebrand from Kev at Venator. He delivered in spades, and I put together a trailer to showcase his work and announce the rebrand:
And now, for a closer look at the covers:
I think they look magnificent while having an appeal to a broader audience. That was important for me. I wouldn’t put my name on a product I didn’t personally enjoy, and Kev did an amazing job with my specifications.
This rebrand also accompanied a series of face-lifts to the manuscripts themselves. While most of these changes came in the form of grammatical and stylistic corrections, there were also changes to some swaths of dialogue as well as updates based upon additional research conducted after publication.
The plots themselves have remained unchanged in the macro, but the details have changed enough that they merit another read-through, especially in the lead-up to the release of Open Contract (which I will announce soon, so stay tuned).
The good news is that if you bought the Kindle edition, you won’t have to pay a dime to read the new versions. Simply go to this link and push the updated version to your Kindle, smartphone, or tablet.
For those wanting an updated hard copy, keep your eyes peeled for an opportunity to win one while supporting a worthy cause. If you can’t wait that long and are willing to spend the money, the paperback editions have also been updated and are available for sale now on Amazon.
One more thing: keen-eyed viewers may have noticed some things in the final glitch in the trailer. Hints of things to come. ;)
The Forsaken Patriots series is available now on Amazon in both Kindle and paperback.
time to re-read!
Can't wait for the new book to drop!