My mystery novel, The China Connection is a fictional account of how the Chinese government might have been responsible for the United States’ opioid drug crisis. Turns out I was right. In the New York Times Sunday Magazine of October 20, 2019, there is an article entitled “The China Connection: One D.E.A. Agent Cracked a Global Fentanyl Ring.”
Sometimes fiction may be ahead of reality.
Saturday, October 19, 2019
Saturday, June 15, 2019
Dead in the Water is on SALE
Just in time for summer at the beach (or in your own backyard), I have reduced the e-book price of my best-selling thriller, Dead in the Water, to $.99. (Kindle best seller 3/17). For the price of your daily newspaper, you can read a 250 page legal mystery. You will follow retired LAPD homicide detective, Lieutenant Mario Morales, as he investigates the case of a bride who disappeared on her honeymoon cruise in the Caribbean. What Morales discovers about Chinese drug-smuggling will knock your socks off!
BookBub.com has called Dead in the. Water “A heart-pounding read!”
The esteemed Kirkus Review has said Dead in the Water has “[A]n.exquisite atmosphere.” Buy.here:https://www.amazon.com/Water-Lieutenant-Morales-Legal-Mystery-ebook/dp/B00U35Z7CS/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1560628839&sr=8-2
If you like Dead in the Water, you’re sure to love A Reservation for Murder, the second book in the Lieutenant Morales mystery series. One reviewer has said of the book, “All reader expectations are met or exceeded.” Kirkus Reviews. It also is priced at only $.99.https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01IYGQNWK
Bottom line, you can have a whole summer’s worth of thrilling reading for just $1.98. For $4.99 you can also buy the e-book format of my latest thriller, The China Connection. For those of you who like the feel of a book in your hands the paperback edition is just $8.49.
Thanks and “Happy Reading!”https://www.amazon.com/Water-Lieutenant-Morales-Legal-Mystery-ebook/dp/B00U35Z7CS/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1560632134&sr=8-2https://www.amazon.com/China-Connection-Lieutenant-Morales-Mystery/dp/1981243143/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
BookBub.com has called Dead in the. Water “A heart-pounding read!”
The esteemed Kirkus Review has said Dead in the Water has “[A]n.exquisite atmosphere.” Buy.here:https://www.amazon.com/Water-Lieutenant-Morales-Legal-Mystery-ebook/dp/B00U35Z7CS/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1560628839&sr=8-2
If you like Dead in the Water, you’re sure to love A Reservation for Murder, the second book in the Lieutenant Morales mystery series. One reviewer has said of the book, “All reader expectations are met or exceeded.” Kirkus Reviews. It also is priced at only $.99.https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01IYGQNWK
Bottom line, you can have a whole summer’s worth of thrilling reading for just $1.98. For $4.99 you can also buy the e-book format of my latest thriller, The China Connection. For those of you who like the feel of a book in your hands the paperback edition is just $8.49.
Thanks and “Happy Reading!”https://www.amazon.com/Water-Lieutenant-Morales-Legal-Mystery-ebook/dp/B00U35Z7CS/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1560632134&sr=8-2https://www.amazon.com/China-Connection-Lieutenant-Morales-Mystery/dp/1981243143/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Labels:
BookBub
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cruise
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Kindle best seller
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Kirkus
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thrills and chills
Tuesday, May 28, 2019
Mystery Lovers Bookshop
I just wanted to let everyone, especially those in Pittsburgh, know that my three Lt. Morales mysteries, Dead in the Water, A Reservation for Murder and The China Connection, are now available for purchase at the Mystery Lovers Bookshop in Oakmont, PA. It is an old-fashioned bookstore that will surely delight any mystery reader. Located at 514 Allegheny River Boulevard, it is a must see in Oakmont just across the railroad tracks from Hoffstot’s restaurant.https://www.mysterylovers.com/
Thursday, November 29, 2018
Lieutenant Morales is on SALE
Just in time for Christmas, I have reduced the price of the three ebooks in the Lieutenant Morales mystery series. For just $0.99 each you can follow the adventures of Morales in "Dead in the Water" (a BookBub featured deal), "A Reservation for Murder," and my latest political thriller, "The China Connection."
Think about it: for just $2.97 you can own the entire trilogy! That's less than the cost of a Starbucks latte!
Just go to the following link for many hours of enjoyment:https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07921Q369/ref=series_rw_dp_sw
Think about it: for just $2.97 you can own the entire trilogy! That's less than the cost of a Starbucks latte!
Just go to the following link for many hours of enjoyment:https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07921Q369/ref=series_rw_dp_sw
Labels:
Christmas
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Lieutenant Morales
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Saturday, August 18, 2018
BooksGoSocial.com
Check out this website for cool end of summer book recommendations. My latest political thriller, The China Connection, is included in the list.BooksGoSocialhttps://booksgosocial.com/2018/08/17/end-of-summer-promotion/ To purchase a copy, please go to this website:https://amzn.to/2KY1HeD
Tuesday, August 14, 2018
Lawrenceville is the Coolest
Another accolade for the Lawrenceville neighborhood in the Eastern area of Pittsburgh. The TripAdvisor Rentals Blog has named it one of the “coolest” neighborhoods in America. The blog referred to its “eccentric boutiques and galleries.” The post was designed to give vacationers a list of places where you can became “immersed in the heart of a neighborhood.”
Just last year, Money Magazine called Lawrenceville the “coolest” neighborhood in America.
Just last year, Money Magazine called Lawrenceville the “coolest” neighborhood in America.
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coolest
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Lawrenceville
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Money Magazie
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Pittsburgh
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TripAdvisor Rentals
Tuesday, July 31, 2018
Update to Want To Live Longer, Read Post
My August 29, 2017 post Want To Live Longer, Read, explained that based on a study done by the Yale School of Public Health, simply reading a book every day can prolong your life by up to two years. The current edition of the Costco Connection sent to Costco customers repeats some of that same information.at page 68.
Monday, July 23, 2018
Free Book on Amazon
Beginning tomorrow, July 24, the latest mystery in the Lieutenant Morales series, The China Connection, will be free on Amazon for a limited time. Just go to Amazon and download it. If you like this political thriller that will keep you guessing to the very end, please consider writing a review on Amazon. Thanks.
Monday, May 7, 2018
Making Flying Easier
The summer vacation season is almost upon us. Soon, many of us will be off to the seashore or the mountains. Or maybe just to see grandmom. Wherever we are going, many of us will choose to fly there. Maybe it’s because of the distance involved or maybe you just prefer flying to sitting in a cramped car with the kids and luggage.
But as we all know, flying today comes with its.own perils. Who hasn’t found themselves impatiently crawling along in an interminable security line only to find out you just missed your flight by a millimeter?
Well, today, you are in luck. The New York Times recently published an article on how you can make flying easier. Notice I said easier not easy
Just copy the following link to your browser.
https://www.nytimes.com/guides/travel/how-to-fly?utm_source=sharetools&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=website&emc=eta1
But as we all know, flying today comes with its.own perils. Who hasn’t found themselves impatiently crawling along in an interminable security line only to find out you just missed your flight by a millimeter?
Well, today, you are in luck. The New York Times recently published an article on how you can make flying easier. Notice I said easier not easy
Just copy the following link to your browser.
https://www.nytimes.com/guides/travel/how-to-fly?utm_source=sharetools&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=website&emc=eta1
Labels:
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easy
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Friday, April 20, 2018
Jake Tapper's New Political Thriller
Jake Tapper of CNN has a new political thriller coming out soon. It's called "The Hellfire Club." From what I have seen of it, it deals with a host of political issues in the 1950s. If you are inclined to read it, give my political thriller, "The China Connection" a chance also. I think it will stack up quire well against Tapper's book.
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" Tapper
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"The Hellfire Club
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CNN
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Jake Tapper
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political thriller
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The China Connection
Thursday, April 19, 2018
"A Rainy Night in Georgia"
The first chapter of my new thriller, "A Rainy Night in Georgia," is now available for preview on my website, www.ajbasinski.com. Please let me have any comments. Thanks.
Tuesday, April 3, 2018
"A Rainy Night in Georgia"
My new suspense novel, "A Rainy Night in Georgia," is starting to take shape. It is a Vietnam era war novel that takes place largely in Georgia. I think you will enjoy it. It is a departure from my Morales mysteries. I will be posting a copy of the first chapter on my website, www.ajbasinski.com. Look for it there soon.
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A Rainy Night in Georgia
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ajbasinski.com
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Georgia
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Vietnam
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Vietnam war
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war
Wednesday, January 24, 2018
Goodreads Giveaway---The China Connection
Beginning January 26, you can win an e-book copy of my latest political thriller, The China Connection. Just go to Goodreads Giveaway and enter. It's that easy. If you do win a copy, I only ask that you write a review on Goodreads and/or Amazon. I would be extremely grateful. Thanks.
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China Connection
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connection
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goodreads
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review. China
Saturday, December 9, 2017
The China Connection is Here!
Just in time for Christmas, The China Connection, the third thriller to in the Lieutenant Morales Mystery series was published and is available on Amazon in e-book for Kindle and paperback.
When Lieutenant Morales is accused of trying to murder his wife, the exotic Sun Li, Morales will go to any length to find the real attacker. His search takes him from South Florida to Shanghai. While in China, he unearths a a conspiracy involving an American senator with presidential ambitions at its center.
The China Connection is a political thriller torn from today's breaking news headlines about collusion that will keep you guessing until the very last page.
This is fiction, right? Or is it?
When Lieutenant Morales is accused of trying to murder his wife, the exotic Sun Li, Morales will go to any length to find the real attacker. His search takes him from South Florida to Shanghai. While in China, he unearths a a conspiracy involving an American senator with presidential ambitions at its center.
The China Connection is a political thriller torn from today's breaking news headlines about collusion that will keep you guessing until the very last page.
This is fiction, right? Or is it?
Labels:
.American senator. political thriller
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Amazon
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breaking news
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breaking news headlines
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Christmas
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collusion
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e-book
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Kindle
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Morales
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paperback
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Shanghai
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South Florida
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The China Connection
Thursday, November 30, 2017
The China Connection
ATTENTION: It's almost here. My latesst political thriller, The China Connection, will be published in just a few short days. It is the third mystery in the Lieutenant Morales trilogy. If you are looking for a quick read for yourself or as a gift for Christmas, you will be happy with this latest installment.
Come back here soon to check on its availablity.
Thanks!
Come back here soon to check on its availablity.
Thanks!
Wednesday, November 15, 2017
CALLING ALL MY FELLOW VETERANS
If you are an honorably discharged veteran, you may be eligible for a new, lifelong benefit that may save you money. Effective Veterans Day, November 11, 2017, qualifying veterans may begin to make purchases on the online military exchanges. All you have to do is complete a form verifying your service and that your discharge was honorable. You can then begin making purchases online which may be sales tax-free and may also be free of some shipping charges. Go to www.shopmyexchange.com for complete information about this program and the forms you will need to complete.
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November 11
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online
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sales tax-free
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Save money
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shopmyexchange.com
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veterans
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Veterans Day
Sunday, October 15, 2017
60 Minutes on the Opiate Crisis
If you saw the 60 Minutes story today (October 15) on the whistleblower from the DEA on the opiate crisis in America, you'll want to read my soon to be published novel, The China Connection, that fictionally explores another aspect of the drug crisis. Look for it soon on Amazon and other bookstores and ebook outlets.
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60 Minutes
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Amazon
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DEA
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ebook novel
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opiate
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opiate crisis
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The China Connection
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whistleblower
Monday, October 9, 2017
The China Connection
My new Lieutenant Morales mystery/thriller will be published shortly. Keep an eye on this blog for details.
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China Connection
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Lieutenant Morales
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mystery
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mystery/thriller
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thriller
Monday, September 25, 2017
Sister Corita Kent/Albert Camus
The thought is by the French existential philoosopher, Albert Camus. The painting is by Sister Corita Kent.
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Camus
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justice
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love of country
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Sister Coria Kent
Sunday, September 24, 2017
Food for Thought
"Now, I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds." J. Robert Oppenheimer quoting the Hindu Bhagavad-Gita, on the detonation of the first atomic bomb.
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atomic bomb
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Bhagavad-Gita
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death
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destroyer of worlds
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Hindu
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Thursday, September 14, 2017
Upcoming Appearance
i will be appearing at the Fall Author's Forum at the Mt. Lebanon Public Library on November 14, 2017 at 7:00PM to discuss my new mystery, The Trials of Lieutenant Morales. Please plan on attending.
Tuesday, August 29, 2017
Want to Live Longer? Read!
Do you want to live longer? Of course you do. Who doesn't? I'm going to surprise you with an easy and effective way to increase your life span. And this method requires no special exercise equipment, no gym membership and not even any special diet. The only thing you need is a book!
Yes, you read that right---a book can be your key to both a longer and more fulfilling life.
In a 2016 study published by the Yale School of Public Health, it was reported that people over the age of 50 who read any type of book for as little as 30 minutes a day could increase their lifespan on average by two years. The study was based on some 12 years of data originally compiled by the University of Michigan's Health and Retirement Study.
It should be emphasized that while reading any type of book is effective, simply reading magazines and newspapers does not appear to have the same effect. Although researchers are not sure why that is the case, one theory is that reading a book causes you to think critically and make more brain connections that can protect against cognitive decline. They referred to this effect as "deep reading."
So, if you want to live longer, get out your library card and head to your nearest library.
Yes, you read that right---a book can be your key to both a longer and more fulfilling life.
In a 2016 study published by the Yale School of Public Health, it was reported that people over the age of 50 who read any type of book for as little as 30 minutes a day could increase their lifespan on average by two years. The study was based on some 12 years of data originally compiled by the University of Michigan's Health and Retirement Study.
It should be emphasized that while reading any type of book is effective, simply reading magazines and newspapers does not appear to have the same effect. Although researchers are not sure why that is the case, one theory is that reading a book causes you to think critically and make more brain connections that can protect against cognitive decline. They referred to this effect as "deep reading."
So, if you want to live longer, get out your library card and head to your nearest library.
Monday, July 31, 2017
Dead in the Water
My mystery thriller, Dead in the Water, is anything but dead in the water.
Dead in the Water, which features the retired homicide detective, Lieutenant Mario Morales, has been called a "heart-stopping read!" by the acclaimed book lovers' website, BookBub.com. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. It is the perfect book for the beach or just sitting on your back patio drinking a glass of homemade lemonade.https://www.amazon.com/Water-Lieutenant-Morales-Legal-Mystery-ebook/dp/B00U35Z7CS/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&qid=1501524039&sr=8-9&keywords=dead+in+the+water&linkCode=ll1&tag=a0643413d-20&linkId=a5ee4affb7919a0538424466671b8b1a
Dead in the Water, which features the retired homicide detective, Lieutenant Mario Morales, has been called a "heart-stopping read!" by the acclaimed book lovers' website, BookBub.com. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. It is the perfect book for the beach or just sitting on your back patio drinking a glass of homemade lemonade.https://www.amazon.com/Water-Lieutenant-Morales-Legal-Mystery-ebook/dp/B00U35Z7CS/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&qid=1501524039&sr=8-9&keywords=dead+in+the+water&linkCode=ll1&tag=a0643413d-20&linkId=a5ee4affb7919a0538424466671b8b1a
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water
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website
Sunday, April 30, 2017
Amazing Relief for Lower Back Pain
Suffer from lower back pain? Believe me I know all about it. My pain was so bad that I underwent four procedures and surgeries this past winter. Only the last, a lumbar fusion, finally gave me the much hoped for relief. But I still have some residual pain. You can imagine how grateful I was when I read recently that ginger oil massaged into the lower back can relieve much of the residual pain. Ginger root has long been prized for its anti-inflammatory qualities. Now, studies have shown that its application to the lower back can actually help reduce pain.
Scientists in Pain Research and Treatment suggest rubbing a several drops of ginger oil mixed with jojoba oil on the effected area once or twice a day. The studies show this simple ginger massage can result in a 71% reduction in pain intensity and 66% greater mobility.
Sounds like a winner to me. I know I will give it a try.
Scientists in Pain Research and Treatment suggest rubbing a several drops of ginger oil mixed with jojoba oil on the effected area once or twice a day. The studies show this simple ginger massage can result in a 71% reduction in pain intensity and 66% greater mobility.
Sounds like a winner to me. I know I will give it a try.
Wednesday, February 1, 2017
Inexpensive Performance Enhancer: Beets
Do you like red beets on your salad? Most salad bars feature sliced or chopped beets. Maybe you add them to your salad because you've heard about the anti-inflammatory properties of beets just like cherry juice. The latest news is that in addition to those properties, it also can provide enhanced performance of athletic events.
According to a report in the New York Daily News, several British athletes legally used beet juice to improve their performance in track and field competitions during the 2012 London Olympics. It must have worked because one of the British athletes, Mo Farah, won two gold medals!
Now, I can't guarantee a gold medal--or even a bronze---but you might improve your performance the next time you are working out at the gym. Why not give it a try.
According to a report in the New York Daily News, several British athletes legally used beet juice to improve their performance in track and field competitions during the 2012 London Olympics. It must have worked because one of the British athletes, Mo Farah, won two gold medals!
Now, I can't guarantee a gold medal--or even a bronze---but you might improve your performance the next time you are working out at the gym. Why not give it a try.
Friday, January 13, 2017
KIRKUS REVIEW OF "A RESERVATION FOR MURDER"
I have just received notification from Kirkus Reviews that the review of my detective mystery, A RESERVATION FOR MURDER, has been selected for inclusion in the January 2017 copy of the Kirkus Reviews. Less than 10% of reviews of self-published books are published in the magazine.
I am truly honored by this selection. Kirkus Reviews is the premiere book review magazine in the country.
To see the review please go to https://www.dropbox.com/s/yv9twknbims1z5c/Kirkus_online_010117.pdf?dl=0
The review of A Reservation for Murder is located on page 22.
I am truly honored by this selection. Kirkus Reviews is the premiere book review magazine in the country.
To see the review please go to https://www.dropbox.com/s/yv9twknbims1z5c/Kirkus_online_010117.pdf?dl=0
The review of A Reservation for Murder is located on page 22.
Tuesday, December 13, 2016
Cure for Alzheimer's? The Latest News
Everyone knows the devastating effects of Alzheimer's disease. A recent study published in the JAMA journal Neurology reported that statin drugs used to reduce cholesterol may reduce the risk of getting Alzheimer's by up to 16%.http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/12/health/statins-alzheimers-disease/
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cholesterol
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cure
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Neurology
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statins
Thursday, October 6, 2016
Publisher's Weekly
The September 26 issue of Publisher's Weekly magazine contains a nice blurb about my new detective mystery, A Reservation for Murder. Please check it out on p.55. Thanks.
Sunday, September 18, 2016
Jimmy Buff's Italian Hot Dogs
If you happen to find yourself in the area of West Orange, New Jersey, you must make a stop at Jimmy Buff's Italian Hot Dog's. Located at 60 Washington Street in a tiny diner, Buff's serves what is one of the best and certainly the most unique hot dog I've ever had the pleasure to enjoy.
Buff's serves its dogs with fried potatoes, onions and peppers on a unique bun that is a far cry from the ordinary hot dog bun. Like Primanti's in Pittsburgh, everything, including the fried potatoes are piled on the hot dog itself. It makes for a mouth-watering experience that only makes you crave another one. In fact, Buff's offers a double, which is the same price as a single on Tuesdays.
I'm told that some days the lines snake out into the parking lot in front of the restaurant. I sure understand why.
Located just about twenty miles from Manhattan, it's definitely worth a visit.
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diner
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hot dogs
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Jimmy Buff's Italian Hot Dogs
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New Jersey
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Pittsburgh
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Primanti's
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West Orange
Monday, August 29, 2016
Markdown Deal
l've marked down the price of the Kindle format of my new romantic suspense novel, A Reservation for Murder, to 99 cents! What a deal! You could pay up to $4.99 for one of James Patterson's Bookshots. Why not get a full length novel at 20% of that price? Just click here: A Reservation for Murder
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James Patterson
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novel
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short shotts
Friday, August 12, 2016
A Reservation for Murder
Although the free days for my romantic suspense thriller, A Reservation for Murder, are over, it is still available on Amazon for only $2.99! Just click this link: AReservation for Murder
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$2.99 romantic suspense
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A Reservation for Murder
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Amazon
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free
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Murder
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Reservation
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thriller
Thursday, August 11, 2016
Free Book Extended
Because the request for my romantic suspense thriller, A Reservation for Murder, has been overwhelming, I've added an extra day for free downloads. Enjoy! And remember to write a review!A Reservation for Murder
Monday, August 8, 2016
A Reservation for Murder is Free for Two Days
For just two days, August 9 and 10, my romantic suspense novel, A Reservation for Murder, will be FREE on Amazon for Kindle. If you download it, please write a review on Amazon. Thanks and enjoy the book.A Reservation for Murder
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Amazon
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August 10
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August 9
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free
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Kindle. Reservation for Murder
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romantic suspense
Sunday, July 24, 2016
A Reservation for Murder is Now Available on Amazon
I just wanted to let everyone know that my new Lieutenant Morales mystery novel, A Reservation for Murder, has just been published and is now available for sale on Amazon in paperback and in ebook format for Kindle. https://www.amazon.com/Reservation-Murder-Lieutenant-Morales-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B01IYGQNWK/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1469308005&sr=1-2&keywords=basinski+reservation
Set on a small island on the Southwest coast of Florida, it is what I like to call a romantic suspense novel. If you like mystery novelists like Harlan Coben, I hope you will read and enjoy A Reservation for Murder.
Set on a small island on the Southwest coast of Florida, it is what I like to call a romantic suspense novel. If you like mystery novelists like Harlan Coben, I hope you will read and enjoy A Reservation for Murder.
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Amazon
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coast
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ebook
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Harlan Coben
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Lieutenant Morales
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Murder
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novel
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Reservation
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romantic
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Southwest Florida
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Suspense
Wednesday, June 8, 2016
Nomination for A RESERVATION FOR MURDER
It is still not to late to nominate my new Lieutenant Morales mystery, A RESERVATION FOR MURDER, for consideration for acceptance in the Kindle Scout program. Just go to the following url,
https://kindlescout.amazon.com/p/1PNVTB6SR97MO.
Thanks so much.
https://kindlescout.amazon.com/p/1PNVTB6SR97MO.
Thanks so much.
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
Amazon Publishing Contract
It's here! What is it? My chance at landing a publishing contract with Amazon!! And you can help me. Please follow the instructions at this url, HTTPS://kindlescout.amazon.com/p/1PNVTB6SR97MO, and nominate my new Lt. Morales Mystery, A Reservation for Murder. A Reservation for Murder is the sequel to Dead in the Water and is Book 2 in the Morales trilogy.
Thanks again!!!
Thanks again!!!
Tuesday, May 24, 2016
Amazon Publishing Contract
I have been tentatively accepted into the Amazon Kindle Scout program for my new Lt. Morales' mystery, A Reservation for Murder. But I need your help to complete my entry, which would make me eligible for a publishing contract with Amazon. I will be writing a new post tomorrow to explain in detail the process and also provide you with an excerpt of the book. The process is sort of a mixture of crowdfunding and voting on The Voice. Don't worry though, it won't cost you a dime to nominate A Reservation for Murder. Thanks and please look at this space tomorrow.
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A Reservation for Murder
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Amazon
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crowdfunding
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Morales
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publishing
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publishing contract
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The Voice
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voting
Tuesday, April 19, 2016
New Lieutenant Morales Mystery: A Reservation for Murder
I know that quite a few people have been waiting for the next Lieutenant Morales mystery following Dead in the Water. Well, here is the first chapter of A Reservation for Murder:
A Reservation for Murder
A
Lieutenant Morales Mystery
“Keep your friends close,
and your enemies closer.”
Sun-Tzu,
Chinese general and military strategist, (400 BC)
“You can check out any time you like, but you can
never leave.”
Hotel
California
Eagles
THE DIARY
I killed
two people today. Helluva way to start the New Year.
The man
got what he had coming. But I do feel bad about the woman; I actually liked
her, but I had no choice. Under the circumstances, I could not leave any
witnesses. As
they say in the military, sometimes there is
collateral damage. Put another way: shit
happens. May she rest in peace.
I probably shouldn’t be writing any of this
down now or ever. Someday, it will
probably come back to haunt me. But, you
know what? Right now, I just don’t care. Since I can’t tell anyone about what
happened, unless I write it down and see the words in black and white
describing what happened, it does not seem real.
It all began about two weeks before
Thanksgiving. I was sitting in my office about 5:30 in the early evening when
my cell phone rang. Because I was getting
ready to leave the office, at first I wasn’t going to answer the phone. I just wanted to go home and have a nice
dinner with my wife and kids. It was a
Tuesday and so we were having meat loaf.
We always had meatloaf on Tuesdays.
But, because the phone continued to ring, something in the back of my
brain said that this call might be important.
And so, against my better judgment, I answered phone.
You
wouldn’t think it was possible, but my whole world was changed forever as a
result of that stupid phone call. As, I
think back on it now, answering that call was probably the biggest mistake of
my life. We all probably would have been better off. And two people would still
be alive. But thoughts like that are useless now. The deed is done.
A
soon as I picked up the phone that early evening, the caller began, without any
preliminaries, "Your wife is having an affair."
"Who in the hell is this? “ I screamed
into the phone. “What are you saying? You’re crazy.”
The
voice on the other end did not answer my questions but instead more forcefully
than before repeated the phrase. "Your wife is having an affair. “
Before I could say anything more, the caller
hung up the phone. I frantically tried to check out the name and number of the
caller on my cell phone but everything was blocked. I even called Verizon but
they said they couldn’t help me either. Something about the phone being an
untraceable throwaway, like the kind that the drug dealers use to communicate
with their clients.
At first, I refused to believe some anonymous
bastard who calls at the end of the day and makes such an absurd accusation.
I guess it’s a little like when patients are
told that they have terminal cancer and only a few months to live. They say
that their first reaction is almost always the same: disbelief, “It can’t
happen to me.”
My wife
having an affair, no, that's just not possible. The caller must be
mistaken. The caller must have dialed
the wrong number. Those were my initial reactions.
We had
been married almost 15 years. Yeah, our marriage wasn’t exactly perfect. Like
most guys I had fooled around a little bit.
You know how it is. Guys will be
guys. But my wife, no, I was sure, no
way.
But you know how it can be sometimes? Some things can just gnaw at you. Well, that
call was one of those things. I just
could not get it out of my head. It was
there when I woke up in the morning and when I went to bed at night. In between, throughout the day, it seemed
like that call was just about all I thought about.
A few days after receiving the call, I began
watching my wife closely at home. All of a sudden, just [1] about everything she did seemed to me to be
suspicious. If she went to the grocery
store at night, I sometimes followed her. I particularly noticed that she started
getting these phone calls in the evening, sometimes even after ten o’clock. She
never received those kind of calls before. When I asked her about them, she
simply said she was working on a special Christmas gift for me. She said that she had to make some sort of
special arrangements for the gift through the seller on EBay. She claimed that the guy who was selling the
gift could only talk to her at night. It sounded fairly plausible at the time
and anyway, I really wanted to believe her.
She was just thinking of me, that’s all.
What a relief.
But the
thought of what that anonymous caller had said would not leave me. A week or so
later, I decided that I had to confront her with what that caller had said to
me. I was burning up inside and I had to know for sure. Was that anonymous caller right?
So, after dinner one evening and after the kids
had gone downstairs to play in our new rec room, I took her into the den and
closed the door. I said to her as casually as I could, “You won’t believe this,
babe, but I got this call a couple of weeks ago. Some guy called and said you were having an
affair.”
There was absolutely no change in her
expression as she responded as calmly as I had been, maybe even more so, “You
have got to be kidding, honey. How could
you possibly believe some jerk who calls you up and makes a crazy claim like
that? You know I only love you.” She
grabbed me around the waist, hugged me and kissed me hard.
That night we made love for the first time in
what seemed like months. Things were good again, just like that.
She sounded so convincing in her denials that I
just had to believe her. I even felt sort of foolish that I had doubted her and
accepted at face value what some anonymous caller lied to me about my
wife. Who do I believe? This stranger or my lovely wife? The choice was easy at the time. That nasty
caller was just trying to stir
me up so I would do something crazy. But the caller was wrong and when I found
out who it was……well, that would have been a very different story.
But then it all came crashing down on Christmas
day. Of all days on the calendar, it had to be Christmas! My favorite holiday of all. I happened to get up early that Christmas morning,
even before the kids. When it comes to Christmas, I have to admit, I’m like a
little kid myself. I can’t wait to get started. Even though it was still early
and dark outside, I went downstairs as soon as I woke up to see what gifts were
there. My wife was still sleeping.
I first turned on the Christmas tree
lights. The tree was all sparkly with
the white lights and silver ornaments we had hung the day before. I was in the
best mood.
Then I began sifting through the presents my
wife had piled high under the tree, looking for that special gift she had
promised me. I found a large box wrapped in gold foil with a green Christmas
tag and picture of Santa taped to the top of the box. “This is it,” I thought. But then I looked at the tag a little
closer. The tag was addressed to
“MS". Who the hell was MS? The tag also read, “With all my love forever.”
What kind of crap is that? She had never written or said anything like that to
me--- ever. Instantly, I realized she
had mistakenly put a gift for her lover under our tree. That was it. I was sure now that she was having affair.
The caller was right after all. The only
question is with whom? Who could this bastard MS be?
When my wife came downstairs a few minutes
later, she must have realized her mistake because she grabbed the gift from
under the tree and ran upstairs with it where she apparently hid it because I
never saw it again. I don’t think she had any idea that I had already seen
it. I made a quick decision not to say a word to her at the time about the
gift. After all, it was Christmas and the kids were now up and opening
presents. Why create a fuss now? Now that I knew it was true, it could wait
until after the holidays. And my actions
then would speak louder than anything I could possibly say now or ever. Much
louder.
“MS," who in the hell could that be? I pondered that all day that Christmas day,
ignoring my kids as they played with their new toys. The next day, back at
work, as I was sitting at my desk, I realized that there was really only one
man it could be. One man with those initials who was such an asshole that he
would even dare to fool around with my wife. Once I knew who it was, I had figure
out how to make him pay.
I t was a couple of days
later that I finally caught up with him.
When I confronted him, of course, he denied it. He swore up and down
that whoever told me that he was having an affair with my wife was lying. But I didn't believe him for a moment. His reputation had preceded him. When I
pulled out my gun, he could see I was serious and he started begging for his
life, like some sniveling little kid. I couldn’t stand it anymore.
Unfortunately, it was just then that the woman appeared in the room. She must have heard him begging me for his
life and came to the room to see what was going on.
Then it all happened.
I shot them both. Blood
splattered everywhere in the room. Both of them fell to the ground moaning, but
I could see the looks of disbelief on both of their faces before they
fell. I had to finish them off with a
second bullet. It was the humane thing to do.
After I removed the bodies from the room and
stashed them in the trunk of my car, it took me almost three hours and four
bottles of Clorox to clean up the bloody mess. I was pretty certain I got it
all.
I know one thing: No one will ever suspect me. Never,
not me. Not in a million years. HAHA, Hell, they won’t even find the
bodies. They are long gone. I made sure
of that. They will just be two missing persons.
And even if they do suspect me, what in the
world are they going to do about it? Nothing!
I remember reading once something that
Shakespeare wrote in one of his plays, “Murder will out.” But all I have to say to that is, “Not this
time, Will. No way. Not this time.”
Dead in the Water
I just wanted to let everyone know that my mystery novel, Dead in the Water is free just for today on Amazon for Kindle. If you decide to download the book, please consider writing a review on Amazon and Goodreads. Reviews are the lifeblood of independent authors like me. Thanks.
Friday, January 29, 2016
More Evdence High Intensity Interval Exercise (HIIT) Works
Still trying to lose weight the old-fashioned way with hours of strenuous exercises in the gym doing exercises that leave you exhausted but.no thinner? Do you cringe every time you watch the contestants on The Biggest Loser go through their Last Chance Workouts with Bob Harper yelling in their ears?
ME TOO!
I'm here to tell you that you don't have to subject yourself to all that misery. And it doesn't work anyways!
The secret is out!
High Intensity Interval Training WORKS!
A recent study by researchers at Ohio State University has confirmed that alternating fast and slow periods of exercise may increase your weight loss. For example, walking or running for a minute fast followed by several minutes of slow walking can improve your chances of losing wcight.
The researchers believe this type of alternating fast and slow periods increase the matabolic burn,
The great thing about it is that you can perform any type of exercise in this manner to achieve these results. These include using the treadmill or bicycle.
So, just remember to hurry up but also slow down!
ME TOO!
I'm here to tell you that you don't have to subject yourself to all that misery. And it doesn't work anyways!
The secret is out!
High Intensity Interval Training WORKS!
A recent study by researchers at Ohio State University has confirmed that alternating fast and slow periods of exercise may increase your weight loss. For example, walking or running for a minute fast followed by several minutes of slow walking can improve your chances of losing wcight.
The researchers believe this type of alternating fast and slow periods increase the matabolic burn,
The great thing about it is that you can perform any type of exercise in this manner to achieve these results. These include using the treadmill or bicycle.
So, just remember to hurry up but also slow down!
An Open Letter from One Loser to a Winner
I have tried to avoid politics in this blog, not because I don't have ideas that are political but because I think politics is very private and individual. I try to respect everyone's political views even if I strongly disagree.
But there is one current politician who stands alone in his contempt for those who disagree with him. I'm speaking about Donald Trump of course.
Trump would undoubtedly call me a "loser" because unlike this "favorite son" he never served a minute in the military or in Vietnam. I did but I consider myself extremely lucky that I was a company clerk like Mash's Radar.
Unlike Senator John McCain, I'm clearly no hero, but I am throughly disgusted with the rantings of this third rate businessman, the Donald.
I did not wach Trump's so-called telethon for vets last night but I am sure like his television show it was thoroughly entertaining. I am sure he wrapped himself in the American flag and professed his undying support for vets. Well, Mr. Trump, you fooled no one.
You were afraid to face questions of substance in the Republican presidential debate because you have no substance.
When I think of Mr Trump, I am often reminded of that famous challenge by attorney Joseph Welch of that other demagogue, Senator Joseph McCarthy, during the Army Mc Carthy hearings in the early 1950s: "Have you.no sense of decency, sir?"
That was the beginning of the end for Senator McCarthy and we can only hope that Mr Trump's blatant attempt to use the millions of veterans of this country for his crass political purposes will fail,and fail miserably.
But there is one current politician who stands alone in his contempt for those who disagree with him. I'm speaking about Donald Trump of course.
Trump would undoubtedly call me a "loser" because unlike this "favorite son" he never served a minute in the military or in Vietnam. I did but I consider myself extremely lucky that I was a company clerk like Mash's Radar.
Unlike Senator John McCain, I'm clearly no hero, but I am throughly disgusted with the rantings of this third rate businessman, the Donald.
I did not wach Trump's so-called telethon for vets last night but I am sure like his television show it was thoroughly entertaining. I am sure he wrapped himself in the American flag and professed his undying support for vets. Well, Mr. Trump, you fooled no one.
You were afraid to face questions of substance in the Republican presidential debate because you have no substance.
When I think of Mr Trump, I am often reminded of that famous challenge by attorney Joseph Welch of that other demagogue, Senator Joseph McCarthy, during the Army Mc Carthy hearings in the early 1950s: "Have you.no sense of decency, sir?"
That was the beginning of the end for Senator McCarthy and we can only hope that Mr Trump's blatant attempt to use the millions of veterans of this country for his crass political purposes will fail,and fail miserably.
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Friday, December 18, 2015
Is Cancer Avoidable?
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/studies-clash-over-causes-of-cancer/
A recent study reported in Nature Magazine and in Scientific American suggests that up to 90% of all types of cancers are due to personal choices and environmental factors. These include diet, exercise, smoking and exposure to radiation and other carcinogens rather than just "bad luck" as some other studies have suggested. If interested in this study, just click on the above link.
A recent study reported in Nature Magazine and in Scientific American suggests that up to 90% of all types of cancers are due to personal choices and environmental factors. These include diet, exercise, smoking and exposure to radiation and other carcinogens rather than just "bad luck" as some other studies have suggested. If interested in this study, just click on the above link.
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Monday, November 9, 2015
New Book: A Reservation for Murder
A Reservation for Murder
A
Lieutenant Morales Mystery
“Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.”
Sun-Tzu, Chinese general and military
strategist, (400 BC)
“You can check out any time you like, but you can
never leave.”
Hotel
California
Eagles
Chapter 1
Nothing much ever happens
on Pine Island. So it was all the more surprising when a man who was fishing
from the Matlacha drawbridge saw a body floating in the water in Pine Island
Sound just a few feet away from the bridge. It was even more surprising when
that body turned out to belong to Mike Sullivan.
The
body of Mike Sullivan was the first body discovered in Pine Island Sound that
January. But it was not the last.
Mike
Sullivan was anything but an ordinary kind of guy. He was a part- time fisherman
and a full-time jerk. Although he had
been on the island only a few months, he had managed to alienate half the
island. Night after night, as he sat drinking Coors Light after Coors Light at
the bar of the Sunset Bar and Grill, he boasted about his many conquests to his
few friends and anyone else who would listen.
He claimed that there wasn’t a woman on the island that he couldn’t bed
if he really wanted to. And with his
wavy dark hair and brooding brown eyes, many a woman on the island had already fallen
to his charms.
Recently,
Sullivan seemed to have come into some money, no one knew for sure from where
or how much. But he was clearly spending it freely. He had bought himself a brand new, candy
apple red, Ford F-150 pickup truck with a trailer hitch. The trailer hitch was
for a new 32 foot fishing boat which he now kept moored near the Bonita
Lodge. A couple of people from the
island had been surprised to see him in downtown Fort Myers on several
occasions recently wearing a blue pin-striped
suit and fancy black loafers, rather than the scruffy jeans and rubber waders
he usually wore. That new suit would come in handy now that he was dead and the
undertaker laid him out for his funeral, The island’s undertaker, Jeffrey
Bonnett, always prided himself on how well the deceased looked in his funeral
parlor after he had worked on them. “Hell,”
Bonnett often bragged, “some of these poor bastards look better dead
than they ever did when they were alive.”
He was particularly proud of the work he did
on Sullivan. “He looks like a movie star.” he said, “A goddam movie star.”
When
word got around the island that Sullivan had been found dead in the waters of
Pine Island Sound, there were not a few men on the island who were relieved.
And quite a number of women who were moved to tears.
Labels:
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Thursday, September 17, 2015
Free Book
If you haven't already read my legal mystery, Dead in the Water, you are in luck. For the next three days, from September 18 through September 20, it will be available for free for Kindle on Amazon. Now, you have no excuse for not reading this book, which has been called by one reviewer,
"An exciting thriller with plenty of surprises" and "A good entertaining read." If you do decide to read Dead in the Water, I would be extremely grateful if you would post a review on Amazon. Reviews are the lifeblood of indie authors like me. So, thanks, and please enjoy.
P.S. Today the book is on sale at its regular price of $1.99 if you just can't wait to read it.
http://www.amazon.com/Water-Lieutenant-Morales-Legal-Mystery-ebook/dp/B00U35Z7CS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1442489447&sr=8-1&keywords=dead+in+the+water+basinski
"An exciting thriller with plenty of surprises" and "A good entertaining read." If you do decide to read Dead in the Water, I would be extremely grateful if you would post a review on Amazon. Reviews are the lifeblood of indie authors like me. So, thanks, and please enjoy.
P.S. Today the book is on sale at its regular price of $1.99 if you just can't wait to read it.
http://www.amazon.com/Water-Lieutenant-Morales-Legal-Mystery-ebook/dp/B00U35Z7CS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1442489447&sr=8-1&keywords=dead+in+the+water+basinski
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September 18 through September 20
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today
Thursday, September 10, 2015
A View of Life
Some people say you should live every day like it is your last. I say live life every day like it is your first.
Thursday, August 27, 2015
Praise for "Dead in the Water"
My mystery novel, Dead in the Water, has received some excellent reviews and for those, I could not be more grateful. One of those very recent reviews was particularly kind. In the review, the reviewer described as an avid reader opined "Mr Basinski may now join the ranks of Gresham, Donnelley, and Turow."
Labels:
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excellent review
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grateful
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Gresham
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rNks
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Wednesday, August 19, 2015
Dead in the Water hits the Amazon Best Seller Lists!
Mystery Financial
As of today, my book, Dead in the Water is ranked No. 5 in the Mystery/Suspense/Thriller/Financial category for Kindle books. Please see the above link. Many thanks to all of you who have purchased the book. I would be extremely grateful if you would please write a review on Amazon or Goodreads. Reviews are the independent writer's best friend. Thanks to all.
As of today, my book, Dead in the Water is ranked No. 5 in the Mystery/Suspense/Thriller/Financial category for Kindle books. Please see the above link. Many thanks to all of you who have purchased the book. I would be extremely grateful if you would please write a review on Amazon or Goodreads. Reviews are the independent writer's best friend. Thanks to all.
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Wednesday, July 29, 2015
Whirl Magazine
I just wanted to let everyone know that an article about my book, Dead in the Water, appears in the August 2015 issue of Whirl Magazine. Take a look at page 29 which features and article entitled "Write On" that discusses my book and my career.
Thanks to all at Whirl for the great job, especially, Rachel, Matthew and, of course, Christine.
Please take a look at the article and I hope you will also buy the book, which is available on Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com
Thanks to all at Whirl for the great job, especially, Rachel, Matthew and, of course, Christine.
Please take a look at the article and I hope you will also buy the book, which is available on Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com
Labels:
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Monday, July 27, 2015
Beach Essential: Dead in the Water
Please see the attached photograph courtesy of my friend, Dave Wentley, the son of my mentor, Dick Wentley. What a great idea!
News Release: Lieutenant Morales is a Success
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Reviewers
Demand More of Lieutenant Morales, the new Hero of the Mystery Thriller, Dead in the Water
PITTSBURGH, PA (July 27, 2015)---Readers of A.J. Basinski’s debut mystery thriller, Dead in the Water, find the hero of the novel.
Lieutenant Mario Morales, to be almost irresistible.
Since its
release last February, Dead in the Water,
has garnered extremely positive reviews from casual readers as well as
editorial reviewers. Most of those
reviewers have focused on the appeal of Lieutenant Morales. One recent Amazon
reviewer has called Lieutenant Morales, the “next James Bond.”
The esteemed Kirkus
Reviews has referred to Lieutenant Morales as a “steely man who won’t stop
until he finds a solution.”
Reviewers on the Onlinebookclub.org website have
compared Morales to Hercule Poirot, Agatha Christie’s famed detective.
One thing all of the reviewers have consistently
requested is more of Lieutenant Morales. Author Basinski has commented that “I
am extremely pleased with the way readers have embraced Morales. I am truly
humbled by the comparisons with James Bond and Hercule Poirot. Of course, I will not disappoint the readers
who have asked for more books featuring Lieutenant Morales. I am currently writing
a second Morales novel, tentatively titled, A
Reservation for Murder. Readers should look for the new book this fall. In
the meanwhile, I hope they will enjoy Dead
in the Water.”
Dead
in the Water is available for download as an e-book at
Amazon.com, http://www.amazon.com, and Barnes and Noble.com,
http://www.barnesandnoble.com. It is
also available in paperback on both of those websites.
CONTACT
For more information, contact the author, A.J.
Basinski, at ajbasins@hotmail.com
or by phone at 412-780-6659.
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