Announcements

Now available: A MAN NAMED BASKERVILLE

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Cover of "A Man Named Baskerville" by Jim Nelson

IT’S HERE!

He took on Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, and he lost. Now he wants revenge.

In 1888, Sherlock Holmes slayed the spectral hound haunting the Devonshire moor, thereby laying to rest the curse of the Baskervilles once and for all. The perpetrator escaped into the night and was presumed drowned, consumed by the murky bog…

In truth, the criminal mastermind survived the night to nurse his wounds and plot his revenge against Sherlock Holmes.

A MAN NAMED BASKERVILLE recounts the life and times of Rodger Baskerville, exiled heir to the esteemed family’s fortune. His journal records his adventures from the Amazon rainforests to the beaches of Costa Rica to Victorian England, where he attempts to take his rightful place at Baskerville Hall. Along the way, he peels back the layers of family secrets and scandals untold in Dr. Watson’s account of the demonic hound haunting the Baskervilles.

Most of all, he describes a Sherlock Holmes unlike the legendary detective you think you know.

A MAN NAMED BASKERVILLE retells the infamous Arthur Conan Doyle mystery in a way you’ve never read before. It’s a sizzling new take on a classic hailed as a masterpiece of the English language, named one of the most influential books ever by the BBC and Le Monde, and beloved by Sherlock Holmes fans worldwide for over a century.

It’s a rousing adventure, from start to finish! What’s more—it’s a Sherlock Holmes story unlike any you’ve read before.

A MAN NAMED BASKERVILLE is now available for Kindle download! Order it now for the new release price of 99¢! And the book is FREE for Kindle Unlimited subscribers.


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Sign up now for A MAN NAMED BASKERVILLE book tour

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If you’re a bookblogger, booktuber, or someone who loves and reviews books, I’m working with Escapist Book Tours for the release of my next novel, A Man Named Baskerville.

Read more about my latest book here, and if you’re interested, sign-up to join the tour! It runs April 18th to 24th. Slots are limited, so sign-up now.


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Coming soon: A MAN NAMED BASKERVILLE

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Cover of "A Man Named Baskerville" by Jim Nelson

I’d like to tell you about my upcoming novel, A Man Named Baskerville.

The germ for the book comes from a train trip across Japan where I had nothing to read save for a collection of Sherlock Holmes stories. From there I read The Hound of the Baskervilles and developed an idea I stored away inside my writing notebook:

What if I told Doyle’s original book from the point of view of the criminal rather than Dr. Watson?

I let this simple idea simmer for a few years before taking up the task. The result is my latest novel, due for publication this March.

To offer a taste, here’s my current back cover blurb:

He took on Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, and he lost.

Now he wants revenge.

In 1888, Sherlock Holmes slayed the spectral hound haunting the Devonshire moor, thereby laying to rest the curse of the Baskervilles once and for all. The perpetrator escaped into the night and was presumed drowned, consumed by the murky bog…

In truth, the criminal mastermind survived the night to nurse his wounds and plot his revenge against Sherlock Holmes.

A Man Named Baskerville recounts the life and times of Rodger Baskerville, heir to the esteemed family’s fortune. His journal records his adventures from the Amazon rainforests to the beaches of Costa Rica to Victorian England, where he attempts to rejoin his family and take his rightful place at Baskerville Hall. Along the way, he peels back the layers of family secrets and scandals untold in Watson’s account of the demonic hound haunting the Baskervilles.

Most of all, he describes a Sherlock Holmes unlike the detective you think you know.

A Man Named Baskerville retells the infamous Arthur Conan Doyle mystery in a way like you’ve never read before. It’s a sizzling new take on a classic hailed as a masterpiece of the English language, named one of the most influential books ever by the BBC and Le Monde, and beloved by Sherlock Holmes fans worldwide for over a century.

A Man Named Baskerville is a Victorian-era novel of crime and suspense about what may be the least-understood criminal in the Sherlock Holmes canon. As Holmes said of him, “We have never had a foeman more worthy of our steel … He is a creature of infinite patience and craft, with a smiling face and a murderous heart.”

He also has a story of his own to tell, and that’s what A Man Named Baskerville is about.

If you want to be notified when the book is ready, sign up for my newsletter. Not only will you get a message when it’s ready, you’ll have a chance to buy early copies at a reduced price.

Advance readers wanted

I’m currently seeking advance readers. If you’d like to read an ARC (Advance Review Copy):

  • Send me an email at jimbonator@gmail.com with the Subject: line “ARC for A Man Named Baskerville”
  • I’ll send you a link to download a digital copy (in either EPUB or MOBI format)
  • You read it (sooner rather than later)
  • You submit an honest and personal review on its Amazon page when the book is released

And that’s all there is to it.

Note that the advance copy you receive may still have typos, small errors, etc. It will be missing the cover and the usual front and back matter. I’m now using the BookFunnel service to distribute ARCs, which should make it easy to load the book into your e-reader (or read online).

The ARC is not ready at this moment. If you email me, you should expect to receive a copy in the middle of March, about 1 to 2 weeks before the book is published.

Thank you!


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Past Present, an interactive short story

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A Dreamers Travel Destination, L. Whittaker (CC BY-NC 2.0)

Some of you know my day job is computer programming, but you might not know the reason I first became drawn to the infernal machines: I wanted to write video games.

One youthful goal in particular was to write an interactive fiction—another term for a “text adventure,” a type of video game that was quite popular in the 1980s. Instead of relying on graphics, sounds, and animation, it’s a game where the player reads descriptions and enters commands. You’re interacting with the story more than reading the story.

It’s funny to look back to 1978 (or so) and recall my younger self as so eager to write the next Asteroids or Galaga. Forty-plus years later, after writing and debugging countless lines of code, I never once managed to cough together a program that could be construed a video game.

Until now. Recently I decided to check the box on this lifelong goal and see how far I can take it.

I’ve released my first interactive fiction, a game called Past Present. I describe it as akin to a Twilight Zone episode: The main character, an average man, is given a fantastic opportunity to change his past, and perhaps change his future as well. It’s a short game, one that can be played in a single sitting.

If you’re interested, head over to the game’s home page for more information, downloading instructions, and even a link for playing the game online.


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IN MY MEMORY LOCKED selected for the SPSFC

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In My Memory Locked by Jim Nelson

This morning I received an email informing me In My Memory Locked was accepted for the Self-Published Science Fiction Competition (SPSFC).

This is the contest organized by Hugh Howey (WOOL) and Duncan Swan (Monstre), well-known authors in the independent publishing arena. They’ve organized ten teams of 59 judges (authors, readers, and podcasters) to narrow the field to a final winner.

Three hundred books were selected for the running, so there’s plenty of competition. The SPSFC generated a ton of buzz via word-of-mouth in the self-publishing community. The number of entrants blew past the 300 mark within hours of accepting applications. I’m plenty proud to have made the first cut.

The first round group my entry is a part of will be judged by File 770.

If you’re curious what the hub-bub is over, check out In My Memory Locked, available now in Kindle and paperback.

Semi-finalists will be announced January of next year. Finalists and winner are announced in June. Fingers crossed!


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Three specials for the new year

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If you’re looking for new books to read this year, I’ve partnered with over 300 authors to offer specials on new books and boxed sets:

NEW MYSTERY & SUSPENSE – A collection of new mystery, crime, and suspense novels, many with a special price. Includes my novel of suspense and paranoia, Man in the Middle, on sale for 99¢.

KINDLE UNLIMITED BONANZA – Adventure, science-fiction, romance, and fantasy books, all available free for Kindle Unlimited subscribers. Includes the Bridge Daughter Cycle boxed set and my cyber-noir In My Memory Locked. Voracious readers apply here.

SCI-FI & FANTASY GIVEAWAY – Hundreds of free science-fiction and fantasy e-books available free for a sign-up. Includes the first book in my Bridge Daughter series.

Too many books! All promotions end February 28. Please give these authors a try, or use this as an opportunity to pick up one of my reads.


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Complete Series Binge Bundles Under $10

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The Bridge Daughter Cycle: Books One to Three by Jim Nelson

If you’re looking for some post-holiday reading, my three-part family saga Bridge Daughter Cycle has been included in the Complete Series Binge Bundles Under $10 special. Over forty complete book series from various authors are available at reduced boxed set prices, including all three books of the Bridge Daughter Cycle for $4.99. The series includes science-fiction, mystery, suspense, and fantasy.

If you’re interested, check out the full listing here. This special ends January 11th, 2021, so check it out while you can.


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