"Blood & Ashes" - AVAILABLE on Amazon.co.uk

Loeffelholz · October 2009

Hey everybody...just wanted to give a shout-out to my new website...

http://oscarjade.com/index.html

...which is intended as the first step in promoting Blood & Ashes, the debut novel for Oscar Jade, whom I hope will feature in several more...

It's a very basic site thus far---I hope to upgrade it soon, and will definitely do so early in 2010 when the book shows up on Amazon.com, etc...but in the meantime, I'm trying to figure out how to put some vintage 1940s music on the site...have a guest book, etc...

Anyway, thanks for looking!

Mr Martini · October 2009

Site looks good. Good luck once the book is released.

Mr Martini · October 2009

Just looking at your website again. I have to ask, is that your 1935 Ford Roadster Loeff?

Loeffelholz · October 2009

Mr Martini wrote:

Just looking at your website again. I have to ask, is that your 1935 Ford Roadster Loeff?

Gawd, I wish

Unfortunately, Jade's roadster is pure escapism/wish fulfillment :x

When I was doing research for the book, I knew I wanted Jade to drive something that looked fairly ordinary, but was faster than the cop cars of the time. When I came across pictures of this beauty, I had my answer B-) After talking with my brother-in-law, a mechanic and Ford fan---and help from AJBer Donald Grant, with the supercharger---Jade's roadster took final shape.

I'm going to have to sell a lot of books to pick up one of those... ;%

7289 · October 2009

Loeffelholz,

Excellent site, does it's job and provokes a good deal of interest in your novel.

My advice, make sure your publisher oneline or print puts YOUR name on the novel!!!

Barry Nelson · October 2009

Nice site, the promo wetted my appetite for the book, especially since I like that time period and detective novels.

Good luck with the book and site.

Loeffelholz · October 2009

Thanks very much, fellows -{

7289 wrote:

Excellent site, does it's job and provokes a good deal of interest in your novel...My advice, make sure your publisher online or print puts YOUR name on the novel!!!

Oh, yeah. Absolutely :v My name will be on the cover, but I'm more interested in Jade becoming famous B-) I just want to sell books...

What I want to do is make Oscar Jade a brand name...rather like another fictional character who comes to mind :007) That's the primary reason I used 'oscarjade.com' instead of my own name for the site---and why I didn't throw my character's name around a lot before the site went up: I didn't want some squatter coming along and grabbing up the domain name

Like Fleming did with Bond, Blood & Ashes is written in third person rather than first. Hopefully it will keep Jade slightly mysterious.

Asp9mm · October 2009

Looking forward to it Loeffs.

darenhat · October 2009

Very nice site! It certainly serves as an excellent teaser for what sounds like a thrilling novel! Nicely done!

Asp9mm · October 2009

Hope the main character is going to be suitably 'tooled up'.

Loeffelholz · October 2009

Asp9mm wrote:

Hope the main character is going to be suitably 'tooled up'.

Be assured B-)

Oscar Jade carries a Smith & Wesson 'Military & Police' .38 with a two-inch barrel...but there are 'pick-ups' aplenty: the 1911 Colt .45, Colt .38 Police Positives...

Also making cameo appearances are the Thompson .45 and the BAR .30-06...and other surprises...

Mr Martini · October 2009

Just curious, the name Oscar Jade. The first name has 5 letters and the last name 4 letters (just like James Bond), is that a coincidence or done on purpose?

Alex · October 2009

Very cool Loeff! I look foward to purchasing a copy.

Is there hope of selling in brick and mortar stores, or is this strictly online ordering?

Loeffelholz · October 2009

Mr Martini wrote:

Just curious, the name Oscar Jade. The first name has 5 letters and the last name 4 letters (just like James Bond), is that a coincidence or done on purpose?

That's interesting! Actually, it's a coincidence. Oscar was my grandfather's name (and is my father's middle name). Jade was a name I stumbled upon, literally, after writing three or four pages of possible last names---I just liked the sound of it ;% Originally he was going to be Allen Jade...but my brother (Another Loeff) suggested Oscar. "It's a tough guy name," he said. I wrote it down and knew it was the right name. Kinda cool about the same number of letters as James Bond, though! B-)

Alex wrote:

Very cool Loeff! I look foward to purchasing a copy.

Thanks Alex! I really appreciate that.

Alex wrote:

Is there hope of selling in brick and mortar stores, or is this strictly online ordering?

It'll get into Publisher's Weekly and will go into the Ingram Book Group's database...so it will be available to bookstores everywhere through distributors---if they decide to order it. Getting real estate (shelf space) in a book store is damned difficult for an unknown...but I'm hoping some word of mouth will go my way. I'm going to do everything I can to promote the hell out of it---starting locally and then expanding outward if I can sell a few as I go. Never say never!

Pendragon · October 2009

can't wait for the book, Loeff! sounds like a real page turner!

00-Agent · October 2009

Loeffelholz wrote:

It'll get into Publisher's Weekly and will go into the Ingram Book Group's database...so it will be available to bookstores everywhere through distributors---if they decide to order it. Getting real estate (shelf space) in a book store is damned difficult for an unknown...but I'm hoping some word of mouth will go my way. I'm going to do everything I can to promote the hell out of it---starting locally and then expanding outward if I can sell a few as I go. Never say never!

I'm sure some of us here at AJB would be willing to go into our local bookstore and order a copy through them if you think that will help. I know nothing about book publishing, but maybe instead of ordering just one copy they will pick up some extra copies to have on hand since they are ordering anyway. Best of luck to you, it sounds like an interesting book. I will definately be picking up a copy.

Asp9mm · October 2009

Loeffelholz wrote:

Asp9mm wrote:

Hope the main character is going to be suitably 'tooled up'.

Be assured B-)

Oscar Jade carries a Smith & Wesson 'Military & Police' .38 with a two-inch barrel...but there are 'pick-ups' aplenty: the 1911 Colt .45, Colt .38 Police Positives...

Also making cameo appearances are the Thompson .45 and the BAR .30-06...and other surprises...

Excellent

thesecretagent · October 2009

You're doing everything right, Leoffs. You've got serious interest from people who like the genre. My appetite is well and truly whetted. Will watch this space.

Loeffelholz · October 2009

thesecretagent wrote:

You're doing everything right, Loeffs. You've got serious interest from people who like the genre. My appetite is well and truly whetted. Will watch this space.

Thanks, tss -{ I've just gotten confirmation from my editor for a developmental edit during the first two weeks of November. One more robust rewrite after that, then comes the line (mechanical) edit...and then we start moving toward a publishing date

Barbel · October 2009

Site looks great, Loeff. I believe I'm owed an autographed copy...

Loeffelholz · October 2009

Barbel wrote:

Site looks great, Loeff. I believe I'm owed an autographed copy...

Indeed you are, my friend... {[]

Barry Nelson · October 2009

Loeffs, I know you don't want to give too much away, but I assume your book has a femme fatale, can you tell us what your inspiration for her was?

Also, I know you have read all of Fleming's work and much of Mickey Spillane's work, as have I. Would you say your style is similar to either of those authors, or is it just the Loeff's style?

TonyDP · October 2009

Site's looking very good Loeffs. The detective/mystery genre typically isn't my thing but I'll be sure to follow your progress and look forward to sampling some of the prose down the road.

Best of luck on your enterprise; I sincerely hope it leads to bigger and better things.

Napoleon Plural · October 2009

Great name for a detective, and cool wheels too. Not a bad start.

There is an Oscar Jade on Facebook. Are you about to make his life hell, Loeffs?

"Yeah, and I'm Dick Tracy..."

I'd tighten some of the blurb on the website however.

Of course, they didn't have cell phones back then... that could be a problem.

Loeffelholz · October 2009

Barry Nelson wrote:

Loeffs, I know you don't want to give too much away, but I assume your book has a femme fatale, can you tell us what your inspiration for her as?

I will say that model/actress Tricia Helfer, who played the hot blonde Cylon in the latest incarnation of Battlestar Galactica, is the physical inspiration :x Though she might be a bit old now, as my character is only 21 or 22 years old...

Barry Nelson wrote:

Also, I know you have read all of Fleming's work and much of Mickey Spillane's work, as have I. Would you say your style is similar to either of those authors, or is it just the Loeff's style?

I'd be lying if I didn't say Fleming was a huge influence ;% He is the reason I opted for third-person, rather than the more typical first-person narrative (Spillane, etc). Those who are familiar with the Fleming Bonds will find the occasional Easter Egg, :v left quite deliberately. My style is my own, though. The piece gets much more violent in the third act than I'd anticipated...

Napoleon Plural wrote:

There is an Oscar Jade on Facebook. Are you about to make his life hell, Loeffs? "Yeah, and I'm Dick Tracy..."

OMG

I thought you were kidding, until I did a search. So weird...I did a google search, etc., when I thought up the name, and couldn't find anything...well, with any luck, I will make his life interesting. If he never learns about his fictional counterpart, I will have (at least partially) failed to make Oscar Jade a brand name...

Napoleon Plural wrote:

I'd tighten some of the blurb on the website however.

Shoot me a PM about what you see as the weak bits. I'm open to suggestions!

Napoleon Plural wrote:

Of course, they didn't have cell phones back then...

For me, that's one of the appeals of going 'old school'...no DNA, no cell phones, et al. It 's a different kind of storytelling: simpler times, with better-defined heroes and villains. I'm gambling/hoping there's an audience for 'retro.'

Barbel · October 2009

Loeffelholz wrote:

Napoleon Plural wrote:

There is an Oscar Jade on Facebook. Are you about to make his life hell, Loeffs? "Yeah, and I'm Dick Tracy..."

OMG I thought you were kidding, until I did a search. So weird...I did a google search, etc., when I thought up the name, and couldn't find anything...well, with any luck, I will make his life interesting. If he never learns about his fictional counterpart, I will have (at least partially) failed to make Oscar Jade a brand name...

He's not an ornithologist, is he? Just wondering!

Napoleon Plural · October 2009

Ah yes, I thought that last bit might have gone over your head as it's a British thing. Over here, in cinemas before the main film we have an Orange mobile advert in which a famous actor pitches an idea to some movie moguls, who are keen to inject a cell phone element into the film (which makes a travesty of the original idea). The message that follows goes: "Don't let your mobile (cell) phone spoil the movie. Switch it off."

As with the late Patrick Swayze's example:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKHioCYvmO8

Loeffelholz · October 2009

Barbel wrote:

Loeffelholz wrote:

Napoleon Plural wrote:

There is an Oscar Jade on Facebook. Are you about to make his life hell, Loeffs? "Yeah, and I'm Dick Tracy..."

OMG I thought you were kidding, until I did a search. So weird...I did a google search, etc., when I thought up the name, and couldn't find anything...well, with any luck, I will make his life interesting. If he never learns about his fictional counterpart, I will have (at least partially) failed to make Oscar Jade a brand name...

He's not an ornithologist, is he? Just wondering!

) He certainly looks young...and not at all like my Oscar Jade...

Loeffelholz · November 2009

I've tweaked the website a bit...links to Facebook, Twitter and a 'recommend this site to friends' link...but my favourite new feature is on the "Blood & Ashes" page: if you click the 'play' button, it should play "Dolores," by Bing Crosby---a song that was a hit in mid-to-late 1941, and features in the book during a crucial moment...

If it works, please let me know...Thanks! -{

EDIT: And please sign my guest book... {[]

Loeffelholz · November 2009

Got an email from my editor, who says she's on schedule...

I should know the extent of my refreshed workload a week from today {:)

Pendragon · November 2009

Loeffelholz wrote:

Got an email from my editor, who says she's on schedule... I should know the extent of my refreshed workload a week from today {:)

hooray!!! {[]

"Blood & Ashes" - AVAILABLE on Amazon.co.uk

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