Dateline: Jerusalem - Zion Falling

Goodeknight

New member
Hello folks,

Just wanted to announce that I recently published my first novel. After 17 years in journalism, I decided it was time to write a (fictional) novel about about a reporter's adventures abroad.

In Dateline: Jerusalem - Zion Falling, the main character is a television reporter who gets selected to go on his station?s first ever overseas assignment. He gets caught up in a terrorist plot to destroy the nation of Israel, and reconnects with an old flame who dropped off the grid six years earlier. Murder, romance, intrigue, etc., etc.

** Currently ranks as the #1 Hot New Release in its category. **

Available in digital format, and paperback. Check it out!

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MPOAE4G

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Pale Horse

Moderator
Staff member
Couple of things here:

A) True praise. Good job goodeknight, getting to number one in a saturated market is noteworthy, and I hope the efforts to write and self publish are met with the same duration as I know that process can create. I will probably pull myself a copy and read for fun, not critique. (rare for me) Plus, I'll say I know the author well, when recommending it to my circles.

B) Now the fun part of the internet...trolling.
You think picking such an ambigious and non controversial title had anything to do with your rise to popularity? ~wink~
 

Goodeknight

New member
Pale Horse said:
A) True praise. Good job goodeknight, getting to number one in a saturated market is noteworthy, and I hope the efforts to write and self publish are met with the same duration as I know that process can create. I will probably pull myself a copy and read for fun, not critique. (rare for me) Plus, I'll say I know the author well, when recommending it to my circles.
Thanks! Yes, it's starting to seem that writing a 380-page novel was the easy part. Marketing is the real mountain to climb. And I've heard that even with big publishers, no matter what they promise, they leave the marketing almost entirely up the author.

Pale Horse said:
B) You think picking such an ambigious and non controversial title had anything to do with your rise to popularity? ~wink~
Controversy? Me? Naaahhhh....

Incidentally, I finished the first draft before the current conflict started (though there's always conflict in that part of the world). As one reviewer noted, "Considering the heightened unrest in Israel, this timely story seems to be eerily relevant." In my opinion, that's an unfortunately accurate recommendation.
 

Stoo

Well-known member
Goodeknight said:
...they leave the marketing almost entirely up the author.
No offence to whomever did the cover graphics but if you're looking to improve it, give me a shout.

That said, I will definitely read this! Sounds intriguing and the reviews on the Amazon site are glowing with recommendation.:)
Goodeknight said:
(though there's always conflict in that part of the world)
An unfortunate truth.:(
 

Finn

Moderator
Staff member
Stoo said:
That said, I will definitely read this! Sounds intriguing and the reviews on the Amazon site are glowing with recommendation.
Not wanting to sound overly cynical, but as long as there's only like, what, six of them... you can't help but wonder how many of them know the writer personally.

Note, not commenting on the quality of the piece (remember kids, NEVER do that unless you've actually tried the product), just echoing the fact that marketing is hard.
 

Stoo

Well-known member
Finn said:
Not wanting to sound overly cynical,
Sorry to say but you are, indeed, sounding overly cynical (way worse than I can be) but I'm trying to generate some interest in something that rises above the typical, "Hi-I'm-new-here-but-I-wrote-a-story-about-a-guy-searching-for-antiquities-ain't-that-frickin'-cool".
Finn said:
...as long as there's only like, what, six of them... you can't help but wonder how many of them know the writer personally.
Yes, and those reviews were taken into consideration but given Goodeknight's world experience & ability to form proper sentences, his effort is worthy of, at least, a glance. There is no benefit to sh*tting on it. There shouldn't be a problem.
Finn said:
Note, not commenting on the quality of the piece (remember kids, NEVER do that unless you've actually tried the product), just echoing the fact that marketing is hard.
Goodness gracious…this is so mixed up!:eek:
 

Finn

Moderator
Staff member
Stoo said:
Goodness gracious?this is so mixed up!
Remember kids, never comment on your fellow man's posts either... 'til you've read the whole thing.
 

Goodeknight

New member
And just to clarify, I do know most of the people who have left reviews. That said, from the beginning, my request to people has been, "After you read it, please leave an honest review."

As I've delved into published, I have discovered, sadly, that many new authors directly buy reviews and pay for them by the hundreds. Others join "review exchange" websites where struggling authors "review" books they haven't read.

I find both scenarios terribly annoying, but have taken the high road. I want the book to stand on its own merits.

Though news and novels are two different beasts, I've been writing professionally for 17 years, and I hope that shows.
 
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