Dispatches, the 4th and final book in The Perseid Collapse Series

Posted on by Steven Konkoly

1245 Steve Konkoly ebook DISPATCHES_2The launch of Dispatches signals the end of my work in The Perseid Collapse Series. It’s hard to describe how much fun I’ve had writing the Perseid books and reconnecting with post-apocalyptic and prepper oriented readers. It has certainly kept me busy for the past year and a half.

How did I end up writing a fourth book in a planned trilogy? The short answer? Little goes as planned when writing a series. After finishing Point of Crisis, I thought The Perseid Collapse series was done. I couldn’t have been more mistaken. As I walked away from the series, glancing fondly over my shoulder, two major questions emerged from emails, reviews and blog comments. 1.) What’s happening in the world outside of New England? 2.) What’s going to happen to the Fletchers after the winter?

Ideas formed, and before I knew it, a new concept emerged. One that would address both themes voiced by readers. A hybrid novel—essentially two stories in one.

Dispatches is broken into two parts. Big Picture and Little Picture. Big Picture takes readers across the globe, to conflicts arising in the absence of the United States’ foreign presence. Of course, America is not out of the fight—she’s just taking a quieter, more satisfying role in the unfolding events. Little Picture pulls you back to Maine, to once again walk in Alex Fletcher’s shoes.

Without a doubt, writing the final lines was a bittersweet moment. Time to start something new, but hard to say goodbye. Fortunately, the world lives on with nearly 20 authors working on close to 30 novellas to complement the original series. The Perseid Collapse Series Kindle World, brought to readers through a special arrangement with Amazon, will keep the world alive and well long after I’ve stopped writing. I invite you to check out the incredible selection of novellas written by talented authors across several genres. You won’t be disappointed.

Check out the Kindle Worlds novellas. 

What am I working on now? A romance novel set in the 1920’s. Just kidding. In my ample spare time (sarcasm), I have  created the framework for a new series set in a dystopian, drought wracked California. Talk of secession is in the air, in a frighteningly familiar, yet ultimately alien landscape. More to come on my new series soon.

Book Club review of Russell Blake’s The Geronimo Breach

Posted on by Steven Konkoly

The Geronimo Breach exceeded all expectations, and establishes Russell Blake as a first rate thriller writer.

Meet Albert, a degenerate, slovenly diplomat stationed at the U.S. Consulate in Panama City. Prone to gambling debt, plagued by chronic drinking and continuously undermined by a series of bad decisions, Al is a shambles of a human being, on the verge of self-destruction. He occasionally takes jobs escorting people to Panama’s borders, just to earn enough cash to cover his debts.

Meet Ernesto, a simple man, just trying to make a living as an illegal alien in Panama. A longtime private cook for a wealthy estate, he finds himself suddenly out of a job, with no explanation. No longer able to work in Panama, he needs to get back to Colombia, which is no easy feat.

Unfortunately for Al, he picked the wrong week to bet on a losing soccer team. Pressed for cash, he takes an easy escort job to the Columbian border.

Al…Meet Ernesto.   Did I mention that Al has sticky fingers?

Ernesto took something that doesn’t belong to him from the estate, and ignites a no-holds barred, scorched earth search for the object, bringing the wrath of the U.S. government down onto the streets of Panama and the deadly jungles of Columbia.

Russell Blake delivers the goods in his second novel. Once again combining international conspiracy with a bluntly honest story of survival against a relentless enemy, Blake gives the reader a book that is hard to put down. His characters are finely developed and described, to the point of near perfection. I could thoroughly envision all of them, and grew to empathize or hate them. Albert Ross, State Department diplomat, is one of the best characters I’ve read in many years. Despicable, and barely redeemable, he continues to charm the reader to the very end. I laughed out loud on several occasions at his character’s thoughts and actions.

I highly recommend this fast paced thriller to anyone with two straight days to read.