This will be a five book series with no current plans to expand the world. The next book will be entitled Booked for Theft, and because it’s fun, I’m keeping the titles of the last two titles to myself for the moment.
You’re either going to love or hate this one. (Please don’t tell me if you hate it. Thank you.)
Vigilante Magical Librarians
Booked for Murder
- ebooks: Smashwords | Kobo | Barnes & Noble | Apple Books | Amazon
- audiobooks: Chirp | Spotify | Kobo | Audible | Apple | Barnes & Noble
- print: Barnes & Noble (4.25×7) | Amazon (6×9)
Booked for Kidnapping
- ebooks: Smashwords | Kobo | Barnes & Noble | Apple Books | Amazon
- audiobooks: Chirp | Spotify | Kobo | Audible | Apple | Barnes & Noble
- print: Barnes & Noble (4.25×7) | Amazon (6×9)
A few fun facts about this book.
1: I wanted to play with the second chances trope. So I did.
2: I wanted something more political in nature because I had been tired of people shooting, stabbing, etc all the time in the other books. I wanted some psychological violence instead.
I ended up with stabbing and shooting, too. I just couldn’t win… but at least the stabbing and the shooting was fun, right?
3: Ajani is Rebecca Frank’s cat. The cat who is modeling for the cover is named Ajani. The cat was used with permission. (Although feline purrsonalities have been changed to better fit the story…)
Rebecca Frank is the badass designer for this story.
4: I consider this to be my failure series, as it has the lowest sell-through rate and, prior to the goodreads merge, a horrible rating on Amazon. (Among my worst.)
Strangely, the goodreads merge helped the book, as people were more fond of the series on goodreads than on Amazon.
For those of you familiar with the cesspool that goodreads can be, this is highly unusual.
Usually, goodreads ratings are .2-.5 * lower in score than the retail sites.
5: I’m somewhat emotionally traumatized from this series, but I’m mostly over it… enough so I’ll be working on it next year as time allows, possibly in my “one word is better than no words” evening project I’ve been doing.
So, there you have it. The Vigilante Magical Librarians Fail of a Series. Heh.
Sherry
Happy to hear you are continuing with this series. My only question is What is the ETA for book 3?
The Sneaky Kitty Critic
Next year at the earliest. I can’t start anything new until I am done all the books up for preorder.
Michelle
I’m really sorry to hear that. Your Booked for… Books are amongst my favourites 😍 I have thoroughly enjoyed the stories so far and am looking forwards th the three upcoming. I admire your resilience regarding the ongoing battles that you must fight being an indi author. I would like you to know that I very much appreciate all your efforts to share your wonderful imagination with us.
Looking forward to future reads.
Michelle.
The Sneaky Kitty Critic
Awwww thank you <3
Rozanne Cadotte
I loved the librarian series, but I am biased, my mom was a librarian and I think she, too would have loved the series, as well as the rest of your books, of all pen names! Don’t get discouraged by the plebeians who make bad comments about your writings, the rest of us enjoy!
Rozanne
Pam Blome
I’m a librarian, so I am always attracted to books with librarians as main characters. Enjoyed the first book, looking forward to the second.
The Sneaky Kitty Critic
The second is already out heh. Enjoy!
Lindsay
I really enjoy these books and have found them to be fun and entertaining. Sometimes people want the same thing over and over again from an author but I found that sometimes that makes you loose interest in what that author is producing. I find that I enjoy almost everyone of your different series with Royal States being my fave. Good job.
Kevin L McIntire
I like it. It’s not as much comedy as some of your other series but I like the phycology thriller aspect. Plus anything that has bad politicians that are corrupt can’t be all bed.
Barbara J Murphy
I really liked the first two books that I’ve read so I guess you can’t judge by me! They have everything that I like, books, cats, hot cars, libraries, puzzles, and medical problems, that have to be solved using the mind. I guess I’m just boring but I really like them and I’m glad that you’re going to continue. So thank you! I like all of your books and have all of them but they are so varied that you don’t get repetition. The most important thing that all of your books have is fantastic writing and that’s hard to come by. Even when money is tight your books whichever author, series, iteration that you’re writing on is an automatic Buy for me.
Marcia Aoki
I love this series and can’t wait for the next book. I think part of the problem for people who don’t like it is the complexity and depth of the plot and arc. I ended up rereading the first one before reading the second one because there were so many details I’d forgotten that I felt like I was missing out. It was so much more satisfying with all of the details fresh in my mind. When I first read Booked for Murder, I was sure it was my absolute favorite of your series, but I’ve now realized that that fluctuates depending upon what I’ve read most recently. Thank you for persevering. I am very grateful that you are continuing with the series since I’m eagerly awaiting the next book and the next book and the next book!
Diana T DiMascio
I just wanted you to know that I have loved the series so far. So I am glad you plan to round it out. Kinda selfishly glad, but there you go. 🙂
Randall LaPlante
This series (and yourself) is/are not a failure(s). It is written, imvho, in a more serious voice for a more mature audience. Anyone expecting the exact same tone/atmosphere of your enjoyably lighter stories, with or without bodies, might have been surprised.
If this is failure, then I believe spacetime would bust from your success.
As Molière would have said to Like Skywalker, if he’d had the opportunity: May the Farce be with you. 🙂
The Sneaky Kitty Critic
It most certainly is a failure, especially financially. There is nothing wrong with failure. Failure is how you learn. Mistakes are how you learn.
Calling something a failure is nothing more than the recognition it could have done better, and that it was not able to meet basic benchmarks for success, especially fiscally!
I am expecting to take losses producing the rest of the book in this series… and that is okay.
There’s nothing wrong with failure! The fear of failure blocks hope of success, because without failure, you can never do better.
Carole Palmer
I really liked this series and I’m sorry more people didn’t! 😢
Kate Collins
Well rats! I rather enjoyed it. But I am liking the new stuff too.
Bill G
The lack of love for these books baffles me. But what do I know, right? I’m delighted for myself that your continuing the series. And may the Lesser Grebe of Ennui nest in the Chimney of Jeff Bezos’ life.
Denise
I love the Vigilante Librarian series!! I’m so happy to see there will be five books in the series and that it won’t just disappear.
Eileen Stevens
This is a favourite of mine. I re-read frequently. I don’t know why others don’t like it 🥺. Still, there is no accounting for taste – we just have good taste 😂
Shannon Scollard
Loved this world!
SUSAN POLLARD
Bless you for continuing this excellent series.
Valerie
I’m glad you’re continuin the series. Patience may be a virtue, but I fail at it. When it gets out, it gets out. Thank you for your excellent work.
branwennthorne
I’m really happy you’re going to continue working on this series, as I love it. I listen to the 2 audiobooks you’ve released at least once a month, usually follwed by the Fox Witch audiobooks. I’m really looking forward to the rest of the upcoming audiobooks, as I listen to your books daily, and sleep with the Royal States series to keep chronic nightmares away.
Thank you for all the time, effort, and imagination you’ve gifted us with! Now back to Dead Beat, which I absolutely adore! It’s keeping me sane as I deal with a badly broken shoulder, which I get to see the surgeon about on Tuesday.
kommiesmom
I love this series. I bought them both and have recently done a reread.
The world-building is well done.
The characters are an interesting variation on the usual hero / heroine pairing. Since I read a *lot* this is a nice change.
Thank you for the rest of the series. I hate that the books may not pay for themselves, but I am selfish and will consume them with glee. (Understanding that they will come out when you feel the need to work on them.)
(I have my own “Ajani” – Her name is Karat and she is 15 pounds + of lean, fluffy huntress.)
Mary Ellen Moore
I love all your books under al your names but The Magical Librarians is my favorite. I was appalled that it didn’t rate as popular as your other books. You are terrific and should climb on a pedestal every day to be worshiped!.
The Sneaky Kitty Critic
I don’t want to be worshipped. I’d love if people kept their criticisms at home, though. I’m very tired of the criticism. XD I’d be happy with a criticism-free zone for a while.
Brandy Mackey
I love the series. Sorry other people can’t see the fun and magic of this series. Thank you very much for pushing forward to finish it. I, for one, will be buying the ebook and audiobook of it, if the audiobook comes out.
Karen
I love this series. I can’t understand why it didn’t garner the ratings it deserves. Of course, I find I love anything you write under any pen name. I will of course purchase the next in this series whenever it comes out. Always remember you are an inspired author that brings great enjoyment to many readers. These are the books I go to when I want to read something I know is great. Have reread them all more than once. Thank you for sharing your talent.
Barb B.
I am so excited. I LOVE this series. As a public library employee, but really, on every level.
Rebecca Carnine
Hey R. J. , I love all of you works thus far and can’t wait to read more. Smoosh the kittens for me please and if people can’t accept the writing and audio books for what they are .. $%^# them, you are an amazing writer as well as a wonderful person.
Jessica
I personally love the series. I have reread both books multiple times. I tend to read the books that do not have that many reviews mostly because peoples opinions on the book mean nothing to me. I base my book hoard on things that interest me. This series ticks a few things on my list….Librarians, a quest (if you want to call it that), humor, and romance that doesn’t smack you in the face to make you uncomfortable. I look forward to your future endeavors.