Lou Paduano | Urban Fantasy Novels | Sci-Fi Crime Series

Winter 2019 Reading List

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I’ve made a vow this year to minimize my purchasing of new books until I’ve finished reading everything I already own. (HA. We’ll see how long that lasts…) It’s true, though. I’d love to buy and buy and buy but I want to make a concentrated effort to clean house, while also produce as much new material as humanely possible.

What it doesn’t take into account are library books or recommendations from friends. Those are always fair game so feel free to disrupt this silly plan of mine as often as you like.

And if you’ve read or feel like reading along with any of the following books, let me know! Drop me a line at lou@loupaduano.com to share the reading experience. I’d love to hear from you.

Winter Reading List

A Cold Day in Hell by Lissa Marie Redmond

Lauren’s job as a cold case homicide detective is her life. And life just got complicated.

Lauren Riley is an accomplished detective who has always been on the opposite side of the courtroom from slick defense attorney Frank Violanti. But now he’s begging to hire her as a private investigator to help clear his client of murder. At first Lauren refuses, wanting nothing to do with the media circus surrounding the case—until she meets the eighteen-year-old suspect.

To keep an innocent teen from life in prison, Lauren must unravel the conflicting evidence and changing stories to get at the buried facts. But the more she digs, the more she discovers that nothing is what it first appears to be. As Lauren puts her career and life in danger, doubt lurks on every corner . . . and so does her stalker.

The sequel is coming out next month so I want to jump right into this one to see where it leads. Very excited about this book.

The Fall (Mutant Rain Book 2) by L.A. Frederick

New Hampton lies in ruins.

Amidst the death and destruction, a few survivors cling to life avoiding the many pitfalls residing in the decaying city. The mutants hiding in the Bunker, led by New Hampton’s most famous vigilante Reinhardt, must devise a new plan to outlast the rampaging hordes, and more importantly Doctor Zhirkov and the infamous Watchroom gangs. 

The murderous Doctor Zhirkov sets about the next phase of his long devised plans to improve humanity, as we discover the crazed, obsessed and bloody history of the man. In a new world, plagued by infected masses hellbent of devouring all in their path, choosing whom to trust is the difference between life and death.

The Fall is the second book in The Mutant Rain series, a dark, dystopian, mystery, horror and science fiction story.

I am very curious to see what happens next with the characters introduced in L.A. Frederick’s first novel, The Rain. Lots of intrigue and a superhero element that is right up my alley.

The Escape Artist by Brad Meltzer

WHO IS NOLA BROWN?
Nola is a mystery
Nola is trouble.
And Nola is supposed to be dead.
Her body was found on a plane that mysteriously fell from the sky as it left a secret military base in the Alaskan wilderness. Her commanding officer verifies she’s dead. The US government confirms it. But Jim “Zig” Zigarowski has just found out the truth: Nola is still alive. And on the run.
Zig works at Dover Air Force Base, helping put to rest the bodies of those who die on top-secret missions. Nola was a childhood friend of Zig’s daughter and someone who once saved his daughter’s life. So when Zig realizes Nola is still alive, he’s determined to find her. Yet as Zig digs into Nola’s past, he learns that trouble follows Nola everywhere she goes.
Nola is the U.S. Army’s artist-in-residence-a painter and trained soldier who rushes into battle, making art from war’s aftermath and sharing observations about today’s wars that would otherwise go overlooked. On her last mission, Nola saw something nobody was supposed to see, earning her an enemy unlike any other, one who will do whatever it takes to keep Nola quiet.
Together, Nola and Zig will either reveal a sleight of hand being played at the highest levels of power or die trying to uncover the US Army’s most mysterious secret-a centuries-old conspiracy that traces back through history to the greatest escape artist of all: Harry Houdini.
Brad Meltzer is one of those authors I will read no matter what they write. He’s just released a new non-fiction book – way out of my wheelhouse – and it is on my to read pile. His stories are fun and always contain some unique look at American history. Can’t wait to dive in.

A short list this time around…

Can’t be avoided, unfortunately. I’m putting every ounce of energy, every spare hour I can muster into churning out some incredible stories for you to devour later this year. When the dust settles, and hopefully it will in a few months, it’s going to be so nice to sit back and enjoy some more books.

Let me know what you’ve been reading! I’d love to hear what’s been exciting you in the world of fiction.

Take care and thanks for reading.

Genre Hopping

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This issue comes up for me more often than I’d like to admit – the choice of what’s next in terms of projects. Greystone closes out its first major arc next year and after that I have to decide where my brain would like to go – what world is out there for me to explore. Those discussions always bring me back to genre hopping.

Genre Hopping – the great conundrum for writers

It is and I don’t know why. Maybe it comes from a love of multiple genres growing up. I have to assume most feel the same way and don’t want to read the same thing over and over again – with various nuances, of course, depending on the author. Then again, maybe people do only read one type of story.

Yes there can be an infinite number of permutations of a dystopian novel or a romance novel but the structure, the rules of the genre tend to remain.

Looking ahead to my next project (or next series, depending…) I have no choice but to think about THOSE readers, and how any change might leave them behind. Greystone isn’t over, not by a long shot, but will they join me on the next journey if it doesn’t contain the same rhythm, the same elements or direction as introduced by this initial series?

Genre hopping isn’t common, not for the bestsellers. They write what put them on the list, what their readers demand with little deviation. Shouldn’t I follow the same road?

And the old fear kicks in with that thought.

Losing readers

If Urban Fantasy Thriller is what brought you to the table, will you stay for a Sci-Fi Military Thriller? Is it worth alienating an audience in the hope of growing a new one in the process?

I have to say YES.

What it boils down to for me…

I’m not going to be the next Brad Meltzer or Dan Brown. When you buy one of their books you know exactly what you’re getting. There will be a forgotten, historical element involved. You’ll meet a clandestine organization hiding in the shadows and secretly controlling the world. You’ll have a protagonist who has a love interest but is committed to solving the mystery/saving the day above all else.

You’re in safe hands.

When I read I want variety and I want to offer that to my readers. My voice remains my voice (to some extent) and my tastes filter in the background no matter what genre I find myself playing in for the time being. Is that enough?

I hope so.

After Greystone I want to stretch my Portents-laden brain a bit. I’m going to take you to the far edge of the universe to see war and strife put through a horror no one can walk away from. But it ends with a smile…

And then? I know what I WANT to share. An awesome experiment in storytelling, using a serialized “seasonal” structure. There’s psuedo-science, there’s government conspiracy, and as always jokes and sarcasm littered through the dialogue. Six books. One season. The beginning of a giant adventure.

Don’t fear genre hopping. Enjoy the hell out of it.

Greystone ends next year (for the time being). I’m sad to leave it behind for a bit. However, I am so incredibly supercharged to explore new worlds with you.

I hope you will feel the same.

Thanks for reading.

Writing Update – August 18, 2016

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I like to take stock on where I am with my work and I feel it’s important to share that with you here. Every two weeks you can find out what I’m currently writing, what I’ve been reading and other interesting factoids I have found on the interwebs instead of doing my work. (I actually stole the concept from my wonderfully talented sister, Sara Frandina. You can read her delightful coffee + content blog at sarafrandina.com.)

Currently Writing:

I am hip-deep in the self-editing process with Tales from Portents, a short story collection you’ll be hearing quite a bit about in the coming months. I’ve already set my deadline and a pub date for February 17th, 2017 so mark your calendars! There are six short stories involved pulling at different threads from Signs of Portents so I’ve been busy tweaking each tale, making sure it lines up with what’s come before (this is a prequel of sorts) and bridges the gap between the first novel and what is coming next summer.

Speaking of what comes next, I’ve started pulling notes and researching for my next novel. By research I mean reading a bunch of Superman comics so I can make Detective Greg Loren’s patented references. I should probably do some actual research too.

Finally, the best news of all:

writing - Signs of Portents proofs

The FINAL PROOFS CAME IN!! With two weeks to spare I have the final proofs for Signs of Portents. There is nothing sweeter than holding the book in your hands. More info on this coming in the next couple days!!

What I’ve Been Reading

Brad Meltzer and Tod Goldberg’s The House of Secrets – I’m a big fan of Brad Meltzer. I’ve read the majority of his books and am always excited for another adventure. I’ve always been fascinated with secrets hidden in history. The Freemasons, the Culper Ring, the Illuminati, all of them spark my imagination and I get sucked right into the story. The House of Secrets is no exception, this time focusing on Benedict Arnold’s bible and the conspiracy surrounding it. The book took some time to get rolling but by the second half I was fully engrossed. The nod to his previous trilogy was a nice touch. Always love those subtle connections between “worlds.”

Jason Aaron and Russell Dauterman’s Thor – I know. COMICS. I could pretend to be sophisticated and call them graphic novels but they’re not and Jason Aaron doesn’t pretend they are either. His Thor is AMAZING. I fell off the wagon a couple years back during The Accursed storyline re-introducing Malekith, the dark elf. (From Thor: The Dark World. Don’t pretend you didn’t see it.) I lost touch, always with the intention of catching up. Big mistake on my part.

Ever since Jane Foster became Thor (WHAT? Thor is a woman? Yes and it is great.) the stories have been top notch, work-building and cosmic in scope. Russell Dauterman’s art is indescribably astounding. I never want him to leave the book.

Have a great book recommendation? Want to tell me how Walt Simonson’s run on Thor was WAY better than Mr. Aaron’s? Shoot me a message.

The Web

Jason Aaron talks all things Thor – Not straying too far from my love-fest for Thor is an excellent interview with Jason Aaron on the book and where it’s going. I love the enthusiasm he has for the character and the world he’s playing with.

Tiny Goals – Shaunta Grimes guest posted on Jeff Goins site with a great article on setting tiny goals rather than big, impossible ones. As a stay at home poppa bear with two wee ones this is something I wholeheartedly agree with and need to be reminded of way to often. With nap time, late nights and weekend mornings my only real outlet for writing, creating smaller, tangible goals rather than big, lofty ambitions is the only way the work gets done. AND I get to create checklists. I love checklists!

I’m checking this off my list right now, in fact! Ahhh, satisfaction…

Thanks for reading.

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