Welcome to Boomerang's Home on the Web

2010-08-04T20:54:00.000-07:00

A Very Happy Valentine's Day to all Dear Readers from the entire cast of Boomerang! Everyone, from Ted the ex-NBA power forward, to Bethie, the clothing optional former Onion Festival Queen, would like to say thank you for a great 2012 so far. But since they are fictional characters (or so I've been told) I will say it for them. Thank You!

Now go pay attention to you sweetie!

Welcome to the home of Boomerang. It is a comic novel of international intrigue played out by characters operating way outside their comfort zones. Available in paperback or ebook. You can get the paperback right here by clicking on the Paypal link to the left for an autographed copy or through Amazon or Barnes and Noble The ebook edition is available from Amazon, or Barnes and Noble, also from Smashwords. Sony, Kobo, Diesel or Apple. And let us not forget Amazon UK, where Boomerang has gotten a very nice reception indeed!

Update: February 4, 2012. For at least the next three months, the ebook version of Boomerang will be available exclusively through Amazon. I am not entirely happy about this, as it seems to me a shame to purposely exclude any potential readers, but my short time so far in the Amazon Select program has quite frankly been encouraging and from a Get New Readers perspective I can't walk away from it. Sales in the first four days of February selling exclusively through Amazon have exceeded the total number of sales at all other retailers for the entire year of 2011. As a matter of fact they are more than double that total and growing by the hour.

I will post here if and when Boomerang goes back to more widespread distribution, and I hope you will understand that a Return on Investment is important to a writer just as it is to any other person.

Thanks,
Alan

Here is what Boomerang is all about:

Ted Hogwood's beloved Sarah, a jazz guitar, is in the window of Topp Dollar Pawn. The only way he can get the money to rescue her is to accept an assignment from the AABC, a not nearly official branch of the United States Intelligence community. He is partnered with Jerry Kwiatkowski, master of the Hammond B-3 organ and chronic flatulence sufferer, to steal a boomerang containing secrets that should have died with J. Edgar Hoover over thirty years ago. It would be a simple job if only they knew what they were doing. And if a crossbow wielding assassin, two unemployed Australian women, the Director of Central Intelligence and a clothing optional ex-cheerleader were not also hot on the boomerang's trail.

January 13, 2012 (just a bit later):

It's happened. Outside of the couple copies Amazon supposedly has cluttering up one of their warehouses, and the one or two hunkering down at Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe, Boomerang The Paperback is officially retired. Lots and lots of ebooks still available. Heck, I think we can safely say that a sudden run of five or six million sales would hardly dent the supply of ebooks. But the paperback, or at least the Direct From The Author, Personally Autographed Paperback, is a thing of the past. A savvy investor and Person of Impeccable Taste in All Things Literary snapped up the last one this evening. If you purchased a copy earlier, I thank you. If not and you are hankering for one, well, all I can say is "Where the heck were you last week? Or last month or last year for that matter?"

Actually, why don't you wander over to Amazon and see if they can locate the ones they claim to have? Then you can stop by the house and I'll be happy to autograph it for you. Bring a nice pinot noir.

January 13, 2012: One left

If you've always wanted to own a rare book, well now's the time. I have one left in Ye Olde Vast Warehouse that I can personally dedicate to you. After that it's whatever Amazon or Barnes and Noble can scrounge since the dear thing is going out of print at the end of January.

But for all of you with e-book capability, fear not. The e-book edition will be around forever. Or at least a very long time.

January 9, 2012: Three left

That's it, just three copies left in Ye Olde Vast Warehouse that is my den closet. So, if $9.99 including shipping seems like a reasonable price to pay for a really fun read and quite possibly a true collector's item (heck, Laura Lakey's cover art is sure to be in demand by future generations), click on that ol' Paypal link to claim yours. I'll post right here when they are gone.

January 5, 2012: Still just $9.99 Until Supplies Run Out

Purchase your copy of Boomerang directly from the author (that would be me) and save four dollars over the price at either Amazon or Barnes and Noble. Not that I don't love those bookselling folks, but heck, why not save the money? Especially with no additional shipping fee for orders going anywhere in the continental US of A. Just click on that Paypal link to the left and tell me what you'd like me to scribble on the inside and I'll send you one of the very last paperback copies of what one UK reader called "A wonderful, quirky caper".

January 4, 2012: Boomerang soon to go out of print.

It's true. Unfortunately, the cost of keeping the dear old boy in print is more than he has ever earned. And while sober, rational financial decisions have never been a distinguishing feature of Yours Truly, at some point one must face up to the fact that there really is a bit of truth to the adage "Throwing good money after bad". Not that I think for one minute that making my little literary creation available was ever a bad idea, it's just that, well, I do believe that I have given folks ample opportunity to clutter up their bookshelves or prop up their unbalanced table legs with my firstborn novel and with profitability making not the least little threat to become part of the picture now it is time to move on.

As of the time I am writing this I still have a few copies available and Amazon claims to have two in their inventory. I shall be keeping a couple of mine for archiving, but can certainly fill any orders until the supply runs out.

Thank you and thank you again to everyone who has purchased (and, I hope, enjoyed) Boomerang. It will continue to live on as an ebook, but if you've got the paperback I think I may say with only a ton or two of completely unsubstantiated confidence that you just might have a collector's item on your hands.

Well, you could!

November 30, 2011: Thank You!

Thank you to the one hundred and eleven readers who added Boomerang to your libraries in October and November. We didn't quite make the stretch goal of $100 for the Life is good Playmakers (heck and darn, we didn't even make the original goal of $75.00) but we did get to $55.00, which was the author take for 104 Kindle books, four nook books, one Sony ebook and two paperbacks.

Thank you. I hope you enjoy Boomerang and I wish you Happy Holidays!

November 18, 2011: Life is good Playmakers fundraiser extended through November 30th.

Originally set to end at midnight on Thanksgiving, the fundraiser has now been extended to the end of the month. All author proceeds from the sale of Boomerang will go to the foundation. That means between thirty-five and sixty-one cents, depending on the retailer, of any ninety-nine cent ebook sale and between $1.22 and $7.21 of any $9.99 to $13.99 paperback (same book, just depends where you get it) sale will go to Life is good Playmakers Foundation. Yep, $1.22 is the author's share of a paperback sale from Amazon, Barnes and Noble or any other online retailer. They are the ones charging $13.99 suggested retail. Purchase Boomerang from Changing Hands bookstore for $10.99 and the author share goes to $6.38. And purchase directly from me at the sale price of $9.99 and everything but the cost of mailing the book will go to Playmakers.

Extending to the end of the month will do two things. First, it should make the accounting easier. And second, I'm hoping it will bring us closer to the goal of one hundred dollars.

Thanks,
Alan

November 1, 2011: Thank you for a great October!

October was by far the best month Boomerang has had in terms of US sales*. And it couldn't have happened at a better time since all royalties between October 8th (the day I came up with the idea) and Thanksgiving are going to the Life is good Playmakers Foundation. So thank you to everyone who has gotten their copy these past few weeks, whether an ebook or paperback (check out the special paperback pricing detailed in the following entries.)

If you have read and enjoyed Boomerang, now is a great time to help spread the word!

*It would be absolutely amazing if we could match the top month of UK sales, but we're making progress!

October 26, 2011: Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe selling Boomerang at a discount!

I am excited to announce that Changing Hands Bookstore, a wonderful local, independent business, has agreed to sell Boomerang at a three dollar discount in store only. So if you live in the Valley of the Sun and, like so many Arizona booklovers, find yourself drawn to the corner of McClintock and Guadalupe, stop on by Changing Hands and pick up an autographed copy of Boomerang. You will be supporting a great local business and as with all sales of Boomerang between October 8th and Thanksgiving, all author proceeds are going to the Life is good Playmakers Foundation. That means $6.39 of your 10.99 purchase price will go to help kids in life challenging situations.

October 17, 2011: Autographed Copies of Boomerang on Sale. Free Shipping!

Now through Thanksgiving, November 24th, 2011, you can get an autographed copy of Boomerang perfect for gift giving, for just $9.99 and free US shipping. That is a savings of four dollars off the regular price at Amazon and Barnes and Noble and even two dollars off the standard direct from author price. Plus for this limited time there is no shipping charge, saving you an additional $2.95. I have a pretty good supply in, but this is a while supplies last offer. Just click on the Paypal link to the side to order yours today!

October 8, 2011: Royalties to Life is good Playmakers Foundation.

Royalties on all sales of Boomerang from October 8th, 2011 through Thanksgiving, November 24th, 2011 will be donated to the Life is good Playmakers Foundation. These folks do great work with kids who are dealing with situations kids should never have to face, but do every day, in every corner of our nation. I learned about the foundation when I saw a video of the presentation their founder Bert Jacobs made to a gathering of folks at the headquarters of the beneficent company I work for.

My goal is to raise at least seventy-five dollars. I know, doesn't seem like a lot, but that would represent approximately 150 to 160 copies sold if the percent of sales between Kindle/nook/other ebook retailers/paperbacks stays about the same as what I've been seeing lately. And believe me, 150 copies is no small achievement.

So, if you have already got your copy and you read it and liked it, now is a grand time to pass the word.

Check out the Life is Good Playmakers foundation website to learn more about this great organization and the work they do.

Thanks!

September 4, 2011: Off to have a look at what should be Boomerang's great location on the Indie Wall at Changing Hands.

August 21, 2011: I am happy to announce that Boomerang can now be found at Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe. And not only can it be found, but if you offer them money, they will let you have a copy (or two, let's not forget the gift giving potential here) for your very own. That will be my cue to scurry over to replenish their supply. And beginning on Sept. 1, you can find Boomerang on the big display wall featuring local and independent authors. Until then it's on the racks with the rest of the literary rabble, possibly snuggling up with Aldous Huxley's modest efforts.

August 16, 2011: The first batch of paperbacks with the amazing cover art by Laura Lakey has finally arrived! I will be sending out the orders today. Still a few copies left from this shipment, so now is a good time to place your order! Just $11.95 plus $2.95 shipping. Click on the PayPal link and be sure to include whatever personalized message you would like me to put inside!

All the best,
Alan

And while you're in the mood for exploring new and exciting authors, please check out Remix by my London friend Lexi Revellian. I guarantee the story will draw you in and keep you turning the pages.