D2C

Today, I want to talk a bit about how the publishing world works behind the curtain, and why I’m making a major shift in how I get my books into your hands. Namely, D2C — Direct to Consumer.

Starting in early 2027, my primary storefront won’t be Amazon. It will be my own online shop.

Here’s why I’m making the move, and what it means for you.

The 30-Million-Book Haystack

When independent publishing first took off some 15 years ago, giant online retailers were a great way for small-press authors to find readers. 

But times have changed. Today, there are over 30 million titles listed on Amazon, with roughly 10,000 new books uploaded every single day.

Unless an author spends thousands of dollars on pay-per-click advertising, a book is essentially invisible in that massive digital ocean. To get any organic recommendation push from Amazon’s algorithm, a book has to sell dozens of copies every single day, indefinitely. For an independent author who spends his time writing rather than running full-time ad campaigns, the marketplace has become a black box.

Connecting directly with readers

The biggest issue with big-box platforms is that they keep readers at arm’s length. When you buy a book on Amazon, Amazon considers you their customer, not mine. 

I don’t get to say thank you.

I don’t get to offer you special reader discounts.

And I can’t let you know directly when the next book in a series comes out unless you happen to sign up for my newsletter separately.

I want a direct line to the people who actually read and enjoy my work.

Keeping things simple and sustainable

As an independent author-publisher, keeping my catalog organized and straightforward matters. 

Managing titles across massive corporate ecosystems with ever-changing rules and administrative hurdles isn’t how I want to spend my time. 

Building my own storefront allows me to control my work, keep my legacy intact, and ensure my catalog remains easily accessible on my terms.

Plus, selling direct means more of every dollar goes directly to supporting the work—allowing me to keep writing the mysteries, cosmic horror, and stories you enjoy.

What this means for you

I want to make sure buying directly from me is as easy as—or better than—buying from a corporate giant:

• Seamless Digital Reading: I’ll be using BookFunnel to deliver ebooks. Whether you read on a Kindle, Kobo, Nook, iPad, or phone, BookFunnel delivers the file directly to your device with a couple of clicks—and their support team, which is second to none, helps you if you ever get stuck.
  
• Paperbacks Direct to Your Door: Physical books will be printed and shipped directly via Lulu using Lulu’s new Direct Buy Button, ensuring high-quality paperbacks delivered straight to your mailbox. The Direct Buy Button essentially turns wherever it is into a store to make buying paperbacks as easy as eating pie.
  
• Early Access & Exclusive Deals: Direct buyers will get first dibs on new releases, exclusive series bundles, and special discounts that I simply can’t offer on third-party sites.
  

What’s coming next

I'm rolling this out in stages:

1. October 1st: The Color That Fell From Space hits general retail as a convenience drop for non-Kickstarter readers.
   
2. Halloween (October 31st): Tales Macabre and Arabesque drops for Halloween. A collection of bizarre, weird, and strange stories—just right for Halloween.
   
3. November: The Kickstarter for Pavane for a Dead Pianist (Justinia Wright #9) goes live for early access.
   
4. January 2027: The official launch of my direct web store!
   

Thank you for being part of this journey, for reading the books, and for supporting independent storytelling. I’m excited to build a home for my books where we can connect directly.

So stay tuned. Good things are coming. And as always, happy reading.

Book Review: Magic Beneath Manhattan by RC & JP Carter (Tales from Car 4488, Book 2)

Genre: Portal Fantasy / Romantasy

Tone: Adventurous, Character-Driven, Sweet / Light Romance

Overview

What begins as a standard morning commute on New York City’s subway turns into an extraordinary journey across dimensions. In Magic Beneath Manhattan, authors RC and JP Carter deliver a classic portal fantasy that effortlessly transitions from the familiar bustle of Midtown into Aeltheryn—a world governed by dragons, ancient magic, and a feud centuries in the making.

The Story

Aurora Quinn, a relatable and pragmatic junior editor, expects nothing more from her morning than a routine ride on Subway Car 4488. Instead, after receiving a mysterious token from a vanishing conductor, she steps out of the car and directly into a realm at war.

Aeltheryn is locked in a prolonged conflict over a vital power source known as Emberstone. Worse yet, the realm has been awaiting the return of "The Quinn." Forced to adapt quickly to survive, Aurora must navigate a court filled with dragon riders, wizards, shapeshifters, and royalty—all while bonding with a dragon that shouldn't exist and facing a destiny that could either unite the realm or destroy it.

What Works Well

• Smooth Pacing & Accessible World-Building: The authors strike a great balance between imaginative lore and clear narrative momentum. The transition from modern Manhattan to a high-fantasy realm is handled seamlessly, keeping the story engaging without becoming bogged down in heavy exposition.
• A Grounded, Growing Heroine: Aurora is a headstrong and endearing protagonist. Watching her evolve from a bewildered commuter into a determined figure capable of holding her own among dragon riders and royalty gives the narrative a strong emotional core.
• Warm, "Behind-Closed-Doors" Romance: For readers who prefer their fantasy with a lighter romantic touch, the book delivers a sweet, character-focused subplot that adds warmth and emotional stakes without overpowering the central adventure.

The Verdict

Magic Beneath Manhattan is a fun, imaginative escape for fans of dragon-led portal fantasies and sweet romantasy. With charming characters, vivid world-building, and plenty of heart, it’s a solid pick for anyone who loves discovering a magical world hiding just beneath the surface of the everyday.

Recommended for: Fans of portal fantasy, dragon riders, clean/sweet romantasy, and character-driven adventures.

Buy on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4z3NqV4.

The Slow Burn Mystery

 Thrillers are all the rage today. In fact, just about every genre must have thrills and spills starting on page 1. Things blowing up and pistols blazing. And people running. Gotta have people running.

If someone took one of Agatha Christie’s novels, dropped her name, change the character names, and put the book in the 21st century — a dime to a doughnut it wouldn’t sell. Why? Because there’s nothing thrilling going on. The books are puzzles. The sleuth hunting for clues. A game between writer and reader to see if the reader can out guess the sleuth.

Wordle aside, who does puzzles anymore?

Raymond Chandler’s estate has tried unsuccessfully for years to make a cash cow out of Philip Marlowe. They failed. Why? Because Marlowe isn’t thriller material. He’s an introspective armchair philosopher, who happens to also be a private detective, putting together a puzzle to solve a crime. There are some thrilling moments, but the books aren’t thrillers. And never will be if Marlowe stays Marlowe.

I write mysteries. What I’m now calling slow burn mysteries to differentiate them from thrillers. And what some are calling mystery thrillers in order to make mysteries more popular.

Too often I’ve seen people start reading Festival Of Death (Justinia Wright Private Investigator Mysteries, Book 1) on Kindle Unlimited and then quit just before they get to the exciting part. They’ve gone through the build up and leave before the reward.

It’s akin to going to a restaurant, waiting in line, and then leaving just before your name is called.

Why do readers do this? I think this is mostly due to today’s reader expecting a thriller and not getting it. Even when there’s nothing in the book description to lead them to believe the book is a thriller. In the mindset of today’s reader all mystery and suspense novels are thrillers. And that is unfortunate. For both the reader and the writer.

So I’m going to start calling my mysteries (and traditional mysteries in general) — Slow Burn Mysteries.

Now what does slow burn mystery mean?

A book that is a slow burn mystery is a mystery that starts at the beginning and follows the detective through to the grand announcement of who did it.

These are the mysteries of the Golden Era. The mysteries of Christie, Stout, Wentworth, Marsh, the Lockridges, and so many more.

The story generally follows a 5-act structure, as follows:

Act I — We meet the sleuth, the characters, and learn of the problem to be solved.

Act II — The sleuth, having accepted the case, the challenge to solve the crime, begins gathering clues. This is the part where the detective obtains info, but doesn’t see how it all fits together.

Act IIIa — At this point the detective often gets frustrated and may even try to quit. Nothing is making sense.

Midpoint — With the sleuth thinking the case will never be solved, he suddenly obtains a key clue or realizes the true import of something he already found out but misinterpreted.

Act IIIb — Armed with his new knowledge or understanding, the sleuth begins to close in on the villain.

Act IV — The sleuth gathers all he needs to expose the villain and secure justice.

Act V — The villain is exposed and hauled off to jail and everything goes back to normal.

If you read a Sherlock Holmes story, or a Nero Wolfe mystery, or a Hercule Poirot novel, they all more or less follow this structure. There are very few to no instances of things blowing up or gun fights taking place. These are drawing room dramas with little violence and bloodshed occurring on stage.

And in spite of Raymond Chandler’s excoriation of British mysteries, his Philip Marlowe novels basically follow this same structure. 

Marlowe goes about gathering clues, while giving us his outlook on life. There are few to no chase scenes. No gun fights. Nothing blowing up. Just Marlowe talking to people and gathering clues. Yet these are some of the most literary crime fiction books you’ll ever read. But they are 100% slow burn.

The slow burn mystery is like the slow burn horror tale: the fuse is burning, getting closer and closer to the powder keg. And then there is the big bang.

Satisfaction awaits you — and it’s worth the wait.

Comments are always welcome! And until next time, happy reading!

CW Hawes is a playwright; award-winning poet; and a fictioneer, with three bestselling novels. He’s also an armchair philosopher, political theorist, social commentator, and traveler. He loves a good cup of tea and agrees that everything’s better with pizza.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider buying me a cup of tea. Thanks! PayPal.me/CWHawes 

Justinia Wright Private Investigator Mysteries on Amazon!

Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles on Amazon!

Announcing MBCC 29: When a Sure Thing Fails

 

Today is launch day for When a Sure Thing Fails by James R. Callan, Book 29 in the Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles series.

One could say that Magnolia Bluff is the Bermuda Triangle of Texas. You know, strange things happen to not only the people who live there, but those who visit as well.

Take Eula Moore. She’s visiting the quaint little town and what happens? She’s kidnapped on her very first day she steps foot into town. Now what is the likelihood of that happening to someone visiting anywhere but Magnolia Bluff?

Here’s what Mr. Callan has to say about his latest addition to the Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles:

Seventy-eight-year-old Eula Moore is kidnapped on the first day of her vacation in the Texas Hill Country town of Magnolia Bluff. Knocked out by ether, she is transported to a cabin deep in the forest.

Eula is determined to escape, yet realizes she is miles from any town. But escape she does, and when she reports the kidnapping to the police, the detective notes she was not hurt, she did escape, and no ransom was paid. He says, “No harm; no foul.

Incensed by this, Eula decides to find the kidnappers and see justice prevail. She has only the first names of the kidnappers and doesn’t know where she was imprisoned for four days. With the aid of her granddaughter, Crystal, they track down the kidnappers.

But things are not as simple as the kidnapping. Now, Eula and Crystal may have to deal with Four Fingers, a vicious, dangerous man, wanted for multiple murders and other crimes.

Eula has a choice. She can easily walk away and leave all this behind. But can strong-willed Eula, even at age seventy-eight, leave things unresolved? Actually, that’s not in her DNA.

One person in my writer’s group said: “Eula is my kind of grandma — locked and loaded.”

Mr. Callan knows how to deliver spills and thrills in his mysteries. He’s the author of the popular Father Frank series and of You Won’t Know How… Or When, the 4th book in the Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles.

I have my copy. Pick yours up on Amazon.

Comments are always welcome and until next time happy reading!

CW Hawes is a playwright; award-winning poet; and a fictioneer, with three bestselling novels. He’s also an armchair philosopher, political theorist, social commentator, and traveler. He loves a good cup of tea and agrees that everything’s better with pizza.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider buying me a cup of tea. Thanks! PayPal.me/CWHawes 

Justinia Wright Private Investigator Mysteries on Amazon!

Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles on Amazon!