Indie author kindness: OPERATION MALLORY

Indie authors support each other all the time, at least, that's my experience. Two co-authoring brothers with best selling novels on both sides of the Atlantic have taken support several steps farther. Sean and Dan Campbell have freely instituted an incredible marketing campaign for one of our own, with a blue print that can serve us all.

 

Many of you might know Stephen C Spencer as a world class author of thrillers. His Paul Mallory series are favorites of mine. During the past year, however, Stephen has stepped out of the stream.

It's difficult for any indie author to stay on top of the promotional game yet playing the game is the only way for books to get noticed. If you followed Stephen on Twitter, perhaps you've noticed that he stepped out of the stream a good while ago. He even updated his Twitter profile to reflect that he has cancer. Stephen has had to deal with a brain tumor for a while though kept it pretty quiet while undergoing surgery and chemotherapy. His attitude, though, attests to the strength in his character: "I may have cancer but cancer ain't got me!"  

 

Want to get involved or keep in touch with the campaign? Visit Sean and Dan Campbell's blog HERE to check out the campaign, Operation Mallory. There are details if it fits for you to get involved (tweet, share on Facebook, do a blog post, etc).

Also available are some giveaways for participation: free novels from various indie authors, including one of my favorite Paul Mallory novels:  It's Always Darkest. My review of this great thriller follows below.

 

'Baldacci’s Sean King, move over! Here comes Paul Mallory!’

Take a young sports journalist with an intense dislike of travel and complications, the haunting of an 11-years-ago traumatic sports event and an aversion to bearing any responsibility for others. Dangle before him the one thing that he cannot resist, well, two things:  A LOT of money and a news analyst position that is not even close to having a defined job description. Paul Mallory’s weakness or, perhaps this is more his strength, is an insatiable sense of curiosity. The result is an electrifying story that is chock full of danger and just too much fun to put down!

Stephen C. Spencer has ingeniously woven an intricate story laced with a blend of captivating characters; even those on the gritty side of life are memorable.  Even if women don’t fall in love with the protagonist, Paul Mallory, male and female readers alike will be enamored of his sarcastic witticisms, directed mostly at himself; and with his unswerving passion to follow even the most dangerous threads of the story.  Mr. Spencer captured well Paul’s adult-self thoughts and self-bantering remarks juxtaposed with a boyish flair of innocence.  Unlike Paul, I so enjoyed the story’s travel itinerary: from Southampton to the main center of the story, St. Petersburg, Russia, and interesting character- and plot-developing hops into Las Vegas, Germany and Greece.

I enjoy reading a novel with an exciting and intriguing plot. My favorite novels, however, are those in which the main character leaps off the page and becomes one who is endearing to me. David Baldacci has Sean King; Alex Berenson, his John Wells; Brian Haig has Sean Drummond; and, David Hosp, his Scott Finn. Stephen C. Spencer’s character, Paul Mallory, is now at the top of my list, ‘Endearing Characters.’ IT’S ALWAYS DARKEST sits in my bookcase, ‘Favorite Novels.’