Several months ago, my editor at Thomas & Mercer asked if I’d like to participate in the new Kindle Serial program. It sounded interesting, so I jumped in with both feet. It turned out to be a challenging project. Over the course of 3-1/2 months, I had to write an entire novel and turn in 10,000 word episodes for publication every two weeks! I sequestered myself in my studio and got to work.
Now that the serialized novel is complete, you can order the complete Kindle book in non-serial format.
I think OPTION TO KILL is the best Nathan McBride novel to date. I’d spent a lot of time thinking about it before I started to write the manuscript, so it was just a matter of getting story into the computer. In Nathan’s third adventure, he’s got his hands full with an untimely ally! Here’s a brief overview from the Kindle listing:
When Nathan McBride receives a text message from someone who claims she’s been kidnapped, it triggers a deadly chain of events that has the potential to haunt him for the rest of his life.
Nathan will soon learn that nothing from his past could ever prepare him for the crisis he’ll soon be facing. The girl’s name is Lauren and she’s just twelve years old. With virtually no experience with children, Nathan’s patience and compassion are about to be tested to their limits
In a violent confrontation, Nathan rescues Lauren from her kidnapper, but as he unravels Lauren’s story, he realizes his troubles are only beginning. She says she’s in the Witness Security Program, and doesn’t trust the US Marshals because she thinks they’re complicit in her abduction. Not only that, her stepdad was murdered last night.
In a desperate and unlikely alliance, Nathan and Lauren must stay one step ahead of her kidnapper and the brutal mercenaries who will kill anyone who gets in their way. Played out over the course of 36 lightning-fast hours, Nathan and Lauren must learn to trust each other or they won’t survive.
Some folks have asked why OPTION TO KILL isn’t available on Nook. Here’s why: My publisher, Thomas & Mercer, is a Amazon subsidiary. Amazon has an exclusive contract with Thomas & Mercer to produce, sell, and market all Thomas & Mercer authors, such as myself. You can still read the third Nathan McBride. Kindle offers a free app for computers, cell phones, and tablets. The app turns these devices into Kindle readers.
The print and audio editions will be launched in the first week of January. OPTION TO KILL is not expensive like other eBooks. Thomas & Mercer strives to keep its authors affordable. The price of OPTION is $3.99. Does anyone else out there think that paying $12.99 for an eBook is outrageous?
Dive into Nathan’s third adventure, you won’t be disappointed!
I loved the mini series and the way new episodes were automatically loaded.
Keep up the good work.
when is your next work out and what is the title?
Harry, thank you so much for the nice post! I wish more people felt the way you do about serials, many have left negative feedback on the Amazon listing. It’s nice to know you liked the format. It’s certainly not for everyone. 🙂
I’m working on the book four (not yet titled) and it should be available in May 2104.
Thank you again for taking time to write, I truly appreciate hearing from you. Merry Christmas to you and your family!
I am about halfway through the first book “First to Kill” and can already tell you I hope you continue the series……what a great character you have created in Nathan.
I downloaded all three books from Amazon for my Kindle and have put them in front of several other books that I planned to read first.
Keep up the great work and I hope to see more soon.
Sincerely, John
Hi John, it’s so nice of you to post in here. Thank you! When I created Nathan McBride’s character, I didn’t want to pull any punches. I’m glad you appreciate Nathan for who he is (hopelessly flawed!) But then again, aren’t we all?
In OPTION, you’ll see a different side of Nathan. In many ways, it’s my favorite of the three books. You’ll be in Nathan’s POV through the entire story, so you’ll get to unravel the mystery of Lauren alongside him.
Thank you again for the wonderful post, I hope you have a great 2013. Cheers!
I have been waiting for the next in the series ever since I discovered Nathan McBride. Thanks for my early Christmas present to myself! Keep them coming!
Jan
Jan, you made my evening! Thank you for the kind words. I’m working on book four 🙂
Merry Christmas to you and your family and friends!!
Read the first 2 books in the Nathan McBride series and truly enjoyed them. I’ve been a lifelong fan of Demille, Ludlum, Flynn, Thor, Clancy, etc., and you have not failed to join that crew as an author whose works I anticipate.
Great character development and smooth flow of plotlines.
Thanks for the escape and relaxation.
Hi Shane, I’m so pleased you’re enjoying the series. Thank you so much for taking the time to write! I’m working on book four and it will be available May 2014. Merry Christmas to you and your family!
I agree with Shane. I also have read the other authors. But, Shane, you should read the Kindle series just completed fearuting Nathan McBride.
I loved it as well and the suspense of not knowing when the next episode would arrive, added to the story!!
Thanks Harry! Merry Christmas, I hope your holiday season is going well!
Mr. Peterson, I’m hooked on the Nathan McBride series. I just learned of your first three books about two weeks ago. I, as with several other listed readers, am also waiting with anxious anticipation for book four next year.
I lived my first fifty seven years in So. Cal. so it’s easy to mentally “map” the various locations described in your novels.
Keep up the good work; Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
When you see “Nathan” and his friends, please send my regards.
Hi Greg, I’ll say hello to Nate and Harv for you! Thank you for the nice post, I really appreciate hearing from you. I grew up in the San Diego area so it’s fun to use those locations. I walked the exact route Nathan and Lauren took after the wreck at Ulric!
Thank you again for taking time to write. Merry Christmas to you and I hope you have a great (and safe) New Year’s celebration! Cheers!
Mr. Peterson. I love all three of the McBride series you wrote and enjoy the comradarie and shenanagans of Harvey and McBride, and the collaboration with the FBI. However, I like reading the book as I have time available and did not care for the wait period for the ending episodes of “Option to Kill”. Hope there will be more of this series. Keep up the good work.
Ken, all future Nathan McBride books will be launched as completed books. The serial of OPTION was one-time deal only. Reviews were mixed. Some folks liked the episodic format, but I think the majority didn’t like waiting for installments, so you’re not alone!
Thanks so much for writing, it’s great hearing from you. I’m working on book four and it should be available in the fall of next year. Merry Christmas to you as well! Cheers!
Andrew, I just wanted to drop by and put in my two cents 😉
I just finished First to Kill, and am a quarter of the way through Forced, and am enjoying them very much. You’ve done a great job keeping the plots tight and moving fast without being rushed. I very much enjoy the way you’re developing the characters and their relationships.
I must also compliment you on excellent editing: it’s been my experience that many of the novels on the under $5 Kindle price range often need help in this area, and it drives me nuts! Besides throwing me out of the story, it always makes me wish for a hard copy of the book and a big, red pen (grins). You definitely don’t have that problem!
I think Forced will be the first book I complete in my 52 book goal this year, and I suspect that Option will end up on that list as well.
Best blessings, happy New Year, and keep up the excellent writing!
Kat, what a wonderful post! Thank you so much! I’m a Thomas & Mercer author, so I have a team of editors working on the final product. A few typos get overlooked, but I think they do a great job. My copy & proof editors are top notch. I hope you enjoy the rest of FORCED, it was a difficult novel to write in places. The key is finding a balance between under- or over-describing the graphic scenes. I try to take the reader right to the edge without crossing certain lines.
I’m so pleased and thankful you’re enjoying Nathan’s adventures! Please stay in touch.
Blessings to you and your family in 2013!
Andrew, it is my pleasure! Thank you for the very kind reply.
You’ll be happy to know that I *just* finished Forced, and totally loved it! I can see why it was difficult for you (but I’m not going to give any spoilers!). I thought you handled it extremely well; not over-emotional, and yet with deep respect. I’m assuming that you’ll keep it real in future books (oh, gotta go get Option, too!); Nathan’s journey is not, I’m sure, over by a long shot.
Thanks again, and I’m off to grab Option!
PS – Pleasepleasepleaseplease do all you can to keep your prices where they are as much as possible; I find that the $5 and under sweet spot makes it far more likely that I’ll take a chance on an unknown author (that’s how I found YOU!), and also much easier to keep greedily gobbling up books by favorite authors!
Andrew,
Fast paced action/adventure books are my favourite and I came across First to Kill by chance. When I saw the price it looked too good to be true but after reading a few reviews I decided to give it a go. And I am so glad I did! After finishing it in one day, I bought Forced and Option as well. Just finished reading both and now I cannot wait for the next book!
I’ve cut down on the amount of books I buy now since the huge price increase of eBooks. Thank you for keeping the price down and allowing me to enjoy a GREAT book at an affordable price.
Hi Adnan, I’m thrilled you enjoyed Nathan’s adventures – it’s also wonderful hearing from you. Thank you so much for the nice post! I’m a Thomas & Mercer author, Amazon Publishing’s imprint, and T&M likes to keep its authors affordable! I think $12.99 is WAY too much for an eBook. Ridiculous, really. The publishers set those prices, not Amazon.
Again, thank you for taking a moment to write. I hope you have a great 2013!!
I can’t say enough about how much I love your Nathan McBride series! Can’t wait for the next book!
Cindy, thank you for the kind words! I’m working on book four. (May 2014) I hope you have a great new year! Thank you again for writing.
Just finishing your last in the series “Option to Kill”. What a great series and a great read! If you liked Jack Bower and “24” you’ll love Nathan McBride.Thanks for 3 wonderful books and I can’t wait for your next.
Gail, thank you kindly for the nice note, I really appreciate hearing from you. It’s thrilling to know you enjoyed Nathan’s adventures and I hope you’ll enjoy book four. Hint: Nicaragua!
I hope all is well in your world and please stay in touch!
Loved all three Nathan McBride books!! Wish you could write as fast as I read…LOL Great series, hope to be reading many, many more!! Thank you 🙂
Michelle, you made my day! Thank you. I’m working hard on book four. Thomas & Mercer plans to launch it in May 2014. Books are kinda like gourmet meals, they take a long time to prepare, but get chowed quickly. Thank you again for the nice post, I’m thrilled you enjoyed Nathan’s adventures!
Read all three “Kill” books. Excellent writing. You manage to hold us on the edge of our seats (excuse the cliché). I thought the inter action with Lauran was terrific. I’m an 82 year old retired Marine. Most of my time these days is reading, walking my dog, and viewing email and the internet. It is refreshing to find a new writer with your skill.
Waiting eagerly for Book 4.
Bob C
Hi Bob, it’s truly an honor reading your post! Thank you for your service to America in the Marines. This author doesn’t take your service for granted!
I’m so pleased you enjoyed Nathan’s adventure with Lauren, he had his hands full. Please pet your pooch for me, I’ve been a dog person my entire life. Like Nathan, my wife and I have two giant schnauzers! (And one mini, she rules the roost)
I’m writing Nathan’s next story as we speak, I think it will be available in May 2014.
Thank you again for your kind words, they mean a lot to me!
Semper Fi!
Amazon had one of their specials so I said why not try a new author. So glad I did. Read the first book, then the second. The third I read so quick, it was great. Came to this site to find out when the next book is coming out. Can’t wait for that. Thanks for a great read.
Marion, thank you for the nice post! I’m thrilled you enjoyed Nathan’s adventures. It looks like book four will be released in May 2014 or so. Thank you again for the kind words, it’s great hearing from you.
I hope all is well in your world!
I very much have enjoyed the Nathan McBride series reading all 3 novels in a week. Not only have the stories been engaging, but being a resident of San Diego (in Clairemont) all of the locations made it very easy to visualize and brought me that much more into the story. I am trying to get better at putting reviews up on Amazon and will try to get some up soon on this excellent series.
Hi Chris, it’s great hearing from you. I also grew up in San Diego! I think it’s a interesting city with lots of culture and history. My family still lives there, I’m in southern Monterey County now. I love it.
Thank you so much for taking a moment to review the books on Amazon, that’s quite kind of you. I’m so pleased you enjoyed Nate & Harv’s adventures. You’ll see them together again in book four, coming in May of 2104.
Thank you again for writing. Cheers!
My husband and I enjoyed the three McBride books very much. Is there a fourth? Please say there is. I have fallen in love with all of the characters in these books especially Lauren in the last one. I can see her in “the business” with uncle Nate! Thanks for such entertaining reading.
Nancy, I’m happy to say there are two more Nathan McBride books in the works. Book four will launch in May of 2014 with book five in 2015.
Thank you for writing, it’s great hearing from you. I’m so pleased you enjoyed Nathan’s adventures. Lauren and Jin will return in book five! Book four features Nate and Harv in action again!
Mr. Peterson, when I read The First to Kill, I was very pleased that I was going to read two more Nathan McBride books. Sorry to say it took me only 2 1/2 weeks to finish all three books *;( can’t wait for the two books! Option was great!! Going to read them again! Thank You for giving Nathan a soft side! Jonnie
Mr. Peterson, really enjoyed all three books the only problem. Is that it only took me 2 1/2 weeks to finish all three books *;( I ‘m really needing another Nathan McBride book to read. Thank You for giving Nathan a soft side! Made Opition a great, guess I will re-read them again this summer. No pressure but could you please Hurry lol!
Jonnie Walker
Jonnie, it’s an honor to post your blog entries in here. Thank you so much for taking time to write. Nathan’s a conflicted character. He’s a man of deep conscience, but never sees the world with rose-colored glasses. You called it perfectly. In OPTION, he discovers something about himself he never knew he had: a fatherly instinct.
It was fun, but difficult to write, especially the finale! It gives me a chill when I think about actually doing something like that. He did what he had to do to save Lauren – and himself.
Thank you again for the thoughtful posts. Book four is right around the corner!
Can’t wait to see what’s in store for Nathan and Harv! Thank You for your reply!