Enter Now for Your Chance to Win a Free Copy of Smooth Operator!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Smooth Operator

by Gamal Hennessy

Giveaway ends March 10, 2014.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

The Horror That Lives Just Around the Corner

                  

When I was learning to write, I was taught about the distinctions between different types of fiction. Horror, of course, was one of the main genres and came in two varieties. It was broken down into natural horror (stories based on threats like criminals, sociopaths and the violently insane) and supernatural horror (stories based on unconfirmed concepts like vampires, zombies and ghosts).  Right now the craze in horror is completely of the supernatural variety. All you have to do is look at all the media devoted to the zombie apocalypse to see what I’m talking about. But in spite of the current trend, I write natural horror because I believe that it makes the stories much more frightening.

I have three urban horror stories currently available for free on Smashwords:

• The Replacements is a story about three high school boys who are forced to face their worst fears when they try to buy a girl in the sex trade.
• Spare Some Change reverses the power dynamic between an urban yuppie and a homeless man deep in the tunnels under New York City.
• Finally, Afraid of the Dark is set in a near future society where government sponsored killers roam the streets answering to no authority but their own.

I try to create a sense of realism in my horror that infects the mind of the reader. I don’t want you to imagine a theoretical horror. I want you to feel like “This could happen to me.” That’s when you get scared. That’s when horror works.

I know Halloween is traditionally about supernatural horror. I know that vampires and zombies have a lot of cache in modern entertainment. But I don’t relate to supernatural horror, so I don’t have any inspiration to write about that. Stories about being terrorized by homeless maniacs or slave traders might not be the trend now, but try not to follow the trends. I’m trying to tap into primal fears and the fear of someone who might be just around the corner is more powerful than the fear of something that might only exist in our collective imagination.

Have fun.

G

Asset Management and Sharing Secrets is Now on Sale

Sex Lies and Spies is offering two new stories on Amazon today.

We are offering one espionage story in Asset Management and one erotic story in Sharing Secrets.

Amazon Prime users can download the books for free. If you are in the press, a blogger or a book reviewer & you'd like press copies of my August books please let me know.

Asset Management: ($1.99)

Rose Mendoza is an ambitious young executive looking to make her mark at the security firm of RSVP. One of her first projects is getting rid of an enticing veteran operator named William Baker.  But as Rose learns about Baker’s plans and his connection to the brutal vigilante Ria Marlen she is pulled into a crisis that could end her career or even end her life.

Sharing Secrets: ($.99)
There are two seductive daydreams in this collection:

The Open Window combines voyeurism and exhibitionism on a cold winter night in New York City that burns away the chill for everyone involved.

Toy Story describes a visit to a sex museum that leads to a man’s first encounter with his lover’s personal playthings.

Be sure to check out our other crime, erotica and espionage stories for your Kindle, iPad and smartphone.

Afraid of the Dark (Crime fiction)

Bedtime Stories (Erotica)

The Replacements (Crime Fiction)

Have fun.
Gamal

I Reject Sexual Violence

Sometimes it pays to be a very small business.

Last week was a perfect example. My business development department (Me), sat down with my advertising department (Me) to talk about the results of the new ad campaign.

Business Development: So how are things going?

Advertising: Well, I’ve got good news and bad news…

BD: What’s the good news?

Ads: The good news is that market awareness for the brand has gone up 380% in two weeks.

BD: That’s fucking awesome. So what’s the bad news?

Ads: The bad news is that the vast majority of our growth has been among demographic groups associated with misogyny and sexual violence. Based on the sampling, the marketing department (Me) thinks that people like the FB page because they think our material is about sexual violence, particularly against women.

BD: But that’s not our message! There is no sexual violence in our products. Everything we put out is sex positive and if anything it portrays women from a position of sexual power.

Ads: I’m not disputing that. I’m just telling you what marketing is getting from the data.

BD: Can we be sure about that assessment?

Ads: Nope. But management (Me) doesn’t want to take any chances. We already got that angry letter from that university doctor at launch, remember? The PR department (Me) doesn’t want the Sex and Violence brand to blow up in our faces, so we’re going to scrap it. Management wants us to rebrand the series, tweak the ads and get out in front of this thing before things get out of hand.

BD: Fine. But can all that be done before the August launch? We’ve already got two books in the pipeline and the launch date is Friday.

Ads: It’s not a problem. The creative department (Me) is working on a new tag line and new graphics. The PR department is changing all the bios and I’m going to change the ads as soon as everything is in place. We should be set by the start of business Monday, as long as we don’t get any push back from Facebook.

BD: Fine. So what do you need me to do?

Ads: Go get editorial (Me) to write a blog post about the name change and find a way to make it entertaining…

BD: What’s the new name?

Ads: We’re calling it Sex, Lies and Spies. Later on we’ll shorten it to SLS, but we’ll probably wait for Christmas to do that.

BD: We’ll it’s not as catchy as Sex and Violence…

Ads: It’s not as toxic either and it probably won't get us into any trouble. So get going. We need to have this done before the 26^th…

So here we are. Let me restate this just to be perfectly clear; some of the stories I write contain explicit sexual scenes. Some of the stories I write contain emotional, physical and psychological violence. But there is no sexual violence in my work. My affection and admiration for women is too high for me to abuse women, even in fiction.

Luckily, my company is small enough to make changes without too much trouble. This is one instance when having a split personality is actually helpful.

Have fun.

G

Your First Look at Sharing Secrets

The new erotic anthology from the Sex and Violence series goes on sale next week. Here is a look at the cover and a preview of the story.

There are two seductive daydreams in this collection.

The Open Window combines voyeurism and exhibitionism on a cold winter night in New York City that burns away the chill for everyone involved.

Toy Story describes a visit to a sex museum that leads to a man’s first encounter with his lover’s personal playthings.

This title goes on sale on Amazon on July 29^th. Authors, book reviewers and bloggers who want to write a review for this or any other Sex and Violence title should contact me directly at gamalhennessy@gmail.com for press copies.

Have fun.

Gamal

Your First Look at the Asset Management Story

The new thriller from the Sex and Violence series goes on sale next week. Here is a look at the cover and a preview of the story.

Rose Mendoza is an ambitious young executive looking to make her mark at the security firm of RSVP. One of her first projects is getting rid of an enticing veteran operator named William Baker.  But as Rose learns about Baker’s plans and his connection to the brutal vigilante Ria Marlen she is pulled into a crisis that could end her career or even end her life.

This title goes on sale on Amazon on July 29^th. Authors, book reviewers and bloggers who want to write a review for this or any other Sex and Violence title should contact me directly at gamalhennessy@gmail.com for press copies.

Have fun.

Gamal

The Artist’s Struggle with the Normal

“Writing ought either to be the manufacture of stories for which there is a market demand -- a business as safe and commendable as making soap or breakfast foods -- or it should be an art, which is always a search for something for which there is no market demand, something new and untried, where the values are intrinsic and have nothing to do with standardized values.” Willa Cather

I often get the impression that society uses the government, the mainstream media, priests, and psychologists to enforce the concept of normality. They claim, without any real authority, the power to define what is normal. They use surveys, statistics and selective historical trends to create the illusion of a “typical” man or woman. They preach that normal is inherently good and that all of us should strive to fit our bodies, hearts and minds into the mold that they dictate. Everyone who is willing to forge a new path or question the conventional is discouraged, punished or rejected completely.

At the other end of the spectrum artists, dreamers and hedonists resist this process. We reject what is normal and forge paths that are often bizarre, disturbing and completely fascinating. They are often misunderstood or unappreciated but the power of their voice is undeniable. For better or worse artists fight against the tide of normal in an attempt to forge new paths and create a new reality.

The irony of this struggle is that many of the people who bend to the pressure of normality spend their lives looking up to the rebels…desperately wishing they had the strength and the insanity to join them. Billions and billions of people striving to be normal have lived and died, forgotten in the spectacle of existence. It is the artists and the rebels who lead us, shape our world and live in our collective consciousness long after they are dead.

My hope with the Sex and Violence series is to pull further away from the grip of normal life and forge my own path. I might only succeed in being discouraged or rejected but if there is a chance that someone might appreciate it one day then I can’t ask for more than that.

 "To be nobody-but-yourself--in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else--means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting." E. E  Cummings

Have fun.

G

And So It Begins...

I am happy to announce that the Sex and Violence Series launches today with three new short stories:

Afraid of the Dark $1.99

Bedtime Stories $.99

The Replacements $.99

 All three titles are available for the Kindle and Nook Apps.

If you decide to read these launch titles, please feel free to review them and leave comments. Feedback can only make my work better, especially if you think they are perfect.

Have fun.

G

 

Sample Pages for the Replacements Now Available

If you’d like to get an early sample of my new story The Replacements, you can get a PDF here.

The Replacements Description: Three young men travel from the suburbs to the city in search of forbidden pleasure. They think they are prepared to commit a crime, but are they ready for the surprise that their dealer has set up for them?

The full version goes on sale June 29^th in the Amazon, Nook and Smashwords store for $.99.

Have fun.

Gamal

Sample Pages for Bedtime Stories Now Available

If you’d like to get an early sample of my new compilation Bedtime Stories, you can get a PDF here.

Bedtime Stories offers two erotic dreams. In Sleeping Beauty, a thoughtful lover tries to comfort a tense and tired woman without waking her up. And when angry words of rejection are coupled with hungry acts of passion some people know how to enjoy the Mixed Signals.

The full version goes on sale June 29^th in the Amazon, Nook and Smashwords store for $.99.

Have fun.

Gamal

Sample Pages for Afraid of the Dark Now Available

If you’d like to get an early sample of my new story Afraid of the Dark, you can get a PDF here.

Afriad of the Dark

Eve Elder has millions of readers in 2017 and she lives for their attention. Her latest story uncovers a government conspiracy, mass murder and a tortured soul who might not let her live long enough to write it.

If you like the sample, you can buy the full version goes on sale June 29^th in the Amazon, Nook and Smashwords store for $1.99.

Have fun.

Gamal

A Few Words On Censorship...

...from Jon Stewart...

Because Sex and Violence contains a lot of explicit material, I expect some people to have a problem with it. I don't mind negative reactions based on the quality of my work, but I have no interest in catering to people who reject something without even reading it.

For everyone who decides to read Sex and Violence, I hope you enjoy it.

For everyone else, this picture is for you.

Have fun.
G

First Look at the Replacements

The third book in the Sex and Violence Series goes on sale June 29th!

The Replacements: Three young men travel from the suburbs to the city in search of forbidden pleasure. They think they are prepared to commit a crime, but are they ready for the surprise that their dealer has set up for them?

Like Sex and Violence on Facebook for free samples of this book and news on other upcoming releases.

Have fun.
G

First Look at Bedtime Stories

The second book in the Sex and Violence Series goes on Sale June 29th!

Bedtime Stories offers two erotic dreams. In Sleeping Beauty, a thoughtful lover tries to comfort a tense and tired woman without waking her up. And when angry words of rejection are coupled with hungry acts of passion some people know how to enjoy the Mixed Signals.

Like Sex and Violence on Facebook for free samples of this book and news on other upcoming releases.

Have fun.
G

First Look at Afraid of the Dark!

The first book in the Sex and Violence Series goes on Sale June 29th!

Eve Elder has millions of online readers in 2017 and she lives for their attention. Her latest story uncovers a government conspiracy, mass murder and a tortured soul who might not let her live long enough to write it.

Like Sex and Violence on Facebook for free samples of this book and news on other upcoming releases.

Great Expectations

A friend recently asked me what my expectations are for publishing my stories. Am I looking for a book deal? Am I hoping for fame and fortune? Do I want to quit my day job, or am I just trying to get more sex? At the time I didn’t have a good answer, but now I think I’ve wrapped my head around the idea.

What I Expect

I want the same thing you want. I want good stories. I want to write something people want to read and talk about. I want to write things you remember. I want to write things that make you think and feel.

The rest of my expectations are more selfish. I expect to;

• Have fun
• Be inspired
• Solve problems
• Learn more about myself
• Learn more about the world around me
• Get better at what I’m doing
• Meet new people
• Find out more about the people I already know
• Become more comfortable with myself
• Have more sex

The last one probably isn’t realistic, but the rest of the list is good enough to start with for now.

What I Don’t Expect

It would be nice to make so much money in royalties that I didn’t have work a day job or to option the rights to one of my stories in to a movie or TV series. I’ll certainly try to do that, but I don’t expect it. There are thousands of writers much better than I am who aren’t financially successful. Writing well isn’t a guarantee. There is no way to know whether a book will sell ten million copies or ten copies. As writers, we can advertise and market all we want. At the end of the day we don’t have any control over what you buy.

 I also don’t expect everyone to like my writing. I write about sex and violence (not always at the same time in the same story). Some people absolutely refuse to read any type of erotica. Other people won’t read anything that makes them scared, sad or otherwise upset. Some people won’t like my style. Some will think it goes too far. Others will see it as too timid and vanilla. I understand all that. Everyone is different and likes different things. All I can do is write the best stories I can write.

So here’s to good stories and (hopefully) more sex.

Have fun.

G

The Benefits of Rejection, Indifference, Ridicule, Hate, Envy, Exploitation and Insecurity for Writers

I was sipping pinot grigio in a wine bar recently, considering all the struggles and pitfalls that a creative person faces when they decide to write. I came to the conclusion almost every writer travels on a journey as they express themselves. It is path that we have taken since the first stories were written to the rise of 50 Shades of Grey on the best seller lists.  The trip has several milestones that every writer can expect:

·         Insecurity arrives first when we doubt our ability to write anything worthwhile.

·         Frustration comes when we try to turn the images, dreams and voices in our head into words on a page.

·         Rejection comes when no one wants to publish or release our work.

·         Indifference comes when no one wants to read it.

·         Ridicule comes when someone does read it and then decides it isn’t any good.

·         Hate comes when more readers are exposed to you and want to compare you to someone else. They attack you for being exactly the same as their favorite authors… or completely different from them.

·         Envy comes from all sides when people are buying your dreams instead of theirs.

·         Exploitation comes when people want to use you and your work for their own agenda and finances.

·         Insecurity comes back when it is time to write again.

Looking at these milestones, it isn’t hard to understand why many writers are depressed or bitter. It isn’t hard to understand why so many people decide to never start down this road in the first place. But that decision is a mistake, at least for me. Knowing that I can look forward to these pitfalls gives me a great sense of freedom.

It means I can write what a like.  I can express myself any way I choose because what I write isn’t going to change the road. I’m not going to make anything easier or better by pandering to an imagined public. I can be brilliant or banal and nothing will change. The road is the road. The only thing that can stop me is a lack of belief and love in what I write. That is when writing is a trip not worth taking. If I enjoy writing then I can travel down that road without any concern about what happens on the way. The writing is the important thing. The road is irrelevant.

Have fun

G

What is Sex and Violence?

I’ve been writing short stories since 1998 without a good way to sell them. Now there are so many Kindles, IPads and Nooks out there that selling e-books make sense. Now I have enough experience running my own businesses to be comfortable self publishing. Now I might even be egotistical enough to expose my creativity and face the inevitable consequences.

Sex and Violence is going to be a series of monthly short stories that deal with…you guessed it, sex and violence. These are the themes that occupy my mind most of the time. Almost every voluntary activity I do has a connection to one of these states. Sex and violence also seem to spark the most emotion and controversy in society. It is the underlying basis of what drives us. We are constantly running towards one and away from the other. They are the physical expressions of our most extreme opposites; love and hate, pleasure and pain, life and death. If I’m going to write about something that holds my attention (and hopefully yours) I can’t think of two better topics.

My plan is to release three stories on June 29^th, so you can get them for the Fourth of July holiday. After that, I plan to release two stories a month. One story will be erotic inspired by writers like Anias Nin, Lonnie Barbach and Oscar Wilde (that’s the Sex part). The other story will be a neo noir style of fiction similar to films like Seven, the Usual Suspects and Chinatown (that’s the Violence part). I can only hope something I write is as good as any of those.

I plan to sell on all three major platforms and keep you up to date on my progress on this site. I might also share thoughts on the creative process, review the work of other writers and randomly vent here, but I’ll try to keep the venting to a minimum.

Thank you for exploring Sex and Violence. I hope you enjoy the experience. Please feel free to leave a comment if you have questions, comments, criticisms or ideas.

Have fun.
Gamal