Some more blurbs and a giveaway

Thought I'd share a few more of the blurbs that'll be plastered on my next book this Summer. Here are three followed by a little backstory and a giveaway:

One of the great pleasures of reading lies in being invited into places we've never been, having doors propped open into other minds, other ways of life. That is what good writing does -- and what Steven Torres does, wonderfully.
James Sallis, Anthony, Edgar, and Shamus award nominated author of Drive
*

A vivid, gripping piece of slow-burn suspense, The Concrete Maze seizes the reader from the first page and doesn't let go, breathing vivid new life into the classic story of a man searching for his teen daughter amid an urban wilderness. A rare mix of grit, white-knuckle suspense and rich character study, The Concrete Maze is, by turns, harrowing and heartbreaking.

Megan Abbott, Edgar nominated author of
Die a Little
*

A fresh twist on the classic quest tale set in the concrete canyons of New York City. Gritty, believable and surprising.

Wallace Stroby, author of
The Heartbreak Lounge and The Barbed-Wire Kiss


Now the backstory goes as follows - I've never met Mr. Sallis, but I much admired his novel, Drive (recommended by the good folks at CrimeSpree). I figured that I could lose nothing by asking him to read my book, so I sent an email asking if he'd care to take a look at it. He said he normally did not blurb authors he didn't know but since SJ Rozan had blurbed my latest book, he'd take a chance. Turns out he liked it, and I'm grateful he took the time.

I met Ms. Abbott at the now defunct ConMisterio in Austin, TX. I read her first novel Die a Little and thought it a marvel. The prose is truly luxurious. In any event, meeting her again at a summer event at Black Orchid in NYC, I asked if she'd mind taking a look at my book and, well, as you see, she did and quite liked it. Interestingly, she works with several people who knew the Bronx neighborhoods I described and especially a skating ring I use as a major setting.

Mr. Stroby was another person I met at ConMisterio, went through the same steps mentioned above and then, when he sent me the blurb, I saw the word concrete and the title sprang to mind. Before that, my editor and I had been going back and forth for a month trying to change the title from what it was (A Bronx Jam) to something that might help it sell. Hence, the birth of The Concrete Maze.


Now for the giveaway:

I have left over copies of CrimeSpree Magazine's 14th issue featuring a short story I'm quite proud of Elena Speaks of the City Under Siege. There are, of course, many other articles, reviews and stories to interest you so if you haven't been introduced to CrimeSpree yet, post a message and I'll contact you to arrange sending you a copy. There are six of them.

Also, I find I have two ARCs of my third novel, Burning Precinct Puerto Rico, in the series so if you've haven't been introduced to the series, post your request.

Please, don't post your mailing address - I ask for it offline.

Thanks.