Another nice review.

Just saw another five-star review on Amazon for The Fine Art of Kindness

Charming Novel 
This is a charming and endearing novel that you will be delighted to read.
Although set in a small town in New Zealand the themes in this story are universal. It touches on social issues in a thought provoking but tender manner.
The relationship between the two elderly characters, as it develops is lovely.

More wonderful reader feedback for 'The Fine Art of Kindness'

Yesterday I received more wonderful feedback for The Fine Art of Kindness. I have posted an edited version of here: 

"I want to tell you that with Kindness you have written a truly adult and most enjoyable book.  OK, you got me crying at the end, and I don’t cry just for anyone!  No, it was the real thing.

"Your characters are excellent, beautifully written and act the narrative assuredly and with true Kiwi panache.  Not just the main characters either.  I believed in ALL of the people in the novel, even the young student, Tim, introduced towards the end.  A meaningful addition, and excellently drawn.  I saw and believed the Hare Krishna gal and the slightly imperious nurse.   

"The two main characters, Jack and Betty were so believable; totally.  And Jack’s family.  Wonderful.  Superb supporting cast.

"Congratulations for a good read, and a good book, well written.  I hope it sells thousands, as it deserves to."

Readers love 'The Fine Art of Kindness'

I continue to get good reader feedback for The Fine Art of Kindness. 

For example this came in yesterday: 

'...I started reading and couldn’t put it down.  Nice gentle story that will touch many hearts, I’m sure.  Do hope it is well received. I bought a copy for a friend’s birthday and I’m sure she’ll enjoy it.'

And this:  
'Thank you for your beautiful new book. … You write so beautifully and simply, it was a joy to read. I love the way the stories are about ordinary people leading ordinary lives. I have a friend from NZ  and I lent her 'To The White Gate' and she is anxious to read 'The Fine Art of Kindness'. I also must mention the cover, so beautiful and gentle, just like the book! Thank you so much for your fine act of kindness, best wishes.'  

Free PDF previews for downloading

PDF previews of seven of my books are now available for download from my website . 
I haven't provided previews of my short stories --what would be he point? -- but I'll do For Viktor next. 

Go HERE for a downloadable PDF preview of The Fine Art of Kindness 
Go HERE for a downloadable PDF preview of Underneath the Arclight 
Go HERE for a downloadable PDF preview of To the White Gate
Go HERE for a downloadable PDF preview of Six Murders? 
Go HERE for a downloadable PDF preview of My Marian Year
Go HERE for a downloadable PDF preview of The Tapu Garden of Eden 

Go HERE for a downloadable PDF preview of The Boltons of The Little Boltons

Another two PDF previews now available for downloading

Yes. I'm gradually preparing and uploading PDF previews of my book so readers can 'try before they buy'. Today I have made two more previews available: The Fine Art of Kindness and Underneath The Arclight as well as To the White Gate and Six Murders?.

• Go HERE for a downloadable preview of The Fine Art of Kindness 
• Go HERE for a downloadable PDF preview of Underneath the Arclight 
• Go HERE for a downloadable PDF preview of To the White Gate
• Go HERE for a downloadable PDF preview of Six Murders? 

More wonderful reader feedback for 'The Fine Art of Kindness'

I received this email this morning.

'Thank you for your beautiful new book. I have just finished it and I simply loved it. I was slow to get started as I had a book club book to finish and review before I could begin ( 620 pages! ) It was worth waiting for! You write so beautifully and simply, it was a joy to read. I love the way the stories are about ordinary people leading ordinary lives. I have a friend from NZ  and I lent her 'To The White Gate' and she is anxious to read 'The Fine Art of Kindness'. I also must mention the cover, so beautiful and gentle, just like the book! Thank you so much for your fine act of kindness, best wishes.'

Nice news from Wellington libraries

In the course of arranging for some free copies of The Fine Art of Kindness to go the Wellington libraries the librarian told me that

"The copies of Six murders? are issuing exceptionally well as is our single copy of To The White Gate." 

As a result I sent them some more copies of both titles. There's nothing more gratifying to a writer than knowing his books are in demand.

'The Fine Art of Kindness' gets its first Amazon review. And it's a FIVE-STAR.

The Fine Art of Kindness

I sold my first copy of The Fine Art of Kindness at Parnell market yesterday and I told the buyer that  although he wasn't the first reader he was definitely the first sale.  Anyway, he  emailed me today to tell me how much he had  enjoyed the book -- he had read it in one sitting -- and that he had reviewed it on Amazon. 

His five-star review follows:

A thoughtful tale, well told. You will be entertained and richer for the experience. Don't miss it!

A touching story of 2 older folks reunited after 70 odd years and their time together, until one passes. Robert has done an excellent job of introducing us to the characters and unraveling their secrets over 234 pages. Having met the author I was surprised at the depth of his perception of the character of the subjects. A little challenging at first but the story evolved quickly into a chance encounter which for Jack carried many past memories of kindness and comfort. For a little boy who had a rough upbringing. He briefly experienced a world more nurturing than his own and this had a profound influence on his life's path and the impact of the meeting in later life. The character Betty in contrast experienced huge wealth and poverty in her life, latterly influenced by a medical event early in her married life. This drove her to become what she became and do what she did. Without people like Betty in our world, we would all be that much poorer. Her contributions both financially and physically to children's hospitals and her community were astounding, when you consider the heights her life experienced. While this is a work of fiction one cannot help but wonder if there really was a Betty out there. Judging by the contributors to this narrative it seems our lives are blessed with people like Betty, large of heart and small of profile. Robert has done an excellent job of drawing the reader into a "slice of life" story and telling us who the characters were. He makes us all, perhaps, look at our lives in a different way. An entertaining read. I completed the whole story in one sitting. Fascinated with who these people were and what was coming next. I have no hesitation in recommending the book and its author to all thoughtful readers.

Another FREE Kindle promotion

This time I've set up a free Kindle promotion for my new book The Fine Art of Kindness which will run until Sunday night (NZ time). I posted the promotion on Facebook and then boosted it to the UK and Australia so it will be interesting to see how it goes.

One Kindle FREE promotion ends; another is about to begin.

My Kindle free promotion of To The White Gate ended last (Sunday) night (New Zealand time). I was surprised how few people took up the offer given this book's popularity. However, a writer writes only to be read and I hope those unknown people who downloaded this lovely book go on to enjoy it (and review it I hope).
Equally as lovely and moving, in its own way, is my new novel The Fine Art of Kindness. It, too, will be available FREE from Kindle later this week. It's got no official reviews yet -- after all, it's brand new -- but informal feedback so far has been terrific. The free Kindle download will be available from 8.00 pm Thursday 22 March until 8.00 pm Monday 26 March (all times New Zealand). 

Free Kindle promotion of two titles

I've just set up Kindle FREE world-wide promotions for two of my books.

1. To The White Gate

Five days. Runs from New Zealand time 9.00 pm Wednesday 14 March (12.01 am Wednesday 14 March PST) to 9.00 pm Sunday 18 March (12.00 midnight Saturday 17 March PST).

2. The Fine Art of Kindness

For some reason I could not make this programme wouldn't let me run for five days. Don't know why. So, runs from New Zealand time 9.00 pm Thursday 22 March (12.01 am Thursday 22 March PST) to 9.00 pm Monday 25 March (12.00 midnight Sunday 25 March PST).

NOTE: It is almost impossible to follow the rules on these free Kindle promos. The website says that promotions run from midnight of the start day to midnight of the end day for a maximum of five days.

What I think they really mean is that a promo runs from say 00.01 am on the start date and runs until say 11.59 pm on the end date. It's all very confusing. The website says:

Choose when the promotion starts and ends. Start and end dates are midnight Pacific Time. For example, if you enter a start date of January 3 and an end date of January 7, your deal would run on January 3, 4, 5, and 6.

Kindle Free Book Deal promotions can run for up to 5 days.

A further complication is that the times are PST which means adjusting for both New Zealand and California daylight time.  

Early reader feedback on 'The Fine Art of Kindness'

'I also think this is your best book to date. A sensitive story about how individual acts - some of kindness and others regretful - can cause strong later reactions that last a lifetime. An intriguing and most enjoyable read!'
Max Ross 

Amazon is now stocking 'The Fine Art of Kindness' for sale anywhere in the world.

Yes. The Fine Art of Kindness is now available here from both Amazon and Kindle.   

The Fine Art of Kindness' Kindle edition now available

Self-publishing is a slow, meticulous, step-by-step process requiring patience and attention to detail. So I'm pleased to say that my new novel, The Fine Art of Kindness, is now available from Kindle. You can get it (and all my Amazon and Kindle books) HERE.

Next will be the Amazon edition. And finally the local print edition. 

Production of my new novel, The Fine Art of Kindness, is under way.

And here's a preview of the cover designed by my clever son Steve.

My new book (finished) which had a new title now has a new new title. But this new title is definitely IT.

My new novel. It's finished and I'm very happy with it. I'm now under way with publishing although still finalizing the cover. I use PublishMe in New Plymouth for my New Zealand hard copy books; then I'll be adapting everything to Amazon's specs and then will come a Kindle version. Then update the website, flyers, blah blah. (In case it's not obvious I'd much rather write than publish.) What's important is that I have finally settled on the title although it took a lot of help from my wife Kath to get there. When she read the final version she had nothing but contempt for my original title. She said 'It doesn't matter that they're old, it's definitely a LOVE story.'

So, at last, I can say for certain that the title is: THE FINE ART OF KINDNESS. 

And here, for those who are interested, is the cover blurb. 

The Fine Art of Kindness

Sometimes even the smallest kindness is rewarded, somehow; even if it takes a lifetime.

When wealthy old Jack Landseer and the eccentric and even older Betty Krilich meet – apparently by accident – they begin an odd relationship which gradually evolves into one of mutual trust, affection and, yes, love.

Set in small-town provincial New Zealand, The Fine Art of Kindness is a gentle read about two old people who need to overcome their strange and secret past if they are to share their future. 

I'll post a preview of the cover as soon as it's ready. 

Progress report on my new novel. It's in the final stages. And it has a new name.

It's almost the end of the year and my new novel is almost ready to go. However, it needs a bit more work on editing and polishing -- and all that other boring stuff (like checking spelling and consistency) -- before I can get to the work of actually publishing it in New Zealand, Amazon and Kindle, so I have decided to set it aside until the new year when I will approach it with a fresh eye. After all, I've been at it for eight months (somewhat interrupted by surgery and convalescence) so what's another month. By the way, despite saying I'd settled on a title I have  changed my mind and settled on a new title: 'Old Cupboards. Old Skeletons.' It'll be ready to read in February or March next year. 

Progress report on my new novel

My new novel is well under way and will eventually be my twelfth published book. 

I started it, rather tentatively I must admit, at the beginning of May and now, after more than five months -- interrupted by surgery and convalescence --I can report that I have at last typed THE END. That's not THE end end but it does mean I have brain-dumped the whole story and now have to spend months adding new material -- I'm having to do a lot of research for this book -- as well as editing, polishing and all that stuff that takes ages but is very satisfying and makes it all worthwhile. I have also settled on a title: On Making God Laugh. 

When will it be available? I'm guessing early in the new year. 

A new book (untitled) is under way

What a year this has been. I'm just about fully recovered from major surgery -- after having already recovered from major eye surgery -- and I've started a new book. It's absolutely nothing like anything I've written before. In fact, that's one of my problems. People always ask: 'What is your genre?' It seems that authors who stick to a theme -- a genre -- can acquire a set of followers who know what to expect. But unless you call 'New Zealand fiction' a genre I don't have a fixed genre. A disadvantage? I don't know. At least I'm free to write whatever I like in any manner or style I choose. Anyway, I've started a new book, it doesn't have a title yet, and it's many months (up to a year) away from being finished, but I'm enjoying the writing so that's always a good sign. 

'The Fine Art of Kindness' is now available internationally from Amazon and Kindle.

My first little announcement on my new blog.

My new book The Fine Art of Kindness is now available internationally from Amazon and Kindle.

The New Zealand paperback version will be available in a week or so and can be ordered in advance from my website here:

It's too early for any reviews but my wife thinks it's the best and nicest thing I've ever written. Isn't she kind.