After 10 years, my time at CBR has come to an end. I’ve only kept this page alive to post links to those articles, and as it doesn’t make much sense to maintain a rickety blogspot page in the current day, I’m closing things down here.
If you like, you can still find me at YouTube, Substack, and Instagram. More of the same awaits, most likely.
I've had a YouTube account for years but haven't done much with it. I've been tinkering with the format lately, attempting to assemble my various writings on the early development of the 1980s G.I. Joe relaunch into brief videos. There will also be clips from my audiobooks and some other concepts in the coming months...like, perhaps, a seven-part retrospective on a series starring more-than-six sovereigns cast adrift from their homelands. Feel free to check it out and spread the word.
It’s 1980, and the world’s greatest pulp artist just might be a murderer.
What isn’t for free, but still available at a very reasonable price, is the latest edition of the crime fiction anthology Crimeucopia, entitled Hey! Don't Read That! Read This! I have a short story entitled “Previous Times” featured in this issue. You can purchase the issue at this link.
P.S. I would greatly appreciate your feedback, so please feel free to leave a review. I’m told it appeases the almighty Amazon algorithm. Also, if you have a reader in your life, I’d also appreciate you forwarding the link to all of these freebies. The deal expires in a few days, so act accordingly.
This week at my Substack...A short story inspired by mainstream America’s 2000s infatuation with the once tawdry world of comic books—and the rumors surrounding the original comic book art market. Could’ve been more scandalous, given the stories about mobsters laundering their money via original Batman pages, but who am I to invite trouble?
Jacob felt a little guilty, snapping at her like that over the phone. He should’ve known, Beth wouldn’t have called at the unholy hour of ten a.m. unless it was something serious.
My new short story "Storefront" is featured this month in the Adelaide Literary Magazine. Read it for free at this link and share your all-important thoughts...
For the first time, one of my short stories has been produced with a full cast, sound effects, and musical score. Dogteeth is the story of a grizzled bounty hunter seeking a warrior’s end, following a bad doctor’s visit. He finds what he’s looking for in a neighborhood dominated by Dogteeth, the leather-clad ghouls who no longer hide in the shadows…and don’t you ever call them vampires. The performance evokes memories of classic radio drama (hopefully) and I think the team did a great job. My story begins at around 25 minutes in: https://www.thenosleeppodcast.com/episodes/extras/sd16
And the text version of the story, along with nine other tales, can be found in my new short story collection Dogteeth and Other Tales of the Paranormal: https://www.amazon.com/Dogteeth-Other-Tales-Paranormal-Kendall-ebook/dp/B0CQHSBBDR
Check it out and let me know what you think!
I have two short story collections, scheduled for release on the same day. That same day is today. One collection is "in this world" and one "out of this world" (paranormal, horror, absurdity...) Both are free reads on Kindle Unlimited. Reviews appease our Amazon overlords, and I am genuinely curious about what you have to say.
Ten Tiny Tales: Stories of Broken Elevators and Other Mundane Things
Gene Kendall returns with ten stories of everyday joys, anxieties, and all the gooey stuff in-between. A few tales of families and criminals and windbags and kids who need haircuts. Featuring material originally presented in the Saturday Evening Post. Available here!
Dogteeth and Other Tales of the Paranormal
Ten stories of the paranormal from Gene Kendall, exploring both the light and the dark. A wood nymph becomes a crucial tool in global domination. A social media fad has the entire world feeling blue. An idyllic young couple faces a literal ghost from the past. Featuring the return of Bradley Burns, the Paranormal Desperado of Love is Dead(ly), and the debut of Dogteeth (don’t you ever call them vampires). Available here!
My new audiobook Efficient and Divine: Honey Locust Is on sale now!
Mason Mackay is at peace with his lust, but this newfound sanguinity is a deadly thing. With the aid of a charming mentor, Mason's discovered a class of victim that can be targeted, hunted, and eliminated with ease. With a new love and a new taste for boozy treats, Mason is enjoying a life of sweet indulgence.
He's made some mistakes, though, unwilling to cut all ties to his past. Mason's former love Natalie Martinez is on his case, whether she knows it or not. A collision is coming, one that might claim both lives.
The second volume in the Efficient and Divine series is fast-paced, lean, and mean. A mystery thriller that promises both broken hearts and broken bones.
I have free Audible codes if you're interested, just contact me.
"Are you aware that over eighty percent of your novels fail the Bechdel Test? Fail it rather spectacularly?"
Times change. Can best-selling novelist Benny Stack change with them?
Sign up for my mailing list at this link and receive my free short story!
Efficient and Divine: Almost Heaven is on Kindle Unlimited and now Audible! I have free US and UK Audible codes to give away to reviewers -- send me your email address and I can provide you with the codes. My narrator Brian L. Knutson did a fantastic job and I really want to get the word out.
Heck, here's a link to use a free US code -- paste in this text: 4BTDL4HEE2FHT
This is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Use the code to redeem your free copy (I only ask humbly for a review on the Audible page.)
Is there a demon hiding inside Mason Mackay? The world sees only a witty, handsome filmmaker. But one interview subject brings out something dark, something truly unspeakable, buried deep in Mason’s subconscious. Within hours, the interview subject is dead. The evidence points to Mason—and he can’t honestly say the police are wrong.
Forced to face the secrets of his past, Mason finds himself at odds with a retired FBI agent with cryptic motives. Meanwhile, a mysterious family is offering Mason not only answers but acceptance of even his darkest urges. What lies buried within Mason must be exposed…for good or ill.
My new novel Honey Locust is out today! Check it out on Amazon -- and it's free with a Kindle Unlimited subscription. Here's the blurb:
Mason Mackay is at peace with his lust, but this newfound sanguinity is a deadly thing. With the aid of a charming mentor, Mason's discovered a class of victim that can be targeted, hunted, and eliminated with ease. With a new love and a new taste for boozy treats, Mason is enjoying a life of sweet indulgence.
He's made some mistakes, though, unwilling to cut all ties to his past. Mason's former love Natalie Martinez is on his case, whether she knows it or not. A collision is coming, one that might claim both lives.
The second volume in the Efficient and Divine series is fast-paced, lean, and mean. A mystery thriller that promises both broken hearts and broken bones.
Quick-witted and clean-cut Mason Mackay has something dark within. Struggling to accept his sinister urges, Mason must choose between those he loves and those who deserve brutal justice.
Gene Kendall here, shilling my latest releases. If I don't, who will? I believe I've mentioned earlier that I've had a few short stories published on the Saturday Evening Post website, and there's also a free short story available if you join my mailing list. But while short stories are likely better suited for contemporary attention spans, I personally favor full-length novels. Foolishly, I continue to peruse the monthly Amazon Prime releases of mysteries and thrillers. I say this because the description always intrigues, the early pages grab my attention (Murder! Mayhem! Betrayal!) , and the stories then proceed to fall off a cliff.
What if that didn't happen? What if a contemporary mystery/thriller delivered on its promise?
The goal of Efficient and Divine is to play off the modern-day tropes of the genre while also remaining true to what once made these stories so compelling in the days of loveable drunks like Raymond Chandler. No cookie-cutter characters, no contrived "save the cat" moments to make the lead likeable despite his flaws, no cheap handwaving at the end to assure readers that everything's going to be okay. Conversely, I didn't want the story to remain steeped in nihilism, either. The characters aren't saints, but I'd like to view them as believably human. This means they react as, well, humans would react in these situations, something that's seemingly a rarity in contemporary fiction.
The two novels in the series are on Amazon (one is pre-order and the other is out today) -- free for all Kindle Unlimited subscribers. The second is available for preorder and goes on sale on May 5. Is this a ridiculously long novel I've split up for the purposes of padding out releases? Nope! The novels take place years apart (one before the pandemic, and the other "today"), and have separate themes, tones, and character arcs. I'm releasing them a month apart, frankly, for the novelty of it. Why wait years for the next installment when it's already in the drawer?
Here's the official blurb for the opening novel, Efficient and Divine: Almost Heaven…
Is there a demon hiding inside Mason Mackay? The world sees only a witty, handsome filmmaker. But one interview subject brings out something dark, something truly unspeakable, buried deep in Mason’s subconscious. Within hours, the interview subject is dead. The evidence points to Mason—and he can’t honestly say the police are wrong.
Forced to face the secrets of his past, Mason finds himself at odds with a retired FBI agent with cryptic motives. Meanwhile, a mysterious family is offering Mason not only answers, but acceptance of even his darkest urges. What lies buried within Mason must be exposed…for good or ill.
The novel's official release is today, but you might still be able to download free preview ARCs at Booksirens and Prolific Works. The audiobook is also coming soon, narrated by the great Brian L. Knutson, who did a fantastic job on my novel Black Hat Blues and my NYPD Blue guidebook. If you check it out, I hope you leave a review, tell a friend, and all of these things you're always begged to do. Mostly, I just hope you enjoy. (But, seriously, reviews are nice.)
The stray cat hangs around like it belongs in the family. And maybe it does.
Check out my new short story at this link and let me know your thoughts!
This would happen to be the big news I mentioned earlier...the illustrious Saturday Evening Post is running my piece "The Family-Friendly Radio Edit" as a part of its New Fiction Friday series. Check it out at this link and please pass it along...and of course let me know what you think!
Let's see if this works...I have a decent amount of new projects scheduled in coming months (and one big announcement in just a few days.) My mailing list is where I'll keep everyone updated, and give away freebies to thank you for signing up. So, click on this link to join the mailing list and receive a free short story that's appropriate for this Halloween season.
My genre-bending 80s inspired thriller BLIND CERULEAN is FREE at this link for the next few days! Check it out and let me know what you think (Amazon reviews are always a help...).
You might be aware that my new genre-bending novel Blind Cerulean is now available at Amazon and Audible. It's the story of a teen vigilante and her grouchy mentor, influenced by my memories of 1980s junk culture. The 99 cent sale ends in only a few days (most likely Friday), and it's also available for free for Kindle Unlimited subscribers.
If you check it out, I humbly ask that you leave an Amazon review. Give me nice pull quotes I can run through a meme generator! Thanks, folks...
Joining the ranks of 2003, I do have a mailing list you guys can join. I promise not to spam you or sell your address...or even send that many emails. I do provide updates on my projects, however, and now have an exclusive offer.
There's a chapter of my upcoming novel Blind Cerulean I was rather proud of, and it did feature a seminal event for the characters...but darned if it didn't hinder the story's flow, and ultimately, nudge the word count a little too high. But, hey, it could also work as a tease for the book, and is pretty fun in its own right.
So my solution is to offer this chapter as an exclusive download for everyone who signs up for my mailing list. It's very possible this will be the first of several exclusives, actually. So, follow this link to join, make sure you check your Spam folder, then enjoy what could've been Chapter 7.5 of Blind Cerulean.
This is a repost of an earlier entry on Gentlemen of Leisure, just in case anyone hasn't heard the exciting news -- the release of my new novel!
Gene Kendall here, appropriating a blog post like some hog and announcing the release of my new novel, Blind Cerulean. In recent years, I’ve written about a fictional ’90s post-Nirvana alt-rock band, a politically incorrect cartoonist who accidently brings a supervillain into reality, and a paranormal investigator/crappy husband who finds himself trapped in a corner of the afterlife with a coven of horny ghosts. It’s only natural that my next novel would feature a teenage vigilante determined to bring down a corpulent drug kingpin. Clearly, there’s a logical progression here.