Writing: Work, Giveaway, Current Events
Short stories/Giveaway: In October 2020, I published a new story through Nemaha Ridge Publishing Group and Kindle, titled “Incurable.” Incurable, A Short Story – Kindle edition by Starks, L. A. . Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com. While reading “Incurable” will give clues about the identity of a SECOND LAW antagonist, also know “Incurable” will be offered free on Kindle March 10-March 14.
I promoted two other short stories recently. I was pleased to see “A Time for Eating Wild Onions” reach #1 in Amazon’s 30-Minute Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Short Reads category and #3 in Amazon’s 30-Minute Literature & Fiction Short Reads category.
Contests: I have entered a few pieces of flash fiction in contests and will be entering a short story and the Lynn Dayton books in other contests.
Cover: I have updated the cover of the print edition of STRIKE PRICE to match the other books in the series and to match the e-book cover. Thank you, Jeroen Ten Berg of New Zealand, for the design.
Lynn Dayton Thriller #4: I finished research and wrote a few more scenes in the fourth Lynn Dayton thriller. The road to completion is still long.
Oklahoma history: In the next few months, I hope to be speaking about the historical Oklahoma background in STRIKE PRICE. The movie version of KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON, about the Osage Indian murders, is filming in Oklahoma. And May 31-June 1, 2021 is the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa Riot, in which many black Tulsans were killed and Greenwood, the neighborhood known as Black Wall Street, was destroyed. Both the riot and the Osage murders are referenced in the end notes of STRIKE PRICE.
Reading
In the last six months I read thirteen books, including three nonfiction.
In this group, the absolute must-read—if you read nothing else this year—is 1984, by George Orwell. Not only does the book, first published in 1949, limn Russian and Chinese societies, but also that of the present-day United States. Current phrases like “memory hole” and “wrongthink” come directly from this seminal work. Cancel culture and today’s erasing of history is predicted: reading 1984 is painful since it is so astonishingly prescient.
Among the remaining nine fictional books, I especially recommend Anxious People by Fredrik Backman, The Searcher by Tana French, Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, and What’s Left of Me is Yours by Stephanie Scott. I am midway through two more books and am eyeing a bigger-than-usual TBR stack for the spring.
Energy
The craziness of a full year of the recognized Covid pandemic (in the U.S.) was punctuated in February 2021 with a multi-day arctic blast in Texas that caused electricity generation outages, busted pipes, shut-in hydrocarbon production, and skyrocketing prices for natural gas ($1250/MMBTU for one hub spot price, vs. the more typical $2.50/MMBTU).
Still, with the relief of vaccination ramp-ups, the future is looking cheerier and positive for events in which we can gather in person.
I continue to write three articles a month for the public (free) Seeking Alpha platform and five a month for a Seeking Alpha Marketplace subscriber platform, Econ-Based Energy Investing (EBEI). The public platform link: https://seekingalpha.com/author/laura-starks#regular_articles
Until next time,
L.A. Starks
http://lastarksbooks.com
Fiction (books) by L. A. Starks–in reverse order
The Second Law (Lynn Dayton Thriller #3)
- Print ISBN 9780991110742, published by Nemaha Ridge Publishing Group LLC, October 2018, $18.95.
- E-book ASIN B07JLDGTVL, published by Nemaha Ridge Publishing Group LLC, October 2018, $8.99.
Strike Price (Lynn Dayton Thriller #2)
- Print ISBN 9780991110704, 2nd edition published by Nemaha Ridge Publishing Group LLC, March 2014, $18.95.
- E-book ASIN B01K5Y406A, published by Nemaha Ridge Publishing Group LLC, August 2016, $6.99.
13 Days: The Pythagoras Conspiracy (Lynn Dayton Thriller #1)
- 2nd Print ISBN 978-0991110711, published by Nemaha Ridge Publishing Group, LLC, August 2016, $18.95.
- E-book ASIN B015LI65GI, published by Nemaha Ridge Publishing Group, LLC, September 2015, $4.99.
Electronic and print editions published by L&L Dreamspell, Brown Books, and StoneThread Publishing are no longer available.
Short stories by L. A. Starks on Amazon Kindle, in reverse order
- “Incurable” bubbled up as I developed one of the antagonists in THE SECOND LAW. 2020. ASIN: B08L9RY4T5, $0.99.
- “Josh Rosen & Bubbe” gives additional background on series character Josh Rosen and insight into his relationship with his grandmother when she falls ill. 2014. ASIN: B00O854YKA, $0.99.
- “A Time for Eating Wild Onions” introduces two key characters in the second Lynn Dayton book, STRIKE PRICE. The tragedy that befalls them profoundly shapes the next generation. 2007. ASIN: B003NE6DGA, $0.99.
- “Robert and Thérèse Guillard: Choices” is a story about 13 DAYS’ Parisian antagonist and how it feels to fly in a wing suit. 2007. ASIN: B003NE6D74, $0.99.
Thank you for your support of the early editions! The covers have changed but the books and short stories are the same. Electronic and print editions published primarily by L&L Dreamspell, Brown Books, and StoneThread Publishing are no longer available. Covers from prior editions of these books and stories, are shown below. If you own one of these collector’s items, congratulations!
