I got the following review for Needle on the Haystack on Amazon:
" I enjoyed the book as it is well written and portrayed life on a Navy ship quite vividly. (I was disappointed that the author was told by Navy men that it was obvious that he'd never been on a Navel ship.). The author was on-board ships, in the Navy, a good part of his life. However, the plot was well worked out right to the end. The only thing that bothered me was the book took place around 1961. If the reader can accept that timeframe, then it is a good read." I would like to clarify come points here and add some explanation. 1, I wasn’t ever told by any Navy men that It was obvious that I’d never been on a ship. I mentioned that many Navy stories out there (not mine) had received such comments. 2. I chose to put the story (and the rest of the series) in the 1960s for two reasons. · I was in the Navy from 1960 through 1969. The Navy of that era was the Navy I can write about with accuracy. This Navy was basically unchanged since World War II. From conversations with sailors from later times, I learned that by the 1970s the ships were larger and the crews were smaller. Not really a big difference, but the primary types of destroyers were different. By the 1980s sailors were subjected to surprise urine testing for drug usage, an invasion that we never had to go through. · As individual stories, the OCI series are crime/mystery stories taking place in the Navy. But the 1960s provide other advantages as far as my long term plotting is concerned. Later in the decade, the Viet Nam War begins to interfere with the way we felt about the military (and provided another story for me, the last in the series). But more importantly, the decade of the ‘60s allowed me to develop a series based on the history of racism. News flash: I am pleased to announce that, thanks to BookBaby, Needle on the Haystack is now (or soon will be) available in all eBook formats. It will be available for sale at eleven stores in over 170 countries. In addition to Kindle, Nook, and Kobo, it will be sold at iBooks, Reader, Copia, Gardner's Books, Baker & Taylor, E Sentral, Scribd, and Page Pusher. And it will be in all their catalogs.
Sales of Needle on the Haystack are excruciatingly slow. I need to get someone to do some marketing for me, but I don't have the money to do it.
Meanwhile, work is progressing on the second book in the series, Operation Medusa. It took me five years to write Needle on the Haystack but I believe I may be able to get Operation Medusa out within a year, i.e., in May of 2014. This has been a tough book to write. It is a book about tracking down and ending a spy ring. The action takes place in Illinois, California, South Dakota, Nebraska, Connecticut, New York, Florida and Missouri. Writing this feels like weaving a tapestry and praying that the result produces a great design - without any confusion on the part of the reader. Meanwhile, if you want to give a nice gift for the holidays, go onto Amazon.com and buy a copy of Needle on the Haystack. It now has nine reviews and all are five-star. This is not just a crime story, but a tale of people trying to find and prove themselves in the real world. The reviewers tell us that the Navy background doesn't get in the way of the story. Not at all. Give it a try! Sent to about 150 of his friends and contacts: Richard Bergeron has published his first novel on Amazon.com. Congrats Rich! Great first novel! I want to encourage you to help this budding novelist in his new career. I had the opportunity to review and comment on an early draft of his book and, being a fellow sailor I found it to be consistent with Navy history, and lore. The characters are well developed and very interesting. If you love a good mystery, check out the Amazon link below and please consider purchasing a copy. As an avid reader, I consider this a great first novel and a fun read! Stephen N. Marquis, MN Other ReviewsA very good read. A good , strong story with believable, three dimensional characters. I was especially impressed about how authentic the parts of the story dealing with the Navy, shipboard life and sailors in general were. You can tell the author lived it all. I highly recommend it. James S. Stephenson, AZ
A Page Turner.This murder mystery is suspenseful, a real page turner. The characters come to life through great dialogue, detail, and sometimes humor. I enjoyed the author's biography, the glossary, and the general layout as well. Print was easy on the eye which makes reading more fun. I know nothing about the Navy, yet the background was compelling. And it would make a good action film. I am already wondering what the next in the series will be. Norah Chase, NY Needle on the Haystack. I read it in 2 seatings over the weekend and found it intriguing and well written. I couldn't put it down. I really appreciated the glossary. Be sure to include one in all of your books. Also the print was a good choice - easy on the eyes. Reading the details about a Navy ship, its duties, and how it operates (well woven into the story) gave me a greater understanding of what my dad might have experienced on his ship. I can't wait for your next book. Nancy Williams, MN Yesterday was the first day I gave free copies of my book, Needles on the Haystack. One hundred sixteen copies were "bought" for free. I hope all of you enjoy the book. Please go to Amazon and enter your reviews. Thanks.
Needle on the Haystack went public today in both formats, paperback and Kindle. If you buy it, I really hope you enjoy it. Please go into Amazon and provide a Customer Review. And in addition, you can respond by leaving a comment below. Rich
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AuthorI write poetry, fiction, non-fiction, all kinds of stuff. I will make comments here about almost anything - my writing, political views, past experiences, just about anything. Read, enjoy, think, respond. Archives
March 2014
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