A massacre. A murder. And a marriage.
A Cold War political thriller.
U.S. correspondent Finn Waters risks his life in pursuit of a story he dreams will exalt him to the level of his famous journalist father who disappeared during the Hungarian Revolution. But Finn doesn’t suspect he’ll have to make a devil’s bargain. With only three days before secret police will notice his absence at the 1989 Round Table Talks in Warsaw, he slips undercover into Belarus to prove, once and for all, who massacred 22,000 Polish officers during WWII. He knows the truth will cause a global uproar capable of shattering the tottering Soviet Union. And he prays the acclaim will smooth over the problems in his marriage.
Of course, if his wife, Clarissa, or his editor at the New York Times finds out he has teamed up with a triple agent and become an international thief, they will kill him. The Soviets, on the other hand, don’t use clichés; they truly want him dead. When without warning, the U.S. denies Finn’s existence, it seals his fate as a spy without a country, as a man who will forever be looking for a way home.
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The Marketing coup - serial thriller
The four Pre-Rollout Posts
THE WRITING AFFLICTION
Many of you have picked up that I suffer from a disease called writing. Some of you know the specific symptoms—I write novels. A handful of you have heard I’ve been using our steady diet of COVID isolation to ready two novels for the public sphere. In the weeks ahead, I will begin rolling out news about the first novel for those who may be interested to see the work.
..
My Cold War political thriller is off to the printer. Journalist Finn Waters does his work so well both superpowers rise to silence him.
Truth: Readers and authors find book marketing deadly. To dispel ennui, I’ll be giving away 200 copies…a word-of-mouth experiment.
The campaign itself: two spoof thrillers rolled out in serial form, thirty-one daily episodes tailored for both Facebook and Twitter – @thomashenrypope. Tiny meta-fiction yarns! The intent: shatter crusty norms and add cheer to your mornings.
(A marketing coup. All in a Covid winter’s work.)
CLICKING MY HEELS!
Starting today, I am giving away 200 copies of my Cold War thriller IMPERFECT BURIALS. American foreign correspondent, Finn Waters, does his work so well that both superpowers join forces to silence him.
Go to thomashenrypope.com and subscribe for your copy at the bottom of the home page.
And tomorrow? The first episode of the serial spoof thriller MARKETING COUP. Whatever you do today, have fun.
COMMENT: Good morning. While books take years to write, their price in stores can seem steep to some, for a few hours of reading. I want everyone to be able to read the story, so please feel comfortable to read for free. If you want to help later by leaving a review on Amazon or by purchasing a copy or by encouraging others to do so, I will be pleased however things shake out. There is justice in the universe.
Every important event begins with an invitation. YOU ARE INVITED to the birth of characters!
[Note: this serial spoof is to announce a serious novel. Got it?]
“Keep on reading in the free world/Keep on reading in the free world … of literature.”
MARKETING COUP, Episode #2:
I have a confession to make. Because the rollout of IMPERFECT BURIALS is already sucking wind, I’m taking on a new assistant. Her name is Katya. Newly arrived from Belarus, she knows a thing or two about straightening out pathetic authors.
She’ll organize the 200 copies I’m giving away at thomashenrypope.com First person who enters the Russian name of this kind of doll wins a paperback copy on the launch day, June 20, 2021.
COMMENT: In truth, I am thrilled to see friends from around the world taking free copies. Feels like Thanksgiving! An author writes to share a story.
[I am a believer in “What goes around, comes around.” So not to worry. If I’ve done my job well, the investment will return.]
MARKETING COUP, Episode #3:
Hi, I’m Katya, Mr Pope’s new executive assistant. I expected he was being coy when he said he knew nothing about launching a book. I’m usually a good judge of character, but frankly his marketing plan for IMPERFECT BURIALS is an embarrassing mess.
If it’s all right, I’ll talk with you on occasion (behind his back—Shh!) to see if together we can salvage something out of his, well, pitiful ideas. Send your thoughts, subscribe, and get a free copy via his website thomashenrypope.com and consider leaving a review on or after June 20th. Or email me: thomashenrypope@gmail.com He doesn’t even check it! See what I mean?
MARKETING COUP, Episode #4:
With Katya at the helm of my IMPERFECT BURIALS launch, I’m chillin’, feeling years younger! The last thing I want to do is stand in front of a camera holding my book saying, “Look at me smiling. See how excited I am. And, yes, I’m a nice person, because I love readers to death, and will you please buy my book,” Blecgh!
Katya’s more complex than she looks. Makes me wish I’d written her as a character in my book. But sweet people don’t live long in thrillers. Especially if they’re dolls. She says success breeds success so she’s giving away 200 copies: thomashenrypope.com
MARKETING COUP, Episode #5:
Katya’s Interview with protagonist Clarissa Fortier Waters
Q: What would you say to those protagonists who hope their story will end in happily ever after.
A: I’d say they aren’t in a story where 20,000 cadavers are found in a Russian forest.
Q: Is that the main part of the story?
A: Yes and no. How they got there is where the story starts. And where it ends.
Q: In between?
A: Everyone wants to silence my husband for trying to find out who ordered the killings.
Q: Silence? You mean kill him?
A: It depends on the day.
Q: Tell me this is not an anti-hero story where your husband dies.
A: Everyone dies.
Q: Now I see why people say you are depressed.
A: No, I mean everyone dies in their own time. Only two characters die in the pages.
Q: But am I right that someone loses some fingers?
A: I don’t like where this interview is going.
Subscribe for free review copies: thomashenrypope.com
MARKETING COUP, Episode #6:
Hi again. Katya, here. I must say in spite of being odd, Mr. Pope has nice friends. Many of you seem interested in his book IMPERFECT BURIALS launching June 20, 2021. Of course, you worry if he can really write, because he seems helpless at most everything. I mean look at him! I heard his mother thought he should just sweep streets. But can find out for yourselves. Snag a free copy by going to his website. thomashenrypope.com
MARKETING COUP, Episode #7:
Still trying to straighten out Pope’s ludicrous views on reaching people. Bless his heart! He’s clueless about basic marketing. At this point he’s eating out of my hand, but it’s sad to see a grown man on his knees. (FYI, for these occasions I let him take off his mask.)
His confidence about his novel IMPERFECT BURIALS being well received is pitiable. True, readers are downloading free copies at a brisk pace: thomashenrypope.com. But when I took his characters out to lunch, they gave me an earful.
MARKETING COUP, Episode #8: Katya’s Interview with protagonist Finn Waters
[Free copies of IMPERFECT BURIALS at thomashenrypope.com]
Q: How did you meet this Pope author?
A: He needed a protagonist. Didn’t realize what the job was. He said I was perfect. He gave me a great motivation, but when I got in bad trouble, he told me to work it out myself.
Q: So is he a sadist?
A: He told me he was an idealist, like me.
Q: Did he send people to help?
A: He said that wasn’t his job.
Q: How do you feel about him now?
A: I can’t figure him out. Why would he drop me into that situation? I’m not James Bond for Christ sakes.
Q: Are you happy with how the story turns out?
A: You want happy, read Romance!
Q: That brings up the question: How can a spy thriller be a love story too?
A: Surprised me. Political thriller hero-types are generally too busy killing people to be able focus on love.
Q: So did you kill anyone?
A: Read the book.
Q: What about your wife?
A: She’s one brave woman. Pope laid some major trauma in her bones. Which made everyone’s arc in the story harder.
Q: How about you, Finn? Do you have trauma you still need to work through?
A: I’d rather not say.
MARKETING COUP, Episode #10:
MARKETING COUP, Episode #12: Katya’s Interview with Mikolai from the Cold War thriller IMPERFECT BURIALS
Q: Mr Begitch, is it true you’re a triple agent?
A: (Begitch laughs.) Finn told me about your tendency to flirt with death.
Q: Well, can you at least tell me whose side you are on?
A: Truth and justice rarely linger on any side.
Q: Do you feel you add anything to this story?
A: In thrillers, heroism often comes more naturally to secondary characters.
Q: Others say you are the driving force behind the character unrest.
A: That’s not a question.
Q: You mean it’s not in doubt?
A: That’s a trick question.
Q: Some readers will want to know. Is this a violent story”
A: There is death, but all off-screen. Only in recollection.
Q: What’s with the dice?
A: Snake-eyes. The worst throw you can get. It’s a thriller.
Q: Would you be willing to appear in another of Pope’s stories?
A: I may not live that long. For that matter, he may not live that long.
To get your free ARC, please visit: thomashenrypope.com
LITERARY COUP, Episode #16:
