COMING SOON — FEATURE ATTRACTION | Don’t Forget to Rewind

Gooooood day, ladies, gentlemen, and all lovers of rewound magnetic tape! This is your host broadcasting live from the cluttered, popcorn‑scented front counter of a story still under construction. Yes, that’s right — the creative scaffolding is up, the characters are pacing backstage, and someone has definitely misplaced the rewinder again.

What’s coming? A brand‑new retro‑comedy adventure straight from the golden age of VHS, where the drop‑box clanks, the fluorescent lights hum, and the employees take their jobs way too seriously. Imagine a world where the layout of the store is a labyrinth, the walls adorned with posters of blockbuster hits—you know, the ones everyone claims to have watched but really just used as background noise while scrolling through their phones. Enter Rex “The Reel Deal” Thompson, manager of Hollywood Nights Video, a man whose dedication to the bygone era of physical media makes him more passionate than a desperate film buff at a yard sale.

Across the street, Marvin “The Marvel” Pickett of BlockBusterama!, engages in a rivalry with Rex “The Wrecking Ball” Dalton of Hollywood Nights Video that’s as heated as a VCR left in the sun. Marvin may not have the charm of a young George Clooney, but he sure knows how to throw a killer movie night event—complete with popcorn-fueled trivia contests that leave the participants questioning why they ever thought Titanic could sink.

For years, these two have battled it out in the ultimate face-off for the title of Best Video Rental Store, using tactics as absurd as trying to sell bottled air from famous movie sets and outrageous pricing strategies that only a psychotic accountant could love. Picture Rex attempting to lure customers in with an audacious “Rent One, Get One Free—Plus Your Next Three For Just A Dollar” promotion, while Marvin counters with a whacky “Free Lemonade with Every Rental”—that is, until he unwittingly creates a sugar-fueled frenzy and blames it on the “Killer Tomatoes”.

But as fate would have it, their comedic competition is about to face a beast far more formidable than any raffle stunt or “Guess the Movie Quote” competition. Enter OmniFlix Streamplus: the slick, soulless streaming service that arrived like a tidal wave, sweeping away the remnants of video rental culture in a blink. Utilizing technology so advanced it might as well have come from a Marvel movie set; it promises instant access to any film from the comfort of a person’s couch. Suddenly Rex’s charming, cluttered aisles filled with nostalgia feel more like a relic from a distant past, gathering dust along with old copies of “Dude, Where’s My Car?”

As this digital coup unfolds, the real comedy begins to unravel—not just the hilarious antics of Rex and Marvin’s doomed competition, but also their need to navigate this new reality. With wacky plot twists coming at us faster than a rewinding VHS tape, our two foes will have to unite against the common enemy. Rex still clings to the dream of showing halfheartedly edited reels of classic films during midnight screenings, while Marvin devises absurd marketing gimmicks, like “All You Can Rent” days and “Surprise DVD Buffets.” (Spoiler alert: nobody wanted stale popcorn balls or expired candy).

The journey is punctuated by outrageous cameo characters, including a crazed conspiracy theorist who swears that OmniFlix is a front for extraterrestrial film preservation, leading to a quest that sees our duo dodging rickety movie props, mistaken identity crises, and an angry mob of disgruntled customers dressed as iconic movie characters—think Star Wars meets A Clockwork Orange meets a neon rave.

As we rewind through this slapstick affair, expect your share of movie title references, ingenious gags, and comedic gold that rips apart the very fabric of modern conveniences, turning it into a chaotic romp filled with nostalgia and laughter. The story unfolds in perfect reverse storytelling fashion—beginning with the surprising aftermath of their epic fight against OmniFlix and rewinding to reveal how it all began, how their rivalry turned into allyship, and how a simple love for films sparked a battle worth watching.

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Shadows, Rain, and Deadlines: The Halfway Mark of ‘Don’t Kiss Me Goodbye’

The rain is falling hard in Seattle, both outside my window and on the page.

I have officially over the halfway mark on the manuscript for Don’t Kiss Me Goodbye, and the ghosts aren’t staying dead. We are 33 chapters deep into this 52-chapter sprint, racing toward a December 31st release deadline, and the coffee pot is working just as hard as I am.

Writing a hardboiled detective novel is a lot like working a cold case: you think you know where the bodies are buried, and then the shovel hits something unexpected.

In the first half of the book, we’ve seen Copper Steele take his punches—literally and metaphorically. But as we cross into the second act, the dynamic has shifted. This isn’t just about a gritty P.I. chasing a lead anymore; it’s about a man realizing that his “white knight” complex might be the very thing that kills him.

The stakes have never been higher. Betrayals are cutting deep, secret daughters are stepping out of the shadows, and the line between the victim and the villain is blurring.

But the real heart of this story is Shania Savage. She is proving she’s more than just a partner; she’s the anchor keeping Copper from drifting out to sea.

A Sneak Peek from the Draft:

“I didn’t steal you,” Shania said fiercely. “I saved you. Or I tried to.”

She leaned in, her face inches from yours. “She was poison, Steele. A toxic bloom that looked pretty but rotted everything it touched. She took your badge. She took your pride. And she almost took your life. Twice.”

She rested her forehead against yours. “I’m not the thief. I’m the one trying to pull you out of the wreckage.”

As I dive into the final 26 chapters, the body count is rising, and the mystery of the Gadianton Brotherhood is unraveling fast. Copper Steele is battered, bruised, and currently nursing a bullet wound, but he’s finally seeing clearly for the first time in twenty years.

Get ready to walk the wet pavement with Copper and Shania. This case is personal, and it’s going to leave a mark.

Coming to Kindle December 31.