Many of you know me as a mystery writer, but I have recently branched out a bit. I have written a memoir of my decade-long cancer experience. It is called STAGE 5: A CANCER JOURNEY, and it has now been published.
My story begins with a Stage 4 lung cancer diagnosis in March 2012. This literally came out of the blue, and I endured eleven years of obstacles and challenges. For me, telling friends and family, and especially my thirteen-year-old son was the most difficult part.
But selecting doctors, seeing no alternative initially to chemo, enrolling in a clinical trial, and enduring a myriad of other challenges are highlighted here. Ultimately, this book tells the story of gaining hope, evolving into a new career, and living with an illness that was initially referred to as terminal, meaning it was thought to be incurable. It has been a true roller coaster ride.
The book is available now on Amazon Kindle, but you can read it on your computer, tablet or phone too. Download the free Kindle app to your device and then go to Amazon to order it. It is a little easier if you have an actual Kindle, but you certainly don’t need one.
You can use the following link to go to my book. From there you can click the button to order and the rest should go smoothly. I am working toward putting this book into paperback, and that should be available soon.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BZT3CSZJ/
And if you enjoyed reading STAGE 5, I would appreciate if you could write a nice review on Amazon – it helps to get the word out to others.
Thanks a lot, and I hope you like my new book.
Cheers,
David
I am thrilled to announce the publication of my latest Burnside Mystery! The new novel is called BULL RUSH, and it begins when the father of a former football star seeks out Burnside to find his missing son. But something strikes Burnside as off from the very beginning, as he recognizes some elements of the father’s story do not add up. As Burnside digs into the case, he starts to uncover the rot that is hidden from view, and the shadowy suspects who have their own sinister motives.
BULL RUSH continues to explore the increasingly bizarre world that is Los Angeles. The story is set during the final scorching days of a long summer, and it takes readers into those little-seen L.A. neighborhoods. From the beautiful estates of Hancock Park to the downtrodden corners of Inglewood, the story leads Burnside into heart of southern California, for better or worse.
There are plenty of surprises in this new book, but there’s no shortage of the snarky dialogue and offbeat characters that always populate a Burnside novel. And as our favorite investigator tries to work through his own uneven balance between devoted family man and tough ex-cop, his work-in-progress human skills are put to the test yet again!
If you enjoyed any of the previous eleven Burnside mysteries, BULL RUSH is a must-read! All of these are great stand-alone novels, and they continue to get a wonderful reception from readers; the books have a combined total of over 1,500 5-star reviews on Amazon.
You can purchase BULL RUSH through the following link. If you’d like to purchase any of the previous Burnside novels, simply go to Amazon.com and typing DAVID CHILL into the search box, which will bring up all of my books.
BULL RUSH:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BMWRH9KR/
Thank you again for your support!
David
Sharing my recent interview on JET SWEEP, the latest book in the Burnside Mystery series!
Please click on the link below:
I received some great news this week and wanted to share it. My latest book, JET SWEEP, has been named as one of the 100 Best Books of 2021 (!)
Over the past month or so, over 2,000 readers nominated what they consider the best books of the year. The competition, as you would expect, was fierce and I’m thrilled to announce that JET SWEEP was on the list.
The next step is, over the next few weeks, readers will be voting to whittle that shortlist from 100 down to 50.
So if you have a few minutes, please click the link below and vote for JET SWEEP in the Mystery/Thriller category. It’s about a third of the way down the page.
https://www.readfree.ly/best-indie-books-of-2021-vote/
Thanks! The final results will be in the week before Christmas. Hoping you all have a wonderful holiday!
The new novel is called JET SWEEP, and the story begins when a sketchy client offers Burnside a huge pile of money to help him pull off a scheme involving one of his former USC players. When Burnside tries to turn the tables on this shady character, shots are fired, and our favorite private eye is plunged into a case, the likes of which he has never seen before. Without a clear road map, and with numerous obstacles strewn in his path, Burnside navigates yet another thorny road. The case tests Burnside’s detective skills in ways he could never have imagined!
As usual, some colorful characters from Burnside’s past find their way into the story. And just when he thinks he’s moved on from his checkered history, Burnside discovers that his demons have never really left him, and he is forced to deal with the consequences. As such, this book veers off into a slightly different area – but one I think you will find very interesting, and very enjoyable to read.
JET SWEEP continues to explore the hidden parts of Los Angeles, known well to residents, but largely unseen by the rest of the world. From San Pedro to Playa Vista, the story leads Burnside down a trail that continues to showcase the best and worst that Southern California has to offer. The reader is taken on a journey with all of the twists, turns, and surprises that we have come to expect from a Burnside novel. And of course, our wise-cracking hero has plenty of opportunities to engage in the type of sharp banter that has come to define this series.
If you enjoyed any of the previous eleven Burnside mysteries, JET SWEEP is a must-read! All of these are great stand-alone novels, and they continue to get a wonderful reception from readers; the books have a combined total of over 1,500 5-star reviews on Amazon.
You can purchase JET SWEEP through the following link. If you’d like to purchase any of the previous Burnside novels, simply go to Amazon.com and typing DAVID CHILL into the search box, which will bring up all of my books.
JET SWEEP:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0951CW2VK/
Thank you again for your support!
David
I am pleased to let you know that my latest novel, HARD COUNT, is now available on Amazon. This is the 11th book in the Burnside Mystery series, and it is a good one! The story brings back some favorite characters and introduces a bunch of new ones.
HARD COUNT starts out with Burnside being given a spurious assignment to look into shots being fired at a local businessman. The man is, naturally, a former football player, one who now owns a chain of restaurants. This former player’s son is now finishing his own college football career and is about to enter the NFL draft. As you might imagine, being involved in a shooting is never a good thing, but the timing could not be worse. And, of course, there’s more gunshots, more suspects, and ultimately a few murders are thrown in. Just to keep things interesting.
As all this is going on, Burnside’s wife Gail has entered the political fray and has begun running for L.A. City Attorney. Burnside does his best to propel Gail’s campaign, but unforeseen elements begin to pop up, and this story shows him at his best – and his worst. His relationship with Gail put to the test, as does Burnside’s ability to sidestep the law whenever it suits him. HARD COUNT again features Burnside in full wise-cracking mode, but he is up against a confounding case. Will this finally be Burnside’s undoing? You’ll have to read it to find out… 🙂
To order your copy of HARD COUNT, please click on the link below.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08CY6J7QF/
The 10th novel in the Burnside mystery series has been published, and is now available on Amazon! So with summer almost here – and football season months away – I’m sure you’d love the diversion of a great mystery!
My new book is called SWIM MOVE, and we are introduced to one of Burnside’s notorious friends from high school, Phil Zellis, who has managed to shed his working class roots and worm his way into Beverly Hills society. Unfortunately for Phil, he has a beautiful daughter who is involved with some very shady characters. After she is attacked on a quiet side street in an upscale neighborhood, Phil asks Burnside to look into what happened. And the more Burnside probes, the uglier things get, as the story escalates into theft, betrayal, kidnapping, and, of course, murder.
As in the first 9 Burnside books, readers will be treated to a journey through the best and the worst of that eclectic mish-mosh we call greater Los Angeles. In addition to the usual murder and mayhem, Burnside’s wife Gail is presented with a unique career opportunity, but one that comes with a price. And of course, it wouldn’t be a Burnside mystery if it didn’t have a football theme! A former player from Burnside’s USC past is brought back to guide Burnside toward cracking the case, and resolving a family situation one can only call bizarre.
For the time being, SWIM MOVE will be available on Amazon only, but it will go wide through Nook, Apple, Kobo and Google later this year. For those of you using non-Kindle devices, you can always read it on other mobile devices. For those using Kindles, have no fear, all of my books will be available on Amazon for as long as Amazon exists. Which is likely to be forever.
You can purchase SWIM MOVE through the following link. If you’d like to purchase any of the previous Burnside novels, simply go to Amazon.com and typing DAVID CHILL into the search box, which will bring up all of my books. And if you enjoy them please consider writing a review on Amazon or Goodreads.
SWIM MOVE:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07T7M15XJ/
I would like to thank my readers very much for their support over the years. I know that SWIM MOVE took a little longer for me to write, and I appreciate your hanging in there. And be forewarned – I am already getting ideas for an 11th Burnside novel….
I hope you have a great summer!
Cheers,
David
Thank you for visiting my blog.
Over the past few years, I have been extraordinarily grateful to those of you who have been so supportive of my writing. But many of you are unaware of a personal situation I have been dealing with for years. I am a cancer patient.
Despite being a non-smoker, I was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2012 and was classified as Stage IV. For those unfamiliar with the various stages, there is no Stage V. My prognosis, among the few doctors who would provide this peek into the future, was stated in months not years. To say this came as a shock would be a colossal understatement. And to make matters worse, my employer of many years chose this moment to offer me a severance package.
Let’s just say 2012 was not the best year I’ve ever had.
But unemployment was the least of my worries. The 5-year survival rate for lung cancer patients was in the neighborhood of 10%. There is no good way to process the diagnosis of a terminal illness. As someone who was relatively unaware of cancer before that point, my focus was to drink from the fire hose and learn as much as I could — as quickly as I could. I talked to as many doctors that would speak with me, and went through a battery of tests. I became more spiritual and more aware of how precious and fleeting life can be. The most important moments in life are often not the ones we anticipate, but rather, the ones that jump out at us on a lazy Thursday morning.
I began chemotherapy treatment and responded well; the tumors started shrinking. And shortly thereafter, I learned of a clinical trial for a drug called Crizotinib, a pill which was considered a targeted treatment for lung cancer. After a series of genetic tests, it was determined that I was part of a very fortunate group, the 1-2% of lung cancer patients who had what’s called a ROS-1 mutation. It was the equivalent of winning the genetic lottery. In September 2012, I entered the clinical trial, and my cancer has now been stable for over 9 years. There are no guarantees for how long this drug will be effective, but there are new drugs in the pipeline, so I am cautiously optimistic.
But enough about me. Let’s talk about my novels. 🙂
In 2013, I took advantage of Amazon’s Kindle program to begin publishing my mystery novels. And over time, I have written 12 books in the Burnside series. They have been very well received, and I would like to express my appreciation to all of you who have purchased, read, and provided nice reviews online. Thank you so much.
In 2016, I decided to write a novel called CURSE OF THE AFFLICTED. This was a political thriller, ostensibly about a pollster who is drawn into an assassination plot. But the story is also about the cancer journey this character must go through. I wanted to share the thoughts, feelings, hopes and fears of a person who experiences a life-threatening illness. It is something which affects not just cancer patients, but those afflicted with other serious maladies – as well as their loved ones. It was my way of giving something back to the world, a way to use the gift of writing to communicate a story which I felt needed to be told.
My goal here is to continue to try and put CURSE OF THE AFFLICTED into the hands of as many people as possible, especially those whose lives have been touched by cancer – or by some other terrible disease. Whether through a personal experience, or supporting a close friend or loved one, I truly feel this book captures what a patient often goes through when first learning they have contracted a terminal illness.
In closing, I’d like to wish the very best of luck to those of you whose lives are currently affected by cancer. Please do not give up hope. There are a myriad of treatments available, and new ones are being developed. Keep asking questions of your doctors, and if you’re not getting the answers you want, seek out new doctors. Find others who are going through what you are going through. Ask for advice, and recognize that miracles really do happen. I am living proof, and I am grateful for every extra day I have. There are no guarantees in life, but neither do we have an expiration date stamped on us.
I have been blessed with some extra time here, and I am trying to make the most of it. Your support means a lot to me. If I haven’t said it to you before this, I’m saying it now. Thank you.
CURSE OF THE AFFLICTED:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XZ3B734/
I appreciate your taking the time to read this.
David
I am thrilled to announce that the 9th novel in the Burnside mystery series has been published and is now available on Amazon.
The new novel is called FLEA FLICKER, and the story begins with Burnside brought in on a missing person’s case. When a young football coach doesn’t come home one night, his beautiful wife turns to Private Investigator Burnside to locate him. But things are not the way they seem in this riveting page-turner, and a simple missing persons case evolves into a shocking murder.
There are no shortage of suspects in this intricately woven story, and Burnside must overcome the many obstacles in his path to get to a truth that not everyone seems eager to learn. As always, FLEA FLICKER leads readers into new parts of the great experiment we have come to know as Los Angeles, a city that continues to evolve in many ways, some good, some not.
This new novel brings back a few memorable characters from Burnside’s past – as well as adding a host of new ones. And it wouldn’t be a Burnside novel without the wise cracking gumshoe engaging in the sharp and cutting banter that has come to define this award-winning series.
FLEA FLICKER is a bargain at any price, but I have kept the price point at $4.99, the same as the first 8 Burnside novels. For the time being, the new book is only available through Amazon, as there are certain promotional opportunities Amazon offers. The book will go wide to Barnes & Noble, Apple, Google and Kobo early next year.
The following link takes you to FLEA FLICKER’S Amazon page. And if you like the book, please consider writing a review on Amazon or Goodreads. Nothing helps sell more books than a testimonial from satisfied readers!
FLEA FLICKER:
https://tinyurl.com/ydgboxvk
And if you are still working your way through the Burnside series, note that all of the other books are available on Barnes & Noble, Apple, Google and Kobo, in addition to Amazon. Enjoy the ride!
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