Now Available To Pre-Order from Down & Out Books: UNLOADED by Eric Beetner, Editor

Now Available to Pre-Order from Down & Out Books …

Unloaded by Eric Beetner, Editor

UNLOADED by Eric Beetner, Editor
Crime Writers Writing Without Guns
Publication date: April 18, 2016

Purchase links …
Print: Amazon — Barnes & Noble
eBook: KindleNook — iTunes — Kobo

Coming in April from Down & Out Books is the most surprising anthology of the year: UNLOADED, Crime Writers Writing Without Guns. More than two dozen crime and mystery authors have joined together to speak out for reasonable gun control in the United States. This collection provides all the thrills and excitement expected from a great crime story, but without any guns.

Editor Eric Beetner came up with the idea for this book. “I wanted to put together an anthology of great crime fiction stories, the stories we all love to read and write, but leave out the guns,” he said. “I knew we could do it. The guns weren’t the crux of the story, and if we could show how easy it was to do without for a little while, well maybe it could spark a conversation about guns. Specifically, it could — and I know it does so in a very small way — it could show that the world doesn’t end when the guns go away for a time.” He reached out to potential contributors, who enthusiastically embraced his goal — a more reasoned discussion about guns in this country, one without the rancor, without the hyperbole and without the division — and every one offered to donate their stories.

Beetner then contacted the non-profit States United to Prevent Gun Violence about his vision, and suggested to Down & Out Books publisher Eric Campbell that all proceeds from the sale of the book be donated to the organization. “We’re excited that these terrific authors have taken a stand in support of reasonable gun laws,” said Julia Wyman, executive director of States United to Prevent Gun Violence. “We hope their refusal to glorify guns becomes the norm in our daily lives.”

“Down & Out Books fully supports this project and its objectives,” Campbell added, “and we are pleased to be a part of it. The project achieves our mission to give back to wonderful causes benefiting the communities we live in.”

About UNLOADED …

For the first time, more than two dozen crime and mystery authors have joined together to use the strongest weapon at their disposal — words — in a call for reasonable gun control in the U.S.A. In this collection you get all the thrills and excitement you come to expect from a great crime story, but without any guns.

From best sellers and writing legends to the brightest stars of the next generation of crime writers, the twenty-five authors here have taken pen in hand to say enough is enough. Gun violence has got to stop and this is our way of speaking out — by showing that gun violence can be removed from the narrative, and maybe from our lives.

It’s not anti-gun, it’s pro-sanity. And above anything else, these are thrilling crime stories that will surprise and shock, thrill and chill — all without a gun in sight.

The writers are from both sides of the political aisle and many of the authors are gun owners themselves. But everyone felt it was time to speak out. Featuring the talents of J.L. Abramo, Patricia Abbott, Trey R. Barker, Eric Beetner, Alec Cizak, Joe Clifford, Reed Farrel Coleman, Angel Luis Colón, Hilary Davidson, Paul J. Garth, Alison Gaylin, Kent Gowran, Rob Hart, Jeffery Hess, Grant Jerkins, Joe R. Lansdale, S.W. Lauden, Tim O’Mara, Joyce Carol Oates, Tom Pitts, Thomas Pluck, Keith Rawson, Kelli Stanley, Ryan Sayles, and Holly West.

Proceeds from the sale of UNLOADED will benefit the nonprofit States United to Prevent Gun Violence (CeaseFireUSA.org).

Meet the editor: Eric Beetner is the author of more than a dozen novels including Rumrunners, The Devil Doesn’t Want Me, Dig Two Graves, and The Year I Died Seven Times. He is co-author (with JB Kohl) of One Too Many Blows To The Head, Borrowed Trouble and Over Their Heads and co-wrote The Backlist and The Short List with author Frank Zafiro. He lives in Los Angeles where he co-hosts the Noir At The Bar reading series. For more about the author, visit EricBeetner.com.