Stand Down

by

Remember that wonderful book by Robert Fulghum, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten?  It came out in the late eighties, and all the words of wisdom found in that book are as true today as they were then:  Play fair; share; clean up your own mess; don’t hit people; take turns; put things back where you found them; don’t take things that belong to others.

Last year, when my publisher suggested that I write a book that would bring J.P. Beaumont and Brandon Walker together in one volume, I was right there.  I thought it was a great idea, and it was—right up until I started writing it.

It came as a big shock to me to learn that someone I have known and loved for more than thirty years had somehow missed some of those valuable kindergarten lessons.  It turns out J.P. Beaumont doesn’t have the foggiest idea of how to share a book.  Oh, I understood that he had a problem with having partners—for good reason, too—but what I didn’t understand was his complete inability to take turns.

Beau has this book to himself.

Beau has this book to himself.

I’d try to get started on a Walker part of the story, and Beau would just march in and take over—for NO good reason!  He wanted to hog the stage.  He wanted me to tell his part of the story first.  Finally, the only way to get him to sit down and shut up was to let him have his way.  I DID tell his part of the story first, and it’s  due out next week in a novella called Stand Down.  It will be published in both e-book and print (original paperback) formats next Tuesday, July 21.  It’s an important part of Beau’s saga.  You won’t want to miss it.

Once I finally got Beau back on the straight and narrow, he shaped up and does play a pivotal part in Dance of the Bones, the Walker Family book coming in September.  And if you haven’t tried the Walkers yet, you’re missing out.  Start with Hour of the Hunter.  You won’t be sorry.

And if you’re a bookmark sort of person?  Now’s the time to send your business size SASEs to me at P.O. Box 766, Bellevue, WA 98009.

14 thoughts on “Stand Down”

  3. I have loved Beau since I first read him. I love Ali and Joanna too. But, I’m sorry, the Walker Family books were just a little too much for me. A little too violent, a little too creepy, a little too weird. When is Beau going to get to meet up with Ali?

  4. HI. I have been reading your Joanna Brady books for about 10 years now, maybe more. I discovered Ali Reynolds just about 3 years ago I believe. I Love them Both a LOT!!! I have Tried to read JP Beaumont books a few times and I just can’t seem to “get into them” I don’t know why exactly. I Know you are an Excellent Writer, I just don’t seem to enjoy Him at all and it saddens me. I hadn’t heard of the Walker series until quite recently and haven’t had a chance to read one yet, but I am going to give it a shot, as I said I Love your writing style. Maybe if I read this new book, “Stand Down” it will help to Understand Beau better. Maybe that is my problem? Please Keep Writing, not just your Awesome Novels & Novellas, but this Blog also. Its Almost like getting to meet you, which I would Love to do someday. You are a Wonderful and Interesting Person!!!

    • I can’t explain why I just love Beau, but he seems to have all sorts of things happen to him, but he bounces back. Maybe it’s because I am a first born and independent like he is. Of course, he’s an only child so that is a bit different.

      If there is any easy way to do something, it doesn’t work that way for Beau. However, things always work out for him. Nothing gets him down.

      • Julie, if you read Second Watch, I promise you will be “into” J.P. Beaumont.

      • Julie, if you read Second Watch, I promise you will be “into” J.P. Beaumont.

  5. Some men are just like that. My husband is not. I guess that’s why we have been married 45 years. One thing I have found that also helps a long marriage is I put him up for sale on Facebook and no one wanted him.. that was a ego buster. I had to laugh he thought everyone would want him….
    looking forward to your new books this year. Have a good week and give lots of hugs to the new puppy and the older one too…Jan

    • Jan, this is a bit off-topic, but I read in the paper today that when people are meeting to buy and sell things they’ve arranged to on the Internet, they are meeting in police department parking lots. Not only is it public and safe, but video-taped in case there is trouble.

      Maybe you could take your husband to the police parking lot and put a sign on him saying “Free. Take me.” 🙂

      • Jan–put him on the curb with a sign saying”$50.00″ and someone will steal him overnight. Works every time.

  6. Thank you! For the Novella “Stand Down”
    Now to wait for “Dance of the Bones”

  7. I downloaded Stand Down. I notice a typo at the top of page 15. The the second sentence starts off “The then,”. Sorry but I thought you would want to know

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