Never The Last One, A Novel of Spetznaz

Anyone who wants a copy of An Incident On Simonka can contact me:

etoarmor@mail.ru

Still waiting for a reply from my agent on Never The Last One.

Agent has replied. I have a limited number of Never The Last One to give away. Some are already given.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ZGCY8KK

An Incident On Simonka, I can give away all I want. Within reason according to Attila the Hun, aka my agent.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ERKH3IU

Reviews for both tomes seem to be somewhat favorable.

I have been a bit late , sorry gentlemen. I read the "Incident On Simonka" a few months ago and havent been able to post on the forum.

"This is not an ordinary book or story, and neither is it told in an ordinary fashion. And it isnt a book about ordinary circumstances either. The events described in the book have a close resemblance with actual events that did go down. For someone who was briefly associated with the events in Crimea, it does feel like a stroll down memory lane. The book doesn't unfold like a book but rather an experience. I am very glad that the author was kind enough to give me a rough draft to read.

Even in foresight, I don't recall the book as a book but an experience. The characters feel real, like I know them. Its an interesting read regardless. And I am looking forward to more chapters and books from the author."

I have recently started reading the novel "Never the last one". It is a joy to read. And I would recommend it to everyone. It is a very well written book. Its a shame I havent had the time to read it from cover to cover. Once again, I would like to thank the author for giving me the opportunity to read their work. I wish them all the best and success !!!

Akula, thank you for your review, it is very kind of you to post it. I have other reviews for both books, sent to me privately, in addition to what is on Amazon. I will post some of them here over the next couple weeks.

Both books have had their 'end all be all' edits and those of you who got your copies of either or both, you have the latests and greatest. 'Incident' grew a little in the editing process. I published the first version back in spring of '16 and in a way it was not really ready. However, I was under some pressure to get it out so I went with what I had.

The little tome has grown a bit since the first version, first being about 50 pages. It is now 62 pages and the rough edges have been smoothed out a bit. Concerning the page count, in the ebook versions Amazon at first counted the books as written on an 8.5 x 11 inch, roughly 210 x 360. Actual print size depends very much on the size of the book. I experimented with an on line printer and found that Never The Last One, which I figured out to 720 pages on my typing size, in hard print paperback will be in excess of 830 pages. Since their max was 800 pages and there was no way I could edit the book down to that size, I thanked them for their assistance and moved on.

We have two important events coming up, both in the realm of 'you will participate'. Once those events are completed we will go to Simferopol just east of us and speak to a printer there. I want to have both books hard printed in paperback by late summer if possible. Printing a book, especially one as long as NTLO, is not a simple or easy task. Files taken to the printer must be edited almost word for word and when the proof copy is printed he, too, must be checked and edited as needed word for word and page for page. Once the proof copy is passed then it's a relatively simple task to do the actual printing. Of course part of this process is the cover front page, spine and rear page plus the inside of both. In other words it ain't easy but I'll do it.

At any rate it's going to be a busy summer and fall for us but I will keep this thread up to speed on the hard publishing drill.

I need your opinions on the cover of An Incident On Simonka. When I first published the little tome I used the cover made by a close friend with the two dogs. Within a week I got a complaint forwarded by Amazon, seems someone said they bought the book because of the cover, somehow thinking that regardless of what the title and subtitle said if it had a dog picture the book had to be about dogs. While the dogs go figure prominently in the first half of the book it ain't about dogs. PTB at Amazon said it was my choice but perhaps a different cover image would be a good idea. Being new at the ebook publishing gig I whipped up the second cover in red. The image I could post here is of a not quite correct version, the title is off to one side. That is corrected in the published version.

My question is, should I keep the red cover or go back to the original cover with a modified version of the Never The Last One cover photo with the attack dogs planted therein. Yeah, I know, 'attack collies' for most of you is a contradiction in terms. You have not seen our boys and that photo is two of them, we are keeping the old collie blood lines going, not the little divan pillows so popular today. They measure roughly 2.3 m tip of nose to tip of tail and are professionally trained to attack silently and in pairs. That is Melik, the black, and his brother Manya in attack mode. They pull security in the digs and their size and visage is mentioned in the book.

I'd go with red one. Dogs really are bit off.

However you might consider using different photo, maybe one with ''polite men''. Current one looks a bit too zen for the topic you write about.

Good advice and VCO suggested that, too. I'll see what I can come up with and perhaps just a little more menacing. It's also possible to have one staged, the lager right next to Battery is Desantnik and we know them well.

A picture where the dogs are moved together with the humans into a smaller part of the frame (show more landscape) would
be OK. As it is now it does like the dogs are "gushing" out at the reader and seem to be really emphasized. It looks like
a photoshop anyway so maybe move the dogs away from each other to move the observer's eye onto a different target.

The "red one" looks too generic. Something specific to the event would be nice.

I've got a bunch of 'polite young men in green' from the events. Here's a simple example. I'm also toying with the idea of releasing the second novel as a series, basically similar to Incident but from the beginning. 'Incident' would be the second book of the series, the lead up to Incident would be first and technically it's 98% ready to go.

Original for the dogs. My friend actually had a friend of his who I was told works for Disney modify the pic in to the NTLO cover photo. The mahogany, Manya, passed away November of '15. Melik, the black demon, is 16 and slowly leaving us. Melik's son Aleksandr has taken over security detail.

I have a term break coming up in which I will flick you my thoughts on both readings Auslander! I haven't forgotten.

Sounds great! Thank you very much!

Review for NTLO, Amazon South Africa via UK, January '16. Reviews from one country do not show up on review sections from other countries:

I bought this novel for my grandfather as he is avid reader and here are his words after reading it:

"My dear grandson, It is almost midnight of Friday in Pretoria and I have just completed the book by Auslander re Spetnaz - Never the last one. There never was one dull page since I started reading it in London. I have always loved reading historical novels but never found one evoking such conflicting emotions and passions. You were always in my thoughts as I travelled the terrains of pure love, the abomination of human action emanating from defiling hatred and the adherence of the human spirit and mind to the true cause of the fatherland.

While I always understood the turbulence in your mind regarding the distortions and degradation we are exposed to daily in our society - it all becomes clear. I think of you and Sharon being modeled as Starshi Sargent and Annushka ( Annya ).

Thank you for this treasure of a book . Please convey my gratitude to your father for opening the book in my IPad library. Now I need to find something to make me sleep. Take care & kind regards. Your Grandfather"

auslander wrote:I've got a bunch of 'polite young men in green' from the events. Here's a simple example. I'm also toying with the idea of releasing the second novel as a series, basically similar to Incident but from the beginning. 'Incident' would be the second book of the series, the lead up to Incident would be first and technically it's 98% ready to go.

This is more fitting.

Working on some others to choose from.

These ones are not bad either

Agreed, it will be one of those three once this crisis is over.

auslander wrote:Agreed, it will be one of those three once this crisis is over.

I agree with the green men concept. Believe a stand along shot of one or one with civilians make the most impact. Mind you that and a couple dollars will buy you a cup of coffee.

I've got some with civilians but since this short book is about an military operation I think that just the boys in green will be more appropriate. I will nose around and see what else I can find.

Two dollars for a cup of coffee?? You all have to come and live here with us.

I have finished An Incident On Simonka and am half-way through Never The Last One. I can honestly say these are some of the most beautifully crafted semi-fictional accounts concerning Russia (or Крым in this case) primarily written in English, that I have had the pleasure to read. Your understanding of both the culture of the region could only come from someone who's heart it is close to. Your love of the canine companion is also a recurring theme, which, having grown up with dogs all my life, I perfectly understand.

You also managed to convey the historical roots of the peninsula and the understanding its ethnic-Russian population have of this history very well, and it is clearly interwoven through both pieces of literature. This is especially important I think for an outsider looking in, as it really helps develop an understanding for the tragic (and wonderful) events of 2014, and generally shoots the Western narrative full of holes.

Your clear understanding of military procedures, raises some interesting questions about your past in my mind. That, or you have some truly extraordinary friends. Either way, I am not intending to pry (especially with today's internet, straight out of 1984), although I do think you'd be an interesting individual to meet!

All and all, it has been and is a pleasure to read your literature Auslander. Don't stop!

I am pleased that you enjoyed Incident and are enjoying Never The Last One. I write in a different style and try to convey the difference in cultures to readers who are not familiar with Russia, what she is and what she was.

While Incident is a short story of a recent happening, NTLO is long and has several sub plots weaving in and out of a narrative concerning a fictional war in Chechnya. Characters appear and then fade in to the background only to appear again a chapter or three further along in the story. In one instance a casual and short conversation in the second chapter reappears in a last chapter with a vengeance in four short but sharp events in three different countries. It is for this reason, the plots weaving in and out of the narrative, that I always recommend that readers should start from page 1 and read through without jumping around in the tomes.

I have no intention of stopping my scribblings, there will be more books and short stories. The events denoted in Incident will become a series of short stories concerning the return of Krimea and Sevastopol to their rightful inclusion in Russia told in fictional terms but anyone who was here during the events will understand how much truth there is in the fictions.

Been busy as heck this year and last but did get some scribbling done. Published two new books in the last 7 days, one on Sevastopol, The Third Defense, the other is a bit of a departure from my usual and was written to give me a bit of a break from said usual.

Blue Cloud is the story of a young Collie girl in the first summer and fall of her life, told in her words. Looks like this will turn in to a series and include audio books. Book, and books, will be short and all will include a moral. Should be fun and keep my mind somewhat, however little. sane.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0797XJM91



Second book is the long awaited Sevastopol, The Third Defense, Book 1. This will be a 3 book series and book 2 is already underway. Incident on Simonka will be folded in to the second book and will then disappear from Amazon. This series of 3 will in a way be like Incident and Never The Last One in that there are elements of truth in any good fiction.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079KRPLS4