This is the cover of my first published fiction work available on Amazon.com. If you’re reading this on February 4, 5 or 6 of 2013 you can head over here and get a copy for free. Otherwise, it’s just 99 cents — which isn’t actually money if you’re well-heeled enough to own a kindle or other e-reading device. So that’s exciting. It’s in e-format only, as will be a few other adult crime novels my publisher will be releasing over the next few weeks. Anything that sells enough, we’ll also push in a dead tree version. When you pop over there, though, you’ll notice one change. The cover will read the book is by “Jake F. Simons.” Since a bunch of folks have already asked why, I want to address that here. Using a pseudonym has disadvantages. Mostly, the dilution of effort. Time I spend promoting Jason Brick doesn’t help Mr. Simons, and vice-versa. That’s true, and already becoming a pain in my backside, but here’s the thing. My crime fiction is violent. It’s dark. There’s cussing, and killing and adult people having adult interactions. Often, all of that is happening all at the same time. I also tend to use what a colleague calls “The Effenheimer” with fair regularity. I’m not embarrassed by that. Some of my favorite authors — Joe R. Lansdale, Carl Hiaasen, Norman Partridge, Harlan Ellison — do the same to great effect. But here’s the thing. I also write guidebooks about karate, articles for major parenting publications and business documents for unsuspecting business owners. I have a series of young adult novels about martial arts and personal integrity due out later this year. The last thing I want is for any fans of that work to Google me and accidentally read a story about two drunk guys getting attacked by a rat while trying to find what they call “takeout nookie.” So Jake F. Simons writes my darker — and often funnier — stuff. Jason Brick will remain the straight-laced, PG-rated alter ego. As the weeks and months go by, I’ll report on how that’s working out for us.