A present from me to you, because our government is behaving badly

Oct 08, 2013

This story is for all my readers who have been impacted by the current political SNAFU – and for anyone else who might need to enjoy a free story in these difficult times.

“Shutdown”, will be available free for the duration of the government shutdown. Once the government is back in business then the short story will no longer be available on line, at least not until my publisher and I figure out what we might want to do with it. But for right now, while we’re all wondering how it got to this point, here’s a brand new Anita Blake short story, featuring our favorite bad boy werewolf, yep, I mean Richard Zeeman. Hey, I’ve been telling you, he’s been working his therapy: read on to see the results that hard work and being brave enough to own your whole self can get you.

Get “Shutdown” here:

59 thoughts on “A present from me to you, because our government is behaving badly”

    1. Thanks so much, I just love reading your books. I have every single book you have wrote. Have a great day!
      Huggers, K

  2. Wow! Thank you so much! Another Anita Story. And with Richard! I had to read it as soon as I found the link in my in box! Amazing! It is so wonderful to see that Richard is finally getting his shit together and accepting who and what he is. Even at the cost of what he thinks he wants most in life, the white picket fence. Fantastic! Thank you again. This made my birthday, which isn’t until Saturday, but close enough. Thank you!

  3. Loved the AB short. I read in in PDF because the epub zip file only has html files in it. Let your web guy know. Probably the epub button is pointing at the html zip.

  4. hi! this is wonderful. i am always looking for more anita blake. i look forward to reading shutdown.

  7. Thank you so much for this! I love Anita! I am so glad to see Richard making so much progress with himself! I now have my sister, husband, and best friend hooked on Anita! I am currently working on reading Merry. I am currently reading Swallowing Darkness. Love your writing! Thank you again for the new Anita story!

  9. I think it’s really nice of you to put up a free story. My reaction to it is torn, though, because as much as I wanted to like it, Anita seemed kind of…well, mean and self-absorbed in this story.

    Also, I think it’s great that Anita and Richard have come to terms with what they want, (God knows I’m glad Richard is getting it together) but there’s an attitude in the story like there’s something wrong with a woman refusing to let her fiance sleep with his ex-girlfriend. The same way Anita has the right to define what she wants in a relationship, the fiancee does too. No one, not even Anita, has the right to make her feel bad about that.

    If Anita wanted Richard in her life, she should have been bending over backwards to reward this woman’s willingness to even consider something so far beyond the pale. Instead, for all of her ‘live and let live’ relationship talk, Anita acted judgmental and smug. The right to define your relationship however you like apparently doesn’t extend to doing it the traditional, vanilla way, which seems kind of hypocritical, considering how vocal Anita has been about this issue. I wanted to like the story because a free story is such a nice surprise, but I was really bothered by that. Still, regardless of how I felt about parts of it, I do think it’s a decent thing for an author to release small works for free on their website.

    1. I wasn’t going to comment, because I too love the fact that you did something so thoughtful for your fans. That being said, I have to agree with Amm. It felt like the doctor was being made out to be a bad guy. She was having a hard time working out that she wasn’t actually okay with this. Anita treated her like by questioning, she was judging. I ordinarily route for Anita and her defense of her relationships with fist pumps, but here she seemed overly defensive and even hypocritical.

      The descriptors, as always, were beautiful, and I love that Richard is trying to be healthy, but I’m going to pretend this didn’t happen. I prefer the Anita that lets people love in the way that makes them happy. Not judge them for it.

      1. K, i really enjoyed it and thank you so much for the special treat. i think i know a secret that will be happening in the next book, based on hints from this novella and the last anita blake novel. Yeah anita was defensive, and got her feelings hurt but she is a 3d character and isnt perfect, even though i didnt love how she reacted, it felt true to reality and the character.

  14. As one of the many people affected by the government shutdown, thank you so much for giving me something to do while I can’t work! Loved the glimpse into a part of Anita’s life that we don’t usually get to see.

  16. Thanks!! But, it’s too short! I just got into the story and then it’s over!! It’s a wonderful gift, don’t get me wrong, but now I need more Richard!

  19. no luck..tried downloading on both nook and laptop…nada
    i am bummed
    thanks for the thought though. You rock!

  21. loved the story very happy to see that while Richard is embracing his life and tring to except who he really is he still trying to find that white picket fence and as Anita’s says the black iron gothic gate. very cool can’t wait til the next chapter of their lives becomes available

  22. Thank you so much! The story was great. I can’t wait to see what’s next. More with Asher maybe?

  25. I’m pretty sure that *women aren’t the ones telling other women to smile. I have yet to ever be told “you should smile more” by a woman, and I get it at least a couple of times a week from random men on the street. Women understand that sometimes you just don’t want to smile, and they’re not very likely to assume you don’t like them – they’ll just understand that you probably have a lot on your mind, just like they do.

    As for Richard and the results of his “hard work” in therapy? I’m pretty sure that ruining a relationship by being a cruel, selfish, and arrogant ass who stomps all over other people’s feelings and needs in favor of his own without any consideration for the harm he’s doing isn’t what you’re supposed to get out of therapy…

    1. I don’t know why Richard doesn’t try to date women in the BDSM community. It seems like his therapist wouldn’t like the idea of him splitting his life into halves either–one half is a teacher married to one partner, while the other half is a werewolf dating solely for BDSM sex. That doesn’t sound healthy, either. Why can’t he marry a woman who likes BDSM? It’s not like Anita is the only woman who does BDSM on the planet. And some women who like BDSM do want to get married.

  27. Hi!! Die hard reader of Anita Blake. Thank you so much for the free side story of Anita. Please warning label next time if you do this again because I am still on book 17 and reading the first couple of pages I am just like “NOOOOOO” 🙁 I loved her and Richard together, I thought they would work it out. Guess not -_- Anyway thanks again so much I will defiantly read it when I am caught up!

  28. Thank you so much! I’m a contractor at the CDC, and I’m not sure how I’m going to pay my rent this month. I’ve been feeling very much alone. I can’t express how much this ‘hug’ means to me…

  29. still unable to read this story, is it still available? “Get Shutdown here” is blank.thanx for the help!

  30. Thank you so much for this story! A lot of people seem to think that writers, musicians, artists, and anyone else who creates for a living should give freebies of their work, but it’s just that: work! Writing is hard, and I really appreciate that you would do this for your fans.

    I really liked the story. Richard is one of my favorite characters, despite (maybe because of?) his flaws, and I am really glad to see him trying to be open with himself and the people in his life. Also, this story came out on my birthday, so thanks for making the day even more special for me 🙂

  31. I was wondering if you avcept emails i wrote you some queations but relized you dont have one posted like other writers so i was wondering im old school i dont do facebook or twitter lol well if you do just let me know i saved in my drafts its questions about your books and ideas i love your stuff cant wait for more anita and gentry omg i miss frost

    1. Heather, if you go into the message board and sign up there, there’s a thread where you can post questions for LKH… be sure to read the rules first. No questions or judgments of sexual nature are allowed.

  33. I have been confused with the E book dancing.
    Where does this fit in to book 21- 22, seeing that it is 22.5
    Is it after Kiss the dead?
    Or before Affliction?

    Will there be a Book After Affliction

  35. Thank you for the e-book. I have been a fan of yours since I stumbled upon your Anita Blake series. I love the naughty feeling I get when I read the novels!

  37. Since this story didn’t actually have anything to do with the government shutdown, I’m curious. What exactly inspired you to write it?

  38. Thank you so much for the new short story with AB/Richard. I thought it was great, but felt kind of sorry for Richard that while he says he embraces his sexuality, he still wants to break it up into little chunks – BDSM here, white fence vanilla over there. I too think he should be able to find a woman who enjoys it all and is still able to present a smooth facade to the world just like he does if necessary to protect her livelihood or family, etc. Maybe she could be a substitute teacher or a doctor/nurse who is simply a mirror image of him. Maybe they could share a joint rate discount from his therapist! Ah, well – figuring all that out is what you do best. I enjoyed it, just as it was, and I appreciate it very much. Happy fall to you!

  40. hi,

    I signed up and got the email confirmation which sent me to your website. On the website was something that said “get the ebook here:”. Unfortunately it was blank afterwards, and when I touched the link “get the ebook here:” it took me to the vook sign up page again. I was stuck in a nasty circle of the vook sign up to email to vook to email with no ebook insight. You might look into that.

  41. Thank you for Shutdown, I loved Dancing and am looking forward to the next Anita book. Affliction was absolutely phenomenal, didn’t see several plot twists coming and can’t wait to see the wedding!

  42. I did not get the book either after I subscribed.I love your books and was very excited to read it. 🙁

  43. Thanks for letting us get the download a little late. I was busy working w/o pay & missed the announcement. 😛

  44. First of all, thank you for this Novella. I loved it and it was so awesome you thought of those who were being affected by the shutdown. I work for a disability rep who helps people get through the maze of Social Security Disability and my job will be greatly .impacted if the govenment keeps being a giant butthead and not doing their job. They were paying the clients their disability but not paying the reps their fee which means eventually, there would be no money to pay me. So thanks for the encouragement.
    Second, several people have posted criticism toward Anita and Richard ad their treatment of Richard’s fiance’ indicating they thought Richard and Anita were being selfish and/or hypocritical to Richard’s fiance’. I felt like I needed to post my thoughts in defense of Anita and Richard. I do undrlerstand how this snapshot into their life can be perceived as selfish but I do not believe it is.

  45. I just want to say I really didn’t like how Haven was killed off in Bullet. He was one of my favorite characters. I wish he was still in the books.

  46. I’m in love with your work , it is difficult finding the anita blake series from book 10 narcissus in chains on down on audible made my drive to work much better♥

  49. I was wondering if it is to late to get a copy of shutdown I’ve every book in the asnita Blake serious and I can’t find shutdown any where please tell where to find it

  50. Hi just wandering where or if i can still download this as the above link no longer works and i cant seem to find it anywhere else either? please help

  51. G’day love ya books sry I didnt get to read shutdown due to other family issues and being in the middle of the bush with no internet now im back with the living just wondering if there is another way to be able to read shutdown please

  52. Please send me the link! I’ve been trying to read Shutdown since it was released I’m dying here! 🙂

  53. Is it possible to download this content elsewhere? The vook link no longer works. It sucks to have a missing piece when I’ve bought everything else in the series, and pre-ordered Jason and Dead Ice.

    1. Unfortunately, Shutdown was a very limited release. It will be included in a future anthology. -MM Jess

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