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DISCLAIMER: I am the editor of this novel and also a good friend of the author. Even so - *especially s0* - I can't let this go by without a review. I have watched CJ's writing grow and grow, EXPONENTIALLY. He is so much better at storytelling and plot/character development than he was two years ago! His early novels were imaginative and well-written, but unpolished, raw, in-the-rough versions of better things to come!

Treaters is a lot of things: horror novel, love story, survivalist fiction. The best thing, though, is it is a story about two PEOPLE (and a dawg!), characters who begin to feel as real as friends or family, who are doing what they can to survive impossible odds. It has elements/feels of The Walking Dead, but ... not. It has elements/feels of The Stand, but ... not. It has elements/feels of The Bible, but ... not.

There are some graphic elements to the story, but CJ moderates them well so that nothing is too explicit. I would consider this appropriate for ages 16+.

Yes, the reviews keep on coming, and so far everyone has LOVED Treaters. Here's the latest 5-star review:

"Treaters - What an amazing read this is. It's one of those rare books that you want to gallop through but really don't want to reach the end. C.J. Rutherford has skillfully created an apocalyptic 'End of the World' novel that subjects the reader to one suspenseful scene after another. Despite the mayhem generated by the monsters known asTreaters, a love story also unfolds between Jaz an ex marine and Jennifer a young terrified girl he finds sheltering in a diner.
Now what amazed me was the fact that this story was written by an author born and living in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The novel is actually set in the U.S.A. Now any author will know that you write about what you know and it wasn't until I was well into the book that I realised that the writer was not an American. Full marks to Rutherford for his research and attention to detail.
I also have to mention the epilogue...OMG! I wasn't expecting this. To learn what the Treaters actually were, knocked me for a six. I can't wait for the next in the series. Get writing Mr. Rutherford.
A well earned FIVE BIG STARS."

I'm incredibly humbled that anyone would take the time to write anything about my books, never mind something as amazing as this. I get a real buzz, knowing I've written something that gives a reader a little bit of enjoyment.
That said, reviews are an authors currency. They lend your book more worth, and make themrise above the other millions of books on Amazon.
So, if anyone has read Treaters - or indeed any of my other Tales of the Neverwar books - please, please, PLEASE, leave a review.
Even if it's one sentence saying, 'I loved this book.' Maybe it'll be a sentence saying, 'I hated this book.' That's okay too, though I'd rather you tell me WHY you hated it. I'm not one of those authors who ignore negative reviews, as long as they're constructive.
But seriously, thank you from the bottom of my heart. And Claude's hearts. He said to pass on his thanks as well, even if each good review threatens his teapot.

Until next time...love you all!

Hi all.
This post is one I've wanted to write for a while, but it's only since writing my latest work that it's actually started to effect me.
I started writing back in 2014, and wrote my first book, Souls of the Never, in three weeks on an android tablet, did a really crappy cover up on Canva, slapped it up onto KDP and sat back, waiting for the millions to pour in.
Wanna know what happened? I'm sure you already do, but it was nothing. I sat for days in frustration, wondering why people weren't buying this book that I'd poured my heart and soul into.
And, yes, I was one of those 'BUY MY BOOK,' spammers. I didn't know any better. I hadn't done my homework, had no support network in any of the author groups, nothing.
But did I give up? No. I started book two in the series, while at the same time actually looking at how the book/author world works. I joined groups, took part in conversations, helped people out with proof reading etc, and guess what happened next?
I got a pm on Facebook from this lovely lady in New Zealand, who after introducing herself proceeded to tell me how crap Souls of the Never was. I agreed with her. She wasn't shocked. She'd been following my posts, had seen I was one of those authors who could take criticism, and actually wanted to learn and improve.
So, we spent six months licking Souls into shape, and while I proof read a few of her books(and actually ended up appearing in one), at the end of it I had three books of the series complete, plus a novella prequel.
Now, I won't say they are perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but thanks to the writing community and their feedback and assistance, they are a HELL of a lot better than they might have been.
I suppose it was a blessing in a way, as by the time the series was available was when I felt comfortable enough to start marketing, and this is when it started to sell.
I actually have FANS! People who have contacted me to tell them how much they love my characters, people who have reviewed(both good and bad lol), even people who send me random(usually dragon-related), gifts.
But this was all great. They were happy as the series was all there, and they could read one and carry on to the next without having to wait.
This is where it gets tricky. I've just finished book one of my new dark fantasy/horror novel, Treaters, book one in a new series. The launch went really well, so much so I have readers contacting me asking/demanding me to start book two.
My dilemma is I have another book one of another series in the works and almost finished, so I have to decide what to do. Do I finish the other book one? Do I get Treaters 2 started? Do I do both, and if I feel especially masochistic, start writing the three novellas set in the Neverwar universe I have lurking at the back of my brain?
These are the struggle of an author, but you know what? I wouldn't change it for the world :)
I love my readers, and want to thank you all for making this such a humbling experience.

Well, it's been over a week since the release of Treaters, and it's been a odd sort of week.
After the hype of the lead up to the launch, it's all gone incredibly quiet. It's almost as if one of the kids has left for college, sort of empty, you know?
I know the audio version of Treaters is in the works, but I find myself wondering what to do next...then I chuckle inwardly. It's not as if I haven't got enough on my plate.
Besides real life - you know that thing where you leave the house, do stuff, and come back and your kids take all your money? - I've got book stuff to do.
There's books two of the Treaters series which I haven't started yet. Then there's book one of my space opera, which I've barely began. Hmm...I sense a pattern developing here ;)
Now for some good news...yeah, right :P
Companion of Darkness was almost done at 70k words, until those nasty, wilful characters decided otherwise. Perhaps another 25k words will shut them up, but you know characters ;)
But the most exciting news is something I just decided to embark on.
Not many of you know that I wrote a short prequel to the Tales of the Neverwar called Lost in Times. It tells of the time when Derren and his twin, Krista, travel back in time to Nazi Poland, and end up in Auschwitz. I haven't plugged it too much as frankly, I think it's not great.
Hopefully that's about to change. I've pulled it down from Amazon for a rewrite. No, it won't be a full novel rewrite like Treaters, but I plan to go into the history of Derren and his band of misfits before they meet Katheryne and Perri in book one of the Tales of the Neverwar. I haven't decided how far back into their history to go yet, but I hope to include Toshi and Laren, and a few others who had walk-on parts in TOTN.
Hopefully you'll like it :)