# The End of Marking Time is now $.99



## CJ West (Feb 24, 2010)

The End of Marking Time

Michael O'Connor has spent years perfecting his craft. Unfortunately, his craft is breaking and entering. He's so good, he can stand in a shadowy corner of your home and wait until you fall asleep before he begins bagging your valuables. With his skills it was unlikely he'd ever be caught, but one supremely unlucky day his credit card fence turned him in. Just when you think the world is safe from Michael, the supreme court rules long term incarceration is cruel and unusual punishment and releases 2,000,000 felons.

Criminals rampage on the outside. Citizens barricade themselves in. Police departments take extreme measures to end the crime spree. Corrections departments have a flood of new offenders, but no way to deal with them until Wendell Cummings develops reeducation. The system is a brutal violation of privacy and human rights, but citizens don't care anymore. They want protection at any cost and the government has no choice but to give it to them. For the first time, felons fear the system.

The End of Marking Time opens with Michael trapped in a hallway before a one-way mirror. He tells you his story because he believes you are his jury and if you press the green button, he will be given another chance. Michael doesn't understand what is happening to him because he was the last felon released. He was unconscious while reeducation was introduced and he doesn't believe he can be punished in a world without prison. The mystery of this book is not who Michael thinks you are, but who is sitting in the thirteen chairs behind the window and what fate they will choose for Michael.


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## CJ West (Feb 24, 2010)

Today (June 10th, 2010) I'm holding a  virtual launch party.

Come join me and win great stuff!


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## David McAfee (Apr 15, 2010)

That sounds pretty interesting. I'm going to grab the sample when I get home tonight.


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## CJ West (Feb 24, 2010)

Thanks David. It's got some great early reviews. I hope you enjoy it. 

CJ


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## scottnicholson (Jan 31, 2010)

I really enjoyed this, CJ--a good brisk plot, engaging protagonist, and some cool near-future ideas on criminal justice. Highly recommended.

Scott


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## DebbiM (Jun 16, 2009)

I agree, Scott. The story is really suspenseful and also tackles a lot of serious issues without being preachy. A genuine page-turner.

I highly recommend it.

Debbi
Identity Crisis
http://www.debbimack.com
http://midlistlife.wordpress.com


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## CJ West (Feb 24, 2010)

Thanks Debbi  & Scott. I tried to focus on telling the story and let readers interpret the issues on their own. Glad it came across that way. 

CJ


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## 911jason (Aug 17, 2009)

I just added it to my wish list, my book-buying budget has been expended for the month. I anticipate buying this soon though... sounds great!


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## CJ West (Feb 24, 2010)

Thanks Jason. You know what they say, buy books and if there is anything left over, buy groceries 

Thank God for Kindle prices.

CJ


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## J.T. Cummins (Oct 29, 2009)

Found The End of Marking Time







to be a nifty, thought provoking Orwellian thriller that raises intriguing questions about the nature of crime and punishment and how the whims of the state have an effect on victims and criminals alike. Disturbing on many levels because of what it has to say about our society, The End of Marking Time







is a thriller that will stay stuck in my brain for a very looong time.

J.T. Cummins
Cobblestones


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

C.J. it looks like we never welcomed you. . .or, at least, not in _this_ thread.  Nor did we congratulate you on your book. . .so Welcome and Congratulations.

And with that, of course, comes a quick reminder of the rules.  Note: this does NOT mean you've broken any; we just like everyone to have a convenient place to refer to them and where better than their own book thread!

We invite you to use your book cover as your avatar and have links to your book and website in your signature. Be sure to read the fine print below. Don't forget to bookmark this thread so you can update it. Although self-promotion is limited to the Book Bazaar, most of our authors have found the best way to promote their books is to be as active throughout KindleBoards as time allows. This is your target audience--book lovers with Kindles!

Thanks for being part of KindleBoards! Feel free to PM us if you have any questions.

Betsy & Ann
Book Bazaar Moderators

_The fine print:
Please add to your existing book thread when you have news about your book rather than start a new one, it helps the members who are trying to follow you. You may have a separate thread for each of your books. We recommend you bookmark your post so that you can find it in the future.  You may respond to all posts, but if there have been no member posts, we ask that you wait a week before "bumping" the thread by posting back-to-back posts of your own. And we ask that Amazon reviews not be repeated here as they are easy to find at your book link. Also, full reviews from other sites should not be posted here, but you may post a short blurb and a link to the full review instead. All this, and more, is included in our Forum Decorum. From time to time our site rules may change; be sure to check Forum Decorum (http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,36.0.html) for the current guidelines and rules. _


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## CJ West (Feb 24, 2010)

Hi Betsy & Ann,

You have welcomed me once before. I have been incredibly busy this year and haven't been around as much as I should.

I released two novels this year and I've been on a hectic tour schedule that will come to an end next week. Add to that the film adaptation of Sin & Vengeance and there isn't much time left. I'll try to stop in more to support The End of Marking Time. Early readers are really excited about this book as you can see from the reviews. (It's been commercially available since May 22, but officially launched yesterday with a 23.5 hour party)

Thank you. Glad to be here. 

CJ


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## scottnicholson (Jan 31, 2010)

Hope the launch went well!

Scott


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## CJ West (Feb 24, 2010)

Scott,

The launch was amazing. I planned my first virtual party on my facebook page  and hosted an online chat. The party began at midnight and I was shocked that so many people stayed up to join in. I slept about 3 hours and spent the next 18 hours online posting music and entertainment for everyone. Michael O'Connor was featured in an online chat that was supposed to last 1 hour. It went 5.5 hours and it was amazing how people responded to Michael (who is obviously me) in the chat room.

I will definitely do it again.

CJ

PS. Anyone can see the party text on my fanpage, but the chat is history.


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## CJ West (Feb 24, 2010)

Ever wanted to meet a character from a book?

This summer, I'm writing a new kind of sequel to my book The End of Marking Time. For 68 days this summer I'm bringing the characters from The End of Marking Time to life on Facebook for an interactive murder mystery. The story is released in one free mini-episode each day and then the characters roam around the virtual world (fan pages represent locations from the book). Readers trade messages with the characters and visit them in chat rooms where they can ask questions about the mystery or anything else.

Registered players compete with each other to earn clues and solve the mystery.

So far readers have really enjoyed the chance to get to know the characters. What do you think of this idea?

You can visit the world
 if you want to check it out.


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## CJ West (Feb 24, 2010)

If you are wondering what has happened so far, there is an index to the story.

The story itself is only part of the game, but you can get a flavor for it there.

CJ


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## Tuttle (Jun 10, 2010)

So you're making an ARG?


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## CJ West (Feb 24, 2010)

Tuttle, I just checked your link and yes, I think they are similar.

The difference seems to me that the story I'm writing is closed-ended. I guess I could write another mystery to keep the virtual world alive. I'm not sure how a typical ARG operates, but I'm thinking they would be open-ended and the story would be somewhat defined by the players.

I guess my ARG is quite labor intensive in comparison. The attraction for readers is interacting with the characters which are driven by me. Several players have asked if I am playing the characters, especially Charlotte Finch who flirts with me quite a lot. I always get a chuckle when that happens.

I'd be interested in your suggestions. 

I doubt this will catch on commerically due to the time involved for the writer, but readers have really enjoyed it. 

CJ


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## HelenSmith (Mar 17, 2010)

CJ - that's a brilliantly clever idea.

You are pretty much creating an ARG - and as you say, it's incredibly time-consuming to create and sustain. There are/have been plenty of them out there but usually the narrative/characters are weak and quite boring.  Another problem is there is usually very little take-up outside the communities who know about them - lots of people may sign up for them but very few actually play.

A 360 platform as they call it in the UK (and it's probably a term stolen from the US) is pretty much the holy grail for UK TV programmes at the moment. They believe it is a way to draw in young people and for some reason everyone (including theatres) are desperate to attract young people, as if they have failed to grasp that young people will ever grow older and one day want to stay in and watch TV/go to the theatre.  Every proposal for a TV programme is viewed with more interest if it can somehow be developed with spin-offs on the internet where viewers can interact with the characters - and they pretty much always fail in terms of numbers, so far as I can see.  Lots of work for little pay-off.

An ARG usually works like a quest, by the way, with players working together to individually to solve something or more likely find something - perhaps a prize e.g. 'treasure' buried somewhere. They are usually but not always funded by large commercial enterprises.

You have done a really good job of creating your interactive story using Facebook.  Are you releasing the min-eps on Facebook rather than  on kindle?


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## CJ West (Feb 24, 2010)

Thanks Helen.

Yes, the mini-episodes are available free on Facebook. They are written as a game, not a book, and they certainly are more interesting for people who have read the book. The mini-episodes are the jumping off point for each day of the game.

You can find a list of the mini-episodes here.

I haven't seen television shows doing this, but I'm not surprised that they do. I got this idea after getting fantastic response for live murder mystery events that I act in with other authors. The problem with live events is that fans that live at a distance can't attend. The online version was a way to bring the mystery to them.

CJ


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## HelenSmith (Mar 17, 2010)

Wow - I'm practically drooling in admiration. You act in live murder mysteries with other authors? I had no idea that this was my life's ambition but now I see it written down, I know that it is.  

Good luck with the FB mini-eps. It sounds like a lot of fun and a very inventive way to promote your book.


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## CJ West (Feb 24, 2010)

Helen,

I have a ball at the live events. The guests have a great time, too. The only drawback (seems like the drawback with a lot of my events) is that it takes a lot of preparation. I'm writing a murder mystery now for August 13th in New Hampshire. I'm writing parts for 10 actors. It's a big job, but it is a lot of fun, too.

You should try it. 

If you are in New England, drop me a PM and we can talk about including you in one. 

CJ


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## HelenSmith (Mar 17, 2010)

Thanks for the offer but I'd die of fright.  Fortunately I'm in England, not New England.  I'll have to admire from afar.

The projects that require a lot of preparation are the best kinds - both in the execution and the outcome.

I'm a playwright as well as a novelist so I'm talking to a producer at the moment about doing a murder mystery on stage - very Agatha Christie.  I won't be in that, either, if it comes off.


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## CJ West (Feb 24, 2010)

I don't think shyness is uncommon in writers. I took up an offer to host a blog talk radio show to get over my shyness on air and on stage. It has really helped. Maybe something like that would be a good thing for you, too. 

Good luck with the stage play. What I'm doing is no where near that sophisticated. The actors ad lib most of their lines and the fun is interacting with the audience when they ask questions. I'd be curious to see something you've written to see how it is really done.


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## CJ West (Feb 24, 2010)

I'm running a photo contest on Facebook for The End of Marking Time. Some of the photos are fantastic and I thought I'd share some here. The prize is my backlist (4 trade paperback books) all signed. If you want to browse the whole album, you can see it at www.facebook.com/cjwestfans









This is one of my favorites
Tiggy can't decide which button to press









Here is Tiggy with his book group









This reader wants to stomp the red button.
(the book offers a choce between the red & green buttons.









Kindle readers can get in on the action, too.

I hope you enjoy the pics.

CJ


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## CJ West (Feb 24, 2010)

Janet & Mum in front of the London Eye


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## CJ West (Feb 24, 2010)

Cheryl


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## CJ West (Feb 24, 2010)

The time machine from the movie "Back to the Future"


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## CJ West (Feb 24, 2010)

Me.


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## HelenSmith (Mar 17, 2010)

Very funny!  You're endlessly inventive - glad you see your readers are responding in kind.

I was looking for this thread to reply to you earlier in the week but they sink so quickly I couldn't find it. Anyway good luck with the photo competition and with promoting your book.


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## CJ West (Feb 24, 2010)

Thanks Helen. I'll keep adding photos here. A few each day. There are about 70 in the photo album on Facebook. 

In this case, it is the readers that are really creative.

CJ


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## scottnicholson (Jan 31, 2010)

Hey, cool, glad this great book is getting around, CJ!

Scott


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## CJ West (Feb 24, 2010)

It is getting around. Unfortunately my print readership is a lot bigger than my Kindle readership. 

I'm trying.

CJ


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## CJ West (Feb 24, 2010)

Hourglass









Marking Time in all sorts of ways









Another family debates the button choices.


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## CJ West (Feb 24, 2010)

A reader from Maine










Reenacting a scene from the book.


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## CJ West (Feb 24, 2010)

I love this bar (in Pennsylvania) even though I've never been.


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## CJ West (Feb 24, 2010)

Chief CL is from Western Canada









He really looks like he's reading.


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## CJ West (Feb 24, 2010)




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## CJ West (Feb 24, 2010)

This little guy from Kentucky is nicknamed CJ after guess who?


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## CJ West (Feb 24, 2010)

Another great photo from Kentucky. 
This one took some time to get 10 book references into one photo.


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## CJ West (Feb 24, 2010)

The photo from my last message turned out to be the contest winner.

Congratulations Sue.

CJ


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## KBoards Admin (Nov 27, 2007)

I'm pleased to announce that The End of Marking Time is our next KB Book of the Day!


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## CJ West (Feb 24, 2010)

Lynn from Michigan calls The End of Marking Time the best book she's read this year.

Here is her review from a mystery lover's list:

This is the first book of C.J. West's that I have ever read (thanks to a bookmark) --when I got it, read the back etc. it isn't a book I would have just picked up and bought! But I'm so glad he sent me a bookmark and then a book and I got to read it! I really believe it should be required reading in all schools including college!!! The drama, keeps you going but best of all it makes you really, truly think and think hard! 

I didn't rush through it because it truly made me wonder about our Justice system! Also makes you wonder about our whole society! Plus I enjoyed that as Michael, the burglar, was getting his education you could tell by his writing also, you didn't just have to hear him talk ---he's telling his story to us and I was impressed with what he was going through. Michael was so logical about his decisions that at times he really had no other choice. He never actually hurt anyone but he did in that he stole what wasn't his, and yet he had no family social life, little education to learn from either. 

This would be great book for ANY Book Club! Personally I would have pushed the green button (it even has it on the back cover)! Truly a mind boggling, make you think book! I am going to re-read it now.........and look for more of CJ West's books!

Lynn/MI


--- I hope you'll give it a try!


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## JeanThree (Feb 22, 2009)

Thanks for having your book on KB BOTD, I bought it and hope my son enjoys it, too, cos he's getting a kindle for his birthday. I think it'll be neat reading the same book at the same time. Our literary paths are usually quit divergent but this looks like it'll work. Sci-fi enough for me and philosophical and edgy enough for him.


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## CJ West (Feb 24, 2010)

I think lots of people will be getting Kindles this Christmas. I hope he enjoys his Kindle and the book.

I hope it will give the two of you some things to talk about.

CJ


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## KBoards Admin (Nov 27, 2007)

I'm pleased to announce that The End of Marking Time is our next KB Book of the Day!


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## CJ West (Feb 24, 2010)

Here is an excerpt from the Book Bitch review:

... West has brilliantly portrayed a world gone crazy where the rule is there are no rules, or are they.  Crime fiction meets science fiction in this awesome thriller. 10/10
--Book Bitch 

I hope everyone will check out The End of Marking Time today.


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## CJ West (Feb 24, 2010)

If you would like to request the free ebook, please send your email to authors (at) 22wb dot com.

I hope you'll enjoy the book and share it with your friends.

Merry Christmas,

CJ

PS. The offer is available here: http://booksontheknob.blogspot.com/2010/12/gift-for-christmas.html


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## CJ West (Feb 24, 2010)

So far I've given away 796 copies!

I'm hoping to reach 1,000 by the end of the year.


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## KBoards Admin (Nov 27, 2007)

I am pleased to welcome The End of Marking Time as our next KB Book of the Day!


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## CJ West (Feb 24, 2010)

Good Morning everyone. I want to thank you all for your support. I am new to e-books this year and have tried a number of things. Some worked, some didn't. In the last few weeks I've been giving away THE END OF MARKING TIME.  A strange thing happened. I've given away over 900 copies, BUT I've also sold more copies than ever before thanks to your generosity.

Today is off to a great start:

8:00     12       3,511
9:00     24       3,511
10:00   45       3,537
11:00   59       3,602
12:00   79       3,657
 1:00p  90       3,657
 2:00   102     3,656
 3:00   108    3,658
 4:00   116   3,726
 5:00   124      3,726
 6:00   152      4,106
7:00	176	2258
8:00	199	1483
9:00	216	401
10:00	227	401
11:00	235	336
12:00	244        337	


I hope you'll help me push the ranking even lower!
I'll update these numbers through the day.

Happy New Year!


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## Lambert (Nov 12, 2010)

CJ

I grabbed it off Amazon. Sounds really good and I figure we have to support each other especially on "Book of the Day".

Won't get to reading it for a while though, I have a small list going already   Plus I have to get writing myself...

Lambert


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## CJ West (Feb 24, 2010)

Thanks Lambert!

Much appreciated. I hope you enjoy it.


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## Seamonkey (Dec 2, 2008)

I bought the Kindle version.

Are you aware of Bookcrossing.com  Bookrings and rays send dead tree books all over the world, with each reader journalling as they finish and send the book to the next reader.


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## CJ West (Feb 24, 2010)

Thank you Seamonkey!

I have heard of Bookcrossing, but have never used them.

Thanks to your support, THE END OF MARKING TIME is"

#23 in political fiction
#43 in psychological thrillers

Thanks to all who bought their copy today!


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## KBoards Admin (Nov 27, 2007)

I'm pleased to welcome The End of Marking Time as our next KB Book of the Day!


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## CJ West (Feb 24, 2010)

Thanks Harvey.

It has been a great month for The End of Marking Time. I've been giving this book away for a few weeks and the response has been trememdous. I've given away over 1,200 copies. And this month so far I've sold 814!

The End of Marking Time will also be featured in the Indie Author Book Club on Monday. There are 60 members in the club so it will be a great discussion. There is still time to join!


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## dpinmd (Dec 30, 2009)

Just finished _The End of Marking Time_ a few days ago. Definitely a thought-provoking read -- I look forward to discussing it more next week with the Indie Author Book Club!


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## CJ West (Feb 24, 2010)

Glad you enjoyed it Dawn!  We've got a big group (65) for that discussion. I know we are going to have some great ideas and many different points of view. 

I'm really looking forward to it.


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## TheRiddler (Nov 11, 2010)

Amazing book - I loved it. 

I loved it so much, I even put a review of it on Amazon.co.uk (which is my first ever review of any item!)

Really looking forward to discussing it


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## CJ West (Feb 24, 2010)

So glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for reading and thanks for the review. Honest reviews mean a lot!

See you on Monday in the discussion group.


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## CJ West (Feb 24, 2010)

The End of Marking Time is again the KB Book of the day.

January was my best ebook month ever and I want to thank all of you who made that possible.

There is a  great book group discussion on the Amazon page for this book (near the bottom if you click the link for the book).  I hope you enjoy talking about this book to others who have read it.

CJ


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## KBoards Admin (Nov 27, 2007)

Welcome to The End of Marking Time as our KB Book of the Day!


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## KBoards Admin (Nov 27, 2007)

Welcome to The End of Marking Time as our KB Book of the Day!


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## KBoards Admin (Nov 27, 2007)

Welcome to The End of Marking Time as our KB Book of the Day!


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## CJ West (Feb 24, 2010)

Hi everyone. The End of Marking Time is free today and tomorrow on Amazon.

The book has (72) 5 star reviews and 474 posts in the book's discussion forum on Amazon.

I hope you enjoy it.

CJ


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## Ang41368 (Apr 11, 2012)

This story is/was my first CJ West book and it had me hooked from the first couple of pages, once I got to the end of the first chapter I knew I was doomed to days of glassy eyed existence after nights of being simply unable to shut off my Kindle and the lights.  Very thought provoking.  A new CJ West fan is born


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