Liz Lazarus's Blog - Posts Tagged "behind-the-scenes"
Inside Scoop
Free of Malice will be available in mid-February 2016. So what’s happening in the meantime?
Quick back story. I have a full-time job so writing is my hobby and has been a therapeutic release for me since the book is based on my own experience. In the words of my PR team:
Free of Malice is a psychological, legal thriller set in Atlanta and based on the author’s experience. In 1989, Liz Lazarus was attacked in her off-campus house while attending GA Tech. Out of this trauma she has crafted a well-researched novel exploring the themes of self-defense, the criminal justice system, EMDR therapy, and gun ownership. Since her attack, Lazarus earned her MBA, lived in Paris, obtained her pilot’s license, had an exciting corporate career and is a Managing Director at a consulting firm focusing on strategic planning.
Among friends, I refer to Free of Malice as FOM so I’ll start doing that here as well. FOM has been a labor of love. I’ve written and honed the book over a series of years. Writing and then setting the draft aside. Once I met Jan Risher, my first of several editors, the momentum really picked up. Earlier this year, I decided to focus on completing the book. After several attempts to find a publisher I set off to self publish. This spring, following several deep edits to the draft, I went into design and layout. Over the summer I assembled a team to work with me to bring the book to market. We have a plan, timelines and milestones. We’re hard at work.
Currently, I’m in the final edit phase. I think the poetic term is looking for gentle readers. The working term is attracting advance readers and book clubs to kick the tires a final time.
Additionally, the plans are coming together to launch the book in February 2016. I’ve assembled a dream PR team to bring FOM to life (or to a store near you). I call this group my “Free Ladies” because it’s a kick#@! group of women ((photo above L to R) NancyJeannette C Long, Lynn Epstein, Jill Dible, Dayl Soll, Mimi Schroeder and Erika Childers (not pictured)). With their talent and dedication the website is live. The media kit is available. Notes for book club discussions are downloadable. Outreach to book clubs is in full swing. And we shot footage for a book trailer last week. There is so much to do and they get the job done.
It’s exhilarating. It’s fun. It’s nerve racking. Bottom line, I’m loving every moment of planning and preparation.
More later,
Liz
P.S.: You can also find me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter. Let’s stay in touch!
Quick back story. I have a full-time job so writing is my hobby and has been a therapeutic release for me since the book is based on my own experience. In the words of my PR team:
Free of Malice is a psychological, legal thriller set in Atlanta and based on the author’s experience. In 1989, Liz Lazarus was attacked in her off-campus house while attending GA Tech. Out of this trauma she has crafted a well-researched novel exploring the themes of self-defense, the criminal justice system, EMDR therapy, and gun ownership. Since her attack, Lazarus earned her MBA, lived in Paris, obtained her pilot’s license, had an exciting corporate career and is a Managing Director at a consulting firm focusing on strategic planning.
Among friends, I refer to Free of Malice as FOM so I’ll start doing that here as well. FOM has been a labor of love. I’ve written and honed the book over a series of years. Writing and then setting the draft aside. Once I met Jan Risher, my first of several editors, the momentum really picked up. Earlier this year, I decided to focus on completing the book. After several attempts to find a publisher I set off to self publish. This spring, following several deep edits to the draft, I went into design and layout. Over the summer I assembled a team to work with me to bring the book to market. We have a plan, timelines and milestones. We’re hard at work.
Currently, I’m in the final edit phase. I think the poetic term is looking for gentle readers. The working term is attracting advance readers and book clubs to kick the tires a final time.
Additionally, the plans are coming together to launch the book in February 2016. I’ve assembled a dream PR team to bring FOM to life (or to a store near you). I call this group my “Free Ladies” because it’s a kick#@! group of women ((photo above L to R) NancyJeannette C Long, Lynn Epstein, Jill Dible, Dayl Soll, Mimi Schroeder and Erika Childers (not pictured)). With their talent and dedication the website is live. The media kit is available. Notes for book club discussions are downloadable. Outreach to book clubs is in full swing. And we shot footage for a book trailer last week. There is so much to do and they get the job done.
It’s exhilarating. It’s fun. It’s nerve racking. Bottom line, I’m loving every moment of planning and preparation.
More later,
Liz
P.S.: You can also find me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter. Let’s stay in touch!
My Writing Calendar
Behind the Scenes: Free of Malice
Because my book, Free of Malice, takes place over 6 months, from June to December, I was recently asked if I wrote the book in chronological order. As strange as it may sound, I didn’t.
Like most authors, I outlined the story so I had the sequence of events laid out. Then, because I’m a fairly visual person, I used a huge wall calendar to outline the six months in which the book took place (see a very messy but real example from August). I then listed all the events that occurred on the calendar which helped me arrange the story and also allowed me to circle back to clues I had dropped in earlier chapters.
And though I don’t have a law degree and am not a trained therapist, I had the great fortune to consult with a criminal defense lawyer (Alison Frutoz) and a certified EMDR therapist (Karen McCarty) to be sure those portions of the book were accurate.
Spoiler alert – don’t read the calendar too closely—might give away some clues!
Because my book, Free of Malice, takes place over 6 months, from June to December, I was recently asked if I wrote the book in chronological order. As strange as it may sound, I didn’t.
Like most authors, I outlined the story so I had the sequence of events laid out. Then, because I’m a fairly visual person, I used a huge wall calendar to outline the six months in which the book took place (see a very messy but real example from August). I then listed all the events that occurred on the calendar which helped me arrange the story and also allowed me to circle back to clues I had dropped in earlier chapters.
And though I don’t have a law degree and am not a trained therapist, I had the great fortune to consult with a criminal defense lawyer (Alison Frutoz) and a certified EMDR therapist (Karen McCarty) to be sure those portions of the book were accurate.
Spoiler alert – don’t read the calendar too closely—might give away some clues!
