Annette Dashofy's Blog, page 8

Party Time!

It's almost time to celebrate the launch of Death by Equine! The release date is sneaking up on me. May 11th!

The party is being held on Zoom this time, so everyone can attend. Hosted by Mystery Lovers Bookshop, the event involves a discussion between me and my dear friend and longtime critique buddy, Donnell Ann Bell. 

Donnell helped me create the earliest version of this book over a decade ago. When my first agent couldn't sell it, Donnell hounded me to do something with it. For a long time, I resisted, having moved on to my Zoe Chambers series. When the lull in the publishing action happened, and I decided to dust off, revise, and indie-publish Death by Equine, Donnell became the obvious choice to include in the launch party. 

I haven't seen her interview questions yet but last I heard, she had something like FIFTEEN of them. Yes, I'm a little scared. Mostly though, I'm excited. I get to hang out with one of my dearest friends. Laughter is inevitable. 

The party starts at 7:00 p.m. eastern time. Click here to register. And while you're there, you can order a signed copy of Death by Equine. Simply add the signed or inscribed request in the text box at the end of the order form.

P.S. You should also order one (or all!) of Donnell's books too. They're fabulous!

Backstory

If writing is your career, you're never really resting on your laurels. For instance, this week, I'm continuing to prep and format the print version of Death by Equine and juggle the marketing side of its impending release. I'm revising and rewriting a chunk of Fatal Reunion (the next Zoe mystery) following Sunday's meeting with my critique group. And I'm working on the first book in the new series, which my agent has out on submission. 

The location of the new series

"Working on" doesn't really mean "writing" at this point. Sure I have three chapters and a synopsis completed. Those are what are out on submission. I'm eager to pick up at chapter four and start putting words on the page. However, I'm not quite there yet.

When I'm offering a critique on a new writer's first few chapters, nine times out of ten I find the story doesn't truly begin until page 25. Or page 30. Or page 50. Prior to that, the writer is laying out the backstory. The history of the characters and their relationships leading up to the inciting incident or trigger that starts the action. Or maybe there are pages and pages of description of the scenery so we, the readers, will understand where the story is set. When I post a comment on page 25 (or 30 or 50) stating, "This is the beginning of your book," too often the writer feels they've wasted their time on that chunk of pages.

They haven't. They, the writer, need to know this stuff. The reader does not. At least not yet.

A story should open in the moments or hours before the trigger, at which point something happens. Someone dies. A stranger comes to town. Something rocks the main character's boat. Yes, the reader will have questions. Who is this person? What's going on? But if the story's action is intriguing, the reader will keep turning the page to find the answers. The moment the reader has no more questions is the moment they put the book down.

But as I said, the writer does need to know who the characters are. What drives them. What their secrets are. Where they live and where they grew up. That is what I'm working on right now with the new book.

I've been writing pages and pages about the two main characters, their childhoods, their family histories, their heartaches and triumphs. I've been writing pages and pages about several of the secondary characters. And I've been writing pages and pages about the villain. His motivation. His goals. How he came to be in the position he's in. Why and how he chose the course of action he did. 

Will this go into the opening chapters of the book? Oh, hell, no. Most of it will never be seen by anyone's eyes but my own. Honestly, that makes the backstory process a lot of fun. I can break all the grammar and punctuation rules and never be called out. No inner editor! 

And after several days of getting to know the backstory, I have a greater understanding of everyone involved. That is what will show up on the page.

Taking Care of Business

Last week, I finished the second draft of Fatal Reunion AKA Zoe Chambers #11. Does that mean it's done? Oh, heck no. I have a critique group meeting this Sunday and they'll give me feedback on fifty pages of it. Next week, I'll work on their comments and make fixes as needed. But for the moment, Zoe and Pete and the gang are resting.

I was supposed to teach an online writing workshop for a local library this Saturday, but it's been postponed. Happily, the reason for the postponement is the flipflop of last year's cancellations. We're putting it off until we can have the workshop IN PERSON, inside the library, later this summer. This makes me extremely happy. I love to teach, but much prefer seeing the looks of understanding or confusion on my students' faces, thereby allowing me to shift focus to keep everyone up to speed. That's nearly impossible when focusing on a shared-screen PowerPoint. 

Which brings me to what my main focus is this week: Death by Equine. The bookmarks have finally arrived. I'm packaging up bundles to go out to my street team for nationwide distribution--a process that has run into more than one speedbump. 

First, the original order was lost in transit. Second, the printer promised to reprint and reship but instead CANCELED THE ORDER. Third, (now that they're here) I've run out of mailers. More are coming and the bookmarks should be headed to those who've requested them by the weekend. 

I hope.

And lastly, I've made all the corrections my eagle-eyed proofreaders found in the galleys and now (as soon as I finish writing this blog AKA procrastinating) will start uploading the final version to the distributors. We'll see if it goes easier than the first time. 

The smartest thing I did on this path to Indie-publishing was giving myself lots of lead time. It may take me every bit of the next month or so to work out the bugs. 

2021 Pennwriters Conference

My newsletter went out this morning. If you missed it, check your inbox. If you aren't a subscriber, you should sign up now. (There's a free short story as a gift for subscribing.)

The real reason I mention the newsletter, though, is even if you did receive it, there was one topic I didn't cover. The 2021 Pennwriters Conference. There's a link to it on the Events page of my website, however. 

I've long touted Pennwriters as one of the writing communities without which I'd never have been published. It's a multi-genre organization that offers networking, workshops, meetings, critique groups, and...yes...an annual conference. 

This year's conference, like so many others, will be virtual. If travel, lodging, and the cost of all those meals have been your excuses for not attending in the past, here's your chance. 

Check out the schedule .

I'm teaching two workshops on Friday. First is Red Herrings and the Moonwalking Bear. If the name makes you laugh, the workshop will have you rolling on the floor. It's geared toward mystery writers and is audience-participation, so it's never the same twice. That afternoon, I'm teaching Avoiding Emotional Cliches, which is another of my favorite workshops, although it's slightly more serious than Moonwalking Bears. 

Besides the long list of available workshops, there will be keynote addresses, read and critique sessions, chances to pitch to an agent or editor, and a couple of half-day writing intensives. 

That's a lot of bang for your buck. 

Like what you see? Register now! 

The Return of Hope

Last week, I experienced one of the high points of the last twelve months. Granted, I've had some wonderful things happen to me over the last year--a new agent and a new contract key among them. But last week, I got my first dose of the COVID vaccine.

I broke down and wept when my husband and I received our appointment confirmations. I wanted to hug the gentleman who administered the shots. I didn't. Social distancing and all. But I thanked him profusely. 

A weight has been lifted. There's a light at the end of this long dark tunnel. I have hope. Hope that I can spend time with my family soon. Hope that I can visit with friends this summer. Hope that I can travel and do in-person book events this fall. 

Hope.

And I hope, if you haven't already received the vaccine, you'll get it SOON. 

Continuing Adventures in Indie-Publishing: Available for Pre-Order!

It's been a stressful week. After much procrastination, I buckled down and started the actual process of publishing Death by Equine. I confess my stress levels were off the charts. This was all new to me. I didn't know what I didn't know. Thankfully, I left myself plenty of time to allow for "bugs." And I have some amazing friends in the writing community who offered answers and advice. 

My release date is May 11. My goal has been to have it up for pre-order by March 11 (TODAY), and I've met that goal. The part I hadn't anticipated is that I can only offer digital for pre-order. The print book is uploaded and ready, but when I clicked "publish," it went live! And the version of the manuscript is still in uncorrected proof stage! Ack! So I pulled the plug. At least I know it's ready to go once I complete my final proofread and make the fixes.

Want to pre-order? For Kindle, click here. To order in one of the other digital platforms (Nook, Apple, Kobo, etc), click here. For print, stay tuned.

Distractions

I had hoped to have Death by Equine ready for publication by now. I had hoped to be able to list it available for pre-order by the first of next week. Alas, I'm running behind. My reasons (excuses) are numerous, beginning and ending with yet another round of Covid Distraction. 

A year ago, when the pandemic began, I lacked focus, motivation, and creativity. Lots of us were in that boat. By autumn, I'd regained my ability and passion to write. Lately, it's once again become a struggle. Add Cabin Fever and Spring Fever to the mix and you have one frustrated author. 

I have moments of eagerness and hope. A third vaccine. Lower case numbers. Maybe my husband and I will get our vaccinations sooner rather than later. Part of my brain begins to plan trips in anticipation. 

Even a weekend at Lake Erie, a mere 3-hour drive, sounds amazing.

But I can't let myself get too excited. Focus. I must focus. 

That means continuing to run through one more round of revisions on Death by Equine. I've pushed my original self-imposed deadline back a week and a half. I hope to finish the revisions early next week and shift into the Great Unknown of formatting and uploading the manuscript. 

My release date isn't affected since I've been in the publishing business long enough to allow for missed deadlines. 

The Next Great Adventure

I started writing Death by Equine back around 2005. I landed my first agent with it, but it never sold. The agent and I parted company a couple of years later.  

Fast forward to last spring. I'd completed Til Death, my tenth Zoe Chambers mystery, and had reached the end of my contract. I wasn't sure what was next. 

I dragged out that 15-year-old manuscript and run it through my critique group to determine if it held up and was worth revisiting. They liked it, so I decided to delve into the world of indie publishing. 

I contacted a cover artist and sent the manuscript to my freelance editor. Within the last two weeks, I received the results from both. 

So far, nothing has been that far from my previous experience. Yes, I had a lot more say in the cover, but I've worked with my editor for most of the Zoe mysteries and her comments came as no surprise. (What is always a surprise is how I miss all that stuff!) Going forward, though, feels like entering a strange new world. When asked what the release date was, I couldn't turn to my publisher for an answer. I am my publisher and the decision is up to me! 

Decision made: May 11, 2021. 

I have more decisions coming up. Formatting. Pricing. Advertising. And a lot that I don't even know about yet.

But for right now, I'm embracing the known. Revising. Mapping out a marketing plan. Revealing the cover. 

I'll be blogging about the steps along the way right here. Join me on the adventure!

Caregivers Guilt

If you've known me for any length of time, you probably know that the character of Harry Adams (Lost Legacy, Uneasy Prey, Cry Wolf, Til Death) is loosely based on my dad, who had Alzheimer's. And you might also know that my mom later was diagnosed with vascular dementia. 

The topics of caregiving and especially caregiver's guilt, of which I'm well acquainted, are near and dear to my heart. 
I was honored (and quite frankly, a bit terrified) to join my dear friends Bobbi and Mike Carducci on their Rodger That podcast to share my experiences with the topic. It's one of the hardest interviews I've ever done. Click here to listen. 

Coming May 2021!

If you're one of my newsletter subscribers (who actually opens and reads them), you already know about my next book, coming May 2021. But if you aren't (or haven't), here's a little bit about it. 

Death by Equine

Veterinarian Jessie Cameron agrees to fill in for her mentor, Doc Lewis at Riverview Racetrack so he can take a long-overdue vacation. When he's tragically killed by one of his equine patients the night before he's supposed to leave, Jessie quickly suspects the death is anything but accidental. Her search for the truth is thwarted by everyone from well-meaning friends to the police, including her soon-to-be-ex-husband. Undaunted, she discovers layers of illegal activities and deceit being perpetrated by the man she thought of as a father figure, creating a growing list of suspects with reason to want Doc dead. Too late, she realizes that her dogged quest for the truth has put her in the crosshairs of a devious killer desperate to silence her. Permanently.