Shelley Grandy's Blog
August 7, 2025
Devious Web responds to trends with an audiobook version
Everand's State of Reading Report issued earlier this year included interesting stats on how readers like to discover and read book content.
The report showed that people want options, with the majority enjoying reading in a variety of formats. 50 percent of respondents prefered a mix of physical and digital books, and 57 percent consume both audiobooks and ebooks. Only 14 percent said they prefer only reading physical books.
And interestingly, 61 percent of readers say they rely on their ebook/audiobook provider to find their next read.
With those kinds of stats, as an author I'm listening. Now my book, Devious Web, is available in audiobook format as well as print and ebook versions.
The narrator for Devious Web is Justin Smallbridge, an amazing voice talent from Vancouver, B.C. Justin was undaunted by the fact that the book has 18 lead and sub-characters, both male and female, requiring a range of accents including Canadian, southern U.S. (Georgia and North Carolina), and Irish!
It was great fun for me as the author to ‘meet’ my characters when they came to life for the first time as Justin narrated chapters. I would often say, “Now I can’t wait to hear from Miriam”—or another character in the book. And each time a character was introduced, it was a delight to listen to Justin’s interpretation that so closely matched my concept of them.
My favorites are characters Detective Jason Liu and Chief Finance Officer Winston Wilson. The ‘only the facts m’am’ detective is portrayed perfectly, and just a light touch of Winston’s Atlanta accent comes across well in the audio recording.
For others tackling producing an audiobook, it is not as easy as it looks to produce a quality product— so be prepared to invest significant time and effort. Because the recording must perfectly match the print version, many hours of scrupulous listening and tweaking were invested by myself and Justin.
Ultimately, I'm looking forward to the storyline of Devious Web reaching more readers via yet another platform!
The report showed that people want options, with the majority enjoying reading in a variety of formats. 50 percent of respondents prefered a mix of physical and digital books, and 57 percent consume both audiobooks and ebooks. Only 14 percent said they prefer only reading physical books.
And interestingly, 61 percent of readers say they rely on their ebook/audiobook provider to find their next read.
With those kinds of stats, as an author I'm listening. Now my book, Devious Web, is available in audiobook format as well as print and ebook versions.
The narrator for Devious Web is Justin Smallbridge, an amazing voice talent from Vancouver, B.C. Justin was undaunted by the fact that the book has 18 lead and sub-characters, both male and female, requiring a range of accents including Canadian, southern U.S. (Georgia and North Carolina), and Irish!
It was great fun for me as the author to ‘meet’ my characters when they came to life for the first time as Justin narrated chapters. I would often say, “Now I can’t wait to hear from Miriam”—or another character in the book. And each time a character was introduced, it was a delight to listen to Justin’s interpretation that so closely matched my concept of them.
My favorites are characters Detective Jason Liu and Chief Finance Officer Winston Wilson. The ‘only the facts m’am’ detective is portrayed perfectly, and just a light touch of Winston’s Atlanta accent comes across well in the audio recording.
For others tackling producing an audiobook, it is not as easy as it looks to produce a quality product— so be prepared to invest significant time and effort. Because the recording must perfectly match the print version, many hours of scrupulous listening and tweaking were invested by myself and Justin.
Ultimately, I'm looking forward to the storyline of Devious Web reaching more readers via yet another platform!
December 12, 2024
When my mystery novel's premise became headline news
The recent murder in New York City of Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare, and the November kidnapping of WonderFi CEO Dean Skurka in Toronto, unnervingly brought to life the fictional targeting of tech CEO Tom Oliver in my mystery novel "Devious Web". And rightly so, the attacks are setting off alarm bells for businesses.
Skurka, a cryptocurrency financier, was released unharmed after reportedly paying a hefty ransom, whereas Thompson was the victim of a targeted and deadly shooting. It’s ironic that these attacks happened within mere months of my book launching in mid-October.
When I devised the plot of "Devious Web", a key consideration was how believable the story would be. Sadly, with these recent attacks, the premise of the novel is all too real. These incidents are serving as a wake-up call for companies to be vigilant in protecting their assets, the most irreplaceable of which are their business leaders.
In my book, data analytics company CEO Tom becomes a target just as he’s considering a multi-million-dollar acquisition offer from a Silicon Valley AI company. The investigating Toronto Police homicide detective Jason Liu suggests that the perpetrator could be someone who resents his success during a challenging economic time, given the story unfolds mid-pandemic.
Looking at the real-life incidents, motivation for kidnapping Skurka was clearly to extort money, whereas Thompson’s murder may have more in common with Tom—if resentment or a personal vendetta played a part. Investigators will certainly know more as they delve into the alleged shooter’s past.
Along with amping up executive security, another outcome from these attacks should be companies tuning into their brand reputation and being realistic about issues.
Public animosity against UnitedHealthcare, which has become so obvious in the social media storm that erupted following the attack, should not have come as a surprise. After all, there was a public protest outside the company’s Minnesota headquarters in July related to UnitedHealthcare’s policies and denial of patient claims.
Thompson’s wife has told media outlets that her husband received threats prior to the attack. Perhaps being threatened is something one can become inured to, but it still begs the question why a CEO would risk walking to an investor meeting in Manhattan entirely on his own under those circumstances.
Concern for executive safety tied to negative brand image is not a new phenomenon. I recall keen attention on security when Nortel was crashing on the stock market back in the day and I was communications director for the company’s optical division. As the stock plummeted, the company recognized the extreme shift in sentiment and took action to reduce risk for their executive team. Strategic measures were invoked—everything from elaborate home security systems to round-the-clock CEO bodyguards. Some of that is reflected in Devious Web’s plotline.
Now we’re living in a particularly charged time when economic and political pressures can lead to extreme outcomes. The recent and brazen attacks that took place in two large North American cities should indeed see companies reviewing and beefing up their safety protocols—and realistically gauging risk factors to their people and reputation.
Hopefully, any future CEO attacks will be limited to the safe confines of my mystery novels.
Skurka, a cryptocurrency financier, was released unharmed after reportedly paying a hefty ransom, whereas Thompson was the victim of a targeted and deadly shooting. It’s ironic that these attacks happened within mere months of my book launching in mid-October.
When I devised the plot of "Devious Web", a key consideration was how believable the story would be. Sadly, with these recent attacks, the premise of the novel is all too real. These incidents are serving as a wake-up call for companies to be vigilant in protecting their assets, the most irreplaceable of which are their business leaders.
In my book, data analytics company CEO Tom becomes a target just as he’s considering a multi-million-dollar acquisition offer from a Silicon Valley AI company. The investigating Toronto Police homicide detective Jason Liu suggests that the perpetrator could be someone who resents his success during a challenging economic time, given the story unfolds mid-pandemic.
Looking at the real-life incidents, motivation for kidnapping Skurka was clearly to extort money, whereas Thompson’s murder may have more in common with Tom—if resentment or a personal vendetta played a part. Investigators will certainly know more as they delve into the alleged shooter’s past.
Along with amping up executive security, another outcome from these attacks should be companies tuning into their brand reputation and being realistic about issues.
Public animosity against UnitedHealthcare, which has become so obvious in the social media storm that erupted following the attack, should not have come as a surprise. After all, there was a public protest outside the company’s Minnesota headquarters in July related to UnitedHealthcare’s policies and denial of patient claims.
Thompson’s wife has told media outlets that her husband received threats prior to the attack. Perhaps being threatened is something one can become inured to, but it still begs the question why a CEO would risk walking to an investor meeting in Manhattan entirely on his own under those circumstances.
Concern for executive safety tied to negative brand image is not a new phenomenon. I recall keen attention on security when Nortel was crashing on the stock market back in the day and I was communications director for the company’s optical division. As the stock plummeted, the company recognized the extreme shift in sentiment and took action to reduce risk for their executive team. Strategic measures were invoked—everything from elaborate home security systems to round-the-clock CEO bodyguards. Some of that is reflected in Devious Web’s plotline.
Now we’re living in a particularly charged time when economic and political pressures can lead to extreme outcomes. The recent and brazen attacks that took place in two large North American cities should indeed see companies reviewing and beefing up their safety protocols—and realistically gauging risk factors to their people and reputation.
Hopefully, any future CEO attacks will be limited to the safe confines of my mystery novels.
November 22, 2024
Elevation in a time of global angst
As a Canadian observing the impact of the US election results, I feel both grave concern for the future of America and sympathy for the overall angst being experienced globally.
However, because I’m an author and professional communicator, I believe that comfort and balance can be found through reading and writing during times of upheaval.
When living in what may seem like an upside-down universe, reading is a needed diversion from disturbing headlines and sound bites. Books can take you away to a different time and place, as well as share insights on what has gone before and what could be in the future.
For example, best-selling Canadian author Mark Sakamoto’s book Forgiveness illuminates the impact of US and Canadian citizens of Japanese descent having been placed in internment camps during the Second World War—a caution against fostering hate and dehumanizing groups of people within our society.
Nurturing early readers means opening young minds to a world bigger than their day-to-day experience and creating habits that don’t rely solely on digital conduits to learning and entertainment. Safeguarding the opportunity for exposure to diverse perspectives is especially important when some in authority are advocating restricting access to certain books or banning them outright.
Writing serves to chronicle life experiences and journal our feelings. Whether kept for our own eyes or shared via a blog or publication, expressing inner thoughts and dreams can be cathartic. "The Human Being Journal" from Mahara Mindfulness is an option that I can suggest to provide structure for a purposeful life.
I wrote my novel "Devious Web" during another disruptive event—the COVID-19 pandemic—and the creative process elevated my spirit in what could have been a substantially more dreary time. The book became a focal point for productive discussions of characters and plotline with a small inner circle of family and friends.
As we move closer to January 20, 2025, hopefully marking a peaceful transition of power for the US presidency, I wish you courage in the face of adversity. And I trust that everyone will find comfort in reading and writing while continuing to work towards positive change.
However, because I’m an author and professional communicator, I believe that comfort and balance can be found through reading and writing during times of upheaval.
When living in what may seem like an upside-down universe, reading is a needed diversion from disturbing headlines and sound bites. Books can take you away to a different time and place, as well as share insights on what has gone before and what could be in the future.
For example, best-selling Canadian author Mark Sakamoto’s book Forgiveness illuminates the impact of US and Canadian citizens of Japanese descent having been placed in internment camps during the Second World War—a caution against fostering hate and dehumanizing groups of people within our society.
Nurturing early readers means opening young minds to a world bigger than their day-to-day experience and creating habits that don’t rely solely on digital conduits to learning and entertainment. Safeguarding the opportunity for exposure to diverse perspectives is especially important when some in authority are advocating restricting access to certain books or banning them outright.
Writing serves to chronicle life experiences and journal our feelings. Whether kept for our own eyes or shared via a blog or publication, expressing inner thoughts and dreams can be cathartic. "The Human Being Journal" from Mahara Mindfulness is an option that I can suggest to provide structure for a purposeful life.
I wrote my novel "Devious Web" during another disruptive event—the COVID-19 pandemic—and the creative process elevated my spirit in what could have been a substantially more dreary time. The book became a focal point for productive discussions of characters and plotline with a small inner circle of family and friends.
As we move closer to January 20, 2025, hopefully marking a peaceful transition of power for the US presidency, I wish you courage in the face of adversity. And I trust that everyone will find comfort in reading and writing while continuing to work towards positive change.
October 13, 2024
Devious Web is Published!
Grateful. That’s the word that comes to mind when I think about having published my first novel.
I’m incredibly grateful that you and others have expressed interest in my mystery fiction novel "Devious Web". I value that everyone—from Millennials to Baby Boomers—has been supportive of my first book published on October 15, 2024!
I’m delighted to have created a bingeworthy read for you, perhaps for a night when you’re snuggled up in front of the fire at home or settled into a cozy chair at a cottage ready to relax and be entertained. If you enjoy that kind of ambience, then you are my kind of person who enjoys the simpler things in life, like a good book and maybe a nice glass of wine to go with it!
I promise you compelling characters and plot zigs and zags that hopefully will keep you intrigued as you wade into the mystery and suspense of Devious Web. And along with being entertained, I trust you may find some of the book’s content informative and intriguing. Happy reading!
Cheers, Shelley
I’m incredibly grateful that you and others have expressed interest in my mystery fiction novel "Devious Web". I value that everyone—from Millennials to Baby Boomers—has been supportive of my first book published on October 15, 2024!
I’m delighted to have created a bingeworthy read for you, perhaps for a night when you’re snuggled up in front of the fire at home or settled into a cozy chair at a cottage ready to relax and be entertained. If you enjoy that kind of ambience, then you are my kind of person who enjoys the simpler things in life, like a good book and maybe a nice glass of wine to go with it!
I promise you compelling characters and plot zigs and zags that hopefully will keep you intrigued as you wade into the mystery and suspense of Devious Web. And along with being entertained, I trust you may find some of the book’s content informative and intriguing. Happy reading!
Cheers, Shelley
September 16, 2024
The final countdown!
Publishing a book is a little like having a baby. You think you’ve got lots of time to prepare and then suddenly the delivery is happening—and wow!
It's one month until my book launch date and it feels surreal! Kudos to my publisher SparkPress for the final production of the book, with bulk copies now safely stored in a Simon & Schuster warehouse ready to ship.
I’m gratified that early readers of the book who received advance copies have had great things to say in online reviews. Here are just a couple:
“Wow – I just finished "Devious Web" and it was a captivating experience from start to finish. Well-written with a sprinkling of mystery, politics and plot twists, the characters and story line hold your interest and keeps you guessing until the end. If you’re looking for a suspenseful high-tech adventure, this is your next read!”
"A captivating read with just the right amount of twists and turns to keep the reader thinking. Shelley’s debut novel leaves me wanting to see what’s next!"
My early readers are a mixed group from a Millennial book club, to a Boomer book club, to business professionals, to equestrians. I love that the book appeals to a broad swath of readers from mystery afficionados to entrepreneurs—and overall to smart readers like you who enjoy being entertained.
I can’t wait to unveil the book to the world and share it with an extensive audience starting on October 15th! Thanks for following my journey, and Cheers! to the final month countdown.
It's one month until my book launch date and it feels surreal! Kudos to my publisher SparkPress for the final production of the book, with bulk copies now safely stored in a Simon & Schuster warehouse ready to ship.
I’m gratified that early readers of the book who received advance copies have had great things to say in online reviews. Here are just a couple:
“Wow – I just finished "Devious Web" and it was a captivating experience from start to finish. Well-written with a sprinkling of mystery, politics and plot twists, the characters and story line hold your interest and keeps you guessing until the end. If you’re looking for a suspenseful high-tech adventure, this is your next read!”
"A captivating read with just the right amount of twists and turns to keep the reader thinking. Shelley’s debut novel leaves me wanting to see what’s next!"
My early readers are a mixed group from a Millennial book club, to a Boomer book club, to business professionals, to equestrians. I love that the book appeals to a broad swath of readers from mystery afficionados to entrepreneurs—and overall to smart readers like you who enjoy being entertained.
I can’t wait to unveil the book to the world and share it with an extensive audience starting on October 15th! Thanks for following my journey, and Cheers! to the final month countdown.
July 28, 2024
Jumping to the front of the line
Socrates had it right when he coined the expression, “You don’t know what you don’t know." There was so much I didn’t know about publishing a book when I started the journey of writing my debut novel, and one of those things was the pre-ordering process. But I’m fast learning the value of offering the book for pre-order before its publication date!
For my potential readers, pre-ordering guarantees that no matter what, when Devious Web is published on October 15th, they will already have a copy of the book in their hands or on their Kindle/Kobo! There will be no waiting for delayed shipping and no “sorry it’s out of stock until the new year” to deal with. Ordering from the online retailer of choice to reserve a copy ensures the book will be shipped just in advance of the publication date.
As an author, I appreciate people pre-ordering the book because that helps Devious Web get noticed by retailers and other readers. It could lead to some outlets increasing their initial order quantities for the book, and advance book sales are added to launch week sales statistics.
If we’re really dreaming big here, pre-orders increase an author’s chances of getting on a bestseller list because they count towards those important first-week sales numbers. The criteria for books being designated bestsellers seem to be fuzzy, but typically authors need to sell anywhere from 5,000 to 10,000 copies of their book to make it onto bestseller lists.
I can’t wait to share Devious Web with everyone! Hopefully readers will be intrigued to find out why CEO Tom Oliver quickly becomes a target, and how things escalate just as Tom is considering selling his data analytics company for multi-millions. It’s a story set in Toronto and area with ties to the U.S. that pulls you into the plot and introduces you to Tom’s inner circle of compelling characters – and drama.
It’s also exciting that Powerhouse Simon & Schuster is the distributor of Devious Web, partnering with my publisher SparkPress. To get the jump on receiving the book, select the pre-order tab on my author website https://www.shelleygrandy.com for retailer options.
And thank you so much for your interest in my first book!!
For my potential readers, pre-ordering guarantees that no matter what, when Devious Web is published on October 15th, they will already have a copy of the book in their hands or on their Kindle/Kobo! There will be no waiting for delayed shipping and no “sorry it’s out of stock until the new year” to deal with. Ordering from the online retailer of choice to reserve a copy ensures the book will be shipped just in advance of the publication date.
As an author, I appreciate people pre-ordering the book because that helps Devious Web get noticed by retailers and other readers. It could lead to some outlets increasing their initial order quantities for the book, and advance book sales are added to launch week sales statistics.
If we’re really dreaming big here, pre-orders increase an author’s chances of getting on a bestseller list because they count towards those important first-week sales numbers. The criteria for books being designated bestsellers seem to be fuzzy, but typically authors need to sell anywhere from 5,000 to 10,000 copies of their book to make it onto bestseller lists.
I can’t wait to share Devious Web with everyone! Hopefully readers will be intrigued to find out why CEO Tom Oliver quickly becomes a target, and how things escalate just as Tom is considering selling his data analytics company for multi-millions. It’s a story set in Toronto and area with ties to the U.S. that pulls you into the plot and introduces you to Tom’s inner circle of compelling characters – and drama.
It’s also exciting that Powerhouse Simon & Schuster is the distributor of Devious Web, partnering with my publisher SparkPress. To get the jump on receiving the book, select the pre-order tab on my author website https://www.shelleygrandy.com for retailer options.
And thank you so much for your interest in my first book!!
July 13, 2024
Devious Web: The backstory
If you ask my daughter, Erin Bury, she will tell you that over the years I’ve come up with innumerable ideas for a fiction novel. She was accustomed to receiving, “Hey, what do you think of this idea?” emails from her mom. None of those ideas stuck with me until I was conceptualizing a novel that would involve an entrepreneur who is also an equestrian, and who becomes involved in a complex set of circumstances.
I remember sitting in a pub with my husband and fellow boarding stable friends on a Friday night in Georgetown, Ontario 10 years ago, and asking their opinion on whether the book concept was viable. Over a few drinks and no doubt some poutine, we all decided it could be a fun ride, and the premise for Devious Web was hatched. The book has morphed into a colorful story of business dynamics and human motivations.
I mapped out the storyline and promptly put the book outline on hold while I fulfilled my company Grandy Public Relations Inc. contracts for clients like Canada’s largest software company OpenText, the University of Waterloo, Gap Wireless, and EXFO. It wasn’t until the Christmas of 2020 that I dusted off the outline and again asked Erin, “What do you think of this concept?”. As CEO of online will company Willful.co, a former journalist, and generally one of the smartest people I know, Erin is my favorite advisor along with my husband Roy.
When the idea once again resonated with Erin and her husband Kevin Oulds, we had fun choosing actors to play the various characters for an imagined big-screen adaptation. That Christmas holiday casting game continued with my insightful friend Stephanie Brett who has been a great sounding-board and supporter for the book throughout the process.
They say you should write about what you know and, in my case, I’ve drawn on my communications career, time spent watching American political news and Dateline, general life experience, and equestrian adventures to create the storyline of Devious Web.
I wrote most of the book over a three-month period during the pandemic which provided huge chunks of time to do a data dump from mind to keyboard. Meantime I tended to avoid reading other authors’ works to maintain clarity of my own writing voice, but that didn’t preclude watching lots of Netflix productions and becoming notorious for quoting Grace and Frankie.
The rest as they say is history. I’ve spent further enormous chunks of time finessing the book and prepping for publication. And I’m looking forward to my publication date of October 15 when I can share the end result with you!
I remember sitting in a pub with my husband and fellow boarding stable friends on a Friday night in Georgetown, Ontario 10 years ago, and asking their opinion on whether the book concept was viable. Over a few drinks and no doubt some poutine, we all decided it could be a fun ride, and the premise for Devious Web was hatched. The book has morphed into a colorful story of business dynamics and human motivations.
I mapped out the storyline and promptly put the book outline on hold while I fulfilled my company Grandy Public Relations Inc. contracts for clients like Canada’s largest software company OpenText, the University of Waterloo, Gap Wireless, and EXFO. It wasn’t until the Christmas of 2020 that I dusted off the outline and again asked Erin, “What do you think of this concept?”. As CEO of online will company Willful.co, a former journalist, and generally one of the smartest people I know, Erin is my favorite advisor along with my husband Roy.
When the idea once again resonated with Erin and her husband Kevin Oulds, we had fun choosing actors to play the various characters for an imagined big-screen adaptation. That Christmas holiday casting game continued with my insightful friend Stephanie Brett who has been a great sounding-board and supporter for the book throughout the process.
They say you should write about what you know and, in my case, I’ve drawn on my communications career, time spent watching American political news and Dateline, general life experience, and equestrian adventures to create the storyline of Devious Web.
I wrote most of the book over a three-month period during the pandemic which provided huge chunks of time to do a data dump from mind to keyboard. Meantime I tended to avoid reading other authors’ works to maintain clarity of my own writing voice, but that didn’t preclude watching lots of Netflix productions and becoming notorious for quoting Grace and Frankie.
The rest as they say is history. I’ve spent further enormous chunks of time finessing the book and prepping for publication. And I’m looking forward to my publication date of October 15 when I can share the end result with you!
