LynDee Walker's Blog, page 6
October 31, 2012
We’re having a party!
Mark your calendars, y’all! I booked the launch party for FRONT PAGE FATALITY today, and it’s going to be fabulous!
Here’s the lowdown:
Date: February 2, 2013
Time: 2 p.m.
Place: Fountain Bookstore, 1312 E. Cary Street, Richmond, VA (in Shockoe Slip)
Come celebrate the launch of Front Page Fatality! Richmond folks, please do wait and buy your copies on site, as your purchase will then also support a wonderful independent bookshop. Plus, I’ll very happily sign it for you. Hang around, chat, shop, nibble and have a great time. Looking forward to seeing you there!
Big thanks to Kelly and her amazing staff at Fountain. If you’ve never been in there and you’re reading this from in driving distance, you should pop in and say hi. They have excellent taste and will help you find your next favorite book. If you’re far away, stay tuned for a link you can use to order your very own signed copy of Front Page Fatality!
Happy Halloween, y’all. Be safe out there.
The post We’re having a party! appeared first on LynDee Walker.
October 24, 2012
Tag, you’re it: an interview game
I’ve been tagged! Again, actually, but since I did the last interview game before the website was officially launched, not many folks saw it.
This time I was tagged by my Henery Press sister Larissa Reinhart, author of the Cherry Tucker mystery series. Her debut, PORTRAIT OF A DEAD GUY, is getting rave reviews, and she answered these questions about her next novel, STILL LIFE IN BRUNSWICK STEW, which is coming in May 2013 from Henery Press.
She tagged me to chat about FRONT PAGE FATALITY, my debut mystery and the first novel in the Nichelle Clarke Headlines in Heels mystery series. It will be available everywhere in trade paperback and all ebook formats January 29, 2013.
What is the working title of your book?
It has an official title, FRONT PAGE FATALITY. Which is not the one I started with, because it was too close to another mystery novel (authors, you should check amazon for the title of your work-in-progress before you marry yourself to it) but I like this one even better after living with it for a few months.
Where did the idea come from for the book?
The ether? I honestly don’t know. I remember having one scene (that’s in the middle of the book, not the beginning) pester me for a good while. I wrote that scene, then went back and wrote the beginning, and then wrote through to the end.
What genre does your book fall under?
It’s a mystery—traditional mystery or humorous mystery, depending on which subgenres you subscribe to.
Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
This was a tough one! I have lived with these characters for so long, they’re real people to me, and they look like them, not like actors. But in the interest of not copping out, here’s what I’ve got: Alexis Bledel or maybe Anne Hathaway as Nichelle. Jenna is a Keri Russell type. Grant Parker could be played by Trevor Donovan, and Joey … well, in my version, Joey would be played by Christian Bale. If he could nail the accent.
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Missing evidence, vanishing cops, and a sexy Mafia boss could mean the story of the year for Nichelle Clarke—as long as her Louboutins can outrun the bad guys and she lives to see deadline.
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
My book is being published by the fabulously talented team at Henery Press.
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
The very first draft took five weeks of doing nothing but holing up with my laptop every spare second, and not sleeping, and consuming amounts of coffee that would probably horrify my doctor. I was convinced that if I didn’t get the story in the computer right now, it would vanish back to wherever it came from. That draft was long and messy, and the lovely women who read it and had nice things to say about it deserve a gold star and a cookie.
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Another tough one. If funny mysteries with smart heroines and sexy men are your cup of tea, then you’ll probably enjoy it. Think Lois Lane meets Stephanie Plum.
Who or what inspired you to write this book?
There wasn’t really a who as far as writing inspiration, unless you count Nichelle. I got sucked into her story and had to get it down. My mom and my best friend were my draft readers/cheerleaders, and they definitely inspired me to actually finish it. And my oldest daughter inspired me to keep working on getting a book deal—I wanted her to learn that doing great things isn’t always easy, but it is worth working for.
What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
There are more than a few sexy guys. And fabulous shoes!
Anything else you want to know about FRONT PAGE FATALITY? Leave your question in the comments and I’ll answer it if I can!
Tag! You’re it!
K. Latham, www.authorklatham.blogspot.com
The post Tag, you’re it: an interview game appeared first on LynDee Walker.
October 14, 2012
Be still, my spinning head
My goodness, all the things that have happened in the past two weeks! It was only ten days ago that I got to see the gorgeous cover of my debut mystery for the first time. It was a fabulous, milestone day on a long and crazy journey. Then this week, FRONT PAGE FATALITY went up on Goodreads. Ohmigosh! People could find my book and mark it as “to read!” I was a bouncy ball of a mess.
The very next day, Nichelle’s first adventure went up on amazon for preorders. I had so many things to be excited about I couldn’t get over one before the next popped up! My head still spins a little.
For background purposes, I wrote the rough draft of FRONT PAGE FATALITY in the summer of 2008. It took five weeks to write a novel, and four years to get it in publishable shape and find it a home. So while it looks like things are happening very fast, there was a long, slow, winding road through potholes and obstacles to get to this point. And I think that makes me appreciate it more.
That also means I’ve had loads of time to daydream (and sometimes actually dream) about how these days would feel. The reality was far better. And them being all on top of each other like this has made it so much fun.
So, how does it feel to be an author with your first book available for preorder? Well, it’s thrilling and exciting and nerve-wracking all at the same time. Sort of like being a bride. I wasn’t terribly nervous on my wedding day, because hubby and I dated for seven years beforehand, but I remember talking some of my friends down in the bride’s room.
On the one hand, there’s the bouncy, squeal-into-a-throw-pillow-because-the-baby-is-sleeping thrill of “ohmigod, that’s my book! And people can BUY IT! Squeeeeee!” That was my immediate reaction.
Then people in my online world started posting lovely things and recommending my novel, and I felt all warm and fuzzy for a while. It’s nice to have people say nice things about you. Especially when they don’t have to.
Then people started posting and emailing to tell me they preordered the book. And of course that’s SUPER exciting, but anyone who’s ever created anything can also tell you it’s a little nerve wracking. Like sending your baby out into the world. You know no one will love it the way you do, and you also know some people won’t care for it at all. Even a veteran reporter with a pretty thick skin can get a little apprehensive.
But, in words of Scarlett O’Hara, I won’t think about that today. I try not to think about it very much at all, because this is an amazing experience I feel very blessed to have, and I’m really loving every second of it.
So mostly, I’m over the moon. And very much looking forward to the next head-spinny development.
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October 4, 2012
FRONT PAGE FATALITY cover reveal
When I first got the idea for a story about a reporter who stumbled into a whopper of a mystery and ended up in danger, I tried to dismiss it. I was a reporter-turned-full-time-mom, not a novelist. I couldn’t write a whole book!
But then that became a challenge. I started Nichelle’s story with no idea where it was going, really, just to see if I could do it.
Once I got into it, it consumed my life. I spent every spare second with my laptop, mostly because I wasn’t sure where the ideas were coming from and certain that if I didn’t get them into the computer, they’d vanish.
When the rough draft (very long, very messy) was done, a few people told me I should try to get a book deal.
From the day it first occurred to me, I’ve wondered: if the stars ever aligned as such, what would the cover look like? It’s a common daydream for authors. One of the reasons I chose to query the publisher I signed with was their cover art: they have amazingly talented folks who do great work.
Yesterday, I got an email from my fabulous editor saying she would send my cover over today. I have checked my email every 35 seconds since 8 a.m. At 12:15, the cover fairy landed. And I have been staring at it ever since.
I imagine it’s a lot of pressure for an artist, to try to capture something someone put so much work into. Can I just say this? If I could do a backflip, I would. I am over the moon! It’s everything I ever imagined, and more. My heartfelt thanks to the talented bunch at Henery Press. If you’d like to check out the blurb, it’s here.
What do you think? Leave a comment below, email me your address, and I’ll send you a signed bookmark when I get them!
The post FRONT PAGE FATALITY cover reveal appeared first on LynDee Walker.
September 11, 2012
The Next Big Thing
My author friend Maer Wilson tagged me in this interview game about upcoming novels (her debut, RELICS, is an urban fantasy due out next year), and I thought it would be fun to share a few tidbits from FRONT PAGE FATALITY. I tagged some other authors at the bottom, so be sure to check out their answers (and their books!).
What is the title of your book?
After an awful lot of brainstorming and angst, it has what I think is an awesome title: FRONT PAGE FATALITY.
Where did the idea come from for the book?
The ether? I honestly don’t know. I remember having one scene (that’s in the middle of the book, not the beginning) pester me for a good while. I wrote that scene, then went back and wrote the beginning, and then wrote through to the end.
What genre does your book fall under?
Mystery. But there’s too much language and violence for cozy, so it is, I’m told, “traditional mystery.”
Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
Oh, my! Hmmmm. I think I would cast Alexis Bledel or maybe Anne Hathaway as Nichelle. Jenna is a Keri Russell type. Grant Parker could be played by Trevor Donovan, and Joey … well, in my version, Joey would be played by Christian Bale. If he could nail the accent.
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Missing evidence, vanishing cops, and a sexy Mafia boss could mean the story of the year for Nichelle Clarke — as long as her Louboutins can outrun the bad guys and she lives to see deadline.
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
It’s being published by the amazing folks at Henery Press, winter 2013.
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
Five weeks. And it was long and messy and has been through so many rounds of revising I think I could only point to a handful of sentences that were actually in that original draft.
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
It’s sort of V.I. Warshawski meets Lois Lane, minus the man of steel and plus a sprinkling of Stephanie Plum (but not as convoluted as that last sentence). It compares quite nicely to the other mystery series from my publishing house — The Rose Strickland Mysteries, The Cherry Tucker Mysteries, and The Liz Talbot Mysteries.
Who or what inspired you to write this book?
There wasn’t really a who as far as writing inspiration, unless you count Nichelle. I got sucked into her story and had to get it down. My mom and my best friend were my draft readers/cheerleaders, and they definitely inspired me to actually finish it. And my daughter inspired me to keep working on getting a book deal — I wanted her to learn that doing great things isn’t easy, but it is worth working for.
What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
There are lots of sexy men. And fabulous shoes!
Tag! You’re it!
The post The Next Big Thing appeared first on LynDee Walker.
September 2, 2012
Facebook title contest winners!
Last week, I held my very first contest, to bump up traffic on my Facebook page — and thanks to friends and followers, it was a rousing success! The goody bag winners are:
– bag number one, for sharing the page link and spreading the word, goes to Angie Vigneri!
– bag number two, for being a fan (which makes all of you awesome, just so we’re clear) goes to Amy Bai!
Everyone, thanks for playing! This is only the first giveaway. Keep your eyes peeled for more, and follow me on Goodreads if you don’t already, because I’ll have giveaways there, too. Plus there will be signing events and other fun things, and I’d love to see you!
The post Facebook title contest winners! appeared first on LynDee Walker.
September 1, 2012
We have a title!
Guess what? My mystery novel has a shiny new title! Who knew you could write a whole book and the title would be the hard part?
Can I get a drumroll, please? Look for FRONT PAGE FATALITY, A Nichelle Clarke Headlines in Heels Mystery #1, available this winter wherever books are sold. Be sure to watch for more contests and giveaways, and information on signings and events, too.
The post We have a title! appeared first on LynDee Walker.
