M.E. Sutton's Blog, page 5

Review: To Brew or Not to Brew

To Brew or Not to Brew by Joyce Tremel

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It is rare that a cozy grabs my attention like this book, but Joyce did.The authorial “voice” is compelling. Max is a likeable character without being trite or kitschy. Maybe it’s because the hook is around beer (which I think is rather unique to the cozy world). I really appreciated the police details. Obviously Joyce doesn’t go into the same level of specificity as, say, Michael Connelly, but I did like the fact that she’s ordered out of the crime scene by her homicide detective father instead of being allowed to roam all over.

Just enough romance and it wasn’t dragged out unnecessarily.

I was sort of right about “whodunit” but not exactly and not for the reason I thought.

The characters were drawn well and the Pittsburgh details were excellent. I could totally see myself wandering through Lawrenceville and stopping at any or all of the places mentioned.

Excellent debut and I’ll be looking forward to the next one.

View all my reviews

Happy Cyber Monday!

The holiday shopping season is in full swing, with Cyber Monday coming hot on the heels of Black Friday and Small Business Saturday. So I decided hey, why not join in the fun?

So I’ve lowered the prices on the ebook versions of all my books (as M.E. Sutton and Liz Milliron) to 99 cents. Yep, every Hero’s Sword book (with the exception of the digital boxed set of Volumes 1-3) and Murder Most Scenic, the collection of The Laurel Highlands Mysteries short stories (the individual stories are already 99 cents and I can’t drop the price to free on those without doing things like KDP Select).

I intended to get all this set up and ready to go for today. However, I was sidelined yesterday and didn’t get everything set up until this morning. So my Cyber Monday will last all week. Prices as described above will be good through Saturday, December 5.

Happy holidays – and happy reading!

Image courtesy of Gerald Stolk, used under Creative Commons license

Book review: WHAT YOU SEE

Mary Sutton / @mary_sutton73

I finished What You See by Hank Phillippi Ryan last weekend. Below is my review. Short version? Wow.

What You See by Hank Phillippi Ryan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I took this book with me on a weekend trip to fill some empty hours. Of course, I stayed up until 1am finishing it.

Another great entry in the Jane Ryland series. And I usually detest this phrase, but perhaps the best book yet. All the action takes place over less than three days. The pace is breathtaking and the threads many, but Hank manages to wind them all together with such skill that I never felt the story was “out of control” or that I was “lost.”

But perhaps what I love most is the character development. Both Jane and Jake ask questions that show (to me) they’re really thinking about what is important to them: their relationship or their careers? And although Jane is once again unemployed (after yet another decision to quit based on ethics), I love how she starts to question what she really wants. That when she’s offered an option, she doesn’t immediately jump to an answer the way she would have in the past, but thinks about it in the context of the rest of her life.

Another brava performance by Hank Phillippi Ryan and, once again, the only problem is that I have another whole YEAR before the next book comes out!

PS: Fans of Hank’s Charlotte McNally books will appreciate the Charlie cameo.

View all my reviews

Digital Release: Shadow Dance

by Mary Sutton / @mary_sutton73

It’s here – finally. Release day for Shadow Dance, volume six in the Hero’s Sword series.

Well, mostly release day.

The book is out in all digital formats (you can find the links on the book page). Here’s the jacket copy:

The election is over and Jaycee lost. Or did she? When she is asked to serve as the eighth grade’s representative to Student Council, Jaycee realizes she can still change things at Tanner. That is, until Kara points out it also means attending the Homecoming Dance.

Seeking a respite from shopping, Jaycee turns to her favorite video game. The Fall Council has convened early in response to the Dark Blade Crisis. Arriving in Mallory, Lyla learns that attending the Fall Council means going to the ball. And wearing a dress.

At the Council Ball, Lyla meets a mysterious stranger from an Eastern estate. Does he hold answers? An explosion at the Council makes finding those answers crucial. As the clock ticks down to Dark Blade’s promised next catastrophe, Lyla and Galen gather the other heroes for aid in their quest to save the assembled nobles.

But can Roger, Starla, and Galen help Jaycee with her biggest challenge: surviving Homecoming?

The print version will be out as soon as I figure out why Adobe Acrobat doesn’t like this file. I’ve had a devil of a time, but I’ll figure it out.

Special offer

Ever left a book review? No? Here’s your chance.

Buy any book in the Hero’s Sword series. Write a review at your favorite retailer and/or Goodreads. Email me (mary @ summaria.net) with your name and where I can find the review and I will send you a free copy of any other book in the series in your chosen format. Yes, even print. Make sure to tell me what book you want in your email and the format. For ebooks, please give me an email address. For print, please include your mailing address (I promise – addresses are for my use only and will not be shared).

And now, some sad news…

This is going to be the last Hero’s Sword book for a while. The reasons for this are mostly out of my control.

My wonderful cover designer, Jen Domani, has taken a new job, one that severely limits her availability for cover art. This means I have to find a new artist: either one that can get close to the existing style or rebrand the entire series. That takes time and money.

Speaking of money…

One of the things it’s hard to come to terms with is that while writing is an art, publishing is a business. It costs a not insignificant sum of money to have these books edited, pay for cover art, etc. That’s in addition to the time it takes to write the story (often weeks of time). And to be honest, I haven’t sold a lot of books. Not selling a lot of books means not making a lot of money – money that could be used to finance the continuation of the series.

So it is with a very heavy heart that I have to make the decision to pause the series for the foreseeable future. There is something I’m not doing that I could be doing. I’m not sure what that is. But I’ve got a lot of smart friends. I’ll figure it out.

So Jaycee/Lyla, Stu, Kara, Roger, Starla and company are going to take a little vacation. I look forward to the day when I’ll be able to bring them back. In the meantime, enjoy the books that are already out in the world.

And please, special offer aside, if you like the book, leave a review. Doesn’t matter where: retailer, Goodreads, where ever. In this digital age, reviews power discoverability, especially with so many books to choose from. So if you’ve liked Hero’s Sword and you want to see the adventure continue, leave a review. Tell a friend.

It really does help.

To Bouchercon and back again – a writer’s holiday

Mary Sutton / @mary_sutton73

My apologies to J.R.R. Tolkien. And yes, I’m using the same picture of a packed suitcase for this post. Why? Well, you’ll have to read on to find out.

Last week, I attended Bouchercon, the world mystery convention, in Raleigh, NC. I will not talk about the process of getting to and from Raleigh. Suffice to say, my journeys were fraught with experiences that will make great story fodder. Some day. When I’ve recovered from them emotionally. Thank goodness I had my posse of friends from the Pittsburgh Sisters in Crime with me (Annette Dashofy, Martha Reed, Susan Thibadeau, and Rebecca Drake) or the experience might have ended in murder.

But I digress.

I arrived in Raleigh on Wednesday. The first thing I did was take an afternoon workshop from James Scott Bell. I own, like, 95% of all the craft books Bell has written. No joke. I’ve wanted to take a class from him for, oh, forever so when he was announced as the presenter for the SinC Into Great Writing event before Bouchercon, I jumped at the opportunity. I find his writing style illuminating and accessible. I’m pleased to say his teaching style is just as accessible. I gleaned several nuggets to think about when I write. And as I looked around, I noticed several published authors in attendance, including Hank Phillippi Ryan, Laura DiSilverio, and Kristi Belcamino.

Lesson: Never stop learning.

Thursday morning, I peeked into the Author Speed Dating, just to see what it was about. The moderators cajoled me into coming in and I joined Susan at her table. The details were: two authors came to each table to pitch their books (and pass out the inevitable goodies). When the bell rang, they left and were replaced with two more authors. We started with Annette and Art Taylor, giving them an opportunity to practice.

And here’s how brain dead I was. Eventually, a woman wearing a lovely turquoise necklace sat next to me. She put a book in front of me. Lovely cover with Navajo elements. Anne Hillerman, the cover proclaimed. What a nice looking cover. Hillerman. Why do I know that name? Hillerman. Navajo.

Yeah. Anne Hillerman. Tony’s daughter. That Hillerman.

A little while later, Alexandra Sokoloff sat down next to me. If you’re not a writer, you might not recognize that name. But she’s a former screenwriter and a best seller. I blurted, “My Sisters in Crime chapter has talked about getting you in for a workshop forever, but we can’t seem to get the details down.” She offered to email me a copy of her book, Stealing Hollywood. And she did.

Lesson: Authors are regular people. Really.

I won’t give you a blow-by-blow description of every panel I attended. I don’t think I can remember them. But I was struck by something: everybody was so dang nice. It’s been said that mystery authors are the most generous community in literature. I’m sure writers in other genres would say the same. But the mystery community has set a high bar. I met Kristopher Zgorski of BOLO Books; despite never having seen him before I got a big hug. Another hug from Texas author Reavis Wortham. Every author was unfailingly, genuinely interested and encouraging to this lil’ unknown author. And I appreciated it.

This included my panel-mates on Saturday afternoon. Mysterista friend Cynthia Kuhn had to back out of the conference and suggested me as a panel replacement. To my shock, they asked. With much trepidation, I agreed. And despite listening to my panel-mates’ bios and thinking, “Oh man, I am so out of my league,” I’m glad I did. The topic was “Danger and Death in Suburbia” and we had a lot of fun. One of the writers on the panel looked me up afterward to get the name of my short-story collection so he could read it and all the authors said I did a great job and it was one of the best panels they’d ever been on. My friends assured me I had the sound bit of the session: talking about martial strife, “And one day you find yourself in the kitchen holding the meat cleaver.”

While I sat resting my feet with Susan, I spotted a woman who looked rather familiar. She had a lost expression on her face. “Do you know where the Oak Room is?” she asked. Sheraton, I told her. “By the way. I loved Cop Town.”

Yeah, I’d just given directions to Karin Slaughter.

I skipped the Anthony Awards when I was at Bouchercon Cleveland and had always rather regretted it. So this time I went. Nice, short ceremony with a lot of fabulous winners. I didn’t intend on sticking around the reception, but I got into a conversation with a young woman from State College, PA. “When you said Laurel Highlands, I got it,” she said. We closed down the reception.

Lesson: Stay open to possibility and never be afraid to say “yes” because you don’t know where it will take you.

So I’ll give Bouchercon Raleigh a big thumbs up. Will I go next year? All depends on the money. But if someone were to ask, “Should I go?” I’d not hesitate to say yes. Great people, great books, great community that will welcome you with open arms. What’s not to love about that?

PS: The pictures. Well, I spent so much time blabbing, I rarely took my phone out of my pocket. Lesson: Shut up and take more pictures next time.

Bouchercon Bound

Mary Sutton / @mary_sutton73

I’m (mostly) packed and Bouchercon bound, baby.

By this time tomorrow, I’ll be sitting in a class with James Scott Bell, hopefully learning more about his plotting from the middle approach (which I’ve used a couple of times on my own, but I’ve wanted to take a class from Bell forever, so this is a great opportunity).

After that, well, look out Raleigh. The mystery writers are coming.

If you’re not familiar with Bouchercon, it is touted as “the world mystery convention,” named for Anthony Boucher (read about it here). It’s a gathering of some of the best in the crime fiction genre – and me. And a lot of fans. There is no pitching at Bouchercon, although who knows who you’ll find in the bar, where all serious writers gather after hours.

Speaking of the bar, it’s where I’ll be Wednesday night, if only because it’s likely I’ll be able to get updates on the Pirates-Cubs game there.

I last went to Bouchercon in 2012. I had a fabulous time and hung out with some cool people, but I definitely felt a little like the outsider that time. This time, I’m a little more comfortable with that “author” moniker. I’ll be flying down with some local pals from Sisters in Crime (look out American Airlines). I volunteered for some things this year.

Oh, and I’m on a panel (yes, little old me). Danger and Death in Suburbia. I think Fayette County, PA takes the definition of “suburbia” to the extreme, but I should be able to talk about that (I hope).

And of course, I’ll get to see some of my favorite authors and I’m sure I’ll have a few fangirl moments. Hey, last time I met Mary Higgins Clark. Who knows who I’ll meet this time, right?

So my bags are (mostly) packed and ready to go. It’ll be an early morning tomorrow, but I’m ready. Or as ready as I’ll ever be.

See you in Raleigh!

Teaser Tuesday: Fire Storm

It’s way overdue, but here’s a teaser from Fire Storm: Hero’s Sword Vol. 5.

I didn’t show my parents the clothes Kara had loaned me, but I did share her button and poster ideas. I didn’t want to overwhelm them with changes. Deciding to run for president had been shocking enough.

“You’re taking this seriously,” Dad said. “Good for you, Jaycee. If you need any help, let me know.”

“I will.” I got up and took my dishes to the dishwasher. “I might need to go shopping. Just for a few things, like a sweater and shoes. Maybe. I promise not to spend a lot of money. I’ll even take it out of my allowance.”

“That won’t be necessary,” said Dad.

“Voluntary shopping? You?” Mom tweaked my ponytail. “I can’t wait to meet Kara. Anyone who convinces my daughter to shop must be an amazing person.”

“Mom.” I wanted to roll my eyes, but I didn’t. That would not have ended well. But it was just some new clothes. Did Mom have to treat it like a miracle? “I’m going to my room. I promised I’d play some Hero’s Sword with Stu. He’s feeling a little left out. I didn’t have any homework today.”

“Okay. Turn it off by eight-thirty.” Dad patted me on the shoulder.

“Got it. Thanks.” I ran out of the kitchen and took the stairs two at a time. I fired up my game console and searched for Stu.

You’re late came his message.

Dinner. I sent back. Are you going to complain or play?

Play. Let’s go.

We ran around the game for maybe thirty minutes. The storyline today was a rogue band of peasants rebelling against the nobility. Stu and I joked back and forth, squashing the peasant uprising without killing any people. It was almost like old times.

Hey, we should— His message cut off mid-sentence, and his avatar, Galen Lightningstaff, disappeared from the screen.

Where did he go? A power failure or some kind of glitch that got him kicked off, maybe. I kept playing, assuming he’d return. After five minutes, Stu hadn’t come back online, but a familiar message appeared on the screen. “Lady Starla is in trouble—do you accept the quest?”

Well, duh. What a stupid question. Knowing that no time passed in the “real” world while I was in Mallory, I didn’t worry about Stu coming back to find me gone. I toggled to yes.

After the flash of light faded, I was in the clearing, wearing the clothes and trappings of Lyla Stormbringer. Butterflies went wild in my stomach. The last time I’d been in Mallory had been more than a little unsettling, what with a kidnapped envoy, attempted murder, and definite knowledge of a wanna-be rebel in the Empire. Who knew what I was in store for this time.

“Lyla, there you are.” Roger Woodbridge strode across the clearing, clasping me in a quick, fatherly hug.

I adored Roger almost as much as my real dad. I know, kind of silly to love a video game character, but there you have it. “Here I am. What’s the problem this time?”

“What makes you think there is a problem? Perhaps we just wanted to see you.” Roger’s voice teased, but his eyes were dark, a sign of something serious.

“Isn’t that how this works?” I crossed my arms and lifted an eyebrow. “Something goes wrong, and boom, here I am. You claimed it was a social call last time and look what happened.”

“True.”

“What is it this time? Or do you want to go to Mallory Manor first?”

“Let’s talk. I want to make sure you are aware of the situation before you meet our, um, guest.” He gestured to a tree stump, slightly back in the shade where we could sit in relative comfort.

“An ‘um guest?’ Is this person a guest or not?” I adjusted my sword belt and sat on the stump.

“Technically she is.” Roger leaned against a tree. “Perhaps I should start at the beginning.”

“Perhaps you should.”

“Two days ago, a young woman showed up at Mallory asking for sanctuary. She was tired, dirty, and had obviously walked a long way. She gave her name as Rowenna Blacking, daughter and youngest child of Lord Harald Blacking of Trevayne.”

I twitched. I knew Trevayne. That was Stu’s estate.

“Do you know of Lord Blacking?” Roger asked. Of course he’d noticed the twitch. He noticed everything. Also just like my dad.

“Only by name,” I said. I’d long ago decided that telling Roger he was a video game character was a bad idea. No reason to change my mind now. “If Rowenna Blacking is a lord’s daughter, why is she asking for sanctuary?”

“Lord Blacking died recently. Rowenna claims that it was her father’s intention that she inherit the rule of Trevayne. However, no Will saying that was found after his death, and no one else says that was his intention.”

“Well, that’s odd.”

“Yes. Additionally, she says her brother, Thorsten, has unjustly accused her of arson and theft so he can assume the rule of the estate.”

“And she came to Mallory because…” Lady Starla would have no reason to get involved in this kind of problem. What Trevayne did was Trevayne’s business. Rowenna must have known that.

“She says it is because Mallory is ruled by a woman. And has a woman hero. She felt her cause would find a champion here.” He shifted. “She is betting on Lady Starla’s sympathy.” He bit his lip.

“And mine, it would seem. But you’re suspicious.” I looked at him. Roger was not the type to doubt a person without cause, and neither was Lady Starla. “So is Starla. Why?”

“I do not know much of Trevayne,” he said. “I know even less of Rowenna Blacking. Lady Starla has had limited dealings with the father, but is not acquainted with the daughter. If Lord Blacking did intend to leave the estate to his daughter, why have we never seen her?”

“Never?”

“No. She did not attend inter-estate functions. Not even the balls.”

Roger was right. Odd behavior for someone intended to inherit rule of an estate. She could have at least gone to the dances at the Spring Consortium or Fall Council.

“We think the story is weak,” Roger continued. “It does not ring true.”

“And I assume there are other ways for Thorsten to contest the claim without resorting to framing her.” I was sure of that, at least. There were lots of game rules for challenges. Trust me, I knew that much.

It was completely possible that Rowenna’s story was true. But if Starla and Roger were uncertain, that was enough for me to be skeptical. “No one has seen this Will? No witnesses or lawyers have come forth?”

“None.” His lips pressed together. “Of course, perhaps the Will was made but never witnessed or finalized. That would not invalidate Lord Blacking’s wishes. It would simply make fulfilling them a more difficult.”

I stood. “Okay. To sum up, you want me to meet Rowenna Blacking, talk to her, and figure out if she’s really an unjustly accused innocent or if there’s something else at work. Right?”

“Right.” Roger also stood. “After the revelation of Dark Blade during your last visit, I think Lady Starla is not being over-cautious in wanting to validate Rowenna Blacking’s story.”

“Agreed.” I gestured toward the manor. “Well then. Let’s go talk to Rowenna Blacking.”

Want to read more? Fire Storm is available in print and ebook now at all retailers.

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iBooks | CreateSpace

2015 Goal Update – Halfway there

by Mary Sutton / @mary_sutton73

The blogging has been a little erratic, I admit. Okay. A lot erratic. Mostly because I’m so busy. But since it’s July, I figured I ought to take a breather and post an update on my goals for this year.

 Re-release existing Hero’s Sword books

Done

Release Snake in the Grass: Hero’s Sword Vol. 4

Done (reminder, the complete tour schedule here if you missed it, including links to reviews).

Create a digital boxed set of the first three Hero’s Sword books

Done.

Release Hero’s Sword books 5 and 6

Fire Storm: Hero’s Sword 5 is was released in June, on schedule. Yay! Once again, I have to give huge props to my cover designer, Jen Domani, for yet another awesome cover.

As far as Shadow Dance: Hero’s Sword 6 goes, well, that should also be out on schedule in September. The manuscript is edited. Cover design is underway. The schedule Jen gave me puts delivery in mid-September, so look for something then.

In the meantime, I’ll post a few teasers from both books over the summer.

Draft Hero’s Sword book 7

Done. Earlier this week, I completed what (I think) is the final read-through. It’s ready to ship off to an editor. This is the book that’s going to take Jaycee/Lyla on her most extensive trip yet, and really presents some challenges, so I hope the editor likes it as much as I do.

Finish current draft for Fallen

This is through critique (well, it will be come Sunday, when I resubmit a few chapters). I’m working on the final read-through for this, too. I’ve booked time with an editor for October. I’m toying with the idea of submitting it to the MWA-Mintotaur Best First Crime Novel contest this fall. If the editing goes well I probably will. And yes, I’m still looking for a new title.

Write synopsis for Every Other Monday

Done

Query Every Other Monday

Ongoing. I met with the agents at Pennwriters, both of whom requested pages. Yay me! That told me two things. One, I can successfully pitch face-to-face (and the pitch was based on the query, so my query is most likely solid). Second, the book has “legs.” Meaning the story is interesting.

Now, unfortunately, one of those agent responses ended up being “This is really good writing in an interesting setting. Unfortunately, I am not the agent for you.” But — good writing. Score!

The “blind querying” – meaning researching agents and sending out the query is, well, going. Turns out, a lot of people have a lot of things going on in the summer. Conferences. Vacations. So the response has been a bit, um, underwhelming. Essentially, I’ve either heard “This is great, not for me” or nothing. So I’m looking at the query again and I think I’ll push the pause button for the remainder of the summer. Let everybody come back from the beach, you know?

Start revisions on A Matter of Trust

I’ve done one read through. I think it’ll be the next project for the critique group, either starting in August or September, depending on my feeling at the time.

And I still don’t like the title.

Compile collection of existing Laurel Highlands Mysteries stories
Done (see here for links to buy).
As far as continuing education and conferences, Pennwriters was a success. I got to attend a great half-day intensive with Hank Phillippi Ryan. I always enjoy seeing Hank. I’ve got my plane ticket, hotel, and admission to Bouchercon, so that’s a go. And I’ve registered for the SinC Into Great Writing event on the day before. It’s a session with James Scott Bell, who is one of my “go to” resources for writing advice, so I’m pretty excited.
And I promise – I’ll be more regular in blogging. Or at least I’ll try.

Cover Reveal Plus Release – FIRE STORM

Mary Sutton / @mary_sutton73.

So, it’s been a while since I posted. A looong while. And for that I apologize, but life has been, well, life. I hope you’ll forgive me, because I have some news.

Here is the cover for Fire Storm: Hero’s Sword Vol. 5.

And I have more news.

The ebook is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo!

I had to make some tweaks to the print version, so that should be available from CreateSpace within a day or two, and out at Amazon by the end of the week. iBooks is lagging, as usual, but hopefully they will also catch up this week.

Here’s the blurb:

Running for student council president seemed like a good idea at the time, but the campaign strategy sessions with Kara have Jaycee realizing just how much work is involved. Then there’s the strain it’s putting on Jaycee’s friendship with Stu, who is not exactly being supportive.

 

Escaping to Mallory is no escape from drama. Upon arrival, Lyla meets Rowenna Blacking, young nobility fleeing the neighboring estate of Trevayne amid accusations of theft and arson. Rowenna insists she’s been framed by her own brother in a bid for estate rule.

 

When a similar fire breaks out at Mallory Manor it adds more urgency to the situation. Joining forces with Galen, her male counterpart from Trevayne, Lyla must find solid evidence as to whether Rowenna is guilty or innocent–or if the answer lies somewhere in between.

If you’ve been following along with the adventure, I hope you enjoy this new installment. If you haven’t remember – there’s a digital boxed set that can help you get caught up (at least on books 1-3).

And, as always, if you like any of the books (or anything I write, for that matter), please leave a review at Goodreads or your retailer of choice. Even a few lines or a rating is appreciated more than you know.

2015 Goal Update

Mary Sutton / @mary_sutton73

So here we are. The first quarter of 2015 is in the books. Let’s take a look at where I stand on the goals at the quarter-calendar mark, shall we?

 Re-release existing Hero’s Sword books

I’m pleased to say this one is complete. Everything is out under my own control, where I’m free to experiment with pricing as I wish. Yay me!

Release Snake in the Grass: Hero’s Sword Vol. 4

Also complete. I just wrapped a month-long blog tour for the book (complete tour schedule here if you missed it). It included some lovely reviews, so feel free to take a look.

Create a digital boxed set of the first three Hero’s Sword books

Another one complete. I’m not sure it did what it was supposed to in terms of leading up to the release of Snake in the Grass, but it’s there. The links are on my home page, if you’re still looking to catch up – or start, for that matter.

Release Hero’s Sword books 5 and 6

This is progressing nicely. The manuscript for Fire Storm is complete. We’re putting the final polish on the full-color art for the cover and I’ll be able to share that with you relatively soon. I say “relatively” because hey, you never know what’s going to happen. Fire Storm is on schedule for a June 2015 release.

Shadow Dance is scheduled to go to the editor in July. I haven’t started art production yet, but it’ll ramp up later this summer. As far as I’m concerned, we’re still targeting a September release.

Draft Hero’s Sword book 7

The first draft is completed. And yes, I went pretty far in terms of “danger” for this one. I hope I like it as much as I did when I finished the first draft once I get around to revisions. And no, I still don’t have a title. Working on it. I also hope Roger and Jaycee/Lyla will forgive me.

Finish current draft for Fallen

Progressing. I’m at almost the halfway point with critique. Made some changes, but nothing earth-shattering – yet. Good news: the critique group hasn’t figured out “whodunit”  so far, which is always good. Just because of the pace and nature of critique, I’m not sure we’ll be done by June, but I’m hopeful.

The title is probably also going to change.

Write synopsis for Every Other Monday

Query, synopsis (in two versions) complete. Are they good? Not sure. But I’m ready to…

Query Every Other Monday

Yep, it’s happening. I did a Twitter pitch party. Got a couple of requests, one of which resulted in a pass and one full manuscript request (haven’t heard back). I also spent a day on Query Tracker looking up mystery agents. So I have my list. I’ve asked for two agent meetings at the upcoming Pennwriters conference in May. Now, I just have to sit down and start pushing send. Yeah, yeah – easier said than done. I’m cribbing my friend Annette’s strategy. I’m giving myself six months to land an agent. If that doesn’t happen, six months to look at and pitch to small presses. If that comes up blank, I’ll look at publishing it myself.

This probably needs a bit of explanation. Like a lot of writers, I’m curious to see if this book has “what it takes” to land a traditional publishing contract. And since I wrote the book, that would me I have “what it takes.” And that’s a very cool thing to find out. However, I believe in this story. I’ve had messages from readers (some of whom I don’t know – honest), who like the short stories and have asked, “So when’s the novel coming?” I don’t think any of the existing stories have less than a four-star rating on Goodreads.

So the interest is there. I believe in this book and I want to get it out there. I’m not that fussed about sales. I mean sure, I’d like to see a bit of cash. But at the end of the day, I’m not doing this for money or to see myself on the New York Times bestseller list. I’m doing this because I have a story to tell. I want to share it with the world. And if the best way to do that is to publish it myself, well, that’s okay. If you told me, “Mary, you will never make more than you need to buy a Starbucks latte” I’d still write. Because I can’t not write.

Anyway, that’s probably a blog post for another day. But wish me luck. Since I have absolutely no (or at least precious little) control over whether this thing gets picked up, I appreciate the well-wishes.

Start revisions on A Matter of Trust

Started. The bones are good. I’m pleasantly surprised at how much I like the first draft. Precious little cringing going on. I should have this done by the time the critique group is done with Fallen.

But I don’t like the title. What else is new?

Compile collection of existing Laurel Highlands Mysteries stories
Also done. Available in ebook and print – and I’ve even sold a few! It includes all of the existing Laurel Highlands short fiction, including Fatal Frost and Batter Down. I personally think short fiction is perfect for vacations, pool time, or relaxing on the porch after dinner – especially now that Spring seems to have found it’s way back to the Northern Hemisphere. So if you want to catch up on the adventures of Jim, Sally and crew this is a great time (plus the ebook is priced so that it’s equivalent to two free stories – bonus).
As far as continuing education and conferences, I’m attending Pennwriters (as I mentioned above) in May. That’s here in Pittsburgh. I’m also going to Bouchercon in Raleigh in September. I’m looking forward to both events. And I think I’ll be getting together with some friends for a “show your manuscript some love” weekend in Jim Duncan’s hometown. Those ladies are always a lot of fun, so I’m really looking forward to that.
And there you have it. The report at the end of the first quarter. I’m not doing to bad. Check back in June for the halftime report.