Meg Perry's Blog, page 5

Great Expectations

The pelicans say hello.

Good morning and Happy 2022 from the beach! It’s a gorgeous day in Florida. One more day in the 80s tomorrow, then we cool back down to normal. Which is still the upper 60s-low 70s, so I’ll take it.

This past year was kind of a bust in terms of writing. Like a lot of us, I had some trouble focusing and tapping into any creativity this year. But that was last year! This year WILL be better, if only for one reason…

I’m retiring in March! Woohoo! And my plan is to be a full-time writer. No more interference from the nasty ol’ job!

But first, I have to get to March.

In January, I’m putting the finishing touches on the second Kevin Brodie book, which is titled Soaked to Death. I’ll also be busy with a Very Special Super Secret project, about which you will be hearing far more, that will publish around February 1st.

After that, I have two Jamie Brodie projects that I’ll be working on – one a prequel, that takes place when Jamie is in high school, and one a present-day book. They’ll both be novellas. The present-day one will be titled Snowed to Death. I don’t have a title for the prequel.

In March, I’m taking a vacation with friends to Washington, D.C. (a week at the Smithsonian! Can’t wait) and we’re driving. One of the friends is my space reporter pal, so while I have him captive in a car for 12-14 hours, we ARE GOING to hammer out the plot for the final Space Coast book. The plan is to have that published by the end of the year.

So, what can you expect from me in 2022? Not in this order, but here goes:

Soaked to Death, Kevin Brodie Mystery #2Untitled, Space Coast Mystery #3Snowed to Death, Jamie Brodie Mystery NovellaAnd that Very Special Super Secret project I mentioned.

And, of course, bimonthly newsletters.

And I resolve to stay more active on here and the rest of my social media.

How does that sound?

Space Coast Mysteries now at Smashwords

The Space Coast Mysteries, Twelve Seconds and Three Thousand Miles, are now available at Smashwords. If you use Kobo, iBooks, Nook, etc., the books should show up on those platforms in a couple of days.

I’m still trying to decide how to wrap up this series…

Do you know about ReQueered Tales?

If you don’t, you should! ReQueered Tales is a small publishing company (I know the owners) whose mission is “to re-publish award-winning, post-Stonewall gay and lesbian fiction — with a focus on mystery, literary and horror/sci-fi genres.” They’re doing a wonderful job, introducing out-of-print LGBT writing to a new generation. Check out their catalog at their website.

One of the series that they’re republishing is the Nick Hoffman Mysteries, by Lev Raphael. If you enjoy academic mysteries and you haven’t read the Nick Hoffman series, add it to your TBR list! Nick Hoffman is an untenured English instructor at the fictional State University of Michigan. The department, like so many in real life, is full of intrigue and shifting alliances. Sometimes, at SUM, those lead to murder, and poor Nick (like Jamie Brodie) gets tangled up in them.

The Nick Hoffman Mysteries are true gay mystery, not m/m; Nick has been happily partnered for years to Stefan. As a bonus to the mysteries, there are luscious descriptions of food.

ReQueered is currently re-releasing Little Miss Evil, the fourth Nick Hoffman Mystery. I was delighted and honored to be asked to write the new foreword to this book, since I not only write academic mysteries, but I’m in academia myself. Check it out here! Print is coming soon, I’m told.

Painted to Death is here!

It’s Publication Day! Painted to Death, Kevin Brodie Mystery #1, is now available. Enjoy!

Amazon

Smashwords

Kevin Brodie Mystery #1

After eighteen years with the Los Angeles Police Department, Kevin Brodie is starting his new career as a social worker with the District Attorney’s Bureau of Victim Services. He’s meshing with his new partner, Jamilah Daly, and his first client encounter goes well. Life is good…except he can’t figure out why Jon Eckhoff’s victim looks familiar.

Jon’s first case as a Homicide Special detective is a French artist named Genevieve Lemieux, strangled and tossed into a ravine near the Getty Museum. According to the French Consulate, Genevieve hasn’t been to the U.S. since 2002. Who would want Genevieve dead? One of the art gallery owners with whom she’s been negotiating? One of the rotating cast of young men seen with her in newspaper photos?

When Jon learns that Genevieve was born in California and has changed her name, Kevin realizes why she looks familiar. That realization leads Kevin and Jon to a man who Kevin never dreamed he’d see again. But is the man also a victim? Or is he a killer?

Preorder is here!

Painted to Death is now available for preorder. Release date is Thursday, 8/19.

Here’s the link to preorder at Amazon

Here’s the link to preorder at Smashwords

Kevin Brodie Mystery #1

After eighteen years with the Los Angeles Police Department, Kevin Brodie is starting his new career as a social worker with the District Attorney’s Bureau of Victim Services. He’s meshing with his new partner, Jamilah Daly, and his first client encounter goes well. Life is good…except he can’t figure out why Jon Eckhoff’s victim looks familiar.

Jon’s first case as a Homicide Special detective is a French artist named Genevieve Lemieux, strangled and tossed into a ravine near the Getty Museum. According to the French Consulate, Genevieve hasn’t been to the U.S. since 2002. Who would want Genevieve dead? One of the art gallery owners with whom she’s been negotiating? One of the rotating cast of young men seen with her in newspaper photos?

When Jon learns that Genevieve was born in California and has changed her name, Kevin realizes why she looks familiar. That realization leads Kevin and Jon to a man who Kevin never dreamed he’d see again. But is the man also a victim? Or is he a killer?

Cover reveal!

Here it is – the cover for Painted to Death, Kevin Brodie Mystery #1. Thanks to Dianne at Lyrical Lines for the gorgeous artwork!!!

Blurb and cover peek!

Painted to Death, the first Kevin Brodie mystery, is almost here! To whet your appetite, here’s a peek at a bit of the cover.

After eighteen years with the Los Angeles Police Department, Kevin Brodie is starting his new career as a social worker with the District Attorney’s Bureau of Victim Services. He’s meshing with his new partner, Jamilah Daly, and his first client encounter goes well. Life is good…except he can’t figure out why Jon Eckhoff’s victim looks familiar.

Jon’s first case as a Homicide Special detective is a French artist named Genevieve Lemieux, strangled and tossed into a ravine near the Getty Museum. According to the French Consulate, Genevieve hasn’t been to the U.S. since 2002. Who would want Genevieve dead? One of the art gallery owners with whom she’s been negotiating? One of the rotating cast of young men seen with her in newspaper photos? 

When Jon learns that Genevieve was born in California and has changed her name, Kevin realizes why she looks familiar. That realization leads Kevin and Jamilah to a man who Kevin never dreamed he’d see again. But is the man also a victim? Or is he a killer?

Happy summer!

I haven’t been too active on social media lately. I was transferred to a different campus on June 1, and it’s taken some getting used to. BUT I have been writing diligently! One good thing about this campus is that it’s very, very quiet.

Painted to Death, the first Kevin Brodie mystery, is essentially done. The cover artist has started working on some concepts, and I’m presenting it to my writing group for final critique in a couple of weeks.

Soaked to Death, the second Kevin mystery, is underway. Kevin has his hands full in this one. You’ll see.

The June newsletter is done and will be sent out early next week, so if you’re not subscribed, click the link at the top of the page that says Subscribe to My Newsletter! Don’t miss out! There will be a snippet from the upcoming book and an update on what Jamie is doing.

The view from behind my building. We are in the WOODS.

I have some ideas for the next/probably last Space Coast book, but haven’t set anything to paper yet. I need to get motivated to give Justin and Greg their HEA, but I’m having too much fun with Kevin right now.

I also have some preliminary ideas for a new series, a cozy that takes place in Daytona Beach and involves some historical elements. I don’t want to say too much about it yet. Stay tuned.

I hope you all are staying safe!

My April newsletter is out!

If you’re not subscribed, you can do so in the tab above that says Subscribe! Learn about Kevin’s new job and get a snippet from his first book.

Joanna Bourne, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

So embarrassing…

I’ve been going back through the oldest Jamie Brodie books, doing some light editing (commas, fixing margins and em dashes. That kind of thing). I have been APPALLED at the awful formatting in the early Kindle books. Holy cow. What was I thinking????

I’m re-publishing them as I re-format, so if you ever go back and re-read on Kindle, you should see the updated and FAR improved version.

Sheesh.

Jry Marie V. Reyes, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons