A.R. Kennedy's Blog, page 6
May 31, 2015
So I got this text…
Over the weekend, I received this text from a friend…
‘Caught a few scenes of Misery on TV. I swear Kathy Bates’ character totally reminds me of you!’
I paused for a moment because really I thought I read it wrong. I’m being compared to a Stephen King character how lovely. Oh wait…maybe not so good.
The text continues…
‘Not because she’s a murderous psychopath.’
Well that’s a relief. And to finish…
‘But because she is soooo detail oriented, even the smallest of things. Just sharing :)’
My first response was – I feel I should be offended yet…I’m not.
I’m currently updating my kitchen and bath and I think the workers would use the phrase “pain in the ass”, not “meticulous” as my friend later clarified. After a brief tirade with a reglazing worker, the young man nodded, smiled, and said “Yep, you’re a little OCD.” I like to say I’m ‘particular’.
End of the story, home renovations have put pause on my writing. But renovations are almost done and work on a new mystery is on the horizon. The question is … Should it be the fifth installment of The Nathan Miccoli Mystery Series OR a new stand alone mystery?
You tell me!
April 6, 2015
It’s the most wonderful time of the year….
As my favorite day of the year approaches, I hear that tune in my head. �� “It’s the most wonderful time of the year…” I’ve been humming it the last few days.
My favorite day of the year is….OPENING DAY OF BASEBALL!
(I’m a purist…There’s no Opening Night in baseball, especially not at Wrigley! ��Baseball begins in Cincinnati, after their parade.)
It’s been a long winter. ��(And truthfully, the last season of my favorite team was a long one too. ��FINE– the last few seasons.) ��But when the season concludes, I miss it. Terribly. ��Roger Hornsby said it best ��“People ask me what I do in winter when there’s no baseball. I’ll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring.”
But as Opening Day approaches, anything is possible. ANYTHING! ��It’s my holiday and no one can take that away from me.
So in honor of my holiday, a gift to ebook readers– All books in The Nathan Miccoli Mystery Series are 99cents for this Opening Week of baseball. ��(And for those wondering, book four, Gone But Not Together, comes out in May! ��Cover reveal soon!)
So, get your peanuts and cracker jacks ready and root for your home team.
A R
And for a little levity….
February 14, 2015
Summer vacation to Appleton, Wisconsin :) WPA2015
Who knew I’d be excited to visit Appleton, Wisconsin for my summer vacation? ��(No offense to Wisconsin-ites. I never heard of Appleton prior to a month ago.)
I have successfully registered for my 4th Writers’ Police Academy. ��The motto of the program- “Sweat now so you’re manuscript won’t bleed red ink later.” ��The previous WPA’s I’ve attended where held in Greensboro, NC. ��A much easier location for me to get to- a short, direct flight from JFK. ��But, it’ll be worth the trip. ��Lee Lofland organizes a fantastic, jam packed, exhausting weekend of learning to ‘Write it Right.’
Everyone keep your fingers crossed that I am picked out of the lottery for “Skid Pad”! Website description “Fishtailing around a corner during a high-speed chase. Teetering on the edge of losing total control of your car. Sound exciting? Well, if you���re up for it, so are we. Climb inside one of our patrol cars and hang on for the ride of a lifetime. This is actual police training.” ��I’m not sure Nathan will ever drive like this but….his new partner Bruce….I could see him doing it! (SPOILERS!)
So, as I work on book 4 (yet to be titled) which is half written, I took a break at precisely 11am to register for WPA and am excited I once again was quick enough to snag a spot. Last year, registration was full in 6 hours!
(To learn more about WPA, check out my article from the Sisters in Crime First Draft newsletter. ��
)
Only ONE HOUR left for 99cent sale price of ‘Gone But Not Healed’ & ‘Gone But Not Goodbye’.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
A R
February 13, 2015
Need a date for Valentine’s Day? Make one with Nathan
Nathan?, you ask. ��From The Nathan Miccoli Mystery Series. ��Yes, he’s fictional, but aren’t all the good ones?
No exciting plans for the holiday weekend? ��(And when I say holiday I mean Valentine’s Day not President’s Day Weekend:)
Make a date with The Nathan Miccoli Series…All 3 books on sale this weekend! ��All 3 are 99cents each today in honor of a holiday sure to go wrong (or is that just for me? ��And Lily?)
It all started on Valentine’s Day….
Lillian Brannon wakes up on Valentine’s Day in an exact replica of her bedroom but the only item that she believes is authentic is her dog, Laude.�� She is��held��captive in her kidnapper’s��basement apartment,��summoned��upstairs once a week for a chaste dinner.�� But will his kindness last, and more importantly, why isn���t anyone looking for her? �� Lillian���s story is interwoven with that of Nathan, a NYPD officer, who is intrigued by Lillian���s disappearance- how can a young woman be gone for two weeks before a Missing Person Report is filed? Local police believe Lillian has voluntarily abandoned a life she didn���t like. ��Lillian���s best friend convinces Nathan the authorities are wrong. With no jurisdiction, no resources, and no witnesses, he is compelled by the pictures of Lillian with her sweet smile and sparkling green eyes to obsessively take up the case.�� Armed with Lillian���s keys and personal information, he spends hours, then days in her home trying to find clues that will lead him to her.
Link to sale….
Gone But Not Missed (A Nathan Miccoli Mystery, Book 1)
December 3, 2014
Writing Wednesday – What a way to start the day!
Every morning begins with walking my little schnauzer, H. ��Often we meet neighbors. ��H’s favorite neighbor is Kathy, who always has treats at the ready. ��Today we were fortunate enough to run into several neighbors and their dogs.
Pat immediately told me she read books two and three of The Nathan Miccoli Series and loved them. ��Kathy agreed and both told me how much they LOVED the ending of book 3. ��This is why I shouldn’t read reviews- you can’t please them all:) ��So we can all disregard my previous blog about holding off on reading the last chapter:)
Book 3- Gone But Not Healed- ebook version is on sale now for 99cents! (Ends today)
To all of those wondering…Book 4 (yet to be titled) is 1/3 written. ��I have a goal to have it written by:) ��So I’m on track for publishing in Spring/Summer 2015.
So you’ll learn then…will Lily or won’t she?
October 29, 2014
Endings
This post could go a bunch of ways…but I’m talking about endings of books. Specifically my books:)
I don’t usually read reviews but I do regularly check how many reviews are posted and the overall star ratings. Sometimes, I accidentally see a word or two and then read the review. One thing I’ve noticed in reviews of my last 2 books (books 2 & 3 of The Nathan Miccoli Mystery Series) is criticism of the endings. I enjoy a book that ends with you wondering what the character will do next…and wanting to read more.
Book 2, Gone But Not Goodbye… I think the ending is pretty clear but some find it unsatisfying because you don’t get an answer to the posed question. Helpful hint one – go read book three and you’ll get the answer. Helpful hint two – Lily is pretty consistent with certain things in her life.
Book 3, Gone But Not Healed…If you like a conventional ending, DON’T read the last chapter. (Stop at page 299 in the print book. Don’t read the June 23, 2011 Chapter.) This was the original ending. But then my mother accidentally read it (while printing it for me to do edits) and I felt I needed to add a little more. My original (and always best) beta reader’s, Jackie, reaction to the published ending was awesome so I kept it. She was furious, vowed not to read anymore of my books, wondered what was wrong with me. She finished it at 9pm. The next morning she was still ranting and raving. To me, that is awesome–as a reader and a writer. The book left you thinking, wondering what’s coming next, wanting to know, needing to know. Please note, by the next morning, she wanted to read more of The Nathan Miccoli Series and peppered me with me questions.
So again, if you like a conventional ending, don’t read the last chapter! Read it when you get book 4 (still unnamed:).
Happy Reading!
A R
October 22, 2014
The Author
As many of you know, I’m a huge Doctor Who fan. If you’ve seen the show, you know the main character (whose been played by 12 different actors over a 51 year span) is The Doctor. It brought me great pride today when at my full-time job (because the writing is not paying the bills…yet), co-workers referred to me as “The Author”.
Please note they did this because they had no idea what my real name is. Despite me introducing myself to one of them earlier in the day and I’ve been at the job over a year.
But…I’ll take it!
As I relayed the story to a friend, she reminded me “That’s how Lily was” in book one of The Nathan Miccoli Series, Gone But Not Missed. I briefly felt less great but then thought…
1- I could be called far worse things :)
2 – Anything that I have in common with The Doctor is good.
Happy Reading
The Author
October 10, 2014
Pumpkins Joe’s?
Yesterday I went to Pumpkin Joe’s. I’m sorry the name on the door said Trader Joe’s but sometime in recent weeks the store has challenged themselves to try to make everything in pumpkin form. There was granola, breakfast bars, ice cream, cereal, yogurt, cake, coffee, tea, dessert bars, butter, cornbread, toaster pastries, bread, rolls, muffins, seed, waffles, soup, pancakes, bagels (and if that’s not enough you can put pumpkin cream cheese on it too), croissants, ravioli, pudding, caramels, brittle, cookies (lots of cookies), macarons, cheesecake, crisps, biscotti, scones, croutons, pita crisps, ale and pie. They also have pumpkin body butter. I’m not kidding. It was overwhelming! Yes, they do actually sell pumpkins too.
I understand the pie. I could be tempted by the ale:) But that is it.
I’m waiting for someone to do the Trader Joe’s Pumpkin challenge- eat one pumpkin item per day. Let’s be honest –you could eat only pumpkin flavored items all day. Can you picture yourself having pumpkin pancakes with pumpkin butter and pumpkin coffee for breakfast? Pumpkin soup for lunch? Pumpkin ravioli and pumpkin ale for dinner? Top it all off with pumpkin chai tea and cookies?
You think they missed something? Pumpkin soda? Pumpkin fruit wraps? Pumpkin flavored maple syrup for those waffles and pancakes (Maybe they do have it and I missed it.)
For those interested, the third book in the Nathan Miccoli series, Gone But Not Healed, is now available in paperback and ebook. I promise, no pumpkins.
October 7, 2014
‘Gone But Not Goodbye’ ebook now free!
In celebration of publishing my third novel in The Nathan Miccoli Mystery Series, book two in the series, ‘Gone But Not Goodbye’ ebook is free for a very limited time.
Enjoy!
Gone But Not Goodbye: A Nathan Miccoli Mystery (The Nathan Miccoli Series) (Volume 2)
October 6, 2014
Gone But Not Healed Ebook Now Available!
What a way to start the week!
Book 3 of The Nathan Miccoli Mystery Series is now available on Amazon!
Gone But Not Healed (A Nathan Miccoli Mystery Book 3)
