Up and Running

I am informed that all 17 of the Open Road backlist are available! I would be bouncing with excitement if I were less tired. I am, however, delighted.

Ran Away - Ben January # 11 - was finished and sent in Sunday night. I am deeply pleased with it. For years I've wanted to write a story about Ben and Ayasha in Paris in the 1820s - which is what the first third of Ran Away is... as, for years, I've wanted to do my take on the Turk-who-murdered-his-concubines tale that I ran across in half a dozen "spooky stories of old New Orleans" books. The fact that Ayasha was from North Africa provided a link that I couldn't pass up.

And, finishing the novel has finally freed up a little time to get back to blogging properly, something that simply wasn't possible when I was thrashing on a deadline that close. (I actually went three weeks over onto an extension: the UK companies are MUCH tighter about that kind of thing that the American).

My fingers would be crossed if I weren't already starting on Asher & Ysidro #4.

For those in Southern California: I'll be doing a panel at the Orange County literary conference, The Literary Orange, on April 9.