Murder Uncorked is Uncorked!
Edith/Maddie here, on a crisp, sunny day north of Boston.
A perfect day to celebrate the launch of a brand-new series, my Cece Barton Mysteries, with Murder Uncorked! Read down for a special giveaway.
Photo by Becky Sue Epstein, with clarifying by Jeremy Kezer
Funny thing is, I had no intention of writing a third cozy mystery series. A few years ago my agent had said a publisher was looking for someone to carry on a long-running and much beloved cozy series written by an author who had died. I said I wasn’t interested. I wanted to keep writing historical mysteries for my third series.
But then, as I’ve mentioned previously, my fabulous editor at Kensington asked me to write a new series set on the west coast. As I’m a fourth-generation Californian, I was thrilled by the offer and couldn’t say no. I headed out to the Alexander Valley a year ago in the fall to fine tune the details, which I described here.
I discovered that my Massachusetts friend Rick grows the murder weapon, and he sent me some after the plant matured. Handle with care!
I also wrote a novella introducing Cece, which came out last month (so many releases, so little time) in Christmas Mittens Murder. I talked over at the Chicks on the Case blog about how all that came to pass.
And so we have reached release day. I thank so many people in the Acknowledgements. It takes a lot of people to help put a book together. First among them is my uncle, author and journalist Richard Reinhardt, and his sons, my Bay area cousins (and their spouses). Then two of Uncle Dick’s friends in Alexander Valley. The chief of police of a small town nearby. An auction high bidder who became this book’s county sheriff’s homicide detective. Sherry Harris’s daughter, who runs a winery tasting room in Virginia. And more, including my Wicked Authors blogmates, always, plus my agent, the fabulous team at Kensington, and my beloved family.
In a fun coincidence, I’m only a couple thousand words away from finishing the first draft of Deadly Crush, the second Cece Barton mystery, which will be out (I think) late next year.
So let’s celebrate! I’d love to send a commenter here one of my special wine tote bags and a wine-themed tea dish towel (wine and book not included).
And now I think I’ll put my feet up, enjoy a glass of Alexander Valley Chardonnay, and read somebody else’s writing!
Readers: What’s your favorite way to celebrate an accomplishment or milestone?
