Requiem Tidbits: Two

First – a quick apology. I’ve been traveling for work which put a bit of a crimp in my schedule; normally, I would tease tidbits of a new release in more than just two installments, but I’m afraid that’s all I’m going to be able to squeeze in for Requiem. While I’d also hoped to be able to do another Facebook Live release party, between getting the final version of Requiem to the publisher and writing the latest installment of Vasily Korsokovach’s series, it looks like it’s just not going to happen.

To try and make up for those deficiencies, I’ve roped in a dear friend of mine to do something of an author Q&A for Requiem. We’ve recorded it as a podcast and my plan is to try and get it posted as close to the release date for Requiem as I can. We had an awesome time putting it together; I wanted it to feel like two friends chatting about a good book, and I think we managed to capture that spirit — even if we did have a few unusual technological hurdles to get over (which will be a story for another post). Look for the announcement of the podcast here on the blog or on my various social media outlets.

And now to the main event — with only a few days to go before Requiem drops, here are a few tantalizing tidbits to keep you on pins and needles…

Alejandro gets a haircut.

Now I realize this wouldn’t be a headline for most novels, but in Vasily’s world, seeing Alex without his mountain of dark curls is a bit of a seismic event — a massive change takes some getting used to. What prompts Alex to get said haircut is too much of a spoiler to reveal…

The condo gets a bit more crowded.

There’s an unexpected addition to the family in Requiem, one who immediately makes themselves at home in the small condo in Anaheim. It’s an interesting opportunity for Vas and Alex to discover what they would be like as parents…

We see a new portion of Rancho Linda.

I bet you didn’t know the city had a theater designed by the same architect that built Rosie’s mansion. Honestly, I didn’t either — at least, not until the location popped onto my screen.

Vas has a frosty one-on-one with his mother.

We’ve not seen much of Vasily’s parents since that fateful encounter at Disneyland way back in Pariah. Unfortunately, it’s not much of a reunion, given how chilly their relationship currently is. Then again, there are some tiny hints that there might be a thawing in the offing.

Vas meets Alejandro’s mother for the first time.

Yeah, it’s not exactly a warm reception he receives when he chances a visit while in Tucson. But it does provide him with an opportunity to plant the seeds of reconciliation — something he’s been unable to do with his own family.

This murder is personal.

Requiem is a bit darker than earlier Vasily novels — which is saying something, given what happened to him in Peril. Still, when the ultimate motivation for the killer is finally revealed, even Vasily is taken aback by the why.

I really enjoyed writing Requiem and hope you’ll find in an interesting read. You can pre-order a Kindle version now, or get hardcover and paperback editions starting on November 28.