Bye, Bye, Bouchercon

In my blog last week I said I was back.  That was partly true.  I also mentioned that I was off to Bouchercon next.  So was I gone again?  Yes... and no. 

Again, as I mentioned, it was sort of in my backyard--Long Beach, California.  I did in fact take the L.A. Metro there but only once, the first day I attended.  That worked out fine, but since I had to change trains and they both were locals, it took 1-1/2 hours to get to Long Beach and another 1-1/2 hours to return that evening.  That was fine on Thursday since L.A. traffic would have taken me as long as that or even longer.  But I stayed overnight in a nearby hotel on Friday since I had a couple of parties to attend on Friday night and my panel on Saturday morning was at 8:30 AM.  Commuting didn't sound very feasible.   

I also decided to drive on Sunday, when traffic tends to be light.  It did in fact take me about half of the 1-1/2 hour commute time each way to get to and from Long Beach.  The conference panels started at 8:30 AM again so I didn't have to leave quite as early as if I'd taken the Metro, and I returned home sooner to start writing again after my second hiatus in a couple of weeks.   

My recap?  Loved it!  Got to see lots of writing and fan friends I seldom see as well as some locals.  My panel Must Love Dogs and Cats was tremendous fun, and we had a good turnout despite the early hour.   Got to sign lots of my books afterward, too. 

I also met with editors from my two mystery publishing houses, Midnight Ink and Berkley Prime Crime, as well as the Midnight Ink publicist.  I got to sign and give away galleys of my first upcoming Barkery and Biscuits Mystery BITE THE BISCUIT, which will be a May 2015 release.  Parties?  Yes!   And I even got to see my dogs during a couple of the event's evenings, when I didn't stay in Long Beach.  Oh, yes, I saw my younger son, too, upon my return one night.  He'd stayed with the dogs the prior night when I wasn't there. 

The panels I attended were fun, but I unfortunately missed one program that I'd been really hoping to see: the cadaver dog demo.  Sigh.  A friend sent me some photos, though, and I'll buy the narrative CD. 

Did I enjoy it?  Absolutely!  Will I go to next year's Bouchercon?  Unfortunately, probably not.  It's in Raleigh, North Carolina, on the opposite coast from me.  And since I'm already signed up for at least three conferences next year I suspect I'll be pretty much conferenced out by then. 

But maybe another one sometime in the future.  I'd look forward to it! 

How about you--do you attend conferences about books?  Which ones?

Launches of Fun

As I mentioned last week, my second physical launch party for my first Superstition Mystery LOST UNDER A LADDER was last weekend at the Flintridge Bookstore in La Canada Flintridge, California.  The first one had been at Mystery Ink in Huntington Beach.  I had a lot of fun at both parties!  Why?  Because even though I went with a program in mind, including a reading, I really enjoyed interaction with my audience members both times. 

 

At my second one, the crowd wasn't huge either, but nearly all the attendees were friends whom I knew from different situations and for different reasons.  Some were writing friends but not all of them.  Some I'd met only recently and others I'd known for a while. 

And because the group wasn't too large I had an enjoyable discussion with them about my book and its theme and characters, and we talked a lot about superstitions. 

Many of the attendees bought copies of LOST UNDER A LADDER, and I had the fun of signing them. 

Afterward, most of us adjourned to the coffee shop that's part of the store and indulged in--what else?--coffee, as well as some pastries.  I happily treated.  After all, it was my book launch. 

Do I have any more launch parties planned?  No, but I still have a lot going on in addition to writing, including Bouchercon, some other event and library appearances, and more. 

And it's all fun!

Superstitions and Shapeshifters

My multiple personalities are still warring within my mind.

 

Well, not really.  I've still been doing a lot to let the world know about my new Superstition Mystery series, even though my blog tour is officially over.  That doesn't prevent me from doing more blogging, though.  And posting stuff on Facebook now that my official online launch party has occurred.  I've even linked there to my YouTube author teaser about my new mystery series.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbDRjUjBrfA   

Plus, I've been writing an article for Kings River Life Magazine on superstitions and Halloween, which should appear in the October 25 issue. 

 

The article has been fun to write, since Halloween is based on a lot of supernatural stuff and its celebration involves many superstitions. 

 

And speaking of supernatural, I'm now a bit more ensconced in writing my next Harlequin Nocturne about my covert military unit of shapeshifters.  I guess the different angles in my life do fit together now and then.

 

However, I also first saw a page just recently on the website of my current mystery publisher Midnight Ink about my upcoming Barkery and Biscuits mysteries.  They're related to the Superstition Mysteries by being cozies for the same publisher, but there's nothing particularly superstitious or supernatural about them.  The first in the series, Bite the Biscuit, is scheduled for publication in May 2015.  It's available for way-early preorder, including from Amazon.

 

Anyway, I need to return to my werewolves now, but it's been fun writing this Killer Hobbies post. 

 

So what's going on in your mind?

I'm Turning Upside Down

Today is the official launch date of LOST UNDER THE LADDER, my first Superstition Mystery!   

I think it's been available on Kindle and other e-sources before, and copies were sent out or made available as an online galley via NetGalley for reviews.  I received two print copies so far and hope my author's copies are on their way.  And I was especially excited to see a bunch of print copies at the Sisters in Crime Los Angeles Chapter meeting this weekend when I was on a panel.  They were brought by our usual bookseller, from Mystery Ink. 

As I'm sure you've no doubt, based on my other recent blogs here, I've been keeping quite busy promoting the new series, and that promo isn't ending anytime soon.

But meanwhile Book #2 in the Superstition Mysteries is due at the end of this month.  I've finished a reasonable draft and am letting it sit for a while, and then I'll conduct a final read before I send it off.

So what am I doing now?  As I said in the heading for this blog, I'm turning upside down!

Well, not literally.  But the next book for which I have a deadline is one of my Harlequin Nocturnes, about Alpha Force--a covert military unit of shapeshifters. 

 

 

My mind's been immersed in pet mysteries and superstitions for a while, so that's why it's needing to make a turn.  I'm rereading the proposal for the first of the two Nocturnes in my three-book Harlequin contract.  (The third is for another Harlequin Romantic Suspense novel.)  I'm also rereading some of my own Alpha Force books not only to put me in the shapeshifter mood but to remind me of the characters and tone of that series. 

The tone in the Harlequin books is different from my mysteries.  They're told in third person so I can get into the hero's and heroine's point of view--including when one of them has shapeshifted!  My mysteries are all first person in the female protagonist's point of view.  The mysteries are cozies so the murders are not graphic and any love scene is off the page.  I don't get into a lot of gory details in the Nocturnes, either... but they are romances and do contain love scenes. 

So, yes, I'm turning and switching and changing my mind so it goes in a different direction.   

But that's part of the fun of writing!

Happy October!

It's happy for me.  My Superstitions Mysteries launch month has begun! 

I believe that the actual availability date for LOST UNDER A LADDER is October 8.  Even so, I've started guest blogging places other than at Killer Hobbies, including my Great Escapes Virtual Tour.  A couple of those blogs have already been posted, with more to come. 

 

 

I wrote last week about some of the stuff I'm doing.  I feel immersed in it, along with my pending deadline.  But, hey, all that is part of having a writing career.  I'm not complaining. In fact, I'm enjoying it.

This weekend, I'll be on a panel at the local Sisters in Crime chapter talking about--what else?--cozy mysteries!  I'm really looking forward to it.  If you happen to be in the L.A. area, please join me. 

And in fact, if you happen to be in the L.A. area, why not join me at my official book launch on Sunday, November 2, at 3 PM at the Flintridge Bookstore? 

And if you're not in the L.A. area, my online launch is on Facebook on Sunday, Oct. 12, from 10-12 AM Pacific time, 1-3 PM Eastern time.  On Facebook: Lost Under A Ladder Release Party!    https://www.facebook.com/events/681148658644904/   

Of course you're more than welcome to do all three of them.   

And follow my blogs.  And read LOST UNDER A LADDER!  My fingers are crossed that reading the Superstition Mysteries will be good luck.  :) 

Okay, I know some of this is repetitious of what I posted last week, but it's what's been on my mind.  A lot.  You may see even more of it next week when LOST UNDER A LADDER is officially available. 

 

Okay, now back to writing Superstition Mystery #2.  And taking my demanding dogs outside.  Again.

Working on my Superstition Mysteries Launch!

            New series.  New publisher.  New craziness! 

            As I've said here before, my Superstition Mysteries will debut in October with LOST UNDER A LADDER.  I've been working on launching the series with parties and blogs and more. 

            Years ago, when I started getting books published, I did parties and signings and such to try to get the word out about my books.  But these days I've been learning a lot more by talking to and watching other people.  Or at least I'm attempting to. 

            I have a physical launch party scheduled at the Flintridge Bookstore in Flintridge, California, on Sunday, November 2, at 3 PM.  The book will have been available for a few weeks then but that was the best date and time I could work out, at a store where I attended a friend's launch party a while ago that I really loved.  If you happen to be in the Los Angeles area then, please drop in!  There'll be refreshments, plus a drawing for a basket containing some superstition-related swag. 

            I'm also doing an online launch party on Facebook on Sunday, October 12, at 1 PM Eastern time and 10 AM here in California.  Here's the link:  https://www.facebook.com/events/681148658644904/            There was initially a glitch about looking at it but I think it works just fine now.  Even so, if you're interested but can't join, post something on my Facebook page and I'll try to invite you.  And yes, there'll be giveaways resulting from that party, too--a couple of copies of LOST UNDER A LADDER plus more superstition-related swag. 

            I'm also blogging on some great blogsites, including participating in another Great Escapes blog tour. I'll be on local panels and non-local mystery festivals and more.

 

            Will it all work and help word get out there so people will know about, and hopefully buy, copies of LOST UNDER A LADDER?  I hope so.  And by the way, reading the Superstition Mysteries is good luck!  (I hope that's true, but I also hope people will recognize that as promotional hyperbole.  I certainly wish good luck for everyone but of course I can't guarantee it!)

            Anyway, as I said, LOST UNDER A LADDER is an October release.  The publisher is Midnight Ink.  Amazon says it's available on October 8, but of course it's available now for preorder.   

            Please wish me luck with it!