Dear Readers:
I have some exciting and surprising news for fans of my mystery and suspense! I have found yet another draft on my hard drive of a romantic suspense novel that I wrote during my depression. I knew the writing was bad before I even looked at it, because I remember the terrible despair I felt, because my brain just didn't know how to write anymore. However, I had a look at the plot, and apparently I can plot almost with my eyes closed, because it was a good plot!
With my deadline of August 1st approaching for Crazy Ladies of Oakwood: Escapade in Tuscany, I was panicked because I knew it had much more potential; that I hadn't really gone down deeply enough. Writing "ensemble" fiction is danged hard. Anyway, this other book came to my mind (I'm convinced it was divine intervention). In the space of three weeks, I rewrote it. Unable to think of a title, I gave a two-sentence summary on a couple of different networks, and Marta Olsen Smith (blessings on her head) came up with a winner. Foggy With a Chance of Murder will be coming your way in the spring of next year!
Briefly, it is set in the beach town of San Clemente, CA in the June fog. Its protagonist, Chloe Greene, is a 31 year-old prosperous travel writer who looks like Botticelli's "Birth of Venus" (with clothes on). Her co-star is a man (Rob) who has had several recent losses in his life. So has Chloe. Drawn into a completely inexplicable reign of terror aimed at this man she hardly knows, she also must cope with the return of her one true love, Luke, after three years. It's juicy—filled with a satisfactory amount of romance and mayhem. I like Chloe a lot better than Alex (my genealogical mystery heroine), and I hope you will like her, too!
In other news, Pieces of Paris, my twenty-five year old "masterpiece," written as an escape from my predictable life in the Missouri Ozarks, will be published in time for October Conference Ladies' Night. I will also be having a launch party the following Saturday, October 9th at the Orem Barnes & Noble from 1pm-4pm. Door prizes will include books by fellow authors as well as gorgeous Pieces of Paris t-shirts.
However, if you want to be the first on your block to receive your copy of Pieces of Paris, go to Amazon.com on my author page pre-order it as soon as possible. If you forward me a copy of the purchase confirmation and your snailmail address by clicking
HERE
(so I don't receive tons of spam), you will receive A STERLING SILVER CHARM OF THE EIFFEL TOWER!
I'll be ending the contest at the end of August, so don't delay!
Well, it's kind of hard to cap that one, but, continuing . . . in between marketing efforts, I am continuing the tale of the Crazy Ladies. I am hoping that it will be my best book yet. Those of you who enjoy my quirky characters, get ready for four more!
In personal news, my grandson, Micah Welling Bailey is adorable and will be visiting with his parents and Jack (aka Anaken Skywalker) at the end of the month, my terrific writer and pr friend Cindy Bezas and I are taking a writer's retreat this month at an undisclosed location, and my long-suffering husband and I will celebrate 38 years of marriage in Carmel where we spent our honeymoon.
Happy reading!
GG
