Tag Archives: editing

Isabel Long Mystery Series

Next Isabel Long Mystery

I have good news for fans of my Isabel Long Mystery Series. I have just signed a contract with darkstroke books for the next, Missing the Deadline. That will be the seventh in this series.

The editing process will begin soon. Laurence Patterson, co-owner of darkstroke, says Missing the Deadline will likely be released toward the end of this year. How exciting.

In the meantime, Laurence and I will go back and forth over the Atlantic — darkstroke is based in France — during the editing process. We did the same for my last two books and it was an enjoyable experience. I also am searching for an appropriate image for the cover of Missing the Deadline.

So, what’s this one about? As Isabel Long has discovered, her cases can come from unexpected people and situations. This time, it’s at a poetry reading where she is approached by Cyrus Nilsson. Once a suspect in a previous case, the noted poet wants her to investigate the shooting of his first literary agent.

Gerald Danielson was found shot in the head at his home in Meadows Falls. He survived but isn’t the same successful agent who moved there from New York City. The police ruled it an attempted suicide, but Cyrus has his doubts. Certainly there are people in Gerald’s life, including a vindictive ex-wife, a jilted local writer, and even his apparently devoted sister, who might have motivation. 

It doesn’t take much to convince Isabel to take on this case. Afterall, her mother, Maria, who is her ‘Watson,’ says it’s boring without one. 

As a journalist, Isabel Long never missed a deadline. She does the same as a P.I. although in this case, the term means something entirely different.

In this book, many of the characters in the series have a role in this mystery such as the Old Farts, Annette Waters, the Beaumont brothers, and, of course, Jack and Isabel’s mother, Maria. But there are new ones as well. I do like the character of Gerald Danielson — the only person Isabel will let call her “Izzie.” There’s an unexpected romance between two unlikely characters — my lips are sealed there. Jack’s ex-wife is still a royal pain in the you know what, but she does provide a link to solving this case. And the inspiration for the setting is a village I am very familiar with. 

Meanwhile, I am writing the sequel to The Sacred Dog. No spoilers here but it’s called The Unforgiving Town. And I will be doing several readings for Northern Comfort over the next few months.

LINK TO MY BOOKS: Here’s how to find the Isabel Long Mystery Series on Amazon.

IMAGE ABOVE: Saw that in Ogunquit, Maine this summer.

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Isabel Long Mystery Series

Two-Thirds of the Way There

Ah, progress. Missing the Deadline, no. 7 in my Isabel Long Mystery Series, is past the two-thirds mark. Believe me I’m smiling.

I began this book last fall and kept at it despite distractions like holidays, going back and forth with my editor/publisher, Laurence Patterson on The Sacred Dog (not part of the series), family visits, other writing projects, and personal stuff. My aim is around 75,000 for the books in this series. So, if you do the math, I am past the 50,000-word mark. 

To note this accomplishment, I printed what I’ve written so far and got out a red flare pen to mark up what I want to add, change or subtract. I also note with big red stars a bit of information that needs to be brought up later in the book, or perhaps I’ve found a repetition of a certain phrase. Then there is the big, red FIX beside a paragraph that needs work.

My plan is to finish to today and begin making the edits before I go full-steam ahead to finish the book. As I’ve stated before, I aim for 500 words a day although lately I’ve been writing more. So, it will take me maybe six or seven more weeks. That should give Isabel and me time to solve this case.

So what is Missing the Deadline about? Cyrus Nilsson, who readers of the series will recall is the Big Shot Poet, hires Isabel to investigate the shooting of his former agent. Gerald Danielson survived the shooting, which the police ruled an attempted suicide, but he is not the same man. He is now seriously impaired. After overhearing what somebody said at a party, Cyrus questions whether Gerald actually shot himself or someone else did it.

Gerald lives with his devoted sister, Wendy, who now runs the literary agency, in a village called Meadows Falls. He has an aide, Miguel. As Isabel delves into this case, she looks for people who might have a reason to want to kill Gerald Danielson, and there are definitely suspects, including an ex-wife who writes smutty romance novels.

Of course, I’ve carried over many of the characters who have become regulars, including Annette Waters and the Beaumont brothers. Yes, Isabel tends bar Friday nights at the Rooster with Jack. And her 93-year-old mother, Maria is still her helpful ‘Watson.’

I certainly will be telling you more about Missing the Deadline in the future.

Meanwhile, if you haven’t already caught up, here’s the link to my Isabel Long Mystery Series on Amazon, in Kindle and paperback: https://www.amazon.com/The-Isabel-Long-Mystery-Series-6-book-series/dp/B07PDJ68SK

And if you have read them all, I sincerely thank you and hope you look forward to reading the next.

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Checking the Traps, Isabel Long Mystery Series

Checking the Traps: Full Speed Ahead

As mentioned in a post last week, things are moving faster toward the release of my next mystery, Checking the Traps. We now have a release date, a cover, and I am working with my editor to get the novel in the best shape possible. Read on for the details.

For those new to my blog or just need a gentle reminder, Checking the Traps is the third book in my Isabel Long Mystery Series set in the hilltowns of Western Massachusetts. Isabel is a longtime journalist turned P.I., who is handling cold cases in her neck of the woods. Her clients tend to be on the country gritty side. Her 93-year-old mystery-loving mother is her sidekick.

First: March 22 is the official launch date of Checking the Traps. That’s when the Kindle version will be released. (The paperback version will be earlier.) I will let you know when pre-orders begin.

Second: Above is the cover created by Laurence Patterson, co-publisher at Crooked Cat Books. The other two book covers feature the back view of a woman outside in black and white. This cover matches that theme well while capturing an important element of the book: a bridge.

Third: My editor, Miriam Drori, and I are going over the manuscript very carefully. It’s great having someone who has fresh eyes — and mind — give my book a close read. Certainly, I’ve read it a gazillion times. We are on round two.

However, for this book, I have a not-so-secret weapon: the “read aloud” mechanism of my newly purchased Word program. Alas, my old version stopped working, so I was forced to upgrade, and I’m glad I did. I click on “read aloud” and a man reads my book aloud. It’s slow and I can only take listening for so long. (I am amused at some of “his” pronunciations.) But in the process I have found missing words, typos, and overused words. Dang, I wish I had used this for my other books.

Finally: I want to say congrats to anyone who picked up the Kindle version of Chasing the Case, the first book in the Isabel Long Mystery Series, which was free this past weekend. By my standards, it did well, including reaching #7 in the popular Mystery, Thriller & Suspense > Crime Fiction > Murder category in Amazon US.

Of course, this is for free books. But as I explained in my last post, I’m hunting for readers who will get hooked by this series. It’s all part of the publishing game.

 

 

 

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