Dear Friends:
I’m always excited about sharing good news with you, but this time it’s
spectacular news! I’ve signed a terrific publishing deal with Level Best Books for the continuation of my “Queen City Crime” Series featuring Jessie Martin, Hal Samuels, Terrence Butterfield, and Jeremy Kaplan, plus a roster of new characters who investigate the bizarre fictional crimes, inspired by trues crimes, around the Hudson Valley.
Level Best Books is a renown publisher of mysteries, crime and thrillers, whose authors have been recognized by the prestigious Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity Awards for being the best of the best in mystery. And I’m thrilled to say I am now a Level Best Books Author!
The
BIGGER news is that the sequel to
The Midnight Call is on the schedule for a Spring 2022 release, and I’m submitting my manuscript to Level Best to begin the editorial process. For those unfamiliar with the process, a final manuscript is submitted to a publisher, where it goes through a series of reviews for story content and continuity, grammar, spelling and fact checking. This lengthy collaboration between the author and her editor polishes the novel, making it the best story possible before it goes to print and to the reader. I analogize the process to a sculptor taking a block of marble, and chiseling it until a beautiful sculpture appears.
So, I have a lot of exciting work ahead with the completing of the manuscript, the submission, the editing, cover design, the advance reviews, the publication and the promotion of my new book. Below is a sneak preview of the plot, although the book’s title remains under wraps-
Single mom and attorney Jessie Martin is attempting to reinvent her life after she’s helped incarcerate her mentor for murder. When Jessie saves a woman from drowning during a thunderstorm, she discovers that being a Good Samaritan can be deadly. Her 911 call to save the victim places her on a collision course with her estranged best friend, Detective Ebony Jones, and one of the greatest mysteries of the Hudson Valley.
The victim, Lissie Sexton, is a prostitute who has been badly beaten and claims she’s escaped from the clutches of a killer. Lissie is a client of Jessie’s new boss and former nemesis, Jeremy Kaplan, and he’s placed her in hiding.
Ebony is investigating a series of cold cases, and the missing women’s profiles bear a striking resemblance to Lissie’s. She’s willing to stake her career on Lissie being the key to solving the serial crimes. However, Jessie is the major obstacle to the investigation- she won’t give up Lissie’s location.
Jessie’s in a bind. She wants to help Ebony, but she can’t reveal Lissie’s location without compromising her client and her legal ethics.
To catch the killer, can Jessie and Ebony overcome their conflicts and entice Lissie to identify her attacker before he strikes again?
It’s exciting to continue
The Midnight Call franchise, and there's lots more excitement within the pages of “Book Two”. I can’t wait to share it with everyone early next year.
In the meantime, stay tuned for the title and cover reveals and other tidbits as my journey to publication continues.
Until then, enjoy this endless summer where the trees are still green and the nights are still warm!
Take Care and Happy Autumn!
