DEBRIEFING THE DEAD will release on…

2018-03-312018-03-31Leave a comment

…May 7, 2018!

Yes — you read that right. MAY. SEVENTH. Remember when I thought I had LOTS of time to prepare for this exciting day?? Yeah, it’s in… (*checks countdown on own website*) …THIRTY-SEVEN DAYS. Squee!! I’m already up for pre-order on Amazon – squee again!!!

To celebrate, I’ll be hosting weekly giveaways on my Facebook page, so be sure to head on over and “Like” the page/follow me, so you don’t miss the fun. Also be sure to sign up for the VOML (Very Occasional Mailing List) — just by being an “existing” subscriber, you’ll automatically get TWO entries into each giveaway contest!

I have to get back to reading the final-Final-FINAL draft, one LAST time (eek!!) to make sure it’s perfect. But to tide you over until it’s out, would you like to read the excerpt?? I can do that!

Here it is. :)

I have a book cover!

2017-12-272017-12-28Leave a comment

It’s officially-official — approved this morning and complete with back cover copy (click to open larger view):

The only thing Hyacinth wants is her life back. Literally. She and her sister were murdered by Demons, leaving her young nephew, Geordi, to his father’s family in the brutal Sicilian Mob. Then Archangel Michael offers her a deal: recapture a powerful rock the Demons stole, and she can live long enough to find Geordi a safe home. Refuse, and she’ll continue up (or down) to the Afterlife. So, slightly more alive than dead, she heads for Turkey and the Demons, taking Geordi, her mysterious neighbor Jason, and a sexy dead guy only she can see with her. But the hardest part won’t be battling Demons, meeting Satan, or dodging Middle Eastern customs—it will be later, when Geordi is settled, and Michael rips her away again. How can she abandon her nephew? Or can she outwit the angel of death himself, and stay with Geordi forever?

What do you think? Personally, I LOVE IT. But I may be slightly biased. ;?)

Happy Holy-days!

2017-12-20Leave a comment

No, this isn’t our house. But it’s the house I would aspire to if I had endless time for things like decorating. Hey — I feel good that I got everything dusted. Once. Two and a half weeks ago:

But today is the last day of school before break, so I finally feel like I might have time for something beyond school/work, and exercising. Like more decorating (what can I say — I have “eclectic” tastes):

Or family traditions, like the Tuba Christmas:

And even some writing — or rather, getting organized for book promo (90%) and maybe writing new words (10%). In that vein, I have updates:

I have a book cover!!! Squee!!!!

(Not quite official yet, but on it’s way to being approved — I’ll share it as soon as I possibly can. OBVIOUSLY. ;?) )

Also, I have a tagline. This may not seem important to 99% of you, but in da Book World, is very Important:

Hyacinth Finch has one foot in the grave,
the other kicking ass.

What do you think? Does this make you want to read the book? :?)

Whether it does or not, I hope your Holy days (whatever they comprise) are peaceful, rejuvenating, and, well, holy. If I don’t “see” you here before then, have a beautiful New Year!

Cheers,
Kerry

Keywords and Covers and Blurbs, Oh My!

2017-08-26Leave a comment

Hey, remember a few weeks back (two weeks ago, today, in fact!), before I got my first publishing contract? Remember how I could sit all day on my deck, and write? Yeah, that’s not happening anymore. It’s one of the unspoken ironies of publication: The minute you get that first contract, is the minute when your actual writing time suddenly diminishes.

Don’t get me wrong — I’m not complaining! But between choosing keywords to describe the book (is 35 too many…?), poring over cover art/artists in order to make the LIFE-ALTERING decision about how I want my book to look and feel (what if both turn out to be “terrible,” and no one buys it?), and begging my already-overworked writing partners for cover blurbs — between all those things, I haven’t had time to finish my current WIP (work-in-progress), ALOS. Which was my original goal for the summer.

A summer which is now officially over, as I went back to work full-time yesterday. (For anyone new to the saga of my life, I’m a math teacher by day. :)) I’m actually excited for the school year to begin. But along with work comes a host of other busy-making things, like my son, who starts college in a few weeks, or my daughter, who is only playing 500 sports this year (down from 5000 last year), and in 29 AP-level classes. I might be exaggerating here, but still.

Anyway! I’d better get back to it. Maybe I’ll create a Facebook poll and let you all weigh in on what style you find most eye-catching. Of course, it’s hard when you haven’t read the book yet. But it’s better than me having to make all the decisions!! :)