Deborah Crombie and Book Launch Madness

DEBORAH CROMBIE: The release of my 18th Kincaid/James novel, A BITTER FEAST, is just a little over a week away and I am in prep countdown! (Cue music from Jaws here!)

I will be on book tour from the 8th of October, ending with Bouchercon 2019 in Dallas. But there is so much to do before I take off! Written interviews, blog posts, podcast interviews, social media, scheduling! It's all fun, though, and here are a couple of my favorite things from this week:

Last Sunday's mention in Parade Magazine (which was completely unexpected!)

And the release of the teaser from the audio version of A BITTER FEAST, read by my wonderful narrator, Gerard Doyle. This made me swoony with excitement! It is such a weird and wonderful experience to listen to your own work read by someone else. The book takes on a life of its own.

I also, I have to admit, have been shopping. New book, new tour, new conference--all call for a new travel wardrobe. Here's the result of a one-day blitz!

So I am all coordinated, and with the help of a white blouse and couple of scarves (not worn with the animal prints!) hopefully I can do a week at a time without looking like I'm wearing exactly the same thing at every event.

But what about WRITING,  you ask. Well, here's my big news-- 

There is another book in the works--in fact, I've just signed a contract with my publisher, William Morrow, for two more books. 

I have a smidgen of the first book rattling around in my brain. A title, a setting, a germ of a plot, some chapters outlined and bits of scenes written. I just have to clear the decks, focus, and do some necessary research so that I can really dive in. Next time we roll around to What We're Writing I'll have a snippet to share and will tell you more about it.

Next stop after Bouchercon, three weeks in London!

So, dear REDs and readers, how do you keep your cool when life is pulling you in a multitude of directions?? If you have calming mantras, please share. I could use them.

Big D, Little a, Double L - A - S!

The winner of Edith Maxwell's JUDGE THEE NOT is Mary D! Mary, please contact Edith at edithmax at Google mail.

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: Howdy, pards. We're not fixin' to brag, but we've got news. You're going to want to mosey on up to the bar and make your reservations right away, because the Jungle Reds are coming to Dallas!

That's right: not two, not four, but all seven Reds will be boot scootin' and line dancin'- okay, my Texas lingo has just shorted out picturing Rhys boot scootin'.  The whole lot of us will be at Bouchercon in Dallas, this year, and it will be the first time since 2012 you've been able to see the whole crew together. Here to help get out the details is my Imaginary Friend!

Imaginary Friend: Julia, I'm so excited about the chance to meet all the Reds in person! Are you going to have one of your wildly popular, hysterically funny game show panels? 

Julia: Yes, we are, Imaginary Friend! This year, we're playing "Who Wants to be a Mysteryaire?" Everyone in the audience will have a chance to be part of the lifeline team for each of the Reds, as we pit two teams against one another, competing to see who knows the most mystery book, movie, and author-related trivia. We'll have categories like "Which Red?" and "Pets in Mysteries" and "Where's the Body?" among others.

Imaginary Friend: That sounds like a blast. Can I do anything to help?

Julia: I'm glad you asked that, Imaginary Friend. We'd love all our Red friends and family to email - don't put them in the comments! - possible questions to me at juliaspencerfleming at Google mail.

Imaginary Friend: Why to you?

Julia: Because I'm the moderator.

Imaginary Friend: Is that an important position?

Julia: Very.

Imaginary Friend: I'm sold! When and where will you be presenting "Who Wants to be a Mysteryaire?"

Julia: We don't have a location yet, but it will be Thursday, October  31, at 2:30.

Imaginary Friend: Thursday?

Julia: Yes, at 2:30. It's Halloween, so please feel free to come in costume!

Imaginary Friend: Is the con even open Thursday afternoon?

Julia: YES IT IS, IMAGINARY FRIEND.

Imaginary Friend: Yeah, okay, if you say so. I may need a little incentive to get there that early. Are you giving away prizes or some such?

Julia: We are giving away an AWESOME prize for one lucky attendee: a Jungle Reds Gift Basket and an invitation to be a "Red for a Day" - an appearance on our blog, with all the bells and whistles!

Imaginary Friend: Wow, I could promote my book big time.

Julia: You mean your imaginary book?

Imaginary Friend: That's harsh. 

Julia: You're right. I'm sorry. I'm just a little touchy about the Thursday time slot.

Imaginary Friend: Better give everyone the details again, so they won't forget.

Come see the Jungle Red Writers in "Who Wants to be a Mysteryaire" at the Dallas Bouchercon, Thursday, October 31 (Halloween!) at 2:30!

Please send in your mystery-related trivia questions to Juliaspencerfleming at Google mail! 

One lucky attendee will win a big, bursting Jungle Reds basket and be selected as "Red for a Day!"

Dear readers, are you planning to come to Bouchercon? Do you have fond memories of past cons? Do you think my Imaginary Friend and I are spending too much time alone in the house? Hop on the comments and discuss!
 

Our Brag Book

BREAKING NEWS!  HAPPY SUMMER READING!   >TRUST ME by Red Hank Phillippi Ryan is now (briefly) $2.99! "A knockout" "Mesmerizing" "Riveting psychological suspense" "Dazzling" -and now: "on sale!"  Here's the link:
https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780765393081

AND NOW: 

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: We don't usually flog our own book info too hard here at JRW, but we we've been sharing exciting developments between ourselves, and Lucy said - quite insightfully! - that we should do a blog post where we share our good news and interesting tidbits with you.  

My first piece of news is that I'm the Guest of Honor at the Malice Domestic Conference in Bethesda next year! I'm very excited because A) my career literally began at Malice, when I won the St. Martin's Press/ Malice Domestic Best First Traditional Mystery Award in 2001 and B) the Toastmaster will be my dear friend Jeff Cohen (aka E.J. Copperman.) We're going to have a blast and I hope you'll come, too.

You'll have the chance to see me at several other venues from now through the fall, as I begin to pick up the pace of appearances again. I'm teaching and speaking at Maine Crime Wave in Portland at the end of this month, I'll be appearing at Crime Bake and Bouchercon (where two other Reds will be making special appearances, see below...), and I'm part of the fun and intimate Murder by the Book in Bar Harbor in mid-October.

But the best news of all? I have a publication date! HID FROM OUR EYES will be released April 7, 2020! I know it seems like a long time from now, but since I'm going to start writing Clare & Russ number 10 in June, I'm hoping it gives me a chance to finally finish one book before the release of another

LUCY BURDETTE: I'm finishing up the first push of spreading the word after publication of Key West food critic #9, A DEADLY FEAST! Madly, madly writing THE KEY LIME CRIME. Meanwhile, I got so tickled when I saw A DEADLY FEAST in Woman's World best books of the week, placed right next to Janet Evanovich:

"Filled with lighthearted humor and quirky characters, this fun whodunit begins when Key West food critic Hayley Snow gets a phone call from her friend Analise, who says a customer collapsed dead during one of their seafood tasting tours." Woman’s World Magazine

HALLIE EPHRON: Yay, Lucy! WOMAN'S WORLD! And featured alongside that nobody, Janet Evanovich!!My good news is a starred review from Publisher's Weekly for my August book, CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR. I'm over the moon, and so is my publisher. 

“This outstanding standalone from bestseller Ephron (You’ll Never Know, Dear) may be the first domestic thriller to weave in Marie Kondo’s decluttering theory about discarding things that don’t spark joy. … Appealing characters and some suspenseful detective work help elevate this in-depth look at people’s emotional attachment to things. After being a finalist five times, Ephron may finally win the Mary Higgins Clark Award for this one.”

RHYS BOWEN: I've had several pieces of good news recently. My Lake Union books have sold over a million copies in the past two years. This means I get my portrait hung on the wall of Amazon HQ. How cool is that? And the latest book, THE VICTORY GARDEN, has just passed 100,000 copies. Who'd have thought it when my first Constable Evans novel had a print run of 2500. Also my book, THE TUSCAN CHILD, has just been nominated for a Fresh Fiction award. I've no idea what that is, but it has to be good. And my next Royal Spyness book , LOVE AND DEATH AMONG THE CHEETAHS, comes out in August. Details of my crazy tour are on my website.

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN:  Whoa. all that great news! You have to admit, it's amazing. Congratulations, dear pals. Let's see--I'm the American Guest of Honor at Bouchercon! And I am still floating over that incredible honor. I'm paired with Lifetime Achiever James Patterson, who I get to interview, how cool is that? (And I'll let Debs tell her own Bouchercon news.) . THE MURDER LIST  comes out August 20--and an early reader just tweeted: "All right! If John Grisham and LIsa Scottoline had a book baby, this is it! And I loved the ending!"  Yay. 

 THE MURDER LIST was also named a Most Anticipated Book of Summer 2019 by Crime Reads--so that's amazing, too. (My book tour will soon be on my website--whoa.) And the mass market paperback of TRUST ME is getting an astonishing print run. I cannot even believe it. So. Like I said. Yay.

Forge Books signed me to two more standalone books for 2020 and 2021--YAY! (And kind of hard to believe.)   I'm working on THE FIRST TO LIE right now. 



JENN McKINLAY: Our collective cup runneth over. Along with Rhys, but in a separate category, my latest library lover's mystery HITTING THE BOOKS has been nominated for best cozy by FRESH FICTION! If you want to vote for us, go here!   

Also, I recently sold THE GAP YEAR my very first women's fiction book to Penguin Random House in a six figure deal with the publication date slated for July 2020. I am crazy excited for this book to come out!



 
DEBORAH CROMBIE: I'm so excited that Kincaid/James #18, A BITTER FEAST,  will be out on October 8th, 2019! I'll be doing a national tour--although I have no idea where yet--and lots of other fun stuff. The ARCs have now gone out to reviewers, so the next couple of months will be nerve-wracking, as we can all attest.

Meanwhile, I'm beginning the next book, Duncan and Gemma #19. I even have a title! Hoping to write this one a little faster, folks!

Oh, and I'm also a guest of honor at Bouchercon, along with Hank! It's in Dallas, my home town, and I think it's going to be fabulous conference. I love my city and can't wait to see lots of you there!

JULIA: Joy and riches abound. A reminder to our dear readers - the best way you can support the authors you love is to ask your local library to stock their books or to pre-order the books for yourself! Our publishers love pre-orders. Love them.

Okay, dear readers, now it's your turn to brag. What amazing things are going on with you and yours?