Updates: blogging and new book
Howdy all--My page has been inactive for several months as we re-haul the site and as I busily write Books 2 & 3 of The New Royal Mysteries. Book 2: Crybaby Lane is due out in September, and you can get a sneak peek of the amazing cover below. The process for designing this cover was thrilling, as Don Kramer, the Director of Sales & Marketing for Pandamoon Publishing, conducted an online video-chat workshop with me, the publisher, and a few other Pandas to experiment with basic ideas Don and I had hashed out in an earlier, private session. In the space of an hour the cover came to life right before my eyes, and I just think it's amazing.
There are a few other elements to develop, including blurb placement and back jacket art and copy. Here's a draft of what should appear on the back as a description:
Welcome back to New Royal, Ohio, where the last descendent of its founding family, 97-year-old Viola Horup, has been bludgeoned to death in her mansion on an icy December night, leaving behind boxes of treasure and garbage. Detective Steve Rasmussen isn't a stupid man, but he likes simple solutions, meaning he's destined to butt heads with Crocus Rowe, a punk ex-con alumna of the University's Crime Writing Program, who doesn't believe that Viola's murder is just a "robbery-gone-wrong." Crocus' theory is proven correct in the most gruesome way possible when she discovers the broken body of an estate agent in Viola's cellar. Against the backdrop of a community obsessed with a mysterious game involving the sudden appearance of words and phrases scattered all over town, Crocus seeks answers in the dark history of New Royal, where all roads lead to Crybaby Lane.
As we head into the final editing phase, we're aiming for a late September release. When I have the chance, I'll be blogging updates here, along with migrating pertinent older posts from my previous sites.
Cheers--LES
