The past few weeks have been a challenge, work-wise. I had a reasonably good draft for the sequel to THE BLUE BAR, I thought, as did my editors. Their comments weren’t numerous, but they made me reconsider something small, that has now snowballed into something HUMONGOUS.
I’ve tossed away 30,000 words, twice. And missed the deadline two times.
Those who’ve read THE BLUE BAR or YOU BENEATH YOUR SKIN will know that I tend to write very complex, layered stories. I don’t why other than to say that’s how they come to me. A kind friend even said I’m given those stories because I can deal with them. Who knows. Right this minute, it doesn’t feel like I can deal with any stories at all. Little to no sleep is addling my brains.
And while I’m thrilled to bits about all the reviews on THE BLUE BAR coming in now that the book has begun to find its audience, I’m not being able to do as much for promotion as the book perhaps needs. All my attention, like that of a brooding hen, is on my new manuscript. That’s a good thing, and not so good, because I often feel torn. The space that suffers the most is this one: I tend to write less on the blog when my brain is grappling with a story.
I’ve hit the midpoint in the manuscript, so I guess there’s hope, let’s see.
In the meanwhile, I’ll be at a fancy virtual event: THE BACK ROOM. Those who read thrillers might have heard of the other names on the panel–and I can’t lie: with my brain focused on editing I’m jittery about how I’m going to answer questions!
This is a Live zoom event–so it would be nice to see friendly faces. If the spirit moves you, I hope you can show up and say hello. The last time I did this event, everyone had fun–you are in a zoom ‘room’ with other bookworms, and a moderator helps you ask questions to the four visting authors who move from room to room!
Here are the details and the registration link!
January 15, 7 PM ET
Join authors Kimberly Belle, Damyanti Biswas, Charlie Donlea, and Mary Kubica along with Back Room hosts Karen Dionne and Hank Phillippi Ryan for an evening of great conversation!
The Authors
Kimberly Belle is the USA Today and internationally bestselling author of eight novels, including the The Personal Assistant, The Marriage Lie, a Goodreads Choice Awards semifinalist for Best Mystery & Thriller, and the #1 co-authored Audible Original, Young Rich Widows.
Her books have been published in some 20+ languages and have been optioned for film and television.
A proud graduate of Agnes Scott College, Belle divides her time between Atlanta and Amsterdam. Learn more at kimberlybellebooks.com.
Damyanti Biswas’s Indian debut literary crime novel You Beneath Your Skin was an Amazon bestseller, and optioned for the screens by Endemol Shine. Her next, The Blue Bar (Thomas & Mercer, January 2023), has received a starred review from Publisher’s Weekly.
Her work has been published in Smokelong Quarterly, Ambit, Pembroke Review, and Griffith Review among many others in the US, UK, and Australia. She also serves as one of the editors of the The Forge literary magazine. Learn more at damyantiwrites.com.
Charlie Donlea is the critically acclaimed, USA Today, Indiebound and #1 internationally bestselling author of Summit Lake, The Girl Who Was Taken, Don’t Believe It, Some Choose Darkness, The Suicide House, and Twenty Years Later.
Published in over 40 countries and translated into more than a dozen languages, Donlea has been praised for his “soaring pace, teasing plot twists” (BookPage) and talent for writing an ending that “makes your jaw drop” (The New York Times Book Review). He was born and raised in Chicago, where he continues to live with his wife and two children.
Learn more at charliedonlea.com.
Mary Kubica is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of many suspense novels, including The Good Girl, The Other Mrs. and Local Woman Missing. Her newest is Just the Nicest Couple (Park Row Books, January 2023).
A former high school history teacher, Mary holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, in History and American Literature. She lives outside of Chicago with her husband and two children.
Learn more at marykubica.com.
What have you been up to, work-wise? Are you a writer who can identify with the struggles of the writing process? If you’re a reader do you wonder about the process behind the books you read? Would you join me this Sunday for a live session of cocktails and conversation in The Back Room? Register now to book a spot!
My lit crime novel, The Blue Bar is on Kindle Unlimited now. It is also free on Netgalley till the 15th January. Add it to Goodreads or snag a copy to make my day.
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I was invited to speak at a Zoom book club and found the online people interesting and nice. I have rarely joined books clubs being a slow reader (prefer to think I savor the words) who likes to choose her own books, but they kept inviting me and turning me on to good books so now I am a regular. The recent pick: West with Zebras (hope I remember the title correctly!) is enthralling.
I saw this too late. I would have loved to join in. 🙂
There should be another one on the 23rd, if you’d like to attend. I’ll post about it on my Facebook, and maybe here, too.
Please post. Yes, I will do my best as next week is a tricky one for time. 🙂
Thank you for sharing!!.. I will be unable to attend, unfortunately… it would be a wonderful experience no doubt and hope all goes well!!.. I have The Blue Bar downloaded on the Kindle but haven’t had time to read it yet as I prepare for the new year… I am looking forward to reading the book as I know it will be interesting and great…. 🙂
Hope all is well in your part of the world, life is all that you wish for it to be and until we meet again…
May your day be touched
by a bit of Irish luck,
Brightened by a song
in your heart,
And warmed by the smiles
of people you love.
(Irish Saying)
Thanks Larry, and no worries on both counts. The event went very well, and I’m beck to the editing grind.
Still wondering whether I can possibly stay up to do something starting at midnight here, but when I see I’m already booked to start Sunday early with an event streamed from Japan and don’t have time to get a nap before about 10 pm, I guess it’ll have to be a no. All the best – and you’ll do fine. Speaking from the heart always works. I hope I can see the recording of the intro later!
Good luck!
I totally get the time difference challenges. My last event was at 1.30 am my time, and no one in my time zone was awake :). Some day, it would be wonderful to see you though.
Sunday night – I will see what I can do!
Alex! It would be incredible to be able to see you. We have no pictures of your other than an avatar, and since you’re the Ninja Cap’n I’ve always imagined you, for the last decade, with one of these dark masks. You can stay off-screen, I think, or just have an avatar. It would be terrific to have you there. The zoom rooms are enclosed, troll-free, and a safe space.
I hope you have a heap of fun in the Back Room – and love that your mind is rocussed on your new book.
Thanks, Sue. It is hard to stray from the focus on editing and be in two minds at once. The promotional perspective is very different from the editorial one.
I signed up to attend, Damyanti. It will be fun to see you in person and hear your thoughts on writing.
Oh my god, Jacqui that would be epic–to see you for the first time after knowing you for a decade? I’m not sure I’ll be able to keep calm.