I can't find the more interesting picture I wanted to use here, so this will have to do. It's basically what I look at most of the day. I edit for other people, I write for two newspapers and often for the North Country Trail magazine North Star (although I don't get paid for that.)
And books. I've lost track. I have 16 I take to sell at events, and 3, no 4 others that are only ebooks. I think I'm a genuine author.
And I could have done a blogoversary post. My first post here was Oct 26, 2008. So that's 16 years ago. Blogger says this is post 5621. There are still a few of you readers whom I met through blogging. And some of you are still doing it!
But I'm back to working regularly on Vacation from Dead Mule Swamp, story number eight in the Anastasia Raven mysteries (if you have paper books, the first two are both in the same volume).
Yes, this story leaves Dead Mule Swamp. Ana, Chad, and his girlfriend Mariah (they met in DMS Mistletoe) are on a vacation at Ludington State Park. I'm hoping to capitalize on the popularity of setting mysteries in familiar locations. Murder on the SS Badger by Richard Baldwin sold really well. although it wasn't really a very good book.
Ana is attempting to leave all the crimes she keeps stumbling into behind her for a while. But things quickly escalate while they are hiking at the pak. She just has no luck at staying out of trouble!
I'll also tell you another bit of trivia about this book. It's WAY different from a normal mystery plot. Perhaps even not a normal story arc. But here's the deal. I really respect authors who manage to write something "different" from time to time. Although I love my Perry Mason stories, they are very formulaic. Anyway, this mystery is set in the backdrop of a LARP, a live-action role-playing game. Ana, Chad and Mariah find themselves thrust into the game even though that is not why they came to Ludington.
Just one more anecdote and then I'll show you the cover. This goes to the topic of authors being brave enough to try something new. An author whose books are simliar to mine (he started writing first, so I guess, really, mine are similar to his) is Aaron Stander, also of Michigan. His books are set near Traverse City. One of them is quite unusual. The first third of Gales of November is the journal of a teen-aged girl, and the mystery ends up being not quite resolved. It took some flak for being unsatisfying. But I respect Aaron SO much for taking the risk to write something a little different!
So... hang on to your hats, all you who claim you are looking forward to this installment in the Dead Mule Swamp books!
And now... drumroll... here is Vacation from Dead Mule Swamp. I left it clickable so you can see it larger.
I wrote another chapter, 896 words, edited and worked on all my projects, including 45 minutes on the dreaded autumn-olive-unwinnable-contest.
Tomorrow is an NCT hike. I am SO ready!
 | See Revised Cover Sneak Peek |
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