Tag: #EdwardsInvestigations

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It’s Almost Here! Edwards Investigations – The Rimer File

  By Uncategorized

Only two more days until you can join Annie McGregor in her quest to become a private investigator.

 

 

It was time to turn the tables, go hunting, and to visit as many of Ian’s old haunts as possible. If anyone could track him down, it was she.

The man outside tossing a bag into the garbage bin looked familiar, but Annie couldn’t place him. There were lots of residents in the building she hadn’t met. She’d probably passed him in the hallway or shared the elevator with him. He spared her a sideways glance and a nod and nothing more. He didn’t seem to recognize her, either.

Nothing unusual happened on the stroll to the shop, but Annie didn’t allow herself to relax. If Ian had hired Lucky, he might have another accomplice in place. Her revolver tucked into the small of her back and covered by the oversize blouse was cold against her skin and reassured her she was ready for anything.

Annie had exchanged pleasantries with the elderly female clerk at the store on several trips, The lady, involved in her normal game of solitaire, studied the playing cards and barely gave Annie a glance. The store smelled like old people, and the racks held a colorful selection in styles Annie’s deceased grandmother had worn. Nothing she’d ever choose for herself, which made them perfect for the occasion.

The bell over the door rang, and from the far corner, Annie peered around a stack of brightly colored flowered blouses to check out the newcomer. At first glance, he looked like the man by the garbage can, but his silhouette reminded her of someone else. She ducked behind the rack. What the hell was Mike doing here?

She had two options. Three, when she thought about it. Slip out the rear door. Hide until Mike gave up, deciding she wasn’t there, and left. Confront him.

She slithered through the clothing racks until she was back-to-back with him as he held up a brown suit that appeared to be several sizes too small. “The brown isn’t bad, but it won’t hide that Dick Tracy profile, Mr. Edwards,” she said, pretending to browse through a rack of polyester pants with elastic waistbands.

“And you need to change your perfume, Ms. McGregor,” he replied.

Coming November 2nd to major e-book retailers.
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Edwards Investigations – The Rimer File Cover

  By Uncategorized

The 80s. Pittsburgh, PA. A man’s world.

All Annie McGregor wanted was to nail a cheating husband and prove herself worthy of being more than a glorified bookkeeper.

What she found when she opened the back door of the bar-of-the-night was so much more than she bargained for. A mutilated body that bore an eerie resemblance to her ex, and a stint in handcuffs.

Maybe becoming a private investigator wasn’t in the cards. Even with the guidance of her boss, Mike Edwards, and the other investigators of the Edwards Agency, Annie struggled to close a case. Add in her run-ins with the local cops, and things got messy.

Then bullets started flying. What really had her worried was that the second one wouldn’t miss.

 

It’s almost here!

If you follow my newsletter, you’ve already seen the cover, another fine creation from my cover artist, K.M. Guth. She had fun with this one, putting in as many clues to the story as she could. But first, q quick excerpt.

Still, Coulson swept the apartment to make sure there were no unexpected visitors before allowing Annie to enter. She waited patiently by the front door while he checked her bedroom and the closets.

“All clear,” he reported when he returned. “You should be safe for the night, unless you invite me to stay.”

He reached out and touched her cheek. “Tell me to go home, Annie.”

She understood the offer and was tempted. It had been a long time since she’d shared her bed. He’d be a fine way to break her celibacy streak. But common sense shot that down.

“I had fun tonight, Coulson, but go home. That doesn’t mean you can’t come back another time.”

“You’re a smart woman, Annie McGregor.” He started to leave but stopped with his hand on the doorknob. “Don’t let Mike give you a hard time. He’s your boss, not your father.”

And now, the cover.


It’s different than anything she’s created for me and I love it. I’m looking forward to having a physical copy in my hands.

Thanks for stopping by! As always, please stay safe until the next time.

Welcome To Edwards Investigations, The Rimer Files

  By Uncategorized

Did you catch my newsletter?

What? You missed it? Quick – head to the right and sign up now!

But the big news is no secret. My new book is finished, and off to the experts to get it formatted for publication. 

It wasn’t an auspicious beginning:

All Annie McGregor wanted was to nail a cheating husband and prove herself worthy of being more than a glorified bookkeeper.

What she found when she opened the back door of the bar-of-the-night was so much more than she bargained for. A mutilated body that bore an eerie resemblance to her ex, and a stint in handcuffs.

But it was the mid 1980s, and was still a man’s world. Maybe becoming a private investigator wasn’t in the cards. Even with the guidance of her boss, Mike Edwards, and the other investigators of the Edwards Agency, Annie struggled to close a case. Add in her run-ins with the local cops, and things got messy.

Then bullets started flying. What really had her worried was that the second one wouldn’t miss.

I’m shooting for a release date of November 2nd.

But my cover artist is out of town, and my formatter was affected by both recent hurricanes, so I won’t make a promise. Speaking of the cover, the front is ready, and I’ll be sharing it soon.

While you’re waiting, here’s an excerpt:

“You never change, do you, bitch?” a man’s voice said.

It was the voice of her nightmares. Annie closed her book, took a deep breath, and prepared for the confrontation. “Go away, Ian.”

“Not a chance. You owe me, and I’m here to collect.”

Her gun was in her purse and the bar too crowded to use it safely. She studied her ex and mentally listed what else she had at hand that could be used as a weapon. Prison hadn’t done him any favors. His boyish good looks were gone, replaced with the face of a man with too many scars and pockmarks. The crude crucifix tattoo on his neck didn’t help.

To even the playing field, Annie slid out of the chair and stood, her feet planted slightly apart, ready for action. She didn’t have time to settle in before Ian pulled back his arm. She anticipated what was coming, having been on the receiving end of his fist too many times.

Her swivel wasn’t fast enough. His knuckles grazed her cheek, and she staggered back a step. The old Annie would have crumpled. This Annie didn’t. She balled her hands together and swung. It was liberating. She’d never fought back.

 

The story has been over a decade in the making. But this version bears little resemblance to the first. I like to say it is more of a tribute to that story, rather than a revision.

I’m really looking forward to sharing this book. Stay tuned for more information.

As always, until next time, please stay safe.

The Best Part of Publicity #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

Sept 16, 2024

Many of us are frustrated by publicity. It’s our least favorite part of writing.

But what’s your favorite part?

Sit back and grab your favorite brew. I’m about to treat you to one of my infamous “stretching the meaning of the question” answers.

Most authors will tell you how much we hate doing publicity. It’s hard. Pick your poison. Blogs, Facebook and other social media posts. Paid ads in all shapes and sizes. Many times it feels as if it’s nothing but sheer luck whether a certain campaign works. As you can tell, none of those are my favorite.

Then what is?

This is where I stretch the meaning of publicity.

My favorite form is the festivals and other events where I sell my books. I’ve done five events this summer, lasting anywhere from 5 hours to 3 days. Overall, I sold fifty books. I have three more events scheduled before Christmas and am debating a fourth. I’m about peopled out!

 

This is a sample of my outdoor setup. It doesn’t change much from event to event. With any luck, I don’t have to use the few light tarps I bought in case of rain.

But back to the topic. Why is this my favorite form of publicity? Because of the people I get to meet. I love to watch their faces as they read the blurb on the back of a book. Even if they don’t buy one, it’s good to know they were interested enough to spend a few minutes checking it out. The instant feedback is gratifying.

This year was interesting because it was the second year at several events. Although there were many new faces, it was great to run into returning customers. I had one lady send her son to track me down at one event to buy the book she hadn’t bought previously!

Now, here’s some “hard” publicity.

The second and third rounds of critiques on my work-in-progress are almost finished. (They were happening simultaneously.) Then the manuscript is off to my editor and I’ve got a release date in mind. This story has been a decade in the making, and I’m excited to finally present it to the world. I’m fine-tuning the title, but right now it’s The Edwards Investigations, The Rimer File. To get the first announcement of the release date, and an excerpt, sign up for my newsletter. Check out the right-hand column.)

How about the other authors on this hop? What’s their favorite part of publicity? Check out the links below to find out.

As always, until next time, please stay safe.

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How Long Is A Chapter? #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

July 22, 2024

How do you determine where to end a chapter?

A chapter is as long as the chapter needs to be.

That’s the best piece of advice I’ve ever received in terms of how long to make my chapters.

I’ve seen chapters as short as two pages and others so long I have no idea how many pages they were. My typical chapter falls in between.

The first books I wrote, I didn’t stop for chapters. I just started at the beginning and didn’t stop until I reached the end. Then I went back and figured out where I needed to make breaks. Frankly, that wasn’t an efficient process.

It also didn’t work out to start a new chapter each time I started a new scene. The length of scenes is often far too short. Breaking it up that way makes the story choppy. I’ve settled on using section breaks for those as denoted by something like *****.

That still doesn’t answer the question of how I know when to end a chapter.

The first few chapters in The Marquesa’s Necklace came in at around 2000 words when they reached a natural stopping point. It seemed like a sign, so I aimed for each one to be around that length. Since the stories in that series were more lighthearted, the shorter breaks felt like they fit the book better. I wanted readers to be able to read it in short bursts. (Or devour it in one sitting if they feel so inclined.)

But short doesn’t work for The Edwards Investigations. So, the chapters are each more that 3000 words. Nowhere near the 81,200 word chapter in the Memory Of Light, the last book in the Wheel of Time series. Shoot, the entire story isn’t that long.

That still doesn’t answer the question.

How do I know where to end a chapter?

I’ve worked with some authors who attempt to start and finish a minor story within a chapter, with the end of the chapter being a natural end to the mini-plot. I don’t work like that. Although I don’t write cliffhangers at the end of a book, that’s how I like to end a chapter.

How do you determine where to close a chapter? I try to end with a hook, something to get the audience to turn the page and keep reading. Or be ready to pick it up again as soon as possible. Sometimes, finding that moment is a battle. Other times, I recognize it as I write it.

But I don’t make the rules. How do the other authors on this hop know when to end a chapter? Follow the links below to find out.

As always, until next time, please stay safe.

July 22, 2024

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter