Another Books Status Report

I'm recently back from a period of traveling interspersed with too-short times at home trying to dig out from under the email avalanche and other chores. This was my last bout of traveling until next spring, so I will be able to bring this blog back to its normal schedule with the Writers of Color series on Mondays and the Literary Mystery Novelists series on Fridays, supplemented by occasional posts on my life and books. I'll start with an update on the three books my mind is most concerned with right now.

I'm returning to the second Skeet Bannion book, Every Broken Trust, which only needs the last few chapters written to finish the first draft. Then, a short break and revisions before I turn it in to my agent and editor. As usual, there have been some interesting surprises pop up along the way, changes to plots, characters who become more or less important than planned, relationships morphing in ways I'd not expected. I'm excited to get back to work on it.

The first Skeet Bannion novel, Every Last Secret: A Mystery, will be published on April 24, 2012. For those in Kansas City, save that date. The book launch, co-sponsored by the Kansas City Public Library and Rainy Day Books, will take place 6:30 pm, Tuesday, April 24, 2012 at the Central Library, 14 W. 10th Street.

For those friends of mine elsewhere who are attending the Malice Domestic national conference two days later, I'll be signing the book there, so I'll see you in Bethesda.

Here are links for pre-ordering Every Last Secret, if you're so inclined. I would truly appreciate it if you did pre-order and tell your friends about the book since the pre-orders and early buzz will help determine the future of the book.


Indiebound

Powell's

Amazon


Barnes & Noble

Every Last Secret got some great blurbs from wonderful writers.

“Every Last Secret offers that rare and startling thing in the universe of thrillers: a truly fresh voice. Rodriguez's tale spares nothing. Skeet is an all-too-human heroine, and we just want more, more, more.”--Jacquelyn Mitchard, #1 national bestselling author of The Deep End of the Ocean and Second Nature: A Love Story

 

“There's a new cop in town and she has smarts, courage, and a good heart. Mystery readers will find a new favorite in Chief Skeet Bannion.”  --Nancy Pickard, author of The Scent of Rain and Lightning

“Linda Rodriguez has created a captivating female detective with a mind for justice and a heart for those who’ve been unfairly treated.  Skeet navigates university politics and a nest of deadly secrets to find the truth, even when it means investigating people she cares about.”--Carolyn Haines, author of Bones of a Feather

"Rodriguez’s debut is an action-packed ride featuring an intriguing heroine you won’t quickly forget."—Sally Goldenbaum, author of The Seaside Knitters Mystery Series

I have been so impressed with my editor and and the other staff at St. Martin's Press. They worked hard to give the book its beautiful cover. My editor's suggested revisions have all been on-target and helped to make it a stronger book. So far, this has been an excellent experience.

The third book I mentioned at the top of this post is Dark Sister, my next book of poems. Dark Sister is based on teachings and memories of my Cherokee grandmother and a look at history through the prism of my family. I wrote the first draft of this book during a wonderful stay at Ragdale. During the editing process, I was able to go on a research trip back to Tahlequah, OK, where I'd not been since I was thirteen, courtesy of a research grant from KC ArtsFund. I'm now finished with it, pleased with the individual poems and with the book, so I will be sending out individual poems to journals for publication before submitting the book manuscript for publication.

With all three books in various stages of "completion," life is pretty exciting--busy--around here. After a time of travel that has included warm receptive audiences and the making of new friends, I'm looking forward to settling back into the harness of daily writing. So here's to health and happiness and high daily page totals for all of us!