1920s, Books, favorites, fiction, publishing, writing

Whitney & Davies Book 3 Cover Design

going to need to update this header in a month

I was nervous about this cover, friends. My cover designer has, in the last nine years since producing the gorgeous cover for Magic Most Deadly, mostly moved on from such work (in fact, she’s busy writing her own books these days–check them out here: Amanda McCrina), and I thought I might have to do this one myself. I did the covers for Magic & Mayhem and While Shepherds Watch, as well as the entire Pauline Gray series, so it isn’t as though I have no experience with cover design, but for this, the long-awaited third novel in the Whitney & Davies series, I wanted it to be extra-special. Luckily for me, Amanda agreed to do another for me, and the result is spectacular.

Are you ready to see it? Because I am more than ready to show it!

Here we go!

The walls of Saint Dorothea’s College in Cambridge hide more secrets than simply the existence of magic …

Lennox Davies couldn’t be happier when the detective agency of Whitney and Davies receives a summons to investigate a missing secretary at the magical college of Saint Dorothea’s in Cambridge. He envisions a charming locked room puzzle, to be followed by strolling the streets of the ancient and beautiful university city with his friend and partner in detection Maia Whitney. What could be better?

But delight soon turns to dismay when a man is murdered. Not only that the missing secretary seems to have vanished into the morning mists off the River Cam. Will Maia and Len be able to catch the killer before the secretary’s dead body turns up as well? Or is it already too late? Before long even the bond between partners is strained as Len and Maia find themselves at odds over their values.

What began as a clever exercise in deduction turns into their most challenging mystery yet, and one that could result in the end of Whitney and Davies … forever.

Isn’t it stunning? I’m so thrilled to be able to finally share it with you all. And you know what else I am able to share with you today?

The release date!

Death by Disguise, the third novel in the Whitney & Davies series, will be released on November 8, 2022. Yes, that is only four weeks away! Just in time for your Christmas shopping–or buying for yourself to read while you relax on Thanksgiving weekend.

I started writing this book while living in Cambridge, and finished it after moving back to the States. It is in many ways my love letter to that beautiful and ancient university city, and to the friends I made there. I am so pleased to be able to share it with the rest of you soon.

Books, fantasy, favorites, fiction, newsletter, reading list, Sci-fi

Third Annual Epic Sale of Beloved SFF

It’s here!

Once again, Glamours and Gunshots is featuring in the Epic Sale of Beloved SFF. (SFF, here, stands for Science Fiction and Fantasy). Running from September 10-14, all the sale books are being offered for $0.99 or free. You can’t beat that!

Click here to go to the sale page and check out all 42 of the books on there.

But wait! It gets better!

In addition to G&G, I’ve decided to put every single one of my E.L. Bates books on sale. That means Magic Most Deadly, Magic & Mayhem, While Shepherds Watch, and From the Shadows are all on sale for $0.99 from now until Friday Sept 16 (that’s right, I’m extending my personal sale for a couple days beyond the Beloved SFF sale).

So if you’ve been wanting to collect the entire Whitney & Davies collection, now’s your chance, plus you have the opportunity to snag a heartfelt, cozy sci-fi book at the same time.

While you’re still here, don’t forget to sign up for my monthly newsletter! It’s a great way to keep up with sales, publishing news, and other fun stuff that doesn’t always make it to the blog. Plus you get a free short story when you sign up!

Happy reading!

fantasy, goals, newsletter, stories, writing

Newsletter and New Short Story

First things first: Look at that stunning cover. Isn’t it gorgeous? It was created by artist Cassandra Stevens, and I just adore it.

What’s up with this new short story? This is an exclusive gift I have put together for subscribers to my newsletter. Because yes–that’s my other news! I am starting a monthly newsletter, with the first issue being released in September.

Why a newsletter? Social media can be a chancy way to try to keep readers updated on new releases, sales, or other important or exciting happenings in the StarDance Press world. Even blogs can get lost in the midst of all the other online noise that’s out there. As for trying to keep up with folks through Twitter, Tumblr, FB, Instagram, or all the other social media platforms out there … there’s just way too much other stuff competing for one’s interest.

So a newsletter seems a better way to keep all of you up-to-date on new books and short stories. It’s also a great way to let you know about sales ahead of time (which reminds me, there’s going to be an upcoming September sale I’ll need to put in the newsletter …), and let you know about progress (or lack thereof, ha) on current projects. I might even include some other exclusive stories from time to time …

If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, you can either type in your email address and click the button in the sidebar or on the contact page to subscribe, or you can do the same right here:

Monthly news and an exclusive free short story? It doesn’t get much better than that! Join today to receive your welcome email with a link to the short story, and then enjoy the first official letter in September. Can’t wait to share this new venture with you all!

Books, characters, families, favorites, fiction, heroines, reading list, stories

Review: The Star That Always Stays

This debut novel by Anna Rose Johnson is a delight. Inspired by her own family history, Johnson spins a tale of hope, faith, and love that is as timeless as those her own heroine loves: Anne of Green Gables, Pollyanna, Little Women, and more.

Norvia Nelson has a great deal to overcome in this book–adjusting to a new stepfather and step-siblings as well as a new home and high school, the societal shame of her mother and father’s divorce, her mother’s insistence that she hide her Ojibwe heritage for fear of prejudice, as well as a deep desire to be popular and the kind of person who brings people together, and the fear that she might be the opposite of both. How Norvia tackles all of these difficulties, her struggles, failures, and successes, makes for a story both heartwarming and encouraging. There is nothing sappy or saccharine about it, but it is a gentle, sweet story that ultimately believes in people’s ability to make the best of every situation, no matter how difficult.

It also is full of delightfully subtle nods to the stories both Norvia and Johnson love–never anything that distracts or detracts from the story, but fun little treats for readers who are also familiar with those stories. (I love the hair comb especially–such a sweet tribute to Emily of Deep Valley!)

I have preordered the hardcover in addition to the eARC I already received, and I can’t wait both to read it again for myself, and to share it with my daughters, as I know they will love it as well.

(Note: the above is the review I put up on Goodreads for this book after reading the eARC–after I received the hardcover, I handed it to Joy, age 14 1/2, who started reading it and in true storybook fashion stayed up late reading it because she couldn’t put it down. “It’s so compelling!” she told me, half-guiltily, half-delightedly. So there you go–my expectations that my daughters would love it were not only met, but exceeded.)

The Star That Always Stays is available in all the usual places–Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org–but I strongly recommend requesting it through your local independent bookstore, should you be so fortunate as to have one. I have linked to the hardcover edition for each of these, because this is the type of book that feels more fitting to read in hardcover, but of course you can get the ebook at any of the above links if that is your preference or need!

fiction, writing

Snippets of Stories in Other People’s Worlds

I have been diligently working on Book 3 of Whitney & Davies this spring, but in case you’re looking for something light to read while you wait, I have also been slowly posting some of my older (but still loved) fanfiction stories onto AO3 (Archive of Our Own). I have not put up any of the old LM Montgomery works (my main “fandom” back in the day!), but I do have a Narnia story, a Lloyd Alexander story, an Oz story, an Edward Eager story, and a Kate and Cecilia story. And who knows, by the time you read this, I might have more up!

I will let you know the release date of Whitney & Davies #3 when I have a better idea as to when it will be finished, and I’m hoping to have some exciting news related to starting a monthly newsletter to share with you soon, as well. In the meantime–

Enjoy some examples of me playing in other writers’ sandboxes!

Archive of Our Own

Books, characters, fiction, mystery, publishing, stories, writing

Secrets of the Past, Published

It’s been one week since Secrets of the Past published!

Old Secrets Cast Long Shadows …
 
When newspaper columnist Pauline Gray agrees to help a retired schoolteacher write her memoirs, she has no idea it will lead to murder. Someone doesn’t want old memories stirred up … and they are willing to kill to keep the past a secret. Now it’s a race to uncover the truth that the murderer is so desperate to keep buried. It will take all Pauline’s ingenuity to solve this case before the killer strikes again—and this time Pauline herself might be the victim … 

I confess: I forgot to post about it on the blog on the actual publication day. I was so busy updating all my other social media sites that writing a post for here slipped my mind. So I decided I would wait and do a “one week” post instead (and then nearly forgot about that as well).

I am so happy to have this book out in the world. It’s a bit surreal to think that I have completed this series. Originally I had intended for there to be 7-8 Pauline Gray books, but as I went along I started to realize that this was better suited for a shorter series, and when I started working on Secrets, it became very clear that this was the final story. The final chapter was a little emotional to write! But I am satisfied with the three stories, satisfied with Pauline’s character arc throughout the series, and pleased to see the project completed.

The ebook of Secrets of the Past is available at pretty much all the usual retailers, via this link. So far the paperback is only available through Amazon, but it will eventually be distributed through other retailers as well. The process takes a bit longer with print than with ebooks.

I hope you have all enjoyed going back in time to 1930s Canton, NY with me, and getting to know all the characters I chose to people this town with, and I hope you enjoy this final book in the series. Happy reading!

Books, fiction, mystery, publishing, writing

Secrets of the Past, Print Release Date

The second proof copy of the print edition of Secrets of the Past arrived in the mail yesterday, and … it’s gorgeous. I’m so pleased with how it turned out.

The first proof copy had some problems with the margins, which I was able to finally sort out, and I wasn’t happy with a couple of details on the cover, things that looked fine on a computer screen but just didn’t work well on a physical book. That’s why we have physical proof copies, to work out all those little details in order to have the final product be as close to perfect as a human can get!

The really good news, so far as my readers are concerned, is that with the success of this proof, I will be able to release the paperback edition of Secrets of the Past on March 1st, right along with the ebook edition. Hurrah!

So mark your calendars for March 1st, 2022, whichever edition you prefer to buy, because you will be able to take your pick.

Less than a week to go!

Books, characters, fiction, mystery, publishing, reading list, writing

Secrets of the Past Release Date

Old Secrets Cast Long Shadows …
 
When newspaper columnist Pauline Gray agrees to help a retired schoolteacher write her memoirs, she has no idea it will lead to murder. Someone doesn’t want old memories stirred up … and they are willing to kill to keep the past a secret. Now it’s a race to uncover the truth that the murderer is so desperate to keep buried. It will take all Pauline’s ingenuity to solve this case before the killer strikes again—and this time Pauline herself might be the victim … 

I am very happy to be able to announce a release date for Secrets of the Past, the third and final Pauline Gray novella. It will be available in ebook form on March 1, 2022. You can preorder it now using this link: Secrets of the Past

I am hoping that the paperback will be available on March 1 as well, but I can’t make any promises with that.

This book was one of my most challenging to write, and one of the most rewarding. I can’t wait to share it with readers! This is a bittersweet release for me–I am pleased to have brought Pauline’s journey to completion, and a little sad to say goodbye to her. I hope all of my readers find satisfaction in how this final mystery works out.

You can also add Secrets of the Past to your Goodreads list here, if you like.

I will update once I have a set release date for the paperback as well!

1920s, Books, fantasy, fiction, goals, mystery, publishing, Sci-fi, stories, writing

Publishing Plans for 2022

I often hesitate to post about upcoming books and publications, because so often life ends up turning my plans upside down–or the book refuses to be written–or the prior book takes longer to be written than planned and so this book has to be pushed off yet again–and so on and so forth. However, I also do like to keep my readers informed as to what they can expect, and so with the qualifier that these plans are very, very loosely held, here is what to look out for in 2022, and possibly beyond.

Secrets of the Past. The third and final (at least for now) Pauline Gray novella will be coming soon–possibly even this month, though a March publication date is more likely.

Death by Disguise. The third novel in the Whitney & Davies series, following after Glamours & Gunshots. (The current chronological order of the series, for those who are curious, is: Magic Most Deadly, The Third Thief*, Masks & the Magician*, While Shepherds Watch, Glamours & Gunshots, Death by Disguise.) My original plan for 2022 was to have this published by April. Substantial rewrites are making that look less and less likely, but I am still intending to publish it this year, just most likely later than the original goal.

Another collection of short stories in the Whitney & Davies collection, these to feature some of the smaller cases the team solves between Glamours & Gunshots and Death by Disguise. This collection is tentatively titled Sorcery and Suspicion, but we’ll see if the title lasts throughout the actual writing and organizing of the stories!

Those three books make up my publishing plans for this year. I have not forgotten about the Caledonia sequel I hinted at however many months ago (either here or on one of my social media sites, I can’t remember now where I talked about it). That story is still proving recalcitrant, and since it is more important to me to get it right rather than publish it fast, I’ve stopped trying to set a publication date for it. It is still happening, just … not very fast.

I also have two more Whitney & Davies novels planned, and my hope is to publish one if not both in 2023. After that … who knows? We shall see where the muse strikes!

Feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions about the upcoming books, or an urgent request for a story that you are hoping to read, or a character you’d like to see featured in an upcoming story, or if you just want to talk about the books! I always enjoy chatting with my readers.

*found in the short story collection Magic & Mayhem

Books, fiction, mystery, publishing, writing

Cover Reveal, Pauline Gray #3

At long last, it is time to reveal the cover for the third (and most likely final) Pauline Gray novella. Are you excited? I am excited to show it to you!

This is the fifth book cover I’ve designed (I’ve done all the covers for the PG mysteries, as well as the cover for Magic & Mayhem and While Shepherds Watch), and while I’m not planning on taking up graphic design as a career any time soon, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed developing my skills in this area. I’m also indebted to my husband Carl and my editor A.M. Offenwanger, both of whom have a far better artistic eye than I do and who both always offer valuable input on the cover before I declare it ready.

So now, without further ado, here is the cover for Secrets of the Past.

Old Secrets Cast Long Shadows …
 
When newspaper columnist Pauline Gray agrees to help a retired schoolteacher write her memoirs, she has no idea it will lead to murder. Someone doesn’t want old memories stirred up … and they are willing to kill to keep the past a secret. Now it’s a race to uncover the truth that the murderer is so desperate to keep buried. It will take all Pauline’s ingenuity to solve this case before the killer strikes again—and this time Pauline herself might be the victim …  

This has been one of my most challenging stories to write, and I am looking forward to at last being able to share it with you all–soon! I don’t have a specific release date yet, but it should be sometime in February or, at the very latest, early March.

One more adventure for Pauline, and this one the most difficult yet! We can only hope she survives it …