It’s been nearly a month since I’ve posted and a lot has happened in that time frame. April 1st I started a new job. I’m at the same company, but instead of supervising training, I am now an operations manager for a call center. I’m thankful for a great boss, amazing coworkers who have helped me transition as well as a new team who are helping me learn my new role.
The second book in my Mystery Bookshop Mystery series, READ HERRING HUNT, released on April 24th. I had a wonderful book release party at the Hamilton Place Mall Barnes & Noble. Special thanks to Kelly Flemings, CBM for the Chattanooga Barnes & Noble and the wonderful people who came out to support me.
April 25thI closed on a house and April 26th I headed to Bethesda, Maryland to attend my first Malice Domestic where I was fortunate to have been nominated for an Agatha Award. While I didn’t win the Agatha for Best First Novel, I am extremely honored to have been nominated. This was a dream come true and I am beyond grateful to everyone who nominated and voted for THE PLOT IS MURDER. You will never know how much it meant to know that been nominated along with such amazing authors (Micki Browning, Kellye Garrett, Laura Oles and Kathy Valenti).
Congratulations to Kellye Garrett for winning the Agatha for Best First Novel for Hollywood Homicide. It’s a great book.
MaliceDomestic was a blast. I met so many wonderful authors and mystery lovers. Unfortunately, my frazzled mental state prevented me from taking pictures, so I’m borrowing from other authors who had the presence of mind to capture the moment digitally.
My return from Malice was the beginning of my great exodus from apartment living into my own home. This wasn’t my first home purchase. In fact, its number eight, but who’s counting? Yes, you read correctly, I have just bought my eighth house. That doesn’t even take into account the interim moves into rentals while I looked for a house to buy. It is probably the knowledge that this wasn’t my first rodeo (as they say in the South) which left me overconfidently believing that this move would go smoothly. Silly Rabbit. In my arrogance, I forgot the number one rule that all who move frequently know. Boxes multiply when left unchecked. Then there’s the DNA trait I inherited from my dad which hoards and balks at the idea of passing up a good deal. I blame this for my need to purchase an additional sofa, rug, lamp, pictures, suitcases, clothes…well, you get the idea. So, the items that fit on one truck one year prior, no longer fit. Yep, that was fun. However, after nearly a week and the help of friends (thanks Danny and Sophia), I’m now completely moved.
I did manage to do some author-type things during the past month. I completed the manuscript for the second book in the Dog Club Mystery Series, The Puppy Who Knew Too Much, and completed editor revisions. In addition, I completed the Galley edits on the first book in the series, IN THE DOG HOUSE and wrote the synopsis for the third book, BARK IF ITS MURDER. Having received the green light from my editor, I am now writing this third book in the Dog Club series and anxiously anticipating the release of the first book in my RJ Franklin Mystery Series, TRAVELLIN’ SHOES (July 1st).
To say the past month has been a whirlwind would be an understatement. The poodles and I are adjusting to our new environment and as I unpack and rediscover items packed away for months; our house is slowly becoming a home. I’m hopeful life will settle down and my new house will provide an atmosphere conducive to writing for many years.