A Story…

In 2017, my 3rd book came out (Death and the Gravedigger’s Angel). I had turned the manuscript in to my publisher the winter/ spring of 2016 so it was actually written in 2015.

It involved an army vet accused of killing a member of the hate group that interrupted his Muslim wife’s funeral. Trump had started issuing bans and all and anti-Muslim racism was rampant. One of the reviews I got on it (Kirkus) criticized me for having “a plot ripped from the headlines”.

I felt this was unfair since they weren’t headlines when I wrote it.

Now, that same summer I was writing that book I came up with a plot for another one, a standalone mystery. That book is Julia’s Heart and it took me more than three years to write and another to edit and refine. I was hesitant to write it, actually, because I was afraid I was not someone who should. It wouldn’t let go of me though and, to me, this book feels right.

After FIVE YEARS spent on this thing, it’s finally ready to come out. It’s set to be released on October 12. I’m just glad there’s no way anyone might think this plot is “ripped from the headlines.”

The main character is a Black woman from Portland, Oregon, and one of the other characters is a racist cop.

?‍♀️

I just want to reiterate this. I am NOT writing this stuff into existence. I swear! Even my imagination isn’t crazy enough to come up with 2020. Anyway, here’s the full description of Julia’s Heart from inside the front cover. ?

Cover reveal tomorrow. (Friday.)