My newest release, Dead Giveaway, will be on the bookshelves November 1. I have no advance reviews on this book, so I am nervous. Reviews, good or bad, calm me. Let me know that people are reading and giving some thought to what they have read. My first two books sold through my advance within 6 months, but this one is the first on the latest two book contract, so it's important to me to know whether Abby's development and the mysteries themselves are still interesting. Book 4, my work in progress, is titled Reality Check. Abby butts heads with Hollywood in this one. I am writing again, by the way. Major stops in the writing process for me always mean something is wrong. This time it was the pacing. I picked things up and that helped. I have a problem with slow books and my own are no exception. Sometimes you have to take a step back. Wait a little and find that creative cell--and yes, I think I only have one and it's getting tired--the cell that moves you forward while deftly avoiding the sledge hammer self-editor cells. Why are there so many more of them?

I did my first radio interview Wednesday morning, a call-in to a station in Florida NY, which does happen to reach parts of NYC and New Jersy. Now THAT was fun. No pressure, just conversation about my book. Every tiny bit of publicity helps, right? Of course that was the night of the 14 inning Astro loss, so I was up from 5 AM until 1:30 AM the next day. Please do not offer your condolences about my beloved Astros being swept. I have loved them for years, will always love them, and can't wait for spring training. They're the best.

take care anyone who might be out there.

Leann

This is a supposed to be a blog about my life as a writer, but since I have not written anything since Tuesday, I'm feeling guilty. I'm still settling into my fulltime writer mode and do not have a schedule nailed down--for many reasons too boring to bring up. I feel out of rhythm dealing with non-writing things that are so boring and time consuming they suck the creativity right out of me. How did I write 3 novels in 18 months while I still worked a 40 hour week? Maybe I have to revisit the past two years--but they are a blur. One thing I do know, when I write, I spend hours in Abby's world. Time flies. Yeah ... that's how you do. Just go there and see what happens. And if you have read this, let me know. I have no idea if anyone is listening.

Take care,
Leann

I am re-posting this to allow comments after some spammers inserted themselves in the discussion!

A really nice thing happened today, one of those special moments that make me so glad I'm a writer. An elderly woman who cares for an even older woman than herself called and asked if I had copies of my second book. She had met me at one of my first signing events at an assisted living center. Last time we met was at a local grocery store for her to buy a couple more copies of my first book--gifts for friends. This time we met in the same place--she can't drive too far and gets easily lost and this was the simplest way for us to meet. She was so thrilled to have the second book, she told me, because she has read the first one twice. And the 90 year old woman she cares for, who "never" reads mysteries needed a copy, too, as she loves Abby and her antics. They make her smile. Gosh, does it get any better than this? I used to get my warm fuzzies from the kids I took care of as a school nurse for the last twenty years. Now I've learned they can come from different places. I only hope I'll keep meeting my new friend in front of the Randalls grocery store for a long time to come.

A really nice thing happened today, one of those special moments that make me so glad I'm a writer. An elderly woman who cares for an even older woman than herself called and asked if I had copies of my second book. She had met me at one of my first signing events at an assisted living center. Last time we met was at a local grocery store for her to buy a couple more copies of my first book--gifts for friends. This time we met in the same place--she can't drive too far and gets easily lost and this was the simplest way for us to meet. She was so thrilled to have the second book, she told me, because she has read the first one twice. And the 90 year old woman she cares for, who "never" reads mysteries needed a copy, too, as she loves Abby and her antics. They make her smile. Gosh, does it get any better than this? I used to get my warm fuzzies from the kids I took care of as a school nurse for the last twenty years. Now I've learned they can come from different places. I only hope I'll keep meeting my new friend in front of the Randalls grocery store for a long time to come.