Adieu, Fran and Ken

 I am sorry to report that SWITCHEROO, the third Fran and Ken Stein mystery novel, to be published on June 3, will be the final book in the series. I think it wraps up the siblings' story pretty well, but it'll be up to you to let me know if I'm right about that.

And I feel compelled, again, to say that no, it WASN'T my decision to end the series. Publishers tend to do that for you, based on sales numbers, which weren't fabulous, and perhaps that does make it my fault, since I didn't write a book that enough of you wanted to buy, but now my head hurts and what good is that going to do anyone?

It's something of an amazement that Fran and Ken ever saw it to a bookstore or a library, anyway. I came up with the idea a good many years ago, toward the end of the Guesthouse era, as a way to extend the paranormal type of storylines that readers had enjoyed. But the publisher did not consider Fran and Ken interesting enough to pursue, and so the concept (I only have a few pages - okay, 50 pages - at the time) sat on my hard drive for a number of years.

But luckily, my agent Josh Getzler absolutely refused to give up on the Steins, and he kept plugging away until Severn House, then in the midst of the Jersey Girl series, decided to take a chance and published UKULELE OF DEATH. Interest was strong enough that we got through two more installments, but the writing (outside of the books) was on the wall, and Severn pulled the plug as SWITCHEROO was in the process of preparation for its publication, which I still hope might spur some of you to pick up a copy and read it. I don't like to brag, but I think these three books are pretty good.

Meanwhile, don't give up on my paranormal mysteries just yet: In ALL SPOOKED UP, the first Haunted Paint Store mystery coming towards the end of 2025, you'll meet Laura Meehan, who took up her father's paint and wallpaper store in a South Jersey town when her dad passed away. She wasn't expecting that he'd still be in the store, offering advice - and some criticism - as she investigates a murder that takes place in her business one night when the store is closed. And that's all I'll tell you about that now.

So yes, it is sad that we're saying goodbye to Fran and Ken. I'll miss them. But Laura, her husband Roy and her dad Amos are just waiting in the wings, and hopefully you'll find them good company.

Tap, Tap... Is This Thing On?

 I've been monitoring the crime fiction section of the publishing industry fairly closely, and I'm rapidly approaching the conclusion that I don't exist. Worse, I believe this perception is of my own doing.

The one part of being an author that most authors will almost unanimously tell you is their least favorite is promotion. It's not that we don't like meeting and talking with readers, librarians and booksellers--we love that! But doing to work of getting our names and our (book) titles out there for others to see, the contacts with bookstores that might want to host an event, with bloggers who might allow a guest post, with radio or (keep dreaming) television programs that could feature an author, that is generally speaking outside our comfort zone, and in my case, anyway, beyond our talents.

People like to tell me how they admire my ability to keep writing novels. It's very nice of them. And in the back of my mind, I'm thinking, "That's the easy part." It's getting those novels into the hands or e-readers of actual people that's the trick, and the thing that keeps publishers offering book contracts, which is how authors actually sustain themselves, except for those who sell gajillions of books and can live on royalties. 

It's not that I'm unwilling to do ANY of the things necessary to promote my work. I'm proud of my work and want it to find an audience. I'll talk about it to anyone, anytime, until someone tells me to stop. But I don't have the creative muscle that suggests interesting ways to promote the books. I'm just bad at that. And believe me, I have tried.

Which brings us to the idea of the book publicist, or the author publicist. 

There are many people and agencies that specialize in such things, and on rare occasions (twice) I have availed myself of them. It can be expensive (although deductible) to hire on the experts, and they will tell you in all honesty that trying to create a buzz with just one book is probably not the most cost-effective way to go. My results have been, let's say, mixed. I'd still recommend either of the people I've worked with, if you have the money and the time to make it work. 

So what does that leave us with? How CAN an author get his/her/their head above water? What steps SHOULD the writer make and what's best to avoid (anyone who contacts you by email and claims to be able to get reviews for you, given just a small fee, should be on that "avoid" list)? Aside from writing a book so brilliant and provocative that it can't be ignored, what's a writer to do?

Those are good questions. If you know the answers, feel free to get in touch. Comments can be seen below.

Meanwhile, GOOD LIEUTENANT, the sixth and (alas) final Jersey Girl Legal Mystery, is now available! Coming in the spring, SWITCHEROO, the third Fran and Ken Stein (read those names again) mystery, will be published by Severn House, and late in 2025, expect the first Paint and Wallpaper paranormal cozy mystery, ALL SHOOK UP, also from Severn House. 

That was my attempt to promote them.