Been a while...

Sorry I haven't updated in so long. I always assume you guys will be annoyed if I bust into your life without any news to report.

Suffice it to say life has been interesting here at the farm (those who know me will understand how absurd that sentence was): We're gearing up for a raucous fall and winter, with an appearance at Bouchercon--among the roughly 5,000 other authors attending--at a panel called OLD FRIENDS, NEW FRIENDS which will examine the trials and tribulations of writing more than one series and keeping it all straight in your head. More on that coming soon.

After the trip to Cleveland (the land of cleve), we'll be waiting for the release of the eSpecial novella A WILD GHOST CHASE, told from Paul Harrison's point of view and bringing a few surprises along the way. Look for that on New Year's Eve (everyone's favorite night to stay in and read). I'll supply a few links below.

The fourth Haunted Guesthouse novel, CHANCE OF A GHOST, will be published early in February, and hopefully you'll find it worth the wait. It involves Alison in the death of a gentleman who lived in her mother's active adult community--who claims (he's now a ghost) that he was murdered by electrocution in his bathtub. But Alison's mind is really on her ghostly father, whom her mother reports is missing--and about whose death questions start to arise.

There'll be more coming about both of those in the coming weeks. Thanks for being patient with me; I promise not to drop out of site (get it?) for so long again.

Here's the link to A WILD GHOST CHASE on the Amazon Kindle

and here for the Barnes & Noble Nook. Preorders are available, and it's priced at only $2.99!

And... if you'd like a look at the cover of A WILD GHOST CHASE, well:

OLD HAUNTS contest winners!

Congratulations to the OLD HAUNTS contest winners: Louann Matsumoto, Elaine Charton, and Tina Trevino! Louann won the OLD HAUNTS travel mug, and Elaine and Tina each get an OLD HAUNTS t-shirt! Thanks to everyone who entered--we got a really impressive response this time!

For those interested: The contest asked you to let us know who your favorite Haunted Guesthouse Mystery character might be, and those who hadn't read any of the books in the series were encouraged to vote for THE HOUSE. So finally tallies:

THE HOUSE: 19

Maxie: 16

Melissa: 10

Alison: 9

Paul: 8

Loretta: 4

1 vote each for Steven (the Swine), Lt. McElone, Phyllis Coates, and Alison's dad Jack (who will be more in evidence in the upcoming CHANCE OF A GHOST)

Thanks to all who entered!

The Wait Is Over!

OLD HAUNTS, the third Haunted Guesthouse mystery, is now available at your local (or remote) bookseller! Waste NO time in getting your copy, because you'll want to be in on the fun as Alison deals with everybody's failed relationship: Maxie's ex-husband is found murdered, and she wants Alison to investigate. Paul's almost-intended-bride, still living, is hard to find, and he wants to know she's all right. And Alison's notorious ex, The Swine, is not the least bit missing--he's on the doorstep of her guesthouse on the Jersey Shore, talking about reconciliation. And making Alison wonder what he's REALLY doing here...

Take a look, then enter our contest below! And please, when you read OLD HAUNTS, get in touch and let me know if you enjoyed it--an author ALWAYS wants to hear from readers!

OLD HAUNTS Contest Time!

The box of books arrived today, and the launch of OLD HAUNTS, the third Haunted Guesthouse mystery, is less than three weeks away, so it's time for a contest! Get ready, because this one is going to be fun!

It's also really easy: Just send an email to: ejcopperman [AT] gmail [DOT] com naming your favorite character in the Haunted Guesthouse series. (If you haven't read any of the books, just say: THE HOUSE.) Make sure we have your snail mail address. That's it.

First prize: The only official OLD HAUNTS coffee travel mug, pictured to the left. This 16-oz. mug bears the image of the OLD HAUNTS cover, and, you know, will hold coffee (or any other beverage) in it, too. What's not to like?

Next prize (2 to be awarded): An OLD HAUNTS t-shirt! This shirt (size L) bears the image of the OLD HAUNTS cover and will hold, um, you in it, as well. Stylish and comfortable, it's the shirt to be wearing while reading OLD HAUNTS (or doing pretty much anything else you might like to do) this winter/spring.

Winners to be determined by a completely random selection of the email address out of a hat (probably an OLD HAUNTS hat, which bears... never mind) on Wednesday, February 29--that's right, Leap Day! (Why not?)

Enter as many times as you like, as long as it's once. Duplicate entries will be shredded and made into birdcage lining as soon as I get a bird. No purchase is required, or even possible.

Tell your friends; tell your enemies; tell total strangers--OLD HAUNTS is on its way!

Read the first chapter of OLD HAUNTS!

It's less than two months until the release of OLD HAUNTS, the third Haunted Guesthouse mystery! But you don't have to wait all that time for a taste of it: the first chapter is now available to read for free by clicking here! 

OLD HAUNTS has Alison Kerby dealing with figures from the past of everyone in her Jersey Shore guesthouse--even the ghosts. Paul wants her to find a woman he was going to ask to marry him. Maxie is distraught because her ex-husband's remains have been found is a secret grave under the boardwalk. 

But worst of all: Alison's ex-husband (The Swine) has arrived unannounced from Los Angeles and seems to have an agenda, but Alison can't figure it out. 

Plus, there's a full house of guests, a handsome biker wooing Alison and renovations to be done in the attic. When someone starts sending her threatening texts, Alison's just about at the end of her rope. 

Don't wait--start NOW! Read the first chapter of OLD HAUNTS and get started early! Then come back here and comment below to let me know what you thought!

Congrats to the Contest Winners!

Congratulations to Patti Seratte and Pamela Michalek, winners of the completely useless empty covers of Old Haunts, signed by the author! Thanks to all who entered the contest! Keep watching this space for more contests, and remember: Old Haunts, the third Haunted Guesthouse mystery, is due February 7, 2012!

New (Really Odd) Contest!

One of the things that a publishing company does for an author--or at least, that my lovely editor does for me--in the process of making a book is to send said author some sample covers once the design has been agreed upon and the book is in the process of being printed. It's a nice way to get something in your hand, as an author, to look at and say, "This will be my book."

But let's be real: This is not the most useful item on the planet. It's a cover. It's flat (both front and back covers are included, but it's not folded). There's no book inside. It's nice to look at, but that's about it.

So when I got the three copies of the OLD HAUNTS cover, for the book due in February, one thought leapt immediately to mind: "I only need one of these."

That's where you come in.

If you'd like to get a first look at the cover of OLD HAUNTS, and have it in your hand, SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR, here's your chance. I'm announcing the first (as far as I know) EMPTY COVER CONTEST in publishing history.

Here's how it works: You quote your FAVORITE LINE from the Haunted Guesthouse series. Either published book. If it's from OLD HAUNTS, I'm going to want to know who your mole inside Berkley Publishing might be. Otherwise, I'll assume the line is from NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEED or AN UNINVITED GHOST. 

Send that quote in an email to ejcopperman [at] gmail [dot] com. Send it before midnight, Monday October 17. (That's the night of October 17, not the first moment in the morning. You have all day Monday, I'm saying.) 

All entries received on time will be ceremoniously dumped into the nearest hat and two (because I have two extra covers) will be pulled out at random. They'll be signed by the author (that's me) and sent to the winner (hopefully, that's YOU!). Winners will be announced Tuesday, October 18.

For more information (or the same information in different words), go to my website and look under "CONTEST."

Good luck!