Novel on Fire
Okay, I knew my new novel (Stolen Brilliance- A Lady Black Historical Mystery) was going to be hot, but I didn’t know quite how hot until my wife, and I walked into our house two weeks ago and smelled smoke. Starting in the basement, we split up to find the source. The smoke got worse, setting off the smoke alarms.
The “Evacuate now” message came on when we reached the second floor. I heard, “Oh my GOD, it’s your office.” We entered (please excuse the description, but the visual is emblazoned in my mind). Flames were leaping off (well, at least the flames were visual) a copy of my manuscript for Stolen Brilliance.
We quickly put the flames out, but smoke had filled my office, and it took three days of air cleaning to make it habitable. Safe from the fire, it took more time than we expected to figure out how to turn off two sets of alarms (if you have alarms, reread the manual when you get a chance.)
Now that I’ve caught you up on the fire let me keep you updated on my blog postings. I started Writer’s Odyssey to document the experience of writing my first novel (after several non-fiction books.) It seemed like a good idea at the time (it always does). The fact is the writing process I was going to document went back two years (or more) and was old history. I am challenged to try and recall anything that might be of interest to you, the reader, it’s too old. I have finished the draft of the second book in the series, and Stolen Brilliance is progressing through my launch team fairly rapidly.
What I would like most (all about me) is an exchange with you, the readers. My office time now is focused on all aspects of marketing and promotion, which might be of more interest. Please comment if you are reading this.
For example, after five drafts between my wife, me, and my wonderful editor Celia Johnson (formally of Random House and Grand Central Publishing), now a co-founder and part of the team at Pro Pub, my publishing team for all books (self-published), we have a draft of jacket text for the books release. I would love your reaction and opinion. It is printed below after the next paragraph.
THE FIRE
The fire was caused by sunlight (not common in Vermont in winter). I had placed my wife’s mother’s magnifying glass in a pen and pencil jar on my desk. It has a small round section with greater magnification; the sunlight hit it just right and lit the fire. What if it happened while we were traveling?
Here is the current draft of the book jacket text for Stolen Brilliance, A Lady Black Historical Mystery.
Lady Black harbors a secret past life as a master criminal in this tale of love, crime, and adventure, with a jaw-dropping twist that will leave you stunned.
Rescued from the slums of Victorian London, Edie Black finds herself ensnared in a web of crime orchestrated by Mrs. Hill, the cunning mastermind behind the Forty Elephants, an infamous gang of lady thieves. While perfecting her skills for deception, Edie falls deeply in love with Benji, the man who once saved her.
Rising through the ranks of the Forty Elephants, Edie earns Mrs. Hills’ trust. Under Mrs. Hill’s direction, she embarks on a daring heist of the Steamship Ferret. Soon, Edie finds herself navigating crime and adventure in far-flung locations from France and South Africa to Brazil to Australia.
Meanwhile, when a massive diamond heist occurs in Cape Town, various parties in London implicate Benji as the thief. He is pursued by Lloyds of London investigators, corporate interests, rival gangs, and Mrs. Hill. As secrets unravel and alliances shift, Edie is faced with the choice of saving Benji’s life and her own and uncovering the true perpetrators.
Inspired by real events, Stolen Brilliance is a meticulously researched historical mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the final page. Join Edie Black on a journey of deception, danger, and love as she fights to carve out her place in a world where nothing is as it seems.
Please let me know what you think through Medium or mgcolburn@colburntreat.com.
