Monday, August 30, 2010

Fun in Review

For Richer, For Danger: a Broken Vows mystery officially releases September 1st, but it’s been available most of this month already. I received my copies August 8th when I came home from a week’s vacation and found the cartons sitting in the rain. Thankfully, just wet cardboard, not wet books.

For Richer, For Danger is the sequel to For Better, For Murder. It continues the saga of Jolene Asdale, her sheriff’s deputy husband Ray Parker, and her unpredictable younger sister, Erica.

In this novel, after years of ambivalence about parenthood, Finger Lakes sports car dealer Jolene Asdale is now driven to adopt her foster child, the daughter of fugitive robbery suspects. But some major roadblocks arise, including an open hit-and-run case and a recent murder—with the silent, uncooperative birthmother as the prime suspect.

I’m excited about this release but also continually reviewing the last year, during which I met a lot of wonderful authors and readers at Bouchercon and Malice Domestic, attended two fun book club discussions of For Better, For Murder, held a well-received library talk, learned my friends and family can be counted on to show up for book signings and to promote my books, met some great booksellers and librarians, heard from a number of enthused readers, and truly appreciated the total surprise and thrill of having For Better, For Murder named a 2009 Agatha Award finalist for Best First Novel.

The last year will be a tough act to follow.

But the year of For Richer, For Danger has started off early with a welcome first time review in Publisher’s Weekly, who called it a “winning second mystery.” Kirkus is still on board, although a little more cryptic this time in their comments. Both reviews are much appreciated.

Just last week I sat down for an interview with a reporter from a Finger Lakes area newspaper. No one has ever asked to interview me before—except for a job, of course. This kind of interview was way more fun.

And I had a lot of fun writing my first two books, as well as the third and fourth in this series which are now finished. Hopefully that fun shows in the work itself.

A local radio announcer closes his timeslot every day with the saying, “If you had fun, you won!”

That pretty much sums it all up.

And just for fun today, I’m offering a giveaway of For Richer, For Danger. If you’d like to enter the drawing, send me an email at Lisa@LisaBork.com with “Drawing” on the subject line. I’ll pick two winners randomly on Friday and send the books out promptly thereafter.

11 comments:

Dru said...

I have your book on my pile waiting its turn to be read.

Will you let us know when your interview appears in your local paper?

You finished the third and fourth book? Yippee, because that means we'll get to see more of Jolene.

Sue Ann Jaffarian said...

Big Congrats on the book release, Lisa! I'm sure this year will top last year by a landslide.

Darrell James said...

Lisa- Big Congratulations on a great past year and on what I'm sure will be an even greater year this year. It sounds like we might share release dates next year in September. How fun will that be!!!!

Keith Raffel said...

Lisa, convinced your career will keep roaring along like a Ferrari on the autostrada.

Kathleen Ernst said...

I enjoyed the first book, and look forward to #2! Congrats, Lis.

Lois Winston said...

Congrats, Lisa! Both for the new release and having already finished Books 3 and 4 in the series. I just turned in Book 2 of my series today. The nail biting has begun.

Beth Groundwater said...

Congratulations, Lisa! I loved the first book and can't wait to read the second one. And like Dru, I'd like to see a pointer to the interview in the paper, if it's on-line.

Carol Grace said...

You're an Agatha Award finalist AND you're having fun too! Can't wait to hear what happens this year.

Marni said...

Congrats on the new book and the success of the first. Here's a question: I'm promoting my first book and want to know how you found the time to write your second?! I'm impressed~

Vicki Doudera said...

Lisa, it is such a thrill to open that box of books and see the new baby! Congrats. I enjoyed meeting you at Malice and hope our paths cross again soon.

Lisa Bork said...

Thanks for all the congrats, everyone. Appreciate the support!

The newspaper is online and in print but I failed to ask for the publication date. The reporter promised to send her interview to me--perhaps by my next turn to post?!