Meeting a Deadline

--by Linda O. Johnston

I did it!

Today was my deadline for the manuscript for my second Barkery & Biscuits Mystery for Midnight Ink, and I emailed it late yesterday.

Why am I excited about that?  I usually meet deadlines with no problem.  Or at least with little difficulty.  But this time I wound up having some family travel commitments that arose rather late within the writing process and I wasn't certain I'd make it.

But I did tell my wonderful Midnight Ink editor Terri Bischoff about my potential issue when I saw her at Malice Domestic, and she gave me some leeway, which I really appreciate.  Then I found I was able to meet the deadline anyway.   Mostly.  The Barkery & Biscuits Mysteries contain recipes, and although I received some dog treat recipes from some delightful online friends thanks to a request I posted, I want to try them out before including them.  I'll try to do that this week.

I recognize that deadlines are important in the publishing process, in order to make sure a book is published on schedule.  I fortunately have learned to write fairly quickly over the years so I can generally estimate a deadline that will work for me.

But life does happen.

Anyway, I'm not mentioning my working title for this book #2 in the series since it may change.  The first one, BITE THE BISCUIT, was a May release, and as far as I know book #2 will be published next May.  In between, the second Superstition Mystery, KNOCK ON WOOD, will be published in October.  Its predecessor, Superstition Mystery #1, LOST UNDER A LADDER, was published last October.  Do you see a trend here?  I do.  And by the way, I'm also writing two romance series at the same time...

Yes, deadlines can be challenging for me.  But they can be challenging for everyone, no matter what it is you're doing in your life. 

So what's your next deadline?  I guess I'd better check what mine is and get to work

Malice Domestic

--by Linda O. Johnston

I know I'm a little late posting this.  That's because I purposely delayed writing it until I left Malice Domestic, a wonderful conference for cozy mystery readers and writers that took place this weekend.

It was wonderful!  I got to see old friends and make new ones.  I hung out with fellow Inkers, talked about our books and shared information about our respective series.

I got to chat with my delightful Midnight Ink editor Terri Bischoff.  At the buffet I sat at the table hosted by fellow Inker Tracy Weber, who was nominated for an Agatha for best first novel.  I'm so proud of her!  We also sat near another table of Inkers and were able to toast each other with delicious wine.

My Malice panel was: The "Paws" That Refresh: Four-Legged Detectives and Their Sidekicks, where my fellow panelists also write mysteries dealing with pets, mostly dogs and cats.  What a fun group!

I participated in Malice Go Round, which is the exhausting but enjoyable event where authors visit tables of readers two at a time to each give two-minute pitches of their work, then move on.  I'd been second on the waiting list of authors, and a few authors very sadly weren't able to make it to the conference or otherwise were not able to attend this event. 

I received a copy of the Midnight Ink magazine containing its fall lineup of mysteries.  It had the cover of my upcoming October release, the second Superstition Mystery, KNOCK ON WOOD in it!  It looks great.  Information and covers of my existing MI books were there, too, including the first Superstition novel LOST UNDER A LADDER as well as the first Barkery and Biscuits novel BITE THE BISCUIT.

And, yes, BITE THE BISCUIT is now officially available, or at least it will be in four days.  Copies were at the conference, and I was able to sign some to give away at the wonderful dessert bar hosted by MI to celebrate its tenth birthday.

So, yes, I had fun.

And I look forward to next year's Malice Domestic!

 

Facing a New Year

--by Linda O. Johnston

The year 2015 has begun!  In fact, we're five days into it.  Did you make any resolutions?  I didn't, but being more superstitious than I used to be, thanks to writing my Superstition Mysteries being published by Midnight Ink, I looked around and wondered whether things that were happening were an indication of how my new year would go.

So far things haven't been great and inspiring, but neither have they been horrible.  My poor husband had unexpected tooth surgery, though, and was in pain but fortunately that has improved.  The toaster at my nearby Panera where I breakfast often on weekends remains broken. I have a February 1 writing deadline for one of my shapeshifter stories for Harlequin Nocturne, but at the moment I don't think I'll have trouble meeting it--although if you hear a noise right now that's because I'm knocking on wood.  I also have to revise an existing proposal for another Harlequin story but I already finished part of it so it, too, should be okay.

Next deadline?  My second Barkery and Biscuits story for MI.  The first one, BITE THE BISCUIT, will be published in May, and I'm delighted about it, too, although some of the editorial process is still before me. 

Yes, I'm writing four different series at the same time.  Am I nuts?  Maybe, especially since I have lots of family stuff coming up, including some long-anticipated visits this week.  I just ordered a T-shirt that says "I am a writer.  That means I live in a crazy fantasy world with unrealistic expectations.  Thank you for understanding."  It's the kind of shirt I'm not likely to wear when I'm out doing errands or anything else, but I'll definitely wear it around my house!

Whatever you do, whatever inspires you, I hope it all works beautifully in 2015.  Happy New Year!

Holiday Season Writing

--by Linda O. Johnston

Happy December, everyone!  This is the first day of the last month of the year.  We're now ensconced in the year-end holiday season.  It starts somewhat with Halloween, followed by Thanksgiving, then followed by other holidays which include Hanukkah and Christmas--and pretty much ends by New Year's. 

Those of us who are full-time writers may not be as affected by the holiday season as those who also have day jobs.  That's not entirely the case, though.  I kind of have a regimen of getting other stuff out of the way in the morning, then writing in the afternoon.  It's not engraved in stone, which is a good thing since, when I need to factor in cooking and family and additional plans, that schedule can be modified--as long as I convince my mind that's the case.

Plus, I belong to a number of organizations, most related to writing, that throw holiday parties, and I attend as many as I can, including my local Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America chapters, as well as chapters of Romance Writers of America.  I'm additionally a member of the alumni association for the company where I used to be an in-house attorney, Union Oil Company of California, and I wouldn't want to miss its holiday party.

Oh, and I can't forget my ongoing promotion of my published works such as my first Superstition Mystery LOST UNDER A LADDER.  That remains time-consuming, but it has slowed down somewhat since its October release.

Despite the holidays and shopping and other events, deadlines remain the same.  That's fine with me.  I just have to do some strategizing, as I do other times of the year as well when faced with additional kinds of plans including travels.  I also need to keep in mind that my dogs will continue to break my train of thought by giving me orders, but that happens all year round.

So... enjoy your holiday season and everything it brings to you, even interruptions to your creativity if you happen to be a writer.

Happy holidays, and happy writing and reading, to all of you!

Launch Month

--by Linda O. Johnston

It's October--launch month for my new Superstition Mystery Series! 

I have been writing for quite a while, and LOST UNDER A LADDER, the first in the series, is far from being my first published novel, but it's different and new and I'm very excited about it. 

Why write about superstitions?  Why not!  Not everyone considers himself superstitious, but even so most of us will knock on wood or cross our fingers to try to bring ourselves good luck.

My protagonist Rory Chasen is an especially dubious person.  She never considered herself superstitious--but then her fiance walked under a ladder and died shortly afterward.  Was his death a result of walking under a ladder?  She needs to know--and so she goes to Destiny, California, which is centered around superstitions, to try to find out.

There, she launches herself into a new life, a new career as the manager of a pet boutique instead of being an assistant manager at a chain pet supply store.  LOST UNDER A LADDER is something new for her, too--especially when she finds herself having to solve a murder.

Me?  Well, I solve murders a lot.  That's what a cozy mystery author does--although I also create them first.  But this series is new in several ways to me.  It takes place in a small, fictional town instead of Los Angeles.  It includes a lot about dogs, yes, as my other mysteries do, but it also centers around something else: superstitions.

This series is also my first for Midnight Ink, although I do have a second series to begin with them next year, the Barkery and Biscuits Mysteries. 

I enjoy trying something new, especially when it comes to my writing.  My fingers are crossed (of course!) that this launch, in addition to being fun, and busy because of all the blogs and other promo I'm doing, is the harbinger of a well-received new series!