Thursday, November 11, 2010

Wined and Died Cover

Cricket McRae

Something Borrowed, Something Bleu, my fourth Home Crafting Mystery, hit the shelves last July. I recently noticed that the fifth in the series, Wined and Died, is already available for pre-order on Amazon. But there wasn’t an image up until this week.

Here’s the final cover:

Wined and Died_1

I have our own Keith Raffel to thank for his off-the-cuff title suggestion. Once I began using Wined and Died as a working title, it stuck. Before, I’d been calling the book A Drink Before Dying.

Meh.

So thanks, Keith! And expect another thank you in the acknowledgements come publication.

The “died” in the title is pretty self-explanatory, but the “wine” isn’t your usual stomped grape variety. It’s honey wine, commonly known as mead. The blue bottle is from a meadery in Boulder, Colorado. I had to do a bit of research, right? And so did Lisa Novak, my fabulous cover designer. So I had them send her a bottle. Full, of course.

I love the logo she created for the fictional Grendel Meadery in the book. The rough-hewn stone monster is perfect. So is the pewter skull wine charm. Subtle and, well, charming.

This book doesn’t start with a death – it starts with a death threat. Newlyweds Sophie Mae and Barr Ambrose are acting as surrogate parents to eleven-year-old Erin while her mother is away. When Erin stumbles into a dead psychologist’s notes regarding a homicidal client, Sophie Mae races to discover the identity of the potential killer. Clues lead her to the Grendel Meadery, a traditional honey winery operated by the tight-knit Swenson clan. Everyone has a secret, and soon Sophie Mae is up to her neck in deadly herbs and drug dealers while trying to juggle a handsome lothario, her responsibilities as a temporary parent, a major contract for her soap making business, and a strangely distant husband.

Despite the pre-order status of Wined and Died, it won’t be released until July 11, 2011. That’s eight months away, for Pete’s sake. So I’ll hush up about it for a while. Promise.

In the meantime, though, early orders usually show up in your mailbox a few weeks before the official release date. I’m just sayin’. ;)

15 comments:

Dru said...

I love the cover and can't wait to read this book.

Vicki Doudera said...

Coming up with titles is tricky! You've got a very catchy one and the cover is great.

Sue Ann Jaffarian said...

Fabulous cover and title! I do like A Drink Before Dying, but Wined and Died is much snappier. Great job, Keith, Lisa and Cricket!

Sherri said...

Really love the cover of your new book! Can't wait to read this series!

Lisa Bork said...

Love the cover and the title! Thanks for the sneak peek.

Alice Loweecey said...

Great cover and title!

Darrell James said...

Cricket, I like your approach to research. I'll have to set my next book in a brewery. How about "Brewed and Skewered" for a title. (Okay, maybe not.)

Love the cover and the title. Congratulations!

Alan Orloff said...

Great title and great cover. Can't wait to read the great book!

Cricket McRae said...

Thanks, everyone! I usually don't have trouble coming up with titles, but this time was different. Then Keith listed a quick dozen suggestions here on Inkspot about a year ago. There were other good ones, too! And, of course, Lisa worked her usual magic. I'm glad she's been designing my covers from the beginning.

Darrell, Brewed and Skewered makes me think of a backyard barbecue. Keep us in the loop on that one.

Lois Winston said...

Great cover! Great Title! Kudos to all involved.

Desert Horse Equestrian Services said...

Already looking forward to it! Just because I wanted a guaranteed good read, I treated myself to a revisit of the first three books recently. Liked them just as much the second time through.

May one ask whether there will be a sixth?

Deborah Sharp said...

Oooh, cover is super! Kudos to Keith for the suggestion, to you for writing what sounds like another winner, and to Lisa (as always) for a clever cover design.
(I am jealous tho, that you're so far ahead of ''MAMA'' and me when our July books came out this year on the same day. I'm slowing down!)

Keith Raffel said...

Hot damn. I am so excited! Me, in the acknowledgments of a book by the wondrous Ms. McRae! Hot damn! Have ordered my copy which I am told to expect on July 12, 2011. I raise a glass of virtual mead (actually could it be perry or bitter instead?) to you!

Cricket McRae said...

Thanks, Lois!

Desert Horse, you're making me feel all warm and fuzzy.

Deb, we're all tapping our feet, waiting for Mama's next appearance!

Lol, Keith! It's your own fault for stepping up when I asked for suggestions. I also liked A Fine Body. So I'm raising a glass of mead to YOU. (Yes, perry or bitter sounds lovely as well.) Thanks very much!

Kathleen Ernst said...

Congrats! Sounds like a great read. Looking forward to it.