Easter is late this year, and my short story for the season will be published by the Methodist Recorder during the weekend of the 18th April. My grateful thanks to all of you who emailed me to say which title they preferred for this particular tale. The consensus of opinion was that it should be ‘The Art of Saying “No”’, so that is how it went through to the publisher. One reader suggested that it should be ‘The Art of Saying No . . . probably!’ I liked that, even though I didn’t use it. The usual terms and conditions apply. If you’d like to read it and can’t get hold of a copy of The Methodist Recorder, drop me an email after the Easter weekend, and I’ll send it to you.
I have been thinking about one plot strand in this story for some time, which is that those who spend time working for the church, can get burn-out. Also, Kerry is being pursued by a widow with marriage in mind, and he doesn’t know how to say ‘No’.
The saga of the moths continues. Urgghh! I think I need a new carpet or two. I managed to change the battery in my moth zapper – with some difficulty. Why can’t they devise a battery cover which can be removed and replaced with ease? I was ages with a knife and a fork (don’t ask!) trying to get the ‘lid’ off. I feared at one point that I’d broken it, and gave myself a pat on the back when I eventually succeeded. But I must say that the increase in power is worth it. Zzzapfft!
I try to keep up to date with all that’s good and new in the publishing world – and fail, of course. I am technically incompetent. I’m not proud of it; it’s just the way I’m made. Too right-brained (or left? I can’t remember which). However, I have noticed that some writers are putting the first page – and sometimes the first chapter – of a new book on their website. So I have just done this for FALSE DIAMOND, the Abbot Agency story which came out in the UK last November and will be out in the States and elsewhere sometime in March. I would very much like to know if you think this is a good idea. If so, I will try to put up the first page of the next book to be published as well. This will be Ellie Quicke’s MURDER IN TIME, to be published in the UK at the end of May. I have a pull of the cover for this already, but sometimes there are minor changes before production, so I don’t want to put the publicity up too early.
April is starred in my calendar because that’s when the London Book Fair is to be held at Earls Court. I have appointments to talk to my editors about what they want next, and hopefully they’re going to let me have contracts for Bea and Ellie to go on for another year. Then there’s some of my out of print books which may be available for a new edition and an e-book, and what about the historical novels which I wrote years ago, long out of print? I’ve always had a soft spot for them, and will be delighted if I can interest another publisher in doing something with them. If I succeed, I’ll tell you all about it in my next newsletter.
A blessing: may you find time to pet a dog or stroke a cat, to marvel at the spring flowers, and to tell your family and friends how much you appreciate them.
Veronica Heley
http://blog.veronicaheley.com/
Recent releases.
FALSE DIAMOND. Bea is drawn into the questionable doings of the multi-billionaire Holland family, which include an engagement with a fake diamond ring, an alleged suicide attempt, an abusive man who tries to put the frighteners on Bea, and the ambiguous behaviour of the black sheep of the family, who turns out to be the joker in the pack. ISBN 978 0 7278 8298 1.
Also in e-book in March 2014: 978-1-78010-484-3
Booklist: An action-packed variation on the British cozy, this latest from Heley is full of unexpected twists and gentle humour. Publishers Weekly: Starred: Excellent . . . suspense and betrayal combined with appealing players make this a superior series entry. Library Journal: Marvellous!
MURDER MY NEIGHBOUR. Large print, hardback. Pub Nov 2013. ISBN 9780727896551.
MURDER FOR MERCY. Ellie finds some deaths in the community are not exactly what they seem, while her pregnant, difficult daughter Diana is concerned that her husband is still in a wheelchair. Sabotage at the big house nearby is being blamed on young Mikey. Can Ellie track down whoever it is who is killing for mercy, keep Mikey out of the clutches of Social Services, and steer her difficult daughter Diana into calmer waters? ISBN 9780 7278 8281 3
UNSUNG HEROES is now available as an e-book. This is a collection of short stories originally published in the Methodist Recorder, concerning the problems of three retired men and their families, plus some Ellie Quicke short stories. £3.40 UK, and $4.90 USA. http://www.veronicaheley.com/othertitles.php?11-11
FALSE ALARM, the 7th Abbot Agency story, is now available in hardback and also as an e-book. Bea is asked to find the person who laid a booby trap for the powerful tycoon, Sir Lucas Ossett, in his own block of flats. ISBN 9780 7278 8237 0 for the hardback and ISBN 978 1 78010 289 4 for the ebook.
MURDER BY MISTAKE is now available in large print. ISBN 978 0 7278 9935 4.
FALSE REPORT is available as a paperback and also as an ebook . ISBN 978 1 843751 408 0. Ebook: 978 1 78010 201 6.
Find details of all the other E-books at http://www.veronicaheley.com/ebooks.php?l1-11