All the Latest. Resurrected Post.

Publishing news stirs at the doorstep of Casa Lizzi, and tidings loom and rumble in the distance. It is time, in other words, for an update on upcoming releases from yours truly.

I’ve mentioned before a story I placed in a crime fiction anthology. Well, August 15 is the official publishing date for Mama Tried: Crime Fiction Inspired by Outlaw Country Music. I’m looking forward to this one. Get some Waylon Jennings playing on Pandora and dive into the mess of people behaving poorly toward one another. I think beer ought to be involved somehow during the reading process. I’m leaning toward drinking it, but we’ll see.

I’ve never been a single genre reader. Crime fiction has made up a significant portion of my reading. Elmore Leonard contributed heavily to that portion. In fact his work inspired me to write Thick As Thieves, a fantasy/crime novel. I’m please to reveal those looming tidings in the distance: yesterday I received a contract for publication of Thick As Thieves. It should be available sometime in the first half of 2017.

Good news. Of course that means handing the manuscript over to an editor. Sigh. I realize it’s essential. I suppose it is like going to the dentist. I maintain a regular oral hygiene routine. My teeth are clean and healthy. I could skip twice-yearly exams without catastrophic consequences. But those checkups, x-rays, and cleanings provide unquestioned improvements. Detail work, those tiny metal hooks scraping away accumulations of tartar. Unpleasant, yes, but ultimately worthwhile. Same with editing. Yes, the manuscript is fine as it is, but it can be improved. Another set of eyes attuned to the details, scraping away accumulations of adverbs, x-raying for plot holes. Worth the time and effort. At least I hope you’ll think so.

Happy reading.