The day has come... I'm revealing the cover for my next book project!
I am so incredibly excited about this book series. I've been hard at work plotting and planning while finishing up "Queen of the Wood" and am so ready to dive in. So far, my mystery/thrillers have been on the dark and/or serious side. However, I love reading cozy mysteries. I'm a big fan of Agatha Christie (who I wouldn't describe necessarily as a cozy mystery writer, but her Miss Marple books do get close - though mostly the TV series) and love watching reruns of "Murder She Wrote." I also just recently fell in love with the Coffer Lover's Mysteries by Tara Lush. (So good... I'm planning to do a review of all the books out so far soon.) That's what I keep in mind as I work on these books. Something that is lighthearted and fun... but also has dead bodies.
Now, let's get some introductions out of the way.
Introducing, "Apparition in the Attic"...
Clem “Tiny” Crawford isn’t completely sure just what possessed her to buy her hometown newspaper. And return to Helm, Oklahoma, after 20 years in Boston. Perhaps it was her minor breakdown after 16 years of working as a crime reporter at The Boston Globe. Or just a desire to reconnect with her roots and live a slower, quieter life.
She buys the old Miller property on the edge of town that is one of many rumored haunted houses in Lincoln County. Despite the creepy old lady who lived there until she died in 2008, Clem has always loved it. Though unknown to her, her meddling older brother Chet hired her old high school crush Avery to fix it up.
As Clem works to turn around the Lincoln County Gazette, hide her growing attraction for Avery, and avoid her well-intentioned but pushy mother, strange things start happening around the old Miller house. Things aren’t where she left them, weird noises seem to come from everywhere, and shadow figures are roaming around the old barn. Not to mention, there is clearly an attic but no one - not even the contractor - can find the access point.
Are the stories about the house being cursed true? Or is Clem in very real danger?
The Lincoln County Chronicles is a cozy mystery series full of giggles and mystery. And heartwarming moments with old friends and new loves. Oh, and dead bodies. A lot of dead bodies.
The series itself is going to be based on history, legends, and iconic landmarks within my hometown, which is located in Lincoln County, Oklahoma. There are so many stories in this area that it's honestly hard to choose from when it comes to source material. And while the actual books themselves are fiction, you'll find lots of references to actual places and legends in town. I am taking some creative license, but it's been fun weaving in the actual history and landmarks into the stories I tell.
I don't have a set number of books in mind with this series. I'm writing them in a way that each book could almost be a standalone, mostly to give myself the freedom to write as many or as little as I want. This is a series that I can also come back to when I feel the niggle, yet there's no pressure to have to complete it like with traditional series. Think... Agatha Christie and her Miss Marple series. That was my inspiration with how to format it. And to make things easier (I hope), I'm going with the alphabet and alliteration with the titles. I've already started on the basic plot for book 2, and it starts with "B".
Anywho, I plan to post the first chapter on Wattpad on Dec. 22. As with all my books, I'll post once a week until I get all the writing and first-round(ish) editing done. Then I'll increase it (or just post all the final chapters in one go, as I tend to do).
Keep an eye out on my social media and then head over to Wattpad to start reading! As always, thanks for following and reading my works.