Hello,

I will be self-publishing my crime mystery novel: You Don’t Know Me, featuring Detective Owen Story in March. On the one hand I am thrilled by my taking my career in my own hands and publishing the work I love, but on the other hand it’s scary but not so much as I would’ve imagined and you know why? Because I girded myself against the fear; put on my writer’s armor and went for it. What's this writer’s armor? It’s making sure you give your readers the best book you can make it; putting time, energy and attention into its every detail.

When working on my book I not only do the research, try and make sure the details are right but the ascetics of the story, how it flows, how it sounds, has to be spot on as well. After the third re-write, I record the story so that I can play it back and listen to it’s flow, catch awkward words which believe me, stick out like an orange cone in the snow as you're listening. I try to make each word count and get rid of ones, even entire passages, that aren't necessary, that don’t move the story or makes it clunky. I make sure the story is consistent, it makes since, there are no continuity mistakes and the characters are outstanding and believable. I keep working on the book until I believe it’s a page turner the reader can't put down and long after they do, they remember and love the characters and want to visit some of them in again in a next novel. A tall order I know, but its done by writer’s all the time so there’s no reason for my novel to be any different; its just up to me to write it that way and once I feel I have it there—no fear. Voila!

So, I’m publishing my first crime mystery novel and I’m looking forward to it because I believe it has all the elements for a great story readers will enjoy. Of course there’s a chance I could be wrong but I have faith in my novel and all its elements, faith in my writing and in the end that’s all we need.

If you have any comments or suggestions, please e-mail me at: matwrite1@hotmail. com. I’ll love to hear from you.

Until next time, God willing,

Lori