Hello friends and readers! I haven’t blogged in ages, and I’m sorry. But I’ve been writing novels like a mad woman, so you have to forgive me. Here’s the update:
Jackson #10 is not only in production at Thomas & Mercer, it’s already available for pre-order! I wish I had a cover to show you, but the title is Wrongful Death and the release date is February 24.
I also want to thank everyone for their support of Deadly Bonds. The reviews have been terrific—a very rewarding experience for me. I loved writing the story and showing a new side to Jackson. His feelings for Benjie reflect my love for my granddaughter, the little sweetheart in my life.
Also my publisher has agreed to give away a ton of copies of Deadly Bonds at Bouchercon next month in the books bags. A first for me. The convention is in Long Beach this year—my side of the country—so of course I’ll be there. Please look me up if you attend.
After taking some time off in August to bike ride—and my plot my next book—I’m now well into writing The Trap, the third book in the Agent Dallas series. This is the most challenging one yet, but I believe it’s also the most exciting. I hope you’ll think so too. If all goes well with the ending, rewrite, editing and formatting, I’ll be able to publish it in December as planned. The cover is already done, and I love the way it turned out.
What’s next you ask? I have a synopsis for Jackson #11, but I might write a standalone thriller first, just for a change of pace. Also, my publisher has marketing opportunities for standalones that the Jackson series isn’t eligible for, and I want to take advantage of them.
But rest assured, the Jackson books will keep coming. Probably the Dallas books too, but they’re so much work, that after this one, I need to take a break from them. (I wrote one last year and two this year!)
I’ve had a busy year, and it’s not over yet. We still have to sell our house and move. And I’ve also done a lot of planning for Left Coast Crime 2015, which takes place in Portland next March. I hope some of you will attend that convention as well. It will be fun!
And finally, I could use some help with a couple of names. For something different this time, I need a company name, a corporation that runs private prisons. I also need the name of a judge, a mean punitive SOB. Give me your best bad-guy monikers for both, and I’ll send you a free ebook of The Trap when it releases. And I have a print book of your choice for my favorite submission.
Happy October!
LockedUp Corp. and Judge Harvey B. Sludge
somebody running a prison could be Arcadia.
For judge: judge Ralph Bletzo
Company Name: Revisions Corp. Because they change people
prison: Port Williamson Institute
judge:Fredrick Denning
Company name: ConFines (A Corrections Corporation)
Judge name: The Honorable Winston R (Raymond) Slaybaugh
Judge: Wallace P(for Potemkin) Forsythe
Company: Scanlon Stockades
For the company name, Corrections for a Safer America (CSA).
For the name of a judge, I would make the character a Russian woman named The Honorable Olga Krivitsky.
Claustrum Inc. (Latin for prison) Maximum security Prisons in 18 states.
Honorable Jedidiah X. Bidwell, J.D.
42 years on the bench, feared by defense lawyers and DA’s alike. Has never been reversed on appeal. He rules his courtroom with an iron hand. He is assisted by his long time bailiff Ned Lundstrom.
Jack,
I chuckled a little because I’m an OB nurse and your company name, Claustrum, sounds a lot like the word colostrum. Colustrum is what the baby gets first when nursing before the mom’s milk comes in. 😉
I’d suggest “Guardian” for the prison company; makes it sound like they’re doing the country a favor.
The judge: Arnold Comrade; re Benedict and shadows of Soviet-ness.
Can hardly wait for The Trap; I really like what you’re doing with the Dallas series! And, of course, Jackson rocks.
Sandy,
The Latin word for Prison is Claustrum, Claustrum is defined as: bolt, bar, prison, den, pen, enclosure / cloister. To view supplementary Latin Words that share homogeneous meanings with Claustrum, please visit the: Claustrum – Prison Latin Word page.
Your post also made me think of “expected date of confinement” get it confinement……prison….oh well> I am also a nurse but I work at the other end of life.
The Honorable Crawford Wesley Hardin, born and raised in Texas. He was a descendant of John Wesley Hardin and embraced his bloodline. He used his courtroom as a tool for his wicked ways.
RCC – Reforge Corrections Corporation
SSC – SECURITY SYSTEMS CORPORATION
THE HONORABLE JUDGE ARTHUR C. FRANKS (meaner than a snake)