Author Tip from Debbie Mason + News

Author Tip from Debbie Mason + News ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌

NEWS

FINAL HEIR by Faith Hunter made #28 on the USA TODAY bestseller list.

KAIKEYI by Vaishnavi Patel is a nominee for the annual Book of the Year award.

THE SECOND YOU'RE SINGLE by Cara Tanamachi received a STARRED review from Library Journal.

Mystery and Suspense Magazine gave HARLEM SUNSET by Nekesa Afia a great review.

Joy Avery was nominated for several Building Relationships Around Books (BRAB) Reading Warrior Choice Awards for SOMETHING SO SWEET and SWEETER THAN HONEY, including The Brenda Jackson Romance of the Year, Book Wifey of the Year, Book Husband of the Year, The Adrianne Byrd Queen of Comedy Romance, The Donna Hill Breakout Author Award, Couple of the Year, The Rochelle Alers Best Series, and Beverly Jenkins Author of the Year Award.

BLUE HAVEN by Lisa King received a starred review from Publishers Weekly.

TJ Klune and other Locus Awards Top Ten Finalists did an interview with Fantasy Magazine in which they discussed the awards and more.

SECOND CHANCE ON CYPRESS LANE by Reese Ryan made BookBub’s list of Captivating Novels Set in the South and WAKING UP MARRIED made the BuzzFeed list If You Can't Get Enough Of The Marriage Of Convenience Trope, Then Check Out These 25 Books.

NEAR THE BONE by Christina Henry was featured on Penguin Random House’s list of the Best Horror Books by Women.

AUTHOR TIP OF THE MONTH

Debbie Mason is a USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestselling author. AT HOME ON MARIGOLD LANE is her latest novel.

At-Home-on-Marigold-Lane-Highland-Falls-Book-5-0

Debbie's Tip:

“Kill your darlings, kill your darlings, even when it breaks your egocentric little scribbler’s heart, kill your darlings.” If you’ve been writing for a while, you’ve probably heard this quote by Stephen King. But what are our literary darlings?

Well, they can be anything from a sentence, a paragraph, a chapter, or a subplot, and you’ll know they’re your darlings by your reaction to a trusted critique partner, agent, or editor telling you they don’t work. These reactions may include but are not limited to crying, ranting, and throwing things—don’t throw your laptop, they’re expensive to repair. It’s difficult to have a project you’ve put your heart and soul into criticized, but the thing is, it’s equally hard to be objective about our own work. And trust me, I speak from experience.

When I handed in the manuscript for AT HOME ON MARIGOLD LANE, I was positive my editor would love it as much as I did. She didn’t. She felt that the subplot—a subplot that I believed raised the stakes for my heroine and was integral to her journey—needed to go. I’ve worked with my editor for ten years, and, at her urging, I’ve killed many of my darlings, but this was a major rewrite, and one I didn’t agree with. After a few days of ranting and wallowing, I came up with a plan. I’d do as my editor asked, and if I didn’t feel it improved the story, I’d make my case for keeping the subplot.

I cut thousands of words throughout the manuscript—including six chapters—and pasted them into a new document. Even if I didn’t use them, it gave me a sense of security knowing they were there. And then the hard work began, rewriting my story while ensuring that it still flowed. Like Stephen King, my editor was right. She saw what I couldn’t. By killing my darlings, the story was stronger and more emotional.

NEW CLIENTS ON THE BLOCK

R. Lee Fryar

R. Lee Fryar is a writer from the Arkansas River Valley. When she isn’t writing, she can generally be found up a mountain, out on a river, or wandering around the woods somewhere, insisting she isn’t lost.

Stephanie Hope

Stephanie Hope is a New England-based queer romance author and writer for BuzzFeed. When she's not writing, she's hopelessly rewatching Nora Ephron movies, playing wholesome games on her Switch, or posting aesthetically pleasing photos on her Instagram. She lives in a cozy apartment with her husband James, and their three cats, Ophelia, Norman, and Penelope.

RECENT DEALS

- NYT–bestselling and Lambda Literary Award–winning author TJ Klune's four original untitled novels about queer love and family, set in curious and enchanting worlds, to Ali Fisher at Tor in a major seven-figure, four-book deal on an exclusive submission, by Deidre Knight

- N. K. Jemisin's THE WORLD WE MAKE, to Minumin (Korea, Rep), by Duran Kim at Duran Kim Agency on behalf of Lucienne Diver

- Aparna Verma's debut THE PHOENIX KING, set in a desert kingdom of ancient secrets in which an assassin who is more than what he seems and a princess with everything to lose contend with a prophecy that could remake the world, to Priyanka Krishnan at Orbit and Jenni Hill at Orbit UK in a good three-book deal on an exclusive submission, by Lucienne Diver

- The Green Creek series and THE BONES BENEATH MY SKIN, five backlist romance novels by NYT–bestselling and Lambda Literary Award–winning author TJ Klune, to Ali Fisher at Tor in a major four-book deal on an exclusive submission, by Deidre Knight

- Ari Baran's GAME MISCONDUCT, in which a young hockey player struggling to prove himself and an older player at the end of his career wage a seasons-long war on the ice—only to fall into bed off of it—to Stephanie Doig at Carina Press in a two-book deal, by Deidre Knight

- Christina Henry's PROVE IT and BRIGHT HORSES, about three women in mysterious circumstances they have to solve to survive, to Jessica Wade at Berkley in a two-book deal, by Lucienne Diver

- J.A. Crawford's KING ME, the third Ken Allen Super Sleuth novel, in which the D-list detective is called into action when the creator of an immensely popular fantasy television series is murdered, and his notebook—which contains all the secrets, twists, and endings—goes missing, to Sue Arroyo at CamCat Books with Helga Schier editing, in a nice deal, by Lucienne Diver

- NYT–bestselling author Kelley Armstrong's THE RENTAL, in which a woman renting out her beloved Hemlock Island to strangers has been chalking up troubling signs of mysterious rituals—until a frantic call from her most recent renters draws her and those around her into something darkly disturbing that will no longer be denied—to Michael Homler at St. Martin's in a good two-book deal, by Lucienne Diver

NEW RELEASES

WOLFSONG (Green Creek Book 1) by TJ Klune

AMAZON UK

Ox Matheson was twelve when his father taught him a lesson: Ox wasn’t worth anything and people would never understand him. Then he left.

Ox was sixteen when the energetic Bennett family moved in next door, harbouring a secret that would change him forever. For the family are shapeshifters, who can transform into wolves at will. Drawn to their magic, loyalty and enduring friendships, Ox feels a gulf between this extraordinary new world and the quiet life he’s known. He also finds an ally in Joe, the youngest Bennett boy. Joe is charming and handsome, but haunted by scars he cannot heal.

Devouring Darkness (An Heirs of Chicagoland Novel Book 4)

DEVOURING DARKNESS by Chloe Neill

AMAZON - B&N - BOOKSHOP

In the newest installment of the USA Today bestselling Heirs of Chicagoland series, vampire Elisa Sullivan unearths an ancient grudge, with potentially devastating consequences.

As the only vampire ever born, and the daughter of two very powerful Chicago vampires, Elisa Sullivan knew her life was going to be…unusual. But she wanted to make her own way in the world, preferably away from her famous family. Then supernatural politics—and perhaps a bit of destiny—intervened, and Elisa had to steady her nerves and sharpen her steel to fight for the city of Chicago. Luckily, Connor Keene, son of the North American Central Pack’s Apex wolf, is right by her side.

FINAL HEIR by Faith Hunter

AMAZON - B&N - BOOKSHOP

The stakes couldn’t be higher in the newest novel in the New York Times bestselling, pulse-pounding Jane Yellowrock series.

Jane Yellowrock is the queen of the vampires, and that makes her a target as she fights to maintain control and keep peace in the city of New Orleans. She has enemies at every turn, because vampires live forever, and they keep their grudges alive with them. That includes the Heir, the vampire sire of the Pellissier bloodline, which gave rise to Leo Pellissier himself—Jane’s old boss and the former master of the city.

At Home on Marigold Lane (Highland Falls Book 5)

AT HOME ON MARIGOLD LANE by Debbie Mason

AMAZON - B&N - BOOKSHOP

USA Today bestselling author Debbie Mason delivers a touching romance where one woman gets a second chance with her first love.

True love deserves a second chance.

For family and marriage therapist Brianna MacLeod, moving back home to Highland Falls after a disastrous divorce feels downright embarrassing. Bri blames herself for missing the red flags in her relationship and worries she’s no longer qualified to do the job she loves. But helping others is second nature to Bri, and she soon finds herself counseling her roommate and her neighbor’s daughter. Bri just wasn’t expecting them to reunite her with her first love . . .

The Idealist: Jack Trice and the Fight for A Forgotten College Football Legacy

THE IDEALIST by Jonathan Gelber

AMAZON - B&N - BOOKSHOP

An essential story of understated courage, the lasting power of a name, and the battle to honor a pioneering legacy On the eve of his second varsity football game for the Iowa State Cyclones, Jack Trice wrote in a letter, "The honor of my race, family and self are at stake. Everyone is expecting me to do big things. I will!" The introspective 21-year-old was ever aware of his status in 1923 as the college's first Black football player. Trice would die tragically days later after sustaining injuries on the field during that game. Today, Iowa State football games are played at Jack Trice Stadium. The Idealist is a complete portrait of Trice, the son of a former Buffalo Soldier who became a high school football standout in Ohio and embarked on his college career hoping to emulate fellow Iowa State alum George Washington Carver.

CONTRACT SEASON by Cait Nary

AMAZON - B&N

A heartbroken hockey player and an up-and-coming country music star fake it for the cameras (or do they?) in Cait Nary’s delightfully sexy new novel.

Brody Kellerman has a plan. First, become the best defenseman in professional hockey. Second, get over his ex-boyfriend so he can focus on his game. Hooking up with the singer at his buddy’s wedding was the perfect solution, but it was never meant to be more than a one-night stand.

Marple: Twelve New Mysteries (Miss Marple Mysteries)

MARPLE: TWELVE NEW MYSTERIES by Alyssa Cole and others

AMAZON - B&N - BOOKSHOP

Agatha Christie’s legendary sleuth, Jane Marple, returns to solve twelve baffling cases in this brand-new collection, penned by a host of acclaimed authors skilled in the fine art of mystery and murder

One doen't stop at one murder...

Jane Marple is an elderly lady from St Mary Mead who possesses an uncanny knack for solving even the most perplexing puzzles. Now, for the first time in 45 years, Agatha Christie’s beloved character returns to the page for a globe-trotting tour of crime and detection.

Imitate the Dawn (Whitethorn Agency Book 3)

IMITATE THE DAWN by M.A. Grant

AMAZON - B&N

There's a thin line between love, hate, life and death in this vampire bodyguard paranormal romance from M.A. Grant, author of The Prince of Air and Darkness.

Cristian Slava and Atlas Kincaid despise each other. At least, that’s what they need everyone to believe. In truth, the charismatic vampire and his fierce bodyguard are more in love than ever. But when a powerful political faction emerges and threatens Cristian’s family, the only way into their enemy’s inner circle is without each other by their side.

END OF THE DAY by Hanna Earnest

AMAZON - B&N - BOOKSHOP

A Hollywood makeup artist has to fake date her nemesis in this bright new contemporary romance from All the Best Nights author Hanna Earnest.

Don’t start something you can’t finish…

Makeup artist Benjamina “Benj” Wasik’s trust—and heart—was shattered when a steamy kiss from Milo Fox got her fired. But she’s moved on to a great new gig, that false start with Milo all but forgotten.

A Charming Christmas Arrangement (Charming, Texas Book 3)

A CHARMING CHRISTMAS ARRANGEMENT by Heatherly Bell

AMAZON - B&N - BOOKSHOP

She just told him he’s going to be a father.

His response? “Let’s get married!”

Stacy Hartsell thought finding her unborn baby's father was going to be the hard part. Except widowed ex-SEAL Adam Cruz is determined to step up—and his argument that his veteran health care is better than her freelancer plan is a fairly convincing one for marriage. But the spark that led to that unforgettable night together is still going strong. Giving in to their growing feelings could put their convenient arrangement in jeopardy…or lead to a second chance to find lasting love this Christmas!

A BRIGHTER FLAME by Christine Nolfi

AMAZON - B&N - BOOKSHOP

She’s always wanted a sense of belonging. The last place she expects to find it is home.

Vale Lightner’s dreams turn to ash when the Pittsburgh bar she owns goes up in flames. Just like the past she escaped, very little seems salvageable. Facing unavoidable change, Vale returns to her hometown of Philadelphia to stay with her grandmother.

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