There are some
sweet moments in a writer’s life, and one of the best (but scariest) is when
you receive an Advance Reading Copy (known in the biz as an ARC) for a new
book. The ARC I received in this
morning’s mail is for a book titled “Love You to Death”. This is a new series for me and a new venture
for the publisher, Raven Books, an imprint of Orca Book Publishers in
Victoria.
“Love You to Death” is in the first wave of Raven’s series of short, “easy-read” books for adult readers. The books are intended for readers who simply want a book that can be read in one sitting, but also for readers whose first language is not English and for others struggling with literacy challenges.
Without shame, I am
now going to quote the blurb for “Love You to Death” from Raven’s publicity
release: “….a gripping whodunit
by Canada’s top mystery writer.
Charlie D, host of a successful late-night-radio-call-in show that
offers advice to troubled listeners, must discover who is killing some of the
most vulnerable members of his audience.”
So now you know, the bare bones of the plot.
As some of you may already have noted, Charlie Dowhanuik is a character who has played a significant role in a several of the Joanne Kilbourn novels. Three years ago when CBC approached me about writing an hour long mystery drama, I decided to make Charlie D my protagonist. The show did well, and when CBC needed an entry for the “World Play series”, they commissioned another Charlie D from me. “Love You to Death” is an adaptation of that second play.
I had a lot of fun writing “Love You to Death” and working with Bob Tyrrell from Raven was an unalloyed joy. He treats writers as if we were made of spun gold—a lovely feeling and not one frequently experienced by writers.
Something else good happened to me today. I had a photo request from Library Unlimited, an American publisher of reference books. I am now officially one of “The 100 most popular contemporary mystery authors”. To celebrate, Ted made me a tuna fish with wasabi sandwich.
A banner day, all around and it’s only a little after noon.