Mystery Novel is Available for Pre-Order! – McConnell Publishing Inc.

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It’s taking place. Actually taking place. Away to Me—my thriller novel about behaviorist Maddie McGown and the homicide of considered one of her finest pals—is launching February twenty fourth, 2026, however is accessible to order now on Bookshop, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble. I’ve learn and beloved novels all my life, and have learn mysteries ever since I used to be in my teenagers. I like good writing, cherish it. I’m a kind of presumably obnoxious individuals who will cease studying, get whoever’s consideration (normally Jim), in order that I can learn them some mixture of phrases that makes my coronary heart sing.

However you recognize, if you recognize my work, that I’ve solely written non-fiction. I beloved doing it, and consider nonetheless that good non-fiction might be the very best type of excellence in literary endeavors. However writing fiction is an entire different world. Doing it properly is difficult, to say the least.

On the one hand—what freedom! Something can occur! You get to make all of it up! Then again—how difficult! Something can occur! It’s important to make all of it up! It’s important to decide at each second about what will occur subsequent. And, it has to have plots which might be plausible, and it has to maintain readers engaged, and have characters which might be participating and constant, or constantly inconsistent. It’s important to resolve voice, and setting, and the character of the characters, and time, and and and . . .  Backside line: Writing fiction could be very exhausting, and really, very enjoyable. I beloved it.

It continues to be a journey for me, from first concepts, to writing and rewriting (repeat advert infinitum), to studying the way to be a greater author, to getting a e-book printed in case you are fortunate, and ultimately bringing it out into the world. I believed a lot of you, who I do know are voracious readers, is likely to be excited about what that course of seems like.

The primary, most essential, and endless half for me is studying extra concerning the craft of writing. Though I’ve written so much, I’ve solely taken one class in artistic writing a very long time in the past. I knew I’d have so much to find out about writing fiction, and within the course of, study to up my sport. Right here’s one instance of my evolution (and the inevitable modifying and modifying and modifying that goes on within the completion of any good piece of writing):

This was the opening sentence, written in August of 2019: (I had a free thought of the plot, knew the setting I needed, and who the protagonist could be.)

The woods stood darkish and silent, an viewers to the mist rising in an amphitheater of spring-green grass contained in the forest.

Evaluate that to the model that really begins Away to Me in its printed type:

On that day, burned into my mind like a cattle model, the woods stood darkish and silent, an viewers to the fog rising in an amphitheater of spring-green grass.

See the distinction? It is a homicide thriller, and I’m not spilling the beans after I let you know that the one of many protagonist’s finest pals is shot useless at a sheepdog trial within the opening chapter. Take a look at what that first sentence foreshadows—one thing terrible goes to occur (burned like a cattle model), there’s going to be a thriller to unravel (darkish and silent, fog rising), and the novel occurs in a rural setting (cattle model, woods, spring-green grass).

[By the way, here’s a similar scene from Labor Day weekend, early Saturday morning at the Midwest Championship Sheepdog Trial! (But nothing awful happened! It was a great day once the fog lifted.)]

So, you write. (And also you learn the books of others, voraciously.) You provide you with a plot, you revise it, change it, run it by others. For me, I labored with a writing coach Susanna Daniel of the Madison Author’s Studio, went to 2 author’s workshops placed on by the identical (nice) group, learn books about writing fiction, gratefully soaked within the recommendation from a bunch of sensible, literate pals who did some early readings, exchanged writings, recommendation, and encouragement each month with NYT best-selling author, Cat Warren of What the Canine Is aware of fame, and profited from readings and recommendation from my agent, Jennifer Gates of Aevitas Artistic. Plus, plenty of readings and ideas from Jim and pricey pals. In different phrases, the creator of Away to Me, as is widespread for a lot of novels, is “Patricia McConnell and a Host of Others.”

Then, after writing and revising and deleting truckloads of non-essential phrases, it’s time to attempt to get it out into the world. Should you’re fortunate, you’ll have a choice to make: You possibly can self-publish (not all that onerous now by means of many shops), you’ll be able to go along with a “hybrid,” wherein you need to pay to have your e-book printed, however the home rigorously vets who they settle for), or you’ll be able to go the standard route, and attempt to get a identified and revered writer to offer you an advance, nurse your e-book, and use their information and repute to get your e-book some consideration within the tsunami of latest books that flood the shops and airwaves actually day by day.

One may write a e-book (and lots of have, right here’s one) concerning the benefits and drawbacks of every, however I’ll depart it that I used to be tempted by the fantastic folks on the hybrid Little Creek Press in Mineral Level, WI. Nonetheless, I used to be fortunate sufficient, because of a fantastic agent, to get provides from two conventional publishers, together with the one I select, Kensington Books. Sure, I’ve printed my very own books, and sure, I’ve had success with three books printed by Ballantine and Atria, however getting fiction printed by a well-respected home is, as one good friend stated, ” a uncommon success certainly.” I don’t imply that to brag, simply that I’m actually grateful.

The drawback of a big-time writer is the timing. If I’d gone with Little Creek Press, the e-book would’ve been out final spring. Kensington Books purchased my e-book in August of 2024, with a pub date a 12 months and a half later. I really stated to Jen, my agent, “do they know I’m 75?” However with a revered writer like Kensington Books, that’s the secret. Two years is definitely extra widespread.

However, tons occurs inside that time period. At one level your editor, (the one who needed to advocate to the remainder of the home to have your e-book taken), goes over what you despatched and returns it with ideas. Some might be trivial and straightforward fixes, some a lot more durable. When you’ve got editor (I do! Wendy McCurdy), you speak it out. You maintain onto your imaginative and prescient, the editor makes ideas based mostly on their information and expertise. In my case, I dumped a complete chapter, mixed two different into one, and made some modifications to one of many characters.

You make the revisions, ship the manuscript again, perhaps or perhaps not make some extra. After getting a last “accepted” manuscript, you get a part of your advance, and the e-book goes to a line editor, who goes by means of it with an eagle eye for every part from grammar, as to whether to write down Border collie or border collie (that’s a weblog unto itself), to retaining dates and instances constant. You get it again and both settle for their modifications or argue in opposition to them. Then . . .  it goes to typesetting, and also you take a look at it once more, now underneath plenty of time strain to make your absolute final and last modifications (any after that value you cash.)

Round this time you await the draft of the quilt with baited breath. Irrespective of how nice the insides, everyone knows that, to visually oriented primates like us, the quilt could make or break a e-book. And the factor is, it’s not your name in case you have a big-time writer. Your contract, mine included, says one thing just like the creator has “session rights,”  however the last resolution shouldn’t be in your palms. The primary draft of a canopy for The Different Finish of the Leash was such a visible nightmare that I advised my editor I wouldn’t be in the identical room with it. I want I may present it to you, however, as a result of it was an in-house draft, that wouldn’t be moral. I used to be advised I had 24 hours to provide you with one thing else. Fortunately, a sympathetic editor took pity on me, and located the photograph you now see on the quilt. The remaining is historical past.

The evolution of the covers on my subsequent two books wasn’t as dramatic, however I’ll simply depart it that it was a battle to seek out a fantastic cowl. I used to be so joyful when the publishers agreed to make use of what’s beneath for the quilt of the paperback ofThe Training of Will, as an alternative of a photograph of Willie’s face that was on the hardcover. (Reality, that’s Maggie within the photograph, not Willie.)

And so, like most authors, I waited with no small quantity of angst to see what Kensington was going to provide you with. And look what they did! The duvet is so highly effective and artistic that it took me a minute to settle with it, and/however I LOVE it now. I made a number of tiny ideas, which they listened to with a lot care and respect that I nonetheless really feel like sending them flowers.

After which–nonetheless with me?–you meet your PR individual, mind storm about who must be despatched ARCs (advance evaluate copies) for blurbs, begin speaking about all the remainder, from articles in magazines to talks in e-book shops. That’s the place I’m now, six months earlier than the e-book comes out on February 24, 2026. It’s been loopy busy the final month, however issues will calm down till a number of months earlier than, when interviews on podcasts and radio reveals get finalized. Should you’re fortunate, you’ll be busy busy within the weeks earlier than and after. All that is difficult by the truth that life occurs, and who is aware of what shall be occurring on the earth when your e-book is launched. A good friend of mine had a e-book come out on 9/12. The day after, yeah, that 9/11. As soon as the e-book’s time is previous, it’s previous. If one thing dramatic occurs when your e-book comes out, your interviews are cancelled, and that’s that. The freight prepare of latest books by no means stops, and in case your e-book will get run over, there’s little to do however begin the following one.

Drained but? I admit that I’m a smidge. However I hope you’re excited to learn it; I’m thrilled that it’s lastly popping out into the world. It comes out Feb twenty fourth, 2026, however you’ll be able to “pre-order” it now from Bookshop, Barnes and Noble, or Amazon.

MEANWHILE, again on the farm: Tons occurring! Final week Jim and I have been handled to an ideal fishing journey by Tom Hauge of Wisconsin Inexperienced Hearth. We obtained the profitable bid within the fund raiser for WGF wherein Adrian Wydeven  and I spoke about canine and wolves. I used to be joyful to seek out one other option to assist Inexperienced Hearth, and hoped to have a stunning morning out on an exquisite lake. We obtained that and extra, together with nice dialog with Tom, retired from 37 years within the DNR, and two fabulous trout dinners. Winner winner fishy dinner.

Quickly after, we obtained hay delivered, and one of the best half is that my job was to take these images. Usually I’d be shifting bales off the truck onto the elevator, however obtained spoiled by Bently, Gary, and Luke within the photograph beneath.

Jim helped stack the bales within the higher barn, however he too was spoiled by youthful Gus and Justin, out of the photograph, who did the lion’s share of the work.

Proper now we’re on the Midwest Championship Sheepdog Trial, having fun with some beautiful climate, sensible sheep, expert handlers, and a few breath-takingly gifted canine. Under is Rose Anderson’s Deri, just a few snaps I obtained with my mobile phone.

Yesterday we took a break day and went as much as Duluth, a taking place city if there ever was one. Right here’s a shot of Duluth’s harbor from the Skyline Parkway. A good way to get pleasure from early fall.

Time to place down the clacky factor (says Maggie) and give attention to our personal canine. Might you and your individual canine savor the great thing about this time of 12 months. See you subsequent time.