The Liberty States Fiction Writers conference last month in Iselin, NJ was a blast (www.libertystatesfictionwriters.com)! It was the group’s first and the organizers did a great job. I got to hear, or be on panels with, some of my favorite folks, including Jonathan Maberry, F. Paul Wilson, Gary Frank and Sarah Langan. One of the benefits I really appreciated was the chance to have brief sit-downs with three agents regarding my completed paranormal mystery novel. All three asked to see the “partial,” and no rejections so far. I have all my digits crossed!
I’ve just started what would be the second book in the series, HEX, DEATH AND ROCK ‘N’ ROLL, and for this one I think I’m going to need a lawyer. No, I don’t plan to slander anybody, but I’m finding there are legal issues in the plot that I need to get right.
First, a cameraman is injured while shooting a video of a rock band in an old movie theater that’s undergoing renovation. From what I’ve been told so far, the video company would probably sue the band which in response would probably sue the theater. I’m hinging some of my heroine’s motivation on this–she wants to prove it was sabotage, not negligence, and the theater isn’t liable.
A second legal issue: Because she has some psychic abilities, the lead singer wants her to help them figure out who’s been sabotaging them. The manager asks her to sign a non-disclosure agreement so she won’t take any dicey information she might uncover and sell it to the tabloids. I’m assuming this wouldn’t prevent her to talk to the police? If anyone out there has experience with this type of agreement, I’d be interested to hear about your experiences.
Meanwhile, spring has come to New Jersey and it’s SO good not to have to worry about any more snow…I hope!!!
Am reading THE PERSIAN ALWAYS MEOWS TWICE and I love it. I am from NJ, Wayne, now live in AZ. Have had 3 burmese cats in 32 years and showed them in TICA shows. am going to order the rest of your cat books. Could you please keep me up to date about new cat books comming out?
Thank you for your interest in my books! I used to live in Wanaque, NJ, and still have friends in Wayne. I’m thrilled to have someone who’s involved in showing her cats as a fan of my series. There are four Cat Groomer mysteries out right now, including THE BENGAL IDENTITY, FERAL ATTRACTION, and GONE, KITTY, GONE. The fifth, CLAW & DISORDER, comes out in late January, 2021, and I’m currently finishing up one for early 2022. (When you publish with a big company, they put your titles in their pipeline well in advance!) For more information, you can always visit my website, http://www.efwatkins.com. This summer I also put out a horse-oriented book, REBOOT RANCH, with an indie publisher; it’s adult women’s fiction but also YA-friendly. If you know any horse lovers (maybe out there in Arizona?), you may want to recommend that to them. Happy reading, and please stay in touch!