Treat Yourself for Mother’s Day!
By Kay Kendall
In celebration of my second mystery coming out in July, my publisher is offering through Mother’s Day my first mystery at 99 cents on Amazon. Imagine–the Kindle version of Desolation Row, for less than a dollar.
within an inch of its “life,” and proof read backwards and forwards. Eight authors read the ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) and wrote fantastic blurbs for Rainy
Day Women. I’m excited and eager for its birth.
All of a sudden, I’m in a very different life. I had become
accustomed to sitting holed up in my (messy) writer’s lair, composing in
solitude. Those early drafts are sheer terror. That blank computer screen, waits impatiently to be filled with thousands of words. Sometimes when I’ve written a
few paragraphs that are really tough to pull out of my teeming brain, I
stagger to the door out of my cell—er, I mean, writer’s lair—and clutch the
frame, stopping to catch my breath. This doesn’t happen often, but it does
occur. I am astonished at how difficult the early drafts are, and I don’t enjoy them. This alone stage lasts a very long time, like forever!
to get to the good stuff. I love editing and can do it for hours on end. I love
playing with words, choosing just the right ones. I adore working with my
editor, and we have conversations back and forth about points I might never
have pondered without her questions. This is stage two—with a partner for
company, my editor. It lasts only a few months.
and highly public part. I get to introduce my new baby to the world. Talking
about what I put into my mystery is a treat. After all, I wouldn’t have written what I did if I weren’t eager to share my thoughts with the world. When someone
wants to talk about my writing, my goodness, there is nothing better. Ever
since I took three years of debate in high school, I have loved public
speaking.
Since I already have one book published, I know better
what lies ahead for this second one. I am surprised that I am as excited with the
new book, however, as I was with the first. With luck, this excitement will
never go away for any future books. I never want to grow jaded with the
process.
new. I go to mystery conferences and meet readers, hold events at bookstores,
and generally have a whale of a great time. I came late in the day to my career
as a writer, but thank heavens I got here. Better late than never!
sequel, Rainy Day Women, launches on July 7.
searches for a killer of female activists in 1969, a year after Desolation Row took place. A murderer
stalks the members of women’s consciousness raising groups at the University of
Washington and the University of British Columbia.
Woodstock, new mother Austin bundles up her infant son Wyatt—just three months
old—and flies with him across the continent to help her dear friend Larissa during
her personal crisis. The Mounties have fingered her as their chief suspect in
at least one of the murders. More trouble
ensues.
Kay Kendall is a long-time fan of historical mysteries and now writes atmospheric mysteries that capture the spirit and turbulence of the
sixties. She is also an award-winning international PR executive who lives in
Texas with her husband, three house rabbits, and spaniel Wills. Terribly
allergic to the bunnies, she loves them anyway! Her book titles show she’s a
Bob Dylan buff too.
Loved this–it is so true for all of us authors, whether new at the game or not. Great post.
Thanks, Marilyn. I guess if this gig ever got old, we would just hang up our pens and papers…or PCs and Macs…and call it a day. I feel very far from that right now, and I can tell you do too. Write on!