Thursday, September 03, 2009

I just signed a new book contract!!!

I am thrilled to announce that after my agent, Sandra Bond, spent over a year and a half diligently trying to sell my new mystery series to various publishers in this disastrous economy, she has finally succeeded in finding a home for it at Midnight Ink Books, the mystery imprint of Llewellyn Worldwide. We were getting feedback like "the concept for this series is fabulous and I thoroughly enjoyed reading the manuscript" followed by a big BUT and references to the poor economy to explain why they weren't buying it.

Midnight Ink, however, was willing to take a chance on launching a new mystery series in this economy and offered me a two-book contract with first-refusal rights for subsequent books in the series. The books will be published in trade paperback and electronic formats.

My new series is set in Salida, Colorado and stars 27-year-old Mandy Tanner, an unmarried river ranger for the Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area (AHRA). The first book, Wicked Whitewater, is already written and will be released in the first quarter of 2011. When Mandy rescues a man who fell out of a raft on the upper Arkansas River in Colorado and he dies on the river bank, she feels driven to find out what—-or who—-killed him. The book takes place during the First in Boating on the Arkansas (FIBArk) festival that occurs every June.

The second book, tentatively titled Evil Eddies, will take place during a fly-fishing competition on the upper Arkansas River, which is why I've been researching that sport lately. ;-) It should be released in the first quarter of 2012.

9 comments:

Unknown said...

so, so, so very happy for you. i understand the struggle. this is great news! grats. xo

Alan Orloff said...

Congrats, Beth. Welcome!

Lyn said...

I am so happy for you as a writer and for me as a reader! Yippee! And I need to read a book about a detective called Mama Bear. . .

Sheila Deeth said...

Now I know why you were writing about fly fishing. Congratulations! That's wonderful!

Jane Kennedy Sutton said...

Congratulations, Beth! That's exciting news.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations, Beth!

Persia Walker said...

Hi Beth,

I'm not familiar with your work, but hope to be. I'm also thrilled at your news. Purely selfishly. It lifts my heart to hear that a writer, especially a fellow mystery writer, has been able to get a two-book deal.

Best wishes for your success! (Maybe I'll see you at Bouchercon?)

Beth Groundwater said...

Thanks so much for the congrats messages, everyone, and yes, Persia, I'll be at Bouchercon. Want to come to my mystery gift basket making workshop? Sign up!
- Beth

Jody said...

Great news.