Last week I met up with my friend, Flo, for a blether in a local coffee shop. Mid-afternoon, the place was emptyish, and we bagged the comfy window seats so we could people-watch as we chatted, sipped our lattes and munched on pumpkin muffins. Flo's likes to interrogate me about my writing, and here's the gist of our conversation.
***
Flo: You must be so excited. A new book coming out.
Me: It's always a mixture of nervous anticipation and dread.
Flo: (giving me the side-eye) Well, if you can’t or won’t tell me the title of your new book, are you going to tell me what genre it’s in and what’s it about?
Me: The genre is—
Flo: (interrupting - she interrupts a lot) I bet it’s your usual vampire-next-door or another space adventure for a hard-done-by heroine.
Me: You mean urban fantasy or science-fiction?
Flo: Or did you write another romcom? I loved your Serendipity Game.
Me: (smirking) It’s a tragedy. And, by the way, the audiobook of The Serendipity Game is free on Audiofreebies.com right now Do you know anyone who enjoys a drama-filled romcom?
Flo: Actually, Renee would. I'll let her know. But why would you write a tragedy? Don’t people have enough problems without reading about made-up catastrophes?
Me: When an idea moves in, I have to go with it. But it’ll be marketed as a psychological suspense.
Flo: Yeah, that’s better. I love a thriller.
Me: Not a thriller, suspense.
Flo: (rolling her eyes) Don’t tell me the difference. I don’t care.
Me: (determined to educate Flo about the subtleties of genre) Thrillers have more external action. Suspense focuses on one character’s internal struggle and the outcome isn’t so obvious.
Flo: Not sure I’ll remember that. Okay, no title reveal. I get it. What’s it about?
Me: It’s set in a fictional town in Massachusetts and focuses on the dark secrets a couple keep from each other.
Flo: Ooh! Dark secrets, eh? This is a new genre for you, right? Teagan Kearney adds psychological thriller to her skill set. Good one.
Me: Not Teagan Kearney. I decided that a new start in a new genre using a new publishing route deserved a new name. So, I’ve shortened Teagan Kearney to G.N. Kearney. I’ll continue to publish my urban fantasy/sci-fi books as Teagan Kearney and, by the way, I’m currently working on a second series that takes place in the same universe as the Saoirse Saga. I’ll use G.N. Kearney for further psychological suspense/thrillers.
Flo: Why not T.G.N. Kearney?
Me: Three initials? Nope, not going there.
Flo: Hey, did you say new publishing route? You're not self-publishing this one?
Me: No. Level Best Books, an independent US-based publishing company offered me a contract. They specialize in crime and detective novels.
Flo: Oh, Teagan. (Her big shiny eyes get bigger and shinier.) I'm so pleased for you. How many agents and publishers did you try before Level Best Books offered you a contract?
Me: Too many. If I didn’t love writing stories, I might have given up, though I did get some lovely encouraging refusals.
Flo: Serendipity Game was your last book, and you published that in 2020, right? So, this nameless novel took you three years to write? Why?
Me: Writing, editing and formatting the books, then creating covers as well as marketing on social media and advertising became overwhelming. So, I took a break - think Rip Van Winkle not R.I.P. - from the selling side of the business.
I also completed a Faber & Faber online course and the first year of an M.A. in Creative Writing.
Flo: And you got your mojo back, eh?
Me: Yep. Focusing on the writing without worrying about sales stats and reviews paid off in terms of satisfaction in the creative process.
Flo: To be clear, here. You felt better and wrote a tragedy?
Me: Yep.
Flo: Do you think this is the one? (She makes air quotes as she says, ‘the one’. Flo’s big on air quotes.)
Me: Only if readers enjoy it.
Flo: Release date?
Me: Early to mid-October. Though that's not set in concrete, 'cos stuff happens when you least expect it. But, as long no new world crisis occurs between now and then, hopefully, that's when you'll see me do my happy dance.
Flo: (her phone buzzes) Oh, sorry, honey. I gotta go. Gemma’s got dance class. See you same time, same place, next week? But promise me you'll tell me the name of the new book, okay?
Me: Wouldn’t miss it for the world. (We give each other a big squishy hug)
***
I haven't blogged for a while, but there'll be a short flurry of posts coming in the next month or so as the date of the book release approaches. Please, check back to find out more about the dark secrets in my new novel and to find out the title, cover reveal and other important dates.
Stay safe and well,
Best wishes,
Teagan/G.N. Kearney.
P.S. Don't forget to check out my freebies page! 😊
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