Preparation for a December Release: Ellen Larson, IN RETROSPECT

One of the biggest topics among authors is suddenly Promotion -- a task that the fortunate used to delegate to their publishers. Now everyone is expected to work at this, and even create the plans for it. I've read some agonized author rants recently where people have talked about how uncomfortable they are with the effort and the public face that's needed. Some are even threatening to stop writing!

Taking a different and quite lovely path this year has been Ellen Larson, author of the sci-fi mystery crossover IN RETROSPECT, which will be released in December. With a long-term plan, Ellen started work early this year to develop and have created a work-of-art book trailer. In the process, she learned how to "crowdsource" via Kickstarter. I think her postmortem of the Kickstarter experience is fascinating: click here for her Kickstarter story.

If you'd rather skip her words and just  see the elegant and haunting trailer, check it out on YouTube.

And finally, here's a link to preorder the book from FiveStar, via that notorious online retailer that makes it so easy for all of us to instantly get gratification. I hope there will be many an independent bookstore carrying the book as the release date approaches!

Last but not least, a reminder of why mystery readers and writers may have an extra incentive to follow Larson's writing career: Her other "hat" is as editor of Poisoned Pen Press's new "young adult" mystery imprint, The Poisoned Pencil.