Hello friends and fans,

Just got back from Mayhem in the Midlands, what a blast.  A really great conference attended by really great folks.  Made some new friends–and found some new authors to read.  Check out Alex Kava, J.T. Ellison, Shane Gericke, J.A. Kornath, Jeff Abbott, and Rick Mofina.

A couple really cool things about mystery/thriller writers you may not know:

We’re an irreverent, sometimes very funny, bunch.  I guess we have to be–we kill people for a living.

Because we spend a lot of time alone in our fictional world–surrounded by forensic facts (tasty tidbits about decomposition, blood spatter and descriptions of some, frankly, pretty, damn funky smells) we like to cut loose and have fun.

As you can imagine, no subject is off limits.  And boy, we like to eat and drink.  (Not necessarily in that order.) Check out the pictures in my Photos section.

Erica

Hello Readers!

I thought I’d stop in with a few random, Tuesday thoughts:

Bead requests have been pouring in–keep those receipts coming!  The deadline’s June, 1st.  We’ll ship them all out in bulk then.

It’s graduation time: Congratulations to all graduates!  Way to go.

Summer is almost upon us.  I’d love to hear how you plan to spend your summer.  Any exciting trips planned?  What about books?  What’s on your summer reading list?

Mayhem in the Midlands is only a week and a half away.  I hope to see some of you there.  Check out the crime scene panels–author Alex Kava has put together a knockout line-up. Come join us! (visit www.omahapubliclibrary.org/mayhem/ for more info)

It’s Tuesday night, and I admit to being hooked on American Idol.  (The obsession started last year, so I’m a relative newbie to the phenomenon.)  Only 3 left.  I admit to being emotionally invested in my choice.  Who’s your pick?

Back to plotting murder and mayhem in wine country.

 Best,

Dear Readers,

Happy spring to you all!  This winter has been a bear for so many of us, warm weather and sunny skies will be extra-welcome this year.

I’m delighted to inform you that LAST KNOWN VICTIM is now out in paperback!  It’s early this time because I switched publishers and my release schedule has been turned upside-down.  If you haven’t read it yet, I hope you will.  (Be sure to send in your receipt to receive your LKV Mardi Gras beads!)

BREAKNECK, my next novel and first with new publisher St. Martin’s Press, is finished!  It picks up where COPYCAT left off–Detectives M.C. Riggio and Kitt Lundgren are on the hunt for a killer intent on murdering a group of young cyber-thieves, all the while trying to untangle their personal lives.  It will be published in early ’09.  (That topsy-turvy release schedule again.)

The re-release date of RED has been confirmed: December ’08.  I’ll be sure to post a cover the minute I see it.

Until next time,

Best wishes,

Erica

Dear Readers,

Welcome to my blog!   I’m delighted to have this newest addition to my website and I look forward to it being a great way for us to communicate, though I might take this first post as a way to fill you in on what’s going on with my books.

Currently, I’m putting the final tweaks on BREAKNECK, my next thriller–and the first with my new publisher, St. Martin’s Press!  It’s due to be released in early 2009.  I’ll let you know when the month is confirmed.

LAST KNOWN VICTIM will be released in paperback in April and RED, out of print for ten years, is being rereleased!  I don’t have a cover to post yet, but will, the moment I get one.  That book will hit the stands in December of this year.

Also, THE CHOPIN MANUSCRIPT, the collaborative project I participated in to benefit the International Thriller Writers Association, has been nominated for Best Original Work at the Audie Awards.  

And, drum roll now . . .  My assistant Evelyn and I are off to wine country to begin research on my next novel, BLOOD WINE.  I’m really excited–and not just because I love wine–about setting a novel there.  We’re hoping to post in from the road–I hope you’ll stop by.

As always, a big thanks for your interest in my novels and visiting my website.

Cheers,

So much to say, so little space - but here goes! First off, greetings and blessings! I hope this edition of Erica Spindler News finds you happy, healthy and enjoying 2007.

Because so many of you have asked - New Orleans is hobbling back to life. There has been progress, but we still have a long way to go. Huge thanks to more than 500 readers who responded to my call for receipts to benefit the New Orleans Police Foundation. Your generosity helped deserving officers get their lives back together post-Katrina.

LAST KNOWN VICTIM is finally here! (9-28-07) LAST KNOWN VICTIM brings back characters from KILLER TAKES ALL. The story is especially close to my heart as it is my first novel set in post-K New Orleans. As many of you know, KILLER TAKES ALL had just landed in bookstores when Katrina hit New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. Suddenly, the story felt wrong; New Orleans had been changed forever. I realized I had to bring back Stacy, Spencer and the entire Malone clan - and pick them all up after the storm. How did they fare during the storm? How about after? How did the disaster affect their lives and relationships?

But don’t worry, I hung the answers to all those questions on a very scary plot - and one of my creepiest villains ever. Good news for those of you who have been clamoring for my books on audio - Brilliance is simultaneously releasing both an abridged and unabridged audio version of LAST KNOWN VICTIM.

In other news: I’m taking part in a ‘Serial Thriller’- a project sponsored by and to benefit the International Thriller Writers organization. (ITW’s website) Fifteen authors are participating - including Jeffery Deaver, Lisa Scottoline, and Lee Child, among others. We’re each writing a chapter - I’m Chapter Five. The story will be available this fall from audible.com.

Read on, Friends, for information about my upcoming giveaways and contests, a recipe for a New Orleans Hurricane, and a sneak peek at LAST KNOWN VICTIM. And as always, visit www.ericaspindler.com for updates on appearances, promotions and my monthly contest.

Best wishes,

Erica