Monday, March 17, 2014

Forward Back


Readers, here it is! The new Raleigh Harmon mystery:

Stone and Spark. 

I'm thrilled about this book. Not only does Raleigh once again prove herself full of fire and spunk, Stone and Spark answers some questions bandied about by readers ever since the first Raleigh mystery, The Stones Cry Out, appeared more than five years ago.

Specifically: Raleigh's dad.

Readers want to know about David Harmon. What was he like? Will Raleigh ever solve his murder? (Man, I hope so!) And what was her life like when he was alive?

After I finished writing The Stars Shine Bright, those questions started percolating in my mind. I didn't push them away because as my favorite Englishman (Winston Churchill) once said: "The farther back you can look, the farther forward you can see."

And as so often happens with writing, my imagination knit itself to "real life"as a beautiful and brilliant 13-year-old girl came to live with us.

Now, I'm a Tomboy-mom with only sons. So having a teen girl around the house was quite the adventure, especially a girl who was so smart and so ready to tell me when I was full of . . . you know. (I love this girl. She's now family).

But the whole experience reminded me of how teen girls struggle to find their way, to forge an identity, to figure out where they fit in this great big world.

That's when Raleigh, age 15, appeared on the page. She began telling me about her growing up years--her dad's alive, her mom's still nuts, and Raleigh's just beginning to understand geology is the coolest thing in the entire universe.

Stone and Spark grew from that seed of wonder. And this new Raleigh mystery launches the parallel teen series that will run alongside the adult Raleigh series. We'll get to follow Raleigh through high school and into college, right up to the point where The Stones Cry Out begins. The second book in the teen series will come out this fall.

And yes, I'm working on the next adult book, the one that follows The Stars Shine Bright. Don't worry. (And yes, Jack will be returning for an encore performance--who could expect anything less from the Alpha Agent?)

I hope you enjoy Stone and Spark. Let me know your thoughts. Better yet, leave a review and let the whole world know: Raleigh's back!

Also for a limited time, Amazon is offering the third Raleigh mystery The Clouds Roll Away for $2.99. That's 81% off the regular retail price. So steal my book. Please. I don't know whether this deal will happen again because I don't set these prices--I just celebrate with readers when it happens. 

15 comments:

  1. Is Stone and Spark going to be available on Barnes & Noble nook or just Amazon? Just wondering if I should wait or read it now on my "tiny" kindle phone app:)

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    1. Barbara, it should be available at B&N now. If you don't see it, holler.

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    2. I'm not finding it there, but I'll keep checking back. In my experience, they can be kind of slow about getting things up.

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  2. Ohhhh...cool cover!! I think it's brilliant that you'll be writing about Raleigh's childhood & current time simultaneously. The things that happen in our childhood have shaped us as adults, so it will be fascinating & enlightening to see how young Raleigh has impacted who adult Raleigh is. (Plus, we'll get to know her family & other childhood friends who pop up in her current life all the time.) What a great idea!!

    (P.S. I don't have a Kindle--will it be available in other formats?)

    Lora

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    1. Lora, you got it--we're going back to go forward. Thanks for your support and encouragement.

      It will be out in other formats in a few days. I'll post when that happens. Stay tuned!

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  3. Celebrating with you!
    sooo excited - pinned and tweeted =)
    you rock ! ty

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    1. Thanks for celebrating with me, FHCtea! (Love your handle!) You rock right back!

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  4. Woo-hoo! Got it just now & I am so excited to meet 15-year-old Raleigh! Our whole family listened to The Clouds Roll Away on audiobook 2 summers ago, and my daughter has been asking about more mysteries for her to read. She will remember Raleigh and love the younger version...AFTER I get to read it first! Ha!

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    1. Kandra, that's wonderful.

      I'm really impressed with Cassandra Campbell's reading in the Raleigh series. She gets so many different voice right.

      Hope you enjoy Stone and Spark. Thanks for stopping by.

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  5. *happy dance* Been waiting a looooooooooooong time for this one!! :)

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    1. Thanks, Abigail! Hope you enjoy it -- and more to come!

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  6. Sib .. IF I had your phone number I would either call you or text you the following:

    Sib .. When the going gets tough the tough get going. Just double down and keep on with the keeping on. My blood is boiling from getting Patti's latest report on things.

    Sign us as .. Cap and Patti .. I am sending you all a post card today .. Friday 9 Oct 2015 .. from Mongolia .. Our best to each of you .. and a special Semper Fi Nico!!

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  7. "And yes, I'm working on the next adult book, the one that follows The Stars Shine Bright. Don't worry. (And yes, Jack will be returning for an encore performance--who could expect anything less from the Alpha Agent?)"

    Sibella!!! I just finished "The Stars Shine Bright" and am dying to find out what happens with Raleigh and Jack! The tension has been building for so long! When will the next book be ready?!

    I love your writing - a mix of mystery and history, science and romance. You do a great job with the intellectual flair (malapropisms and witty repartee), and I appreciate that you don't rush the character development. You have made your characters believable, flawed and redeemable, knitting in threads of the most beautiful Redemption Story of all.

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    1. Allison, thanks so much for writing. I'm thrilled you enjoy the Raleigh series. The sequel to Stars should be releasing this summer. Sign up for my newsletter (free, no spam ever) and you'll be the first to hear about the release date. Sign up is on my new website: www.sibellawrites.com.
      You also get a free Raleigh short mystery with the newsletter--takes place after "Stars." :-)
      Thanks again, Allison!

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