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As ever, Heathcliff the dog is featured and now Zelda the cat is as well. Maybe that's how you can determine the longevity of a cozy series. How many of the amateur sleuth's pets are on the cover?
The artist Julia Green is always amazing and when I told the art department that the opening of the book is a murder on a train and that a train set with the dog would be cool...well, they delivered. I mean look at that cover. It's fabulous!
This book is my homage to Patricia Highsmith's STRANGERS ON A TRAIN mashed up with Agatha Christie's MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS. This mysteries really make you want to try train travel, don't they?
But truly the entire plot came about when I decided it would be fun to have my characters meet up with the characters of my plot group buddy Kate Carlisle, author of the NYT bestselling Bibliophile Mysteries. Her amateur sleuth Brooklyn Wainwright is a professional bookbinder and it just felt like my librarian Lindsey Norris needed to meet Brooklyn. Of course, I spent months teasing Kate that I was going to kill off her characters (I could never, I adore Brooklyn) but when it was time to submit the manuscript, I sent Kate the relevant pages and she approved the cameo. Not gonna lie, it was a blast to write another person's characters, especially since I'm a super fan as well as a friend of Kate's.
Hey, here's a thought the Reds should all scramble books and write each other's mysteries...aaaaand, they all just keeled over in horror! LOL.
But seriously, what do you think about cameos of characters from other author's series, Reds and Readers? Yay or Nay?
ABOUT FATAL FIRST EDITION
I enjoy cameos in books, be in other author's characters or other series from the same author's cameos. Like you did in an earlier Library Lover's book.
ReplyDeleteThis is a fun one. Congrats on release day!
Thanks so much, Mark! Yes, Death inthe Stacks had all my characters. Oy. That was fun but quite the challenge.
DeleteHappy Book Birthday, Jenn! I'm looking forward to reading this . . . .
ReplyDeleteI think cameos are great fun . . . I love the idea of Brooklyn and Lindsey meeting each other!
Thank you, Joan! It just felt like a natural fit.
DeleteI think that is a wonderful idea, Jenn. I am so looking forward to reading your book. My parents were going to do a train trip that went through Canada but then illness struck. The brochure sure looked like it would have been nice and going through some beautiful scenery.
ReplyDeleteYes! My mom has always wanted to do that trip. I do, too!
DeleteJenn, Happy Book Birthday! I love the cover and yes, I love when I read a book and see a character from another series.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Dru!!!
DeleteJENN: Happy book birthday!!! Yes, cameos with characters from another author pal sounds like fun. I adore Brooklyn and it makes sense that Lindsay could meet her at a library conference.
ReplyDeleteGRACE: Agreed that sounds like fun! Diana
DeleteRight? And I didn't kill them off. LOL.
DeleteThat is such a great premise, Jenn, and congratulations on the new book! Yes, it's a fabulous cover. (I didn't know trains even had private compartments any more.)
ReplyDeleteI approve of the cameo idea. Last fall I brought an earlier protagonist from an ended series back to life in the novella that introduced my new series. In "Murderous Mittens," farmer Cam Flaherty visits northern California and kind of shows Cece Barton the ropes in her first murder case. I haven't yet brought in a character from another author's series, but I have an idea for one.
Love it, Edith!
DeleteEdith, I started reading the Local Foods Mystery series because I “met” Cam in Murderous Mittens and wanted to know more about her story! — Pat S
DeletePat, thank you!
DeleteI love cameo appearances, both reading them and writing them. In fact, I "borrowed" one of Liz Milliron's characters for my next book. It's Jim Duncan's second appearance, and he insisted on sticking around for more than one scene this time. The great part is Liz and I are already critique partners, so she was there to make sure I got him right.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the new release, Jenn. That cover is a piece of art!
Oh, I love that! How fun!
DeleteMega congrats, Jenn, and I say a big fat YES to cameos from other series. My first experience of that was in one of Margaret Maron's books, when she brought together Judge Deborah Knott and NYPD Detective Sigrid Harald. I believe it happened when Deborah traveled to New York for some reason. I don't remember the details, but I remember those two characters coming together as a fun read for me.
ReplyDeleteYes, it's like introducing two friends that you knwo will get on famously!
DeleteAmanda, thanks for this reminder. I was thinking I’d never read anything with a character from another series. Loved Margaret Maron’s characters. Miss her wonderful stories. Elisabeth.
DeleteFictional characters wander through other authors' works all the time, like Sherlock Holmes, who can't seem to stay on his own shelf. It seems rarer for contemporary characters to meander, though. Love the idea, especially with these two series. It's only natural that Brooklyn and Lindsey should meet.
ReplyDeleteThat's what I thought, too! Yes, Sherlock does get around...busy body. LOL.
DeleteCongrats on the new book Jenn - looking forward to it.
ReplyDeleteI think cameo appearances are great, but I am not familiar with the other character. Will have to check her out.
The Bibliophile series is awesome - you'll love it!
DeleteStart with the first Bibliophile book. The first one is awesome and sets the stage for all the others.
DeleteCongrats to Jenn! It makes perfect sense to mingle characters from two different authors. What if Gamache's team pursued a lead in Millers Kill?
ReplyDeleteOoh, I love that idea!
DeleteOoooohhhh. You may be onto something!
DeleteI have always said that Julia’s books remind me of the Inspector Gamache series. Maybe it’s the settings? Love them both! — Pat S
DeleteI can see this. Russ & Clare go on vacation to Three Pines and get involved with cross-border immigrant/refugee smuggling. Ahhhh!
DeleteBrooklyn and Lindsey would make an awesome team!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the new book, Jenn! I have it on my to read list ❤️📚
Thank you, Dorothy!
DeleteAs well as Brooklyn and Lindsey, maybe she could interact with Nora Page's wonderful Cleo and her Gentleman. Unfortunately I think this series is over, but what a mix-up that would be.
DeleteCongrats on your book-day!
Congrats on the book Jenn. As Annette mentioned, she's borrowed Jim Duncan twice. Well, turn about is fair play, so for SAVING THE GUILTY, which comes out in August, I borrowed Wayne Baronick and Pete Adams. I thought it was just for one scene each, but Wayne insisted on sticking his nose in - briefly - later in the story. LOL
ReplyDeleteAwesome, Liz.
DeleteLiz, that sounds like so much fun. Not surprised about Wayne sticking his nose in, he can be very persistent.
DeleteThat's hilarious!
DeleteThis looks like so much fun! Congratulations, Jenn. anwering your question: for a classic meeting of characters from different authors, take a look at Laurie King's A Letter of Mary, an early-ish book in the long Mary Russell series. Russell, in disguise at a posh party, meets someone who knows her in real life. He is a pleasant, foolish (seeming), witty upper class gent who is recovering from very bad war experiences, and is musically gifted...and knows Mary's hsuband, Mr. Holmes. And briefly helps Mary in her role here and also gives her some good advice. Who can guess? It's beautifully done.
ReplyDeleteNice! I must have missed that book.
DeleteOh, I love that. Laurie is a master.
DeleteCongratulations Jenn! The cover is fabulous! My son is a total train geek and I love to go by train when it's possible. I love the idea of a cameo by someone else's character, can't wait to read it.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Gillian! The train bits were fun to write - train travelers were super helpful with this book.
DeleteCongratulations, Jenn! I started reading your new book on my Apple ebook. Yay to Lindsay and Brooklyn meeting in your novel. I read a short story where Alexander McCall Smith had Precious Ramostowe meet characters from the Scotland Street series and the Isabel Dalhousie series, as I recall. And I loved Murder on the Orient Express. I remember the movie Strangers on the Train.
ReplyDeleteLove the idea of characters having cameos. So it is Yay for me.
Diana
Thank you, Diana!
DeleteOh my, I feel like the party grump here. But in all honesty, I have never been a big fan of cameos from other series. I have encountered some that just didn't seem to do justice to the visiting characters, but even in the ones that did, it just tends to serve to pull me out of the action of the book. Sort of a "breaking the third wall" kind of thing.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I am so deeply in love with the Library Lovers' series that it isn't going to take away from my enjoyment of this book, I am sure. And the train part sounds wonderful!
Thank you, Susan. It's a very brief cameo and gave me a great stepping off place for the book. But I hear you -- sometimes it's just too much.
DeleteSusan, another party grump here. Crossover from one author to another just turns me off. I cringed over Gamache and Three Pines mixing with Clare and Russ and Miller’s Kill. Elisabeth
DeleteAbsolutely cannot wait to read this! I am a massive fan of train stories, as you know, I’m sure this is fantastic! And what a fabulous idea for a cameo! Love. As for the reds writing cameos, you know we have always been pushing for us to write something together… I’m still voting yes! Shall we talk about it on our live reds and readers show on Saturday?
ReplyDeleteHank, yes for Saturday!
DeleteGreat idea! We do need to get ont that!
DeleteI have read all of the Bibliophile mysteries, so I think it will be delightful to have Brooklyn appear in your book. After all, Harry Bosch and The Lincoln Lawyer are now solving cases together!
ReplyDeleteRight? Even Connelly couldn't resist.
DeleteI'm with Susan, above--I'm not fond of series characters appearing in different series. But, I do love this particular series very much-- can't wait to read it! What I do enjoy are other author's books popping up as reading material, clues in a story. I think it was Carolyn Hart who did something like this in her Death on Demand series, where each month the bookstore would feature a series of paintings of mystery books. Like the characters in the series, it was fun to try and guess the books.
ReplyDeleteOh, I was just talking about Carolyn with Paige Shelton, Hannah Dennison and Donis Casy - we're all super fans. Love her work.
DeleteFATAL FIRST EDITION sounds fanTAStic! I love Strangers on a Train AND Murder on the Orient Express.... and so brilliant to incorporate a beloved character from another series ... wondering did Kate suggest any tweaks/changes to your portrayal of Brooklyn Wainwright in the cameo?
ReplyDeleteHmm. I wonder if I could give Alfred Hitchcock a walk-on? Or one of the characters from The Maltese Falcon? Or Julia Child? The mind boggles...
Thanks, Hallie. I had a proposal for a mystery series with the sleuth being Hitchcock's personal assistant and of course, he'd have a cameo. Never sold it though...sigh.
DeleteNever sold? I think it's a great idea. And remember J.R. Rawlings was turned down by so many publishing houses.
DeleteCan you imagine if Miss Marple teamed up with Sherlock Holmes. Or Ian Fleming's James Bond!
Hallie, I'd love to see Aunt Dahlia do a cameo - talking about having one's mind "boggled" ! LOL!
DeleteJenn, I adore the cover! You have some very talented people on your team!
ReplyDeleteThe book is here. So are three library books that I reserved months ago that are 2-week borrows! I am tempted to just return them and re-reserve them. Your book will be next after those 3 go back to the library.
I love cameos in books and in films. Bringing Brooklyn in will be especially fun since I love Kate's series and all the zany characters in the bibliophile books.
Congratulations on pub day!
Thank you so much, Judy! Hope you enjoy it!
DeleteCongratulations, Jenn - and yes, the cover is marvelous!
ReplyDeleteI am a fan of cameos, in print or on series television. It's always fun to see what they bring to them mix. Remember Jessica Fletcher on Magnum PI? Perfection
Oh, I forgot about that one! I'm going to have to watch it again - love, love, love!
DeleteGreat cover. We never had electric trains growing up and find myself watching them on social media now. Can't wait to see how Lindsey and Sully prove their own innocence while catching the murderer.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Deana!
DeleteCongrats on the release, Jenn. I love discovering cameos in books and this one was made in heaven!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Rhys!
DeleteJenn, it's funny you opened with the cover, because when I pulled up the blog, it was the first thing I saw and before I had read what you wrote, I thought, "They need to give that cover artist a bonus." You have the BEST covers for the Library Lovers series.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, if you can think of a good reason for an upstate NY police chief and an episcopal priest to some to Briar Creek, I'm game!
She really is brilliant! I feel like we could pull this off...somehow...hmm.
DeleteCongratulations. I love the idea of a cameo. What fun. Do you think the new meeting will lead to follow up cameos? Great cover.
ReplyDeleteI don't know! That's a great question! I guess we'll have to see.
DeleteI love cameos. Like a friend walked in the door. Cant wait to read this.
ReplyDeleteYes that is a great way to describe a cameo appearance!
DeleteHa! Agreed!
DeleteCameos can be fun. Especially when they're unnamed. I've run across a few and it is so much fun when recognition hits! Pat D
ReplyDeleteIt's like being in on the secret!
DeleteI’m a big fan of all of your books and also of Kate’s! Seeing you interview Kate at Bouchercon last August was fun and showed what good friends you are. I love that you “borrowed” Brooklyn! (I also love Easter eggs in TV shows and movies. If not overdone, they are a treat to those who are in on the secret and just seem like another character to those who don’t.) Congratulations on your Pub Day! — Pat S
ReplyDeleteIt wa such an honor to interview Kate. She's done so much for the genre!
DeleteJenn, that cover is incredibly clever! The story sounds truly engaging. I'm definitely ordering the book right away. Cameos are fun. I think the Reds should go for it.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ang! I agree - we should go for it!
DeleteHappy pub day, Jenn!! I absolutely adore this cover, and can't wait to dive into my copy!! I love cameos, too, so looking forward to being in on the fun!!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Debs!
DeletePlease keep the characters in their own boxes! It would be OK for authors to swap strategic information about specific locations or historical facts that one is more familiar with to aid in a storyline, but not any additional collaboration relating to characters.
ReplyDelete