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BLACK SWAN RISING gets its first review — and blurbs!

Hello all!

I’m happy to report that BLACK SWAN RISING has its first review, from PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY. It’s a good one:

San Diego, Calif., newswoman Casey Cheng, the heroine of this riveting thriller from Brackmann (Go-Between), researches an article exploring the effects of a mass shooting, perpetrated by Alan Chastain, on his victims. She was one of them, shot in the back. Once she recovers from her wounds, Casey interviews Alan’s mother, who allows her to inspect Alan’s bedroom. She finds a graphic novel there that leads her to Lucas Derry, who later attempts to assassinate Matt Cason, a local Congressman up for reelection. When a photo taken at the scene of the shooting showing Matt’s campaign worker Sarah Price attempting to save a collateral victim later goes viral, Sarah is devastated, afraid her secret past will be revealed. That outcome threatens to disrupt the life and career she has created, and possibly to derail Matt’s campaign. A vicious series of posts on social media, spurred by online provocateurs of violence named the True Men Movement, call for the disruption of the upcoming national elections. Despite threats to their safety, Sarah and Casey carry on. Readers will furiously turn the pages to see how it all ends.

On to blurbs…Blurbs are one of those difficult asks for a lot of authors, including me. You want your peers to like your book. You don’t want to put them out. Writers have a lot of demands on their time, and you don’t want to hand them a novel they aren’t going to enjoy and that wastes it.

I like to think from the responses I got back that I didn’t waste anyone’s time. Here’s a sample:

“Fierce, fearsome, and distressingly relevant, with three compelling female leads and a storyline straight out of your very worst Twitter mentions, Black Swan Rising is a showcase for Brackmann’s sharp prose and dry, trademark wit.”
— Elizabeth Little, Los Angeles Times–bestselling author of Dear Daughter

You can read the rest here.

BLACK SWAN RISING has a cover!

Isn’t it pretty??

BLACK SWAN RISING is coming!

So…I have a new book coming out. Here is some info:

I am super-psyched and excited about this–to be working with the marvelous Terri Bischoff at Midnight Ink for one, and that the book is coming out on an expedited timeline, for another. “Black Swan Rising” is an explicitly political book — I’m not going to dance around this — and the fact that it will be published in advance of the Nov. 2018 midterm elections is incredibly appropriate. The book is about a lot of things–online harassment, misogyny, mass shootings, our polarized nation–and it all takes place in the context of a highly contentious political campaign.

(I swear I wrote the first chapter and pitch for this book in July 2014!)

Because all of this is happening so quickly (in publishing terms, this is light-speed, folks), I’ve already seen some cover comps, and they are awesome! As soon as the design is finalized, I’ll be back to show that off and to tell you more about the book.

Best,

Lisa

 

Finally! DRAGON DAY is available as an audiobook!

I’m very excited to announce that DRAGON DAY is now available as an audiobook, narrated by the fabulous Tracy Sallows, who did such an amazing job on the first two books in the series. She’s also the reader for GO-BETWEEN, and I could not be happier about that!

I have a few free copies to give away for especially interested readers — am contemplating the best way of going about that. Suggestions, anyone?

dragon-day-cover

DRAGON DAY paperback is out in the wild!

Here’s where to buy it!

Dragon Day - Cover

GO-BETWEEN is coming! And other doings…

go-between-coverI am very excited about the upcoming publication of my fifth book, GO-BETWEEN! Look up the page and you’ll see the cover and a brief description. To learn more about the book, including a look at the first three chapters, click here!

Otherwise, if you happen to be in London in mid-May, I’ll be doing a few events for the Asia House Literary Festival, including this one and this one! (gulp) I hope to add some more UK events in the latter part of May. Will keep you posted!

I will be making an appearance at the Bay Area Book Festival (June 4-5, time/date TBD).

For the actual book launch, I will be in NYC, doing a special Soho Crime 25th Anniversary event — watch this space for details!

And I promise for those of you in San Diego, I’ll have my West Coast book launch at the wonderful Mysterious Galaxy (that link will take you to a page where you can pre-order signed copies of GO-BETWEEN)…and yes, there will be local craft beer…

Dragon Day doings…

Here’s my events schedule for the next couple of weeks (because it’s quicker than updating the calendar):

I’m celebrating the Dragon Day launch two days early (but there will be books), with Steph Cha at San Diego’s wonderful bookstore Mysterious Galaxy on Aug. 16 at 2 pm — and we plan to celebrate with some of San Diego’s finest brews, among other things. If you’re around, stop by!

I have a few more events scheduled in California as well:

Aug. 20, 7 pm, Book Carnival, with Steph Cha

Aug. 26, 7 pm, Janet Rudolph’s salon in the East Bay (write me at [email protected] if you’d like to go to this)

Aug. 27, afternoon-ish, I’ll be dropping into Book Shop West Portal and Books Inc. Laurel Village in San Francisco to sign copies — drop them a line to reserve yours!

Sept. 17, 7 pm, Chevalier’s in LA’s Larchmont Village, with Steph Cha and Elizabeth Little

Sept. 20, 3 pm, Mystery Ink in Huntington Beach, with Steph Cha

Sept. 20, 8 pm, Noir at the Bar Los Angeles, with James Ziskin, Neal Griffin, Sarah Chen, Danny Gardner and Jimmy Callaway!

More events TBD (I’m still on the fence about Bouchercon but I’m going to try to make it)

Something new

Yeah. If you look up above…well, all around the site…

There’s a new Ellie book coming out on August 18.

You can read all about it here.

HOUR OF THE RAT, now in PB!

Yep!

For all the news of my recent doings, check out the latest issue of my newsletter (and you can sign up for the next one if you’d like).

Many thanks for your interest and support! I thank you, and Ghost the Cat thanks you!

Hey, why not?

Here’s What’s Coming Up!

JULY 13: I host debut author Maer Wilson for a discussion and reading of her urban fantasy/supernatural thriller RELICS, at Mysterious Galaxy Redondo Beach! (time TBA)

JULY 14: Sisters in Crime Los Angeles July Meeting, I am a featured reader, MEET-AND-GREET: 2:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., PROGRAM: 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., South Pasadena Library located at 1115 El Centro Street, South Pasadena CA

JULY 14: Noir at the BarMandrake, 2692 S La Cienega Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90034, Los Angeles CA, 8 PM — With Sara Gran, Tim Hallinan, Steph Cha and Anonymous-9!

JULY 19: NEW! I sign at Watershed Books in Lakeport, CA! (707) 263-5787,305 North Main Street, Lakeport, CA 95453, 2 PM!

JULY 21: NEW! Discussion, signing and WINE! At Lake County Wine Studio! 9505 Main Street #1, Upper Lake, CA. 2 PM!

AUGUST 7: NEW! Reading, discussion and potluck at Janet Rudolph’s Literary Salon, Berkeley CA, 7 PM! (contact me for details)