I am über excited to be taking part in the book launch blog tour for my friend, Julie Holmes. Her debut release, Murder in Plane Sight, a mystery/suspense novel is now available. I have been looking forward to this release for a long time, and am thrilled to know Julie has more mysteries planned. If you’re not already following her blog, Facets of a Muse, you’re missing out on a lot of fun. This isn’t the first time Julie has appeared on my blog, but it IS the first time she’s been here to share a novel she’s written. I hope you’ll give her a warm welcome!
Thank you, Mae, for hosting me! I’ve had the opportunity to watch fellow writers release their books. I’ve even hosted their announcements on my own blog, hoping that someday it would be my turn to announce my own book release.
That day is here. It’s both exciting and terrifying. Exciting because I have reached a goal I have been aiming for since elementary school. Terrifying because I can no longer stay home and quietly keep writing, not if I want to gather readers.
I’ve been paying attention to my fellow writers and what they do for their book releases. Some offer a bit of insight into their process, which seems to suggest there is some sort of order to the whole thing.
I suppose there is. First come the characters.
No, wait, first comes the story.
Hmm. It’s different for every writer, and for me it can be different for every book. Sometimes I come up with characters who need a story. Sometimes I get a great story idea, and the characters follow.
So which was it with this book, you ask? That’s a little tricky, because the very first draft wasn’t set at the airport at all. In fact, it was a whole different story, with a main character who was an aircraft mechanic, and a story set in rural Minnesota. What is the point of a character who works at the airport when the story isn’t set there?
I realized I had two separate stories: a character who needed a story, and a story that needed a character. So I pulled my aircraft mechanic out of rural Minnesota and gave her a story. And of course, as is usual in my creative process, her first story wasn’t even set on the airport grounds.
Which I realized after I wrote the first draft and started reading through it. And I heard the voice of my writing teacher, clear as day: Why isn’t she at the airport?
Um. Yeah. Duh!
And eventually the story matured into Murder in Plane Sight.What about the other story, you ask? That’s on my list to work on after I finish Book 2. Yes, there will be another Sierra Bauer mystery. 🙂
BLURB:
Sierra Bauer, aircraft mechanic, struggled against personal tragedy to reclaim control of her life and her aviation career, but when she discovers a frozen body in her inspection plane, she must prove her innocence and uncover the key to exposing a deadly aviation conspiracy before she becomes the next casualty.
Find at Amazon and Barnes and Noble and wherever books are sold.
Short Excerpt:
Headlights glared in the rearview mirror. Sierra Bauer slowed, but not enough. Her car slid around the turn onto the service drive that ran past the Range Airlines maintenance hangar on the western side of the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport. She steered into the skid, regained control. Cursed the timing of the snow.
The idiot stuck to her backside like duct tape, too damn close even for Minneapolis drivers in these two inches of fresh January snow. Sierra considered hitting the brakes.
A deep rumble, and her tailgater passed her.
A pickup truck.
In the glow of her headlights, she identified the color.
Black.
Her breath caught.
An outline of a pale rectangle peeked from the layer of snow on the rear bumper.
Her heart stuttered. Raced.
It can’t be his truck. How would he know where I am?
Find Julie at the following haunts:
Web | Blog | Amazon Author Page | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook
What a interesting process you went through to get here Julie. The idea and character had to meet up. I find it interesting how a book comes to an author and how it grows and changes. Congrats on your amazing debut and I wish you a ton of success:)
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Thank you so much, Denise! Now, the next challenge is keeping it all going, right? 😀 😀 This writing community of ours is so wonderfully supportive!
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I agree Julie with both:)
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I found the background on this book intriguing, too. Every author works differently, but it was interesting to learn that in the original draft (or at least part of it, LOL), the story wasn’t even set at an airport! Having read the book, the way Julie pulled everything together was seamless!
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Reblogged this on anita dawes and jaye marie.
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Thank you for the reblog!
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Many thanks for sharing the release, Jaye! I’m hoping it won’t be long before I can do a promo splash for Payback, too! 🙂
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That would be wonderful, Mae…
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Give me a shout when you’re ready! 🙂
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XX
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Thank you for hosting me, Mae! This has been quite the tour over the past couple weeks. What fun!
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I’m glad you’re having such a great time on tour. And it’s great to have you visit. I think I heard Mr. E and your muse talking about a pub crawl since we’re otherwise engaged 😉
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I think I heard rumblings of that as well. Figures they’d step out while we’re having fun—erm, working. 😀 😀
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😀
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I love how you Frankensteined your work together to give a plot a good character and to give a character a good plot. I also love that you heard your teacher’s voice as you worked. Your process shows a great amount of discipline, and it was evident in the work. Wishing you all the best.
Thanks for hosting, Mae.
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Heh, Frankensteined–love it! I did something similar with my police procedural, though those two books were in the same series. And I swear to god I heard her voice loud and clear. Great teachers are like that.
Thank you for following my tour, and for the wonderful review post yesterday! I have met some wonderful friends in this writing community of ours!
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It’s the best professional community in the world, I think.
And now I want to know all about the police procedural.
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Wow, you managed to Frankenstein TWO books? You rock, girl!
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I have much respect for Frankensteined stories. I agree that Julie did an excellent job and delivered a great debut! Makes me think there is hope for a Frankenstein story I’ve never finished. She nailed it with Murder in Plane Sight!
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If it’s a Frankenstein about a Frankenstein’s monster, you need to write it now!
Otherwise, I’ll (im)patiently wait for it. But you should absolutely write it.
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It’s more about ghosts and family secrets but it’s definitely something that has been Frankensteined from multiple stray ideas. One of these days, LOL!
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*blushes*
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I know how difficult it can be to piece a story together, especially from two disparate plots. This is on my TBR list.
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Yes, it is. But that’s the fun in it, right? Thanks for following the tour, Michele!
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It’s an excellent mystery story, Michele. Lots going on in this one and the characters are awesome. I fell hard for Quinn. 🙂
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Seems like a lot of people did 😉 ❤
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Reblogged this on Facets of a Muse and commented:
And the final stop on my book release blog tour is over at Mae Clair’s site. It’s been quite a journey, with a lot of amazing friends. Hop on over!
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Glad to have you spreading the word!
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Really enjoying the tour stops I’ve found. Wishing you tons of success with your book.
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Thank you, Craig!
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Julie has certainly been enjoying a fun time in the blogosphere. Thanks for dropping by to share in her release excitement!
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I enjoyed reading your journey to publication, Julie. Congratulations!
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Thank you, Jill! It’s been a great ride!
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So nice to have you visit, Jill. Debut releases are especially fun and Julie delivered an excellent story with this one!
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Congrats to Julie on her new book! RT.
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Thank you, Jacqui!
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I will second that “congrats” Jacqui 🙂
Thanks for visiting!
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The pun in the title really got me–thanks for sharing this book!
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Thank you for stopping by!
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Isn’t it clever? The book is awesome, too! Thanks for visiting to check it out!
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This book sounds exciting. Sometimes melding ideas doesn’t work and you have to separate them.
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So true, Roberta. Thanks for stopping by!
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Murder in Plane Sight is an intriguing mystery read for sure, Robbie.
And I know what you mean about story ideas. I have an old trunk novel I’m still trying to make work but my melding of ideas hasn’t gotten me anywhere!
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I enjoy hearing other authors talk about their first drafts – it lets me know I’m not the only one who’s not quite sure what the story is yet. Congrats on the new release, Julie!
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Ahh, the trials of an author, right? We always seem to find a way, though. Thanks for stopping by, Teri!
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My first draft is definitely always a “work in progress” because I rarely know where I’m headed with it, LOL! I enjoy seeing how other authors work and how they take ideas to story completion.
Thanks for visiting to share in Julie’s release excitement, Teri!
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A huge congrats to Julie! Thanks for hosting, Mae!
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Thank you!
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A pleasure to host, Jan! And this was such an intriguing mystery. Thanks for visiting to wish Julie well!
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I read this and had to smile-The idiot stuck to her backside like duct tape.
I’ve had a driver or two like that, lol. Enjoyed the excerpt and reading about your process, too!
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LOL! I think everyone has had that experience. Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks, Jacquie!
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I’ve had a few of those duct tape drivers too. I’m going to have to remember that line the next time I have some idiot try to push their way into the front seat, LOL.
Glad you enjoyed Julie’s post and excerpt. Thanks for visiting, Jacquie!
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Mae, lovely to see Julie on your blog chatting about her debut book.
Julie, I loved learning how you created this book … and I can just imagine your eureka moment! Great that you’ve got more planned for Sierra Bauer (terrific name!) Best of luck with your book and savour this sensation! xx
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Thank you so much, Annika! Now to hit that eureka moment with book 2 …. 😀
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Thanks for visiting, Annika. I look forward to reading more of Sierra’s escapades in Julie’s books to come!
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I liked the voice of the writing teacher prompting two stories. Best wishes on the book, Julie. Thanks, Mae for hosting.
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Thanks for visiting, John and sharing in Julie’s release!
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😊
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Thanks, John! She was a bit surprised she could throw her voice that far (she’s in WI) 🙂
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😄
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Still can’t wait to read it! As soon as I’m done with my current read…
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You’ll love it. Julie wrote a great twisty mystery.
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Oooh, twists? I didn’t know there would be twists. Even MORE excited.
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😀 😀 ❤ ❤
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Fun that you ended up with two books instead of one:) Good luck with your first mystery!
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It’s an intriguing mystery, Judi. So glad you stopped by to check out Julie’s post!
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It’s kinda weird how that works sometimes 🙂 Thanks for stopping by, Judi!
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Julie had such a great launch. It’s wonderful to see her here, Mae. ❤
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It was fun participating. I’m so glad she had so many friends supporting her!
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Wow, sorry so late to see this. Been a bit distracted. Thank you, Diana, for being one of my writer buddies (even though I’m envious of your writing office (all except for the bats and the bees 😀 )!
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No problem, Julie. I’m late on everything these days while living out of a suitcase and running around like a nutcase. Home tomorrow and can’t wait. 🙂
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Congratulations, Julie! Wishing you continued success. 🙂
Many thanks for sharing, Mae, as always.
Cheers to you both! 🙂
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Thanks for visiting, Natalie. I’m glad you had a chance to check out Julie’s release!
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Thank you, Natalie! This is such a wonderful, supportive writing community!
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I was especially riveted by the process Julie went through in getting the setting and characters straightened out for this book. Interesting post!
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Glad you enjoyed it, Flossie. Thanks for visiting!
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Thanks, Flossie! My process isn’t usually so convoluted, but what would be the fun in a smooth ride? 😀
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