Dear Reader,
My life for the next few months is all about Mississippi, my home state. As you guys know, LADY OF BONES is now on sale! I’m so excited. The Zinnia gang is on a case in NOLA, and that is a place that never fails to capture my imagination and spirit of adventure. In the story, I took a few liberties with the Town that Care Forgot, but NOLA can handle it. She’s been the subject of many, many books, movies, plays, and songs.
Next month, though, we go back in time and place to Jexville, Mississippi. SUMMER OF THE REDEEMERS was first published by Dutton in 1994. I’m re-releasing the book as a fundraiser for Good Fortune Farm Refuge, a 501c3 where we care for old and unwanted critters and spay and neuter as many animals as we can. All proceeds of each sale go directly to the refuge. The new paperback and hardcover editions will be available next month.
You can order the stunning hardcovers (and paperbacks) next month
— e-books are available now to pre-order.
REDEEMERS is the story of a young girl who is horse crazy. She lives on KaliOka Road (Yes, there is a real KaliOka Road in Mobile County, AL, but I borrowed it and moved it across the state line) with her parents and grandmother. When a woman with show horses moves onto the dirt road, Bekkah thinks her dreams have been answered. But Nadine is mysterious, and possibly very dangerous. When Bekkah’s best friend’s little sister, baby Maebelle, disappears, it’s possible Nadine has harmed her. Or it could be the very strange religious cult that has moved to an old church on the road, The Blood of the Redeemers church.
This is a coming of age story and as such, reflects the loss of innocence that all children endure as they learn about the harsh realities of life. REDEEMERS, set in 1964, is the first of The Jexville Trilogy. If you want the new gorgeous hardcover edition, you’ll have to wait until next month to get it. I’ll have a link for it in the next newsletter. I’ll also have a new paperback edition too. For now, the e-books are up for pre-order. One book will be published each month. TOUCHED is up next for August, so more about that next month. The books will be published in digital, trade, and hardcover formats.
Writing brings much excitement and joy into my life, but I’m lately running on a low charge. It’s just going to take me a while to get over the death of my brother and sister, and so many of my close friends are also having health issues. This was supposed to be our “golden years.”
When I find the person who started that hogwash, I think I’ll find the energy to “whup ‘em good.”
I had a fun time on Jerri Cachero’s Simply, Murder group on Facebook. We had some giveaways on June 14, when LADY OF BONES was released. And I’m scheduled to do some library talks later on. Covid really ground book signings to a halt. But it seems we’re getting back on track.
Nut, one of the chihuahuas I inherited from my sister, had to have a dental. He had some really, really bad teeth and the vet had to pull a lot of them. Nut is feeling much better and Cup is taking good care of him. Pearl is doing great. She loves living on the farm. She rides in the golf cart with me when I am hunting down the fly masks the horses constantly rub off. Puss is doing okay. She’s happy, though very thin. She takes her hyperthyroid medicine with no obvious side-effects, but she just doesn’t eat with a normal appetite. Dick Cheney is still, well, a dick. He is so loving to me, but he tries to kill the other cats. Even Puss. But we have a routine. When I have time to watch him, I put a harness and leash on him and turn him loose. Sometimes he cuddles with me, but if he starts prowling around for a kitty to harass, I can “reel” him in. I just spend my entire day catering to the needs of these animals. And of course my cats and dogs and horses too.
The horses are hot. They have fans in the barn, and I hose them off a lot. Today they had some watermelon cut up for them (honestly, most people throw it on the ground and let them eat it but I don’t like the dirt in it so I cut it up and put it in their feeders).
I’m doing okay. Ready for fall; I have never been a summer person. The only good thing about summer was being out of school and now that I’m a Boomer, that doesn’t apply.
I don’t know how many of you knew of Mississippi singer/songwriter Jesse Winchester. He passed away, but his songs live forever. He has always been a favorite of mine. Here’s a great song from 1974. It holds way too many memories for me: Mississippi You’re On My Mind
Until next month!
Carolyn and the critters
P.S. I’m giving away three bundles of Fear Familiar, Too Familiar, and Thrice Familiar at my Monthly Giveaway on my website!