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Laurie Fagen loves to talk about writing, and can provide an entertaining and informative session for any organization. She can also talk about making the transition from journalist to novelist among other topics. Email her at Laurie@ReadLaurieFagen.com for her availability.
Welcome
Bleeder, the third book in the “Behind the Mic Mysteries,” is under way and will be out in early 2018. It is the continuing saga of intrepid radio reporter, Lisa Powers, who covers the trial of the cop shooter from the Dead Air book. The story will be a fictionalized version of an actual case I covered during my television crime reporting days, and will be “moved on a change of venue” to Prescott. I can include details about the lovely mountain town that is my second home. Lisa will also cover a domestic violence case, and the podcast is tentatively entitled “Art of the Steal,” about a crime in an art gallery.
Dead Air, book #2 in the “Behind the Mic Mysteries,” is now available in both e-book and print on Amazon at https://tinyurl.com/BuyDeadAir. In addition, the audio book for Fade Out is is also online at Amazon and Audible!
Dead Air cover by Tad Smith of The Design Idea
In Dead Air, our young radio crime reporter, Lisa Powers, covers one of the biggest stories to hit Chandler and the Valley: the shooting of two police officers by a suspect who flees into the cornfields for a week before he’s captured, but not without Lisa’s involvement.
The cold case Lisa works on is a 15-year-old sexual assault of a 4-year-old girl, who is now 19. The young victim has not had any closure all this time, and Lisa is determined to help her find the rapist.
Lisa’s “podcast,” which she writes for fun at night after covering gritty crime stories during the day, is a “film noir” style story of a 1940s private eye and a dame. Only L. N. Pane, P.I. is the dame and the gentleman seeks help finding out why someone is out to kill him.
There are other stories Lisa covers in “Dead Air,” and as well as a new potential love interest for our heroine.
I had a great time narrating the audio book, and my talented son, Devon Hancock, who is seriously into audio production, did all the editing, mastering, uploading, etc. The “podcast” portion of the book has the bonus of professional actors, original music and sound effects. It will not be your “normal” audio book! Devon also created original music for me, came up with good additional sound effects and I’m so proud of the great work he did.
My oldest brother, also a musician in Norway, created the “Murder in the Air Mystery Theatre” theme music, and it’s appropriately spooky and mysterious. Who knows, this “podcast,” written by my radio sleuth, Lisa Powers, might find its way onto the airways in real time!
Meanwhile, I had a great time at Left Coast Crime, a popular annual mystery writing conference, held in Honolulu last month. I was part of a panel discussion of other novelists who also write for TV, film and stage, including Lee Goldberg. Then, I moderated a panel discussion on amateur female sleuths, and I presented a two-minute “pitch” for my debut crime fiction novel at the New Authors breakfast. It was great fun!
Coming up on June 1, I’ll be a guest speaker at Desert Dreams Writers Conference, about transitioning from a journalist to a novelist. It’s always packed full of great information for writers, and Friday keynote speaker is the amazing Diana Gabaldon. For registration info, visit www.DesertRoseRWA.org/
Something else to check off my “bucket list:” the mounting of a stage production I wrote last year. “Boa Babes,” about five women who have been friends for more than 40 years, had a successful run in May. My friends and I performed in the production as well and had a great time. We’re talking to the Herberger about a possible production there…stay tuned!
For more details about my other novels, check out the “Novels” page above.
Equalizer cover by Tad Smith of The Design Idea
Fade Out cover by Tad Smith of The Design Idea
There’s additional information about my writing on my Amazon Author Page at amazon.com/author/lauriefagen. I would greatly appreciate a short review there, as my publisher says “it’s all about the algorithms” on Amazon.
Make sure to sign up for my monthly newsletter so you stay informed about my speaking engagements, contests, and other details. Visit the “contact page” to sign up.
Fade Out is available at Chandler public libraries; Sibley’s West Gifts, Chandler; Dog-Eared Pages, Phoenix; Peregrine Book Company, Prescott Center for the Arts Gallery and Prescott Library, Prescott
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I am in final stages of polishing the manuscript for "Dead Air," book #2 in "Behind the Mic Mysteries." Used "Auto-Crit" to help go through repeated words and phrases, and was astounded how many times I wrote "a bit," "pull out," "I decide" and many more! Also overused words like "hot, pretty, realize" so came up with other, better nomenclature. Am now reading it out loud, and making appropriate repetitive word changes. The software program was a big help.
Hope to have it published before going to "Left Coast Crime" in Honolulu in March. Meanwhile, Devon and I are plugging along editing the podcast episodes for the "Fade Out" audio book, and as soon as my bronchitis is gone, will continue narrating the rest of the chapters. www.ReadLaurieFagen.com