Simon & Elizabeth Sleuth Again

[Peg Herring]

I got the ARCs (advance review copies) of POISON, YOUR GRACE recently. The ARC serves several purposes: it gives the author a last chance to check the book over before it goes to publication. It allows reviewers the chance to read the book and write their opinions before it goes on sale. It gives an author the chance to tease audiences a little by giving away a few copies of the as-yet-unfinished product.
And it makes me crazy.
Just kidding, but it seems the ARCs show up just when I'm at my busiest. SHAKESPEARE'S BLOOD has not been out for a month yet, so there's lots of promoting to do with that one. The sequel to THE DEAD DETECTIVE AGENCY is supposed to be almost done and it's...not. And the fact that the second Simon and Elizabeth book is almost ready means that I should be well into the third one. I am. Sort of.
I am not complaining. I wrote for about five years without anyone in publishing taking any notice at all except to say "Not for us." I'm thrilled to have people waiting to see what happens to Simon, and I'm intrigued by what is happening in my other books.
Anyway, I do have two ARCs of POISON, YOUR GRACE to give away. Anyone who contacts me this week: blog, Facebook, email, website, whatever, and says he/she would like one will be entered in a drawing on Friday from my famous U of M hat.