Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Announcing...

This is one of the few places I have not yet announced my latest sale. I have sold a Cozy Mystery series to Berkley Prime Crime in a three book deal. YAY! *flings confetti*
The working title of the first book is "Gluten for Punishment." I asked for titles on my Facebook page back in November- explaining that I was about to write a Cozy Mystery set in Kansas in which a gluten-free bakery owner finds a dead man at her door. Unfortunately the dead man is a wheat farmer who protested at her Grand Opening just days before and our heroine is suspect number one.
I had a number of really great title suggestions, but simply had to use Jaci Charbonneau's "Gluten For Punishment." Thanks Jaci!
The book features our heroine, Toni Ryder who returns to her small town Kansas roots after her mother dies and leaves the rambling Victorian family home in Toni's care. Always one to make the best of a situation, Toni opens a store front for her already booming on-line gluten-free bakery business. But Toni left OilTop, Kansas right after her high school graduation because she never quite fit in. Now she is back twenty years later and is still a fish-out-of-water. Her loud, large and creative family plus a dead man at her door does not help Toni blend in. Add in a newspaper reporter out for a story, a good-looking lawyer, a handsome rancher and a best friend whose life is falling apart and Toni has her hands full. Will she be able to figure out who did it and clear her name before the killer gets too close?
This book was a whole lot of fun to write. Plus I am putting some of my own gluten-free recipes in the back so it's been fun playing in the kitchen as well. The book's release date is yet to be set, but I imagine sometime in early 2013.

Meanwhile- don't forget THE COUNTERFEIT BRIDE is out this June. For a fun, sweet western romance, about a gal who makes up a husband to legitimize her business then a man appears, calling himself her husband and she is stuck trying to figure out who he is and what he wants before she loses everything...including her heart. Preorder now!

10 comments:

Mary Curry said...

Congratulations! I've been swamped with school so didn't see this news any of the other places you shared it.
Marvelous news. LOVE the title and the story.
I hope it turns into an ongoing series. Your cast of characters reminds me of what I love best about cozy series.

anselblue design studio said...

Excellent! I write a gluten free cooking blog and this post was forwarded to me today. Let me know when it's ready to read!

Pamala Knight said...

Woot! Congratulations Nancy! Can't wait to read it. Hope you're doing well.

mystwood said...

Congratulations, Nancy! That's fabulous news! Can't wait to read your new series. . . and try out your gluten-free recipes. :0)

Laurie P.

Marilyn Brant said...

Cannot wait to read this series, Nancy!! Congrats to you, again, and may a million sales follow ;).

Linda Kage said...

I think that title is perfect! Hope you get to keep it. And I can't wait for June! I've read the sneek peek excerpts on your website a few times!

Congrats on so much good news.

Jessica Nelson said...

Nancy!!! This is HUGE!!!!
CONGRATS!!!! Wow, I love the premise and actually, I really love your Counterfeit Bride premise too. I need to go check that out.
I hope you've had many, many happy dances. ;-)

Jessica Nelson said...

Okay, miss, how do I find your book! When I click on it, nothing happens except a larger image. I'll go try to find your website. :-)

~Sia McKye~ said...

Oh, this is wonderful news, Nan! Congratulations!

I love your writing, so you can bet I'm going to be reading this series.

A few more Gluten free recipes will be great to have, too. As you can imagine, I do have a quite a few for my personal use.

Nancy J. Parra said...

Oh, my, goodness, thanks for the great response.
Hi MaryC, thanks!
Awesome, Snselblue, it looks like early 2013. I'll keep you updated. Thanks for stopping by~
Hi Pamala, *waves* thanks!
Hi Laurie, *waves* the recipes are tasty~
Thanks Marilyn!
Hi Linda, thanks~ congrats on all your hard work.
Hi Jessica- I hope you found the website useful *turns pink* I need to update further.
Hi Sia, I hope you are dry! Gluten Free recipes are fun to try. (and yummy, too~) ;)