Mystery
To Be Published: 4/11/23
A Widow Writer Mystery
Jaynie Floyd, a celebrated mystery writer, has a book on the New York Times bestseller list. It’s wonderful news and her agent wants to send her on a book tour to promote it. However, Jaynie is newly widowed and doesn’t want to go. As she works through her grief, a myriad of problems arise with family and life.
Once she finally decides to go on the book tour, partially to escape, all hell breaks loose. One of the other authors on the tour is murdered and Jaynie’s instincts as a mystery writer are called into action. Soon she is chasing down leads and suspects, all the while avoiding requests from police and family to keep out of it. Her skills and curiosity take Jaynie into dangerous territory, from which she may not escape. Bodies pile up as she gets closer to the truth. Truth that could make sure she bothers the killer no more.
Book Tour Madness is a story of survival after the death of a spouse, mixed with an old-fashioned murder mystery.
Interview with SJ Slagle
How many books have you written and which is your favorite?
I’ve written over 30 books at this point in my career. I’ve explored the genres of Historical Fiction, Mystery, Children and Western Romance. My Sherlock and Me series is a favorite because they were such fun to write.
If you’re planning a sequel, can you share a tiny bit about your plans for it?
I’m planning a series for this protagonist, Jaynie Floyd. She’s newly widowed and a successful mystery writer. She’s coping with her new single life and trouble seems to find her. This new trouble leads into the exciting world of Las Vegas.
Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book?
Each book needs to stand alone, even in a series. However, lead and secondary characters continue in each book with the new plots and situations. Connections are important as readers want to know what’s happening with the characters they have come to care about.
How did you come up with the title for your book?
My protagonist is an author who goes on a book tour, which is non-stop trouble. Book Tour Madness seemed fitting.
How long did it take you to write this book?
It took over a year to write this book. I wrote notes after the death of my husband about what it was like to be a new widow. The notes evolved into a mystery when I quit writing about myself and created my protagonist. I’ve written several books, but none like this one.
What does the title mean?
My protagonist, Jaynie Floyd, is a mystery writer whose latest book was on the New York Times bestseller list. She goes on a book tour and a fellow author gets murdered. It was indeed a mad book tour.
What did you learn when writing the book?
I learned how far I’ve come in my grieving process. I began the book just after my husband died. I wasn’t writing a book as much as I was writing about the experiences I had and how I was feeling at that time. Looking back, the book was a natural progression for me.
What surprised you the most?
It shouldn’t but I’m always delightfully surprised when I come up with a good plot. A well-written sentence delights me as well.
Have you ever killed off a character your readers loved?
No. I’ve seen what happens to readers (and experienced it) when a beloved character is killed off, for example, Sherlock Holmes. Conan Doyle was probably sick of the character and wanted to move on to another. Readers disagreed with him—vehemently. He had to bring Holmes back.
What do you do to get inside your character’s heads?
Writing in the first-person will get me inside my character’s head. Third-person perspective takes longer for me. My characters are so established that it doesn’t take long to begin a new book with them. I think about their way of speaking, what they’ve done and what I imagine they look like. It’s often like talking to old friends. Very comforting.
About the Author
SJ SLAGLE started her career as a language arts teacher. When she began writing, her initial interest was children’s stories, but then she moved on to western romance, mysteries and historical fiction. She has published 30 novels. Her website is www.sjslagle.com. SJ has established Twitter and Facebook fan bases, and a quarterly author newsletter.
SJ Slagle has written several western romance series including: THESE NEVADA BOYS, RANCHER, and THE WESTERNERS, as well as mystery series: FLOYD SISTERS MYSTERIES and SHERLOCK AND ME. All her books are distributed in digital, paper and audiobook formats.
Her first historical fiction novel, LONDON SPIES, was awarded a B.R.A.G. Medallion in 2018. She was given the Silver Award with the International Independent Film Awards for her screenplay called REDEMPTION. She conducts writing/publishing symposiums in her local area.
SJ Slagle lives and works in Reno, Nevada.
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