The winners of the Inkshares Mystery Contest have been announced, and I’m happy to say that "Cat’s Paw" is on the list! This means we will be going forward with all the editing and rewriting and nosegrinding that goes into the publication process, and, probably a year from today, the book will make it into your hands.

Onwards!

The 14th has come and gone, and the Inkshares Mystery & Thriller Contest is over. Unfortunately for us, both "Richly Drawn" and "Ripe for Execution" put on a last-minute spurt and forged ahead, leaving us in fourth place and off the winners’ podium.

HOWEVER

While we don’t have a guaranteed publishing deal, we still have a chance. Inkshares is currently evaluating each of the entrants for inclusion as an "additional winner". A number of contest entries have been counting on this "additional winner" spot, I believe; but I also believe that fighting for a top three spot (even if we failed!) has put us in a much better position to get it.

We should know by January whether we’re going to get the go-ahead after all.

In the meantime, pre-orders remain open on "Cat’s Paw" until the end of January, and Christmas is almost upon us. I don’t know about you, but I refuse to let any of this get me down. May the new year bring all the best we could hope for!

Less than one week to go!

Ladies and gentlemen, we have less than one week before the end of the Inkshares Mystery & Thriller contest. We’re currently at second place with 119 readers, but anything can happen in a week, and our friends down in 3rd and 4th are just hitting their second wind. Do we have a second wind? I hope we do. If you know anyone who might be interested in a tale of suspense -- of murder, conspiracy, and suspicion -- be sure to point them this way. Don’t forget to check to see if you really have placed your order.

And remember, pre-ordering a physical copy of the book also gets you the e-book bundled in together!

Today is the 20th of November. In the original scheme of things, the Inkshares Mystery & Thriller contest would have ended on the 24th of November, four days from now; however, the deadline was extended some time back to the 14th of December, which means we have a little more breathing room.

Or, it means other people have the breathing room to catch up to us....

Well, we passed the Hundred Reader mark a few days ago, and just yesterday, we received the backing of the Staff Syndicate. That’s great news. If we can reach 250 readers by the 14th of December, it’s publication and no questions asked. It seems like a big hurdle, but hope springs eternal, and an honest effort could still count for much.

Remember to check your online Inkshares bookshelf, especially if you’ve not received a personal thank you email from me. It would be terrible to miss out on things simply due to "technical difficulties".

For now, though, I have a novel to write. You’re going to love it.