"Today, I did a crazy thing,” I said to Joan. She’s a Dev Editor, and one of my cohorts in the Black Hats Writers Group. She got me mixed up in this Inkshares meshugas in the first place. God bless her for that.

Last year when the Inkshares Horror Contest was heating up, Michael Welch and I had a friendly rivalry going. Some even called it a bromance. (That might have been me.) Mostly, he was kicking my ass. He floated the idea of collaborating on a project. We even discussed plot ideas, characterization, and what-not in some detail.

“Hell no,” I said back then. "Maybe later when this contest is over."

When it was over, I needed to write, and so did he, and now I’m re-writing and yes, I have high hopes that book might drop in 2019. I’m talking about MINE, of course, which started out as Murder Happens. I’m still not settled on the title, but MINE works for me right now.

Today, Mike floats the idea of putting the collaboration together again because Inkshares has a new contest going. The first of this year. Might be the only one of this year. And, it’s a Mystery Contest.

“I can’t ask my supporters to fork over for another book when the one I promised isn’t done yet,” I said. 

There might have been more swearing involved. Or maybe that’s a conversation that occurred in my head. Still, the excitement of the contest worked its way into my evil little brain. Next thing I know, Mike’s putting us up as a team. He even gave me first billing in the author profile. It should be him. The concept is his. But, I’m going to grab a hunk for myself. That’s how I roll. The creative tension between us will be epic. Definitely worth the price of admission, right? 

Oh, wait. I need to give you a link so you can go follow the book. I’m not going to ask, beg, extort or otherwise pressure anyone to pre-order. (But, shit happens.) I’ll throw this link out there, and let you decide what to do. The URL has 666 in it. That’s righteous. 

https://www.inkshares.com/books/ruining-boise-060666

There’s some serious talent running away with this contest already, and I’m sure I’ll support those projects, but hey, just call me crazy.

Dear friends and followers,

It is with great pleasure that I announce to you that THE "CAT’S PAW" CAMPAIGN IS LIVE!

So do please go and tell ’em that yes, you really would pay to read this. Most of you have been through the funding campaign for "A Gentleman’s Murder", and all of you know how it works. Every pre-order represents a vote to see the book published.

More importantly, this will show that "A Gentleman’s Murder" was not just a flash in the pan: that this really could be my life ... tell me you love me.

But you must be wondering, what is "Cat’s Paw" about?

It’s the story of one Roger Linwood as he returns home for his adoptive father’s funeral, only to find that the old man’s death was murder, and that a clause in his will leaves the entirety of the Linwood estate, in the case of an unnatural death, to whichever one of the three Linwood children -- Roger, Alan, or Caroline -- first identifies his killer. But the case seems fairly clear: the only person with access to the scene was Lady Linwood, their adoptive mother, a woman so frail and emotionally devastated that her guilt seems quite unthinkable. Of course, nothing is quite what it seems ... not even the world of Roger Linwood’s idyllic childhood.

While the story is set in the same period as "A Gentleman’s Murder", and while it does involve a murder investigation, this isn’t a Peterkin sequel. It’s quite a bit darker, with an edge of Gothic horror. My plan had been, in fact, to work on the next Peterkin mystery, but this story cut in line and insisted on being told.

The muse will not be denied.

The Inkshares Mystery/Thriller contest goes live tomorrow!

And so does "Cat’s Paw".

Watch this space, or follow the project. Remember, it’s the pre-orders that convinces Inkshares of the viability of a book project. In the case of a contest, it’s the number of individual people placing orders that counts, not the number of orders; so the more of you there are, the better.

Also maybe check out the other books going into the contest. Right now, I’d like to draw your attention to "Gumshoe Rules", by Z. Z. Traver. It’s classic hardboiled, but I suspect there’ll be a slight postmodern spin to it as well. It apparently revolves around something called the Z-Machine ... which a handful of you might recognise as an interactive fiction reference. I’ve already put money on it, and you should too.

The Inkshares Mystery/Thriller contest goes live tomorrow!

And so does "Cat’s Paw".

Watch this space, or follow the project. Remember, it’s the pre-orders that convinces Inkshares of the viability of a book project. In the case of a contest, it’s the number of individual people placing orders that counts, not the number of orders; so the more of you there are, the better.

Also maybe check out the other books going into the contest. Right now, I’d like to draw your attention to "Gumshoe Rules", by Z. Z. Traver. It’s classic hardboiled, but I suspect there’ll be a slight postmodern spin to it as well. It apparently revolves around something called the Z-Machine ... which a handful of you might recognise as an interactive fiction reference. I’ve already put money on it, and you should too.

It was always my intention to follow up "A Gentleman’s Murder" with a sequel featuring Eric Peterkin on another sleuthing mission. That is still my intention; however, what was supposed to have been a short story to warm myself up seems to have turned into a full-blown novel, so it appears my next book will be a stand-alone novel instead.

Well, Agatha Christie’s second novel wasn’t a Poirot story, was it? Think of it as a palate-cleanser.

The working title for this next book is Cat’s Paw, and it’s a tale of Gothic suspense rather than a straight-up whodunnit ... something somewhat darker in tone than anything Eric Peterkin would get up to. I encourage everyone to go follow the project now. It appears that Inkshares is planning to kick off a mystery contest this coming Friday, and I intend for Cat’s Paw to be a part of it. Pre-orders will open then.

1921: Sir Lawrence Linwood is dead, and his three adopted children -- Alan, Roger, and Caroline -- have returned to the remote village of Linwood Hollow for the funeral. What begins as a bittersweet reunion turns sinister when the visiting chief inspector assures the family that Sir Lawrence was murdered -- and that the evidence points to their own mother, a woman so frail and emotionally devastated that any idea of guilt seems unthinkable.

Is Lady Linwood really stricken by grief? Or is it fear? If she didn’t do it, then it can only be one of the three Linwood siblings. Whichever of them identifies their father’s killer will be named the sole heir to his estate, but how badly does each of them want that prize?

Hello My Lovelies,

Quick note to update progress on MINE, formerly titled Murder Happens. I’ve been plowing through the draft with the editor’s notes, and a crazy system of capturing story particulars via email.

Most ideas come to me either right before I fall asleep, or when I wake up first thing in the morning. These ideas are fleeting, so I grab a mobile device and tap out the gist of it. Then I roll over and go back to sleep.

When I read the note later, it’s usually gibberish without context, but somehow it still works. I’m a kinesthetic learner. I doodle in meetings. My work notes are complete nonsense, but I retain a lot of info in the old Fearce melon.

I work on the story every day. Once again, I’m closing in on the denouement of the manuscript. Second draft. I feel good about it, like it’s ratcheting up toward super tight. Like Dutch (a.k.a. Elmore Leonard) always said, cut out the parts no one reads. I been whacking the crap out of MINE with a hatchet.

If you’re not following along, go here now and do it.

https://www.inkshares.com/books/murder-happens

There’s quite a few of you I’ve told that I’ll check out your work, or have bought your book with the intention of reading it, even reviewing it. I fully intend to follow through on those promises, but this juggernaut needs to get finished. 

Also, there’s a lot of great books in the Staff Syndicate. The most recent selections are funding. Check them out, too. Pre-order a couple. Pay it forward for when your time comes.

https://www.inkshares.com/syndicates/staff

Dean Fearce

Hello My Lovelies,

Quick note to update progress on MINE, formerly titled Murder Happens. I’ve been plowing through the draft with the editor’s notes, and a crazy system of capturing story particulars via email.

Most ideas come to me either right before I fall asleep, or when I wake up first thing in the morning. These ideas are fleeting, so I grab a mobile device and tap out the gist of it. Then I roll over and go back to sleep.

When I read the note later, it’s usually gibberish without context, but somehow it still works. I’m a kinesthetic learner. I doodle in meetings. My work notes are complete nonsense, but I retain a lot of info in the old Fearce melon.

I work on the story every day. Once again, I’m closing in on the denouement of the manuscript. Second draft. I feel good about it, like it’s ratcheting up toward super tight. Like Dutch (a.k.a. Elmore Leonard) always said, cut out the parts no one reads. I been whacking the crap out of MINE with a hatchet.

If you’re not following along, go here now and do it.

https://www.inkshares.com/books/murder-happens

There’s quite a few of you I’ve told that I’ll check out your work, or have bought your book with the intention of reading it, even reviewing it. I fully intend to follow through on those promises, but this juggernaut needs to get finished. 

Also, there’s a lot of great books in the Staff Syndicate. The most recent selections are funding. Check them out, too. Pre-order a couple. Pay it forward for when your time comes.

https://www.inkshares.com/syndicates/staff

Dean Fearce

Full confession: I’ve been having a very hard time with some personal things lately, so I haven’t been so terribly diligent on updating everybody. I’ll spare the details (this update is going out to something like over 600 followers of The Animal in Man!), but you should be aware of a couple things:

THE ANIMAL IN MAN FINAL COVER IMAGE!

UPDATED BOOK-SIGNING EVENT DATES

The release date of the Animal in Man was pushed back from late September to October 30th due to some printer issues. Therefore, the events I’d booked had to be pushed back as well.

The Book Cellar, Chicago - - November 1st, 7:00 - 9:00 PM (4736-38 N Lincoln Ave)

Barnes & Noble Naperville - - November 10, 2:00 - 5:00 PM (47 E Chicago Ave)

I’m hoping I can see all my dear animals out en masse.