Aloha All,

Thank you to everyone who has let me know they have received their copies of Lost in the Fog!  It’s been a long journey to publication, and I’m extremely excited for you to finally have the opportunity to read the book!  The calls, texts, emails, DMs, and social media posts you’ve shared have made me incredibly happy.

For those who have yet to receive their copies, please know the books have shipped and are on the way.  Your wonderful neighborhood mailperson will be getting it into your hands very soon! 

When you do receive your copy of Lost in the Fog, I’d love to hear from you.  And if you’re able to post a picture of it to the social media outlet of your choosing, I would greatly appreciate that as well!  You can tag me with @mikeozzie for Instagram and @MichaelOWriter (both Facebook and Twitter).

Mahalo!

-Michael 

Aloha All,

I have  good news to share with you!  Inkshares has begun to ship the paperbacks of Lost in the Fog!

I haven’t received my author copies in the mail yet, but I’ve heard from some friends who have gotten their pre-orders.  That makes me incredibly happy!  Both you and I will be getting our paperbacks of Lost in Fog very soon!  

The post offices around the globe are doing yeoman’s work, so we’ll just need to be patient while they do their jobs.  Given all the delays I’ve read about due to a variety of reasons, please give them some time to deliver the packages.  If you haven’t received your copies within the next 2 weeks, please let me know.

There’s no way I can properly thank you all for your support!  I’m also incredibly grateful for your patience in this Rip Van Winkle-esque process that is publishing a book.  This wouldn’t have been possible without you.   I sincerely hope you enjoy Lost in the Fog. 

I’ll end this update with the first professional review I’ve ever received.  It’s from Kirkus, who have been trusted evaluators of books since 1933.  I’m so grateful they loved it:

“Ostrowski, a former resident of both Boston and San Francisco, thoroughly knows the territory the intriguing characters roam. The places range from a hidden foodie gem in Boston’s North End to where the steep slope of Powell Street meets Sutter in the San Francisco fog . . . humor weaves throughout the smoothly written story.   For example, Camden says his wine has an intense black cherry taste “with a hint of clowns on a bright summer day.”

But the mood can change quickly.  The tension rises in this enjoyable tale as unhappy clients attack, often fatally.  Thriller enthusiasts will want to add this well-sculpted heist drama to their collections." – Kirkus Reviews

 -Michael 

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Aloha All,

The ebooks of Lost in the Fog are now available!

Everyone who pre-ordered Lost in the Fog will receive an email from Inkshares with a link to download it.  If you bought a paperback, the ebooks were included with the purchase.

Your downloads will be in three different formats: mobi (Kindle), Epub (Apple books), and Adobe PDF (which can be read on any device).  Please check your email, and if you haven’t received it, please let me know. 

Paperback books will be mailed in October.

Thank you all again for your support!!!

-Michael

Aloha All,

The publication of Lost in the Fog is so close I can smell it.  For me, the scent is a cool, ocean breeze mingled with trees and dirt and the dampness of fog drifting across Lands End Trail at the westernmost point of San Francisco.  Maybe there’s some whiskey notes in there as well. 

Lost in the Fog is a mystery, a comedy, a wild adventure, and a neo noir.  It’s also taken a helluva long time to get into print for people to read.  With the pandemic, it’s unfortunately made the wait even longer.

And now there’s a new calamity to add to the Shit Show of 2020 to further delay Lost in the Fog. 

The fires in California and Oregon, with their extremely dangerous air quality, have been a horrific ordeal that’s affected so many people.  Because of this, it’s produced a slight setback for the printed books to be shipped to everyone who pre-ordered one.  Of course my novel’s delay means absolutely nothing in the larger picture of what’s going on, and my heart goes out to everyone affected.

But there is some good news with Lost in the Fog . . . the e-version will be ready to go on September 21st as promised! 

Anyone who bought a paperback will also automatically receive an e-copy.  You will be emailed my book in both mobi (for Kindle) and Epub (Apple books) files, as well as in Adobe PDF which can be read on any computer or device.  I just received my advanced e-copy, and it looks super cool!  While I’m still a paper and ink kind of guy, I’ve read plenty of books on Kindle and I’m a fan. 

Inkshares has said that the paperbacks of Lost in the Fog will be shipped in October.  I don’t have an exact date, but when I do, you will be the first to know.  I’m incredibly sorry for this delay.

That being said, I’m also incredibly excited that on September 21st e-copies will be sent to everyone who pre-ordered Lost in the Fog!  Thank you, thank you, thank you, and mahalo!  I’m so grateful for your support, and I hope you enjoy the story of Camden, Veronica, and their quest to find the stolen Matisse sculptures in San Francisco.

-Michael  

Aloha All,

Just a quick update here on Lost in the Fog’s official publication date as well as a sneak peek at the front and back of the cover!

While we all wanted August, the good folks at Inkshares are still not yet back in the office due to the pandemic.  Avalon, the extremely hardworking and amazing Director of Marketing & Publishing Operations, selected a new date to ensure there is enough time to properly handle everything on their end.  

Lost in the Fog will be released September 21, 2020!

It’s been a long journey, and I thank you all once again for your tremendous support.  I’ll be back in touch as the date gets closer, but in the meantime here’s an exclusive, first look at the cover.  I am so happy with the work from the talented artists Xavier and Rafael from CoverKitchen!  I hope you enjoy it too.  Mahalo! 

-Michael

Aloha All,

I’m happy to share with you that Lost in the Fog is nearly ready to reach your hands and eyes as a published book!  Inkshares is currently doing the design pour, which is one of the final steps before it’s printed.  While I don’t have a hard date yet, publication will be either this April or May.

I also have the cover I can at long last reveal to you! 

Lost in the Fog shares a few strands of DNA with the Maltese Falcon, the Big Sleep, and a few other of my favorite classic mystery novels.  And the cover is a pulp fiction inspired throwback to those books, designed by the immensely talented team at Coverkitchen.  I present it to you below.

There was a ton of back and forth and revisions, and I’m thrilled with their final version.  Although I love the old pulp covers, I wasn’t sure if it would work for my book, and originally considered more modern designs.  But in the end Xavier and Rafa of Coverkitchen came up with the throwback concept, and nailed it.

So excited to be in the home stretch, and I’ll continue to keep everyone updated!

“Time flies. It’s up to you to be the navigator.” - Robert Orben

Aloha All,

It’s hard to believe it was almost three months ago that I submitted my novel Lost in the Fog to Inkshares!

Summer had just started, Elon Musk had yet to smoke marijuana on a live show, and nobody cared what the word “boof” meant.  I guess a lot can happen in 90 days. 

In early July I had just finished the developmental edit of Lost in the Fog, where I had worked tirelessly  whenever I could find free time with a very talented editor to significantly improve my manuscript.  I was ecstatic back then, as submitting the new version of the book to the publisher was a huge milestone!  But as I wrote in my last update, Inkshares is small publishing house and they only have the ability to work on 1-2 books per month.  I knew I had to wait my turn.   

I finally have great news to share …  Lost in the Fog is next in the queue to start the publication process!

While I still don’t have an exact timeline and I cannot yet give you a publication date, we’re another step closer.  I would say early 2019 is looking very good.  Once Inkshares begins to work on Lost in the Fog and I have more detailed information, you’ll be the first to know!

I’m also very happy to share with you that I have been writing the sequel to Lost in the Fog.  Here’s the pitch:

An investigative reporting team from San Francisco must discover why a religious cult in Honolulu wants to assassinate them.

I’ve lived in Hawaii for the last six years, and I am super excited to set the new Camden and Veronica Mystery in the place I’m honored to call home.  While we wait for Lost in the Fog to go through the publication process with Inkshares and get into your hands, finishing the sequel is now my top priority.  My ultimate goal is to create at least a trilogy with these characters, but hopefully a longer series featuring Camden and Veronica where each novel will take place in a different location.  I’m already thinking Paris for the third book …

 Mahalo again for your support!  Thank you, thank you, thank you!

-Michael

https://www.inkshares.com/books/lost-in-the-fog