Writers with whom I've worked

I just got a lovely email from an author with whom I'd worked, a while ago, letting me know that her book had just been published.

Here's what you need to know about Coloring Outside the Lines: A Trailblazer's Journey by Dr. Elizabeth A. Patterson:

In a time when few dared to defy the status quo, she broke barriers with unwavering determination. Growing up in suburban Pittsburgh in the 1940s, she faced countless obstacles due to her race and gender. Yet, driven by the values instilled in her – respect, responsibility, and readiness – she forged her own path and pursued her dream of becoming a doctor.

In a field dominated by white men, she refused to be sidelined, instead using adversity as fuel to propel herself forward. With each step, she challenged stereotypes and opened doors, paving the way for diversity, equity, and inclusion long before these causes took center stage. Her journey was fraught with resistance, but her courage never faltered. She stood her ground, often alone, tirelessly advocating for equal opportunities and reforms to create a more just system.

Now, in her twilight years, she reflects on her legacy with pride. Her life's work is a testament to resilience and trailblazing spirit, and she hopes her story will inspire future generations to keep pushing boundaries, ensuring that the doors she opened remain open for all.

You know, just from reading those paragraphs, that this book is going to be remarkable. I knew it as soon as I read the draft – and it made me think of the other authors with whom I'd worked, over the years, and the books they'd written.

Alan Lastufka's Face the Night, for example, earned an enormous list of accolades:

★ 100 Best Indie Books of the Year – Kirkus Reviews (Starred)
★ WINNER 2022 Hoffer Award – Best Commercial Fiction
★ FINALIST 2022 American Fiction Awards – Best Supernatural Horror Novel
★ FINALIST 2022 Next Generation Indie Book Awards – Best New Horror Novel
★ FINALIST 2022 Da Vinci Eye Award
★ SEMI-FINALIST 2022 Publishers Weekly BookLife Prize – Thriller/Mystery

If you like horror, you're going to want to get to know Alan. In addition to his own works, which have been compared to Stephen King and Peter Straub, he launched a small press that publishes horror and other forms of dark speculative fiction. Visit Shortwave Publishing to learn more (and yes, you might spot my name among the authors listed, I wrote four mysteries and two short stories for Alan's press).

If you prefer well-researched historical fiction with a hint of romance, you might be interested in Cecily Van Cleave's Yewspring:

On her family’s estate of Yewspring, Clara Eastwood is determined to pursue her love of science and the natural world – far from an easy endeavor in early 1800s England, when women are expected to be found in ballrooms and drawing-rooms, not out sketching plants. When her future at Yewspring is thrown into question by an unexpected death, Clara dedicates herself to becoming a botanist but soon encounters prejudices that stand in the way of her ambitions. When she finds herself caught between a budding romance with her village’s land steward and a match with Yewspring’s new heir, Clara must choose which of her loyalties – to her craft, her family, Yewspring, and her own happiness – will determine her future.

And if you want a humorous series of essays in the style of Erma Bombeck, there's always Lori Lacina's Mama Said There'd Be Days Like This: 365 Daily Reflections from the Heartland. I got to watch Lori launch this book at Prairie Lights in Iowa City, which, you know, is kind of a big deal.

But start with Dr. Patterson's book, because it's new and because it's so beautifully written –

and if you have a draft of your own, let me know if you'd like to work together.