Welcome to Kristina Stanley, author of the brand new thriller DECENT.
Let's find out if doing the final edit on a novel is as terrifying as murder on the slopes...
Welcome to Magic of the Muses, Kristina.
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DESCENT was launched on July 25, 2015. After years of writing, taking courses, trying
to get a publisher, going through the editing process, asking for reviews on
advanced reader copies and getting feedback, the most stressful part of the
whole process was the final proofread.
Imajin Books sent me
the galley proof with the instructions to scour the manuscript for any error,
any typo. My eyes chose that moment to see everything and panic hit. This would
be the final time I got to make changes, ever, to DESCENT. My stomach knotted,
my throat tightened.
I read a printed copy. I read a copy on the
computer. I had the computer read a copy back to me, so I could listen to the
words. And I corrected a few typos. Surely, I’d found everything. But had I?
The moment to hit send arrived, sweat dripped
down my spine and I thought I might faint. My fingers trembled and slowly, ever
so slowly I pressed the return key.
Zip! Just like that it was gone. A strange
feeling of awe overcame me.
When Kalin Thompson is promoted to Director
of Security at Stone Mountain Resort, she soon becomes entangled in the
high-profile murder investigation of an up-and-coming Olympic-caliber skier.
There are more suspects with motives than there are gates on the super-G
course, and danger mounts with every turn.
Kalin’s boss orders her to
investigate. Her boyfriend wants her to stay safe and let the cops do their
job. Torn between loyalty to friends and professional duty, Kalin must look
within her isolated community to unearth the killer’s identity.
What does an author do when a novel is off
to the publisher?
Well, on to the next novel of course.
BLAZE, the second in the Stone Mountain Mystery Series, is scheduled for
publication by Imajin Books later this year. BLAZE is a mystery and arson is the crime, but
this time it looks like Kalin Thompson is the target. Moments before writing
this blog, I sent my final changes to the editor. I still have to go through the
proofreading process on BLAZE but maybe the second time will be easier.
The third in the series, AVALANCHE, has
Kalin Thompson searching for a thief, struggling to prove her brother is
innocent of a major theft. Unfortunately for Kalin, her brother disappears
hours after the theft and is the prime suspect.
REQUEST FOR READER ASSISTANCE: I’m writing
the fourth in the Stone Mountain Mystery series. A business partner of Kalin’s
is murdered while driving his ATV on a mountain trail. He’s forced into a
frothing river… My problem with the fourth novel is I have to stop calling it
“the fourth.” I need a title. If you have any suggestions for a title that fits
with DESCENT, BLAZE and AVALANCHE, please leave a comment below.
Kristina’s Bio:
Kristina Stanley is the author of the StoneMountain Mystery Series. Her books have garnered the attention of prestigious
crime writing organizations in Canada and England. Crime Writers of Canada
nominated DESCENT for the Unhanged Arthur award. The Crime Writers’ Association
nominated BLAZE for the Debut Dagger. She is published in the Ellery Queen
Mystery Magazine.
Before writing her series, Kristina was the
director of security, human resources and guest services at a resort in the
depths of the British Columbia mountains. The job and lifestyle captured her
heart, and she decided to write mysteries about life in an isolated resort.
While writing the first four novels, she spent five years living aboard a
sailboat in the US and the Bahamas.
Thank you, Eileen, for hosting me.
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You're very welcome, Kristina. Congratulations on your new release and good luck with that series!
"...will surprise, titillate & fascinate you"
"A highly recommended read to all fans of futuristic
fiction."
“...kidnaps the reader and compels them to read more.”
“...keeps you guessing and the twist at the end brought a
smile to my face.”
