I've been thinking about the dedication for my upcoming home crafting mystery, Something Borrowed, Something Bleu. This is the fourth in the series. Above, you can see my choice for Book #3, Spin a Wicked Web. The women in my family have had a tremendous influence on my domestic passions as well as my writing.'G.G." was what we all called my great-grandmother, Essie McCoy, because "great-grandmother" was just too much of a mouthful. And by "we all" I mean her twenty-four great-grandchildren. Well, most of them. There were a few who called her "G.G. Pickle." Her cucumber and watermelon rind pickles were quite the treat when we visited.
The second in the series, Heaven Preserve Us, was "For Kevin." Aww. At least that's what people said when my dear one would just happen to have the book in his hand and allow it to fall open to the dedication page right in front of them. (Do you know how hard it is to make that look casual?) There was a lot going on in our lives -- some off-the-hook good and some amazingly awful -- while I was writing that book. He was unfailingly supportive and encouraging through it all.
As for the first book, Lye in Wait, I couldn't bring to mind the dedication. Mortified, I walked to my bookshelf to take a look. Imagine my relief when I realized I was more stupid than forgetful. There was no dedication.
The second in the series, Heaven Preserve Us, was "For Kevin." Aww. At least that's what people said when my dear one would just happen to have the book in his hand and allow it to fall open to the dedication page right in front of them. (Do you know how hard it is to make that look casual?) There was a lot going on in our lives -- some off-the-hook good and some amazingly awful -- while I was writing that book. He was unfailingly supportive and encouraging through it all.
As for the first book, Lye in Wait, I couldn't bring to mind the dedication. Mortified, I walked to my bookshelf to take a look. Imagine my relief when I realized I was more stupid than forgetful. There was no dedication.
And I remembered why. I'd written that first book in a kind of vacuum. No writing group. No feedback. No one read it as I went along. Just me, rewriting and rewriting and editing, making decisions alone, sending out queries one after the other. The first person who read Lye in Wait besides me was an agent. Then about a dozen more agents and my ex. Then some editors. And, finally, the acquiring editor at Midnight Ink. The Home Crafting Mystery Series was born.
At the time, I just couldn't think of anyone I wanted to dedicate that first book to.
Likely candidates for my next mystery are plentiful, though. There are my writing buddies who comb through my prose, point out inconsistencies with a gentle hand, and are still not afraid to say things like, "What the hell does this mean?"
There are the readers who discovered the series, enthusiastically spread the word, and check in regularly to find out when the next one will be released. One of their emails can keep me going for days.
There are the independent bookstores where they ask me to come sign and then hand sell the heck out of my books. We all know how important the indies are to an author's success.
Who have you dedicated your book(s) to? Any regrets? Does it feel like an important decision, or just another thing to check off your to-do list?
There are the readers who discovered the series, enthusiastically spread the word, and check in regularly to find out when the next one will be released. One of their emails can keep me going for days.
There are the independent bookstores where they ask me to come sign and then hand sell the heck out of my books. We all know how important the indies are to an author's success.
Who have you dedicated your book(s) to? Any regrets? Does it feel like an important decision, or just another thing to check off your to-do list?
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